Luther consoled him and offered him a position at the cathedral church in Naumburg.
Handwritten in Aurifaber, vol. III, p. 441. Printed in Innocent News 1740, p. 138; in Schlegel, vita Jo. Langeri, p. 229; in Strobel-Ranner, p. 326 and in De Wette, vol. V, p. 705 (incorrectly placed in the year 1544). German in Walch, vol. XXI, 1340.
To the respectable man, Mr. Nicolaus Medler, Doctor of Theology, pastor of the church at Naumburg, his extremely dear brother.
Grace and peace in the Lord! I refrain now, my dear Medler, Doctor and highly famous man, from comforting you in your very bitter cross, with which the Lord has crucified you, 1) but as a sweet and pious Lord and Savior, since you yourself know and teach others this, that the will of our Father is always the best, whose immeasurable goodness, although it is hidden for flesh and blood, nevertheless instructs us in such a way that we learn to taste how kind the Lord is. This cannot happen unless, after the flesh has been killed in many ways, there is room for the spirit, which groans and longs for the will of the Lord in the land of the living. But of this at another time, and it is (I hope) not so necessary with you. Now I am going to deal with this matter: The venerable Lord, the man beloved by God and man, the bishop, Mr. Nicolaus von Amsdorf, has written to me that the lectureship in the cathedral church at Naumburg is vacant, and would like you to accept it. Therefore, I also ask you, because it can happen somehow, that you also accept this lectureship at the same time, motivated also by such an honorable profession, or answer me immediately, so that I can name another one. I write briefly because I am very busy. For these days I am
1) "His wife had died, and when his son came from Wittenberg to comfort him, death snatched this away from him as well". (De Wette.) "Medler's son, Samuel, died on November 17, 1543, according to Medler's letter to Melanchthon of November 18, 1543, which is printed in Fortges. Samml. 1740, p. 130." (Seidemann, Lutherbriefe, p. 70.)
I have come back to life from death and have preached twice without any difficulty, which is almost considered a miracle. Be at ease in the Lord with your own, and believe that almost the same pain has befallen all of us through the departure of your son, the young man, to whom the best hope was. But he is torn away, as he [the wise man, Wis. 4:11] says, "that wickedness turn not his mind". God's counsels are different from ours, and without doubt better. On the day of St. John in the feast days of the birth of Christ 1544 1) (that is, 1543).
Your Martin Luther.
No. 3078.