Luther consoles him over the loss of his wife and daughter, and exhorts him to offer his pain to GOtte.
From the Stuttgart library in Burkhardt, p. 471.
Grace and peace in Christ, who is our consolation, yea, who is wholly ours, and we are wholly his, as Paul saith [Rom. 14:8.], "Whether we live or die, we are the Lord's." We have heard that you, dear and exceedingly dear Osiander, have again been deeply afflicted, and that at the same time by a twofold affliction, namely by the death of your wife 1) and your exceedingly lovely daughter. And I certainly and very strongly believe, through the example of the daughter who is extremely dear to me, 2) that her death causes you very special pain. It is extraordinary how much I am tormented by the death of my Magdalena, whom I cannot yet forget. But I know for certain, 3) that she is in the place of refreshment and eternal life, and that God has given me a great sign of His love in this very thing, that He has taken my flesh into His bosom during my lifetime. But this is a natural love, 4) as
1) From a letter of Melanchthon to Veit Dietrich from Aug. 5, 1537, we see that the first wife of Osiander had died around this time, and that Luther also wrote a letter of comfort to him at that time. The letter is missing. See Corp. Ref., Vol.V, 399.
2) Instead of filii charissimi we have assumed filie charissime (in the original we will probably find filie charissime), because Luther did not lose a son by death.
3) The comma should come after certissime, not before it.
4) Instead of xxxxx, read xxxxxx.
you know, which, although good and innate, must be crucified with us, so that the good, pleasing and perfect will of God may be fulfilled, since even the Son, through whom and for whose sake everything exists, wanted to perish and die, although he did not have to, nor was he guilty. I write this so that I may bear witness, and I believe that you do indeed believe that we are subject to these trials, just as God has given that you are a true and faithful comrade of our faith and doctrine. For you will sacrifice your beloved Isaac for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour to the Lord, not your daughter nor your wife, who live and are blessed in the Lord, but that natural strong and exceedingly bitter heart movement, which is all too alive in us. But this burnt offering is necessary for the Lord, but for our comfort. But what do I teach the unintelligent (sus Minervam); you know all this better without me teaching it. Farewell and be convinced, 5) that you are exceedingly dear to us. June 3, 1545, Yours, Martin Luther, D.
No. 3231.