They ask the Elector to cooperate in making Luther give up the decision he expressed in the previous letter to turn away from Wittenberg.
Printed in the Altenburg edition, Vol. VIII, p. 501; in the Leipzig edition, Vol. XXI, p. 529 and in Walch, Vol. XXI, 257*, No. XVIII. - We have transferred this letter here from the gleanings of this volume.
God's grace through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ our Savior beforehand.
1 Sublime, highborn, most gracious Elector and Lord! After we know that Ew. churfürstl. Since we know that Your Electorate is burdened with the highest and most important matters that may occur in the Christian Church and in human government, we only know that we owe it to Your Electorate to call upon God with all our hearts. We know only that we owe it to ourselves to call upon God with all our hearts on behalf of Your Electorate. We would not like to cause more grief to Your Lordship. However, a document has arrived from the venerable Doctor Martin Luther, our dear father, the copies of which we have not known to Your Electoral Grace. We have not known how to behave, although we have no doubt that Your Electoral Grace will not be less concerned about the matter. will find the matter no less distressing than much else.
of the most burdensome things. The said doctor writes almost this opinion, that he is not willing to come back to Wittenberg, as he also intended to go away before this year, whereupon the venerable pastor and other persons, as on behalf of the church, university and city, sent to him, and also asked him with tears for it.
We have now considered sending the pastor and several other persons to him with this humble request and advertisement that he not turn away his mind and good will from this church, university and city of Wittenberg. And even if he wants to leave from time to time for the sake of his health, even if he wants to spend some days in Oertern, where he thinks he has his refreshment, this would have its way. However, in all humility and for God's sake, we ask him not to turn away completely, but to let this church be commanded to him, to which God called him, and which God planted through him, and to have his noble dwelling there and to be and remain bishop and father of this church. For he himself could consider from a high intellect what thought it would give to the enemies of the Gospel, who would rejoice that this church, being abandoned, would be held in contempt. On the other hand, that Your Electoral Grace would be highly affected by it. Gn. would be greatly distressed by this, who are otherwise too highly burdened. Thirdly, that in this city and in the entire German nation, many true members of Christ are suffering from many important causes, which Your Electoral Grace should better consider. Gn. himself consider better than we can tell, would bring insurmountable grief to many true members of Christ, since we otherwise truly bear no small burden here. And if this school, in which by God's grace all the laudable arts and necessary languages are now taught more faithfully than perhaps in any other place, should fall apart, this action could well be a beginning. The same envoys should also make this request, if the venerable doctor should be displeased with someone's teaching or life in this university or city, that we all want to help that such displeasure should be stopped. And
Letters from the year 1545. No. 3246. 3247.
We must humbly pray that he will not leave the whole church and university for the sake of one or more persons, whoever they are, because God has graciously given him to us, as it is written of Elijah, to be the chariot and leader of Israel, initially and primarily in this church.
3) Furthermore, as for the courage of the young people, even though we are weak, we are known to be heartily displeased with immorality, and we are willing to maintain discipline and peace as far as our bodies and lives are concerned. God has thus far given grace that the majority of us may be disciplined and study in a praiseworthy manner. We have taken all this into consideration, in submission to Your Lordship. Gn. as our most gracious Lord, who cares for this church and university with all graces and faithfulness. For we do not hold this matter in low esteem, and we ask that Your Electoral Grace will be graciously pleased. We do not regard this matter lightly, and we ask that Your Electoral Grace will graciously consider what should be done, if perhaps Your Electoral Grace can help us. Gn. might graciously require the said doctor to come to the appropriate place and talk to him himself. Your Lordship. Your Lordships know very well that Your Lordships and this church and university are not in agreement. Gn. and this church and university have all too many external enemies, and God is to be asked that our little group remain together. It is said that the late Chancellor of the Emperor, Mercurinus, advised the Emperor to make war on this doctrine, because if it were from God, he would not achieve anything, but if it were not from God, this part would soon disintegrate by itself. Now we know that this teaching is from God. But if the most noble shepherd turns away from this church, there would still be further dispersion to worry about. E. churfürstl. Your Grace may graciously hear our submissive writing, which, according to the importance of this great matter, is much too small. For in addition to the fact that we are to be unskilled, we are truly so highly distressed that we cannot express our grief in words. So we know that Your Electorate is much more deeply concerned about all this. Gn. can think about all this himself much more deeply than we can.
4 The eternal God preserve His Electoral Grace at all times and govern and maintain this poor church for His glory. Gn. at all times, and govern and preserve this poor church for His glory. Date August 1, 1545.
The pious Elector did not celebrate this letter, but sent to Luther's distinguished advisors and others, and had him graciously summoned to Torgau. And because the university also sent an honest message to him, he allowed himself to be asked and persuaded as a father by his children, and in Wittenberg he finished his last work in Genesin, on which he had worked for ten years with the greatest diligence, on November 17, and concluded with these words: I can no longer, I am weak, orate Deum pro me, pray to God for me, that he may grant me a good and blessed hour.
No. 3247.
Ordination certificate for Prince Georg von Anhalt as bishop of Merseburg.
Printed in Schütze, vol. I, p. 359; in Pezel's Mel. Consilia lat., P. I, pag. 651; in Corp. Ref., vol. V, 825; in Camerarii Vita Melancht., p. 227 and in De Wette- Seidemann, vol. VI, p. 381.
We give thanks to the eternal God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that out of immeasurable goodness he has established the ministry of the gospel from the creation and restoration of the human race, and has maintained it throughout the ages, until the raising of the dead, and has continually raised up competent teachers, and has commanded his church to appoint competent church ministers, and promises, We pray that he will not let the light of his gospel be extinguished, but will also now raise up champions and faithful guardians of the pure and wholesome teaching of the gospel, and will also now gather a church in these lands, by which he will be praised for all eternity. Since, however, for this service to the Gospel, the most reverend and noble Prince, Lord George, Prince of Anhalt, Count of Ascanien and Lord of Bernburg, Provost of the Church of Magdeburg,
1) In Corp. Ref., Vol. V, 826, the date in the text is: the tertia Augusti, but in the superscription: Aug. 4. In De Wette-Seidemann, Vol. VI, p. 382, the date in the text is: August 2, but in the superscription: "August 3.
The ordination will have taken place on August 2, which was a Sunday.
was rightly and godly called to assist in the direction of the ecclesiastical office in the diocese of Merseburg, then, according to the old custom of the first churches, learned and respected men who govern the neighboring churches were called, whose names are written down below, so that in the church of Merseburg itself a public testimony of ordination would be added to this calling. Since we have now been called together, we have, because we had to be sure that this noble Prince George rightly understands and constantly accepts the pure doctrine of the Gospel, which the churches of these lands confess with one voice and in one spirit with the general church of God, and that his virtue and the holiness of his morals are excellent, then we have declared our testimony about him according to apostolic custom by the laying on of hands, and commanded him the office of teaching the gospel and administering the sacraments. And since Paul commanded Titus [Tit. 1, 5.] that he should appoint elders everywhere to teach and govern the churches, this ordained man should know that he is also commanded by the voice of the apostle in this exercise of the office, that he should ordain priests to teach and govern the churches and pay attention to their teaching and their conduct, and that he should be mindful that he is also commanded by your Son of God [Luc. 22:32], "And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." And since the Son of God sits at the right hand of the eternal Father, that he may be effective through this office, we pray that he may govern this ordained man in all his administration, and assist him, as he promised, saying [John 14:23], "He that loveth me shall keep my word, and my Father shall love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." And we exhort the ordained man to sustain himself by this comfort. For even though there are many and great dangers in government, and no human wisdom is equal to such a great burden, he should nevertheless know that God is present in truth and dwells in the Church, where the voice of the Gospel resounds, and that it is defended and preserved by God. In this confidence
The work of such a large office must be undertaken and carried out with due care and attention. Given on the second day of August in the year 1545 in the city of Merseburg.
The servants of the Gospel called together from the neighboring churches D. Martin Luther, D. Justus Jonas, Superintendent of the church at Halle.
D. Joh. Pfeffinger, Superintendent of the Church at Leipzig. 1)
No. 3248.