Luther consoles him over the limited success of his ministry. '
From Lesser's collection at Nordhausen in Schütze, Vol. III, p. 218 and in De Wette, Vol. V, p. 688.
3) This sentence leads us to assume that Melanchthon is the author of this testimony, although he did not co-sign it. Cf. Corp. Ref., Vol. V, 482, 483 and 484.
To the respectable man, Mr. Joachim Mörlin, Doctor of Theology, the faithful bishop of the church at Göttingen, his brother who is exceedingly dear to the Lord.
Grace and peace in the Lord! I wonder how this can be necessary for you to ask for advice, my dear doctor, as if you were unaware of what you should preach. Do you not have the Law and the Gospel? According to these, the word of God must be divided correctly, so that you can strike and heal, kill and make alive. Perhaps you hope in vain that all will hear and love the word, or you insist on the law without the gospel, so that they think they hear you, not God, or that they are forced by you. It is enough for you if the fourth part of the land receives the seed, unless you want to be better than Christ or Elijah, who was satisfied with seven thousand. For the sake of the meek, be gentle; let the hard ones, when you speak the law, quarrel with God, and remember that you have administered your ministry; they may read the Scriptures themselves if they do not believe you. The time is getting worse every day, and they will turn away from the truth. I have nothing else to write, you yourself know the Scriptures. Be well in the Lord and pray for us. October 2, Anno 1544.
Your Martin Luther, D.
No. 3148.