Luther's verdict on the Cologne Reformation Formula, which Bucer and Melanchthon had written (cf. Seckendorf, Hist. Luth., lib. III, p. 413 sqq.). He is particularly dissatisfied with the article on the Lord's Supper, in
3) The words we put in brackets Luther wrote here in the margin. De Wette has them (according to the manuscript) after the words: "blutschänderisch sei". In Walch this piece is missing.
4) This letter, which De Wette has set "Without date 1544", seems to belong to July or August. Corp. ref., V, 448 sq;. 459,461 so. 473 sqq;. 488,495 sqq;. Neudecker, Merkwürdige Aktenstücke, p. 350 (Seidemann in De Wette, vol. VI, p. 483, note D. Burkhardt agrees.
Letters from the year 1544. No. 3131a. 3132.
which one speaks much of the benefit of the same, but nothing of the substance. - Melanchthon took Luther's dissatisfaction so highly that he wanted to leave Wittenberg (see Seckendorf, Hist. Luth., lib. III, p. 448).
The original is in the Weimar Archives, Reg. H, fol. 609. 195. Printed in the Leipzig Supplement, p. 103, no. 195; in Walch, vol. XXI, 486 (as from 1543); in De Wette, vol. V, p. 708 and in the Erlanger Ausg., vol. 56, p. 121.
1) Nicolaus von Amsdorf.
No. 3132.
To the council of Mühlhausen, together with Bugenhagen and Melanchthon.
Notification that they have informed Sebastian Boetius of the council's appointment as superintendent in Mühlhausen, and that he will come until Michaelmas.
Printed from the original in Innocent News 1712, p. 223; in Mühlhäuser Wochenblatt 1827, No. 43; in Corp. Reg., vol. V, 450 and in De Wette- Seidemaun, vol.VI, p. 364.
To the honorable, wise and noble, mayors and council of the city of Mulhouse, our favorable lords and friends.
God's grace through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, our Savior, before. Honorable, wise, noble, favorable lords and friends! We have received your letter, in which you are diligently seeking a capable man to govern the church in your city, and we can well remember that the worthy and well-learned Mr. Justus Menius recently conversed with us here, since we also considered all kinds of dangers of your churches, especially in this divided princely government, and that nowadays people all over the world, high and low, are inclined to be wild and completely inactive.
Therefore, we first ask God, the eternal Father of our Savior Jesus Christ, to govern and preserve your church and city, to give you good counsel and peace, and to provide the churches with Christian, moral, peaceful teachers and to avert all troubles, If God gives you a Christian, learned, moral pastor in Mr. Menii's place, it is useful for peace and Christian government that the same always remain for and for superattendents, and that obnoxious superattendents are not placed in your church.
Now Sebastian Boetius, of whom you wrote, has been known to us for many years. Therefore, because we know that he is God-fearing, well-learned, and understands the pure Christian doctrine, and that he is a good man.
Letters from the year 1544. No. 3132. 3133.
confesses that he is moral and peace-loving, we have only put up with your concern and this profession, and have held up your Scriptures to him and admonished him to follow this profession in God's name, for which he offered to appear before Michaelmas.
This is what we have kindly told you at your request, with the offering of our services, and we ask our Savior Jesus Christ, the good and faithful shepherd of his church, to be and remain shepherd with us and with you, and to build up and maintain his church for him, as he said: "Without me you can do nothing. You should also not forget his speech, when he says: "By this my Father in heaven is praised, if you become my disciples and bear much fruit." This is the service that God demands of all rulers, that they praise Him with the preservation of right doctrine. Therefore, let this service be commanded to you at all times. Date Wittenberg, August 2, 1544.
Martinas Luther, D.
Johannes Bugenhagen, Power, D. Philippus Melanthon.
No. 3133.