Anno 1517, when the Gospel went out, a beautiful bright Crucifix was seen in the moon at Weimar by both Electors and Princes of Saxony 2c.
In 1516, Duke Johannes of Saxony in Weimar saw a large red star, which at first changed into a bright light, then into a cross, then into a yellow star, and finally became a common star again.
This happened the year before the gospel began. At that time, I, M. Luther, interpreted it as the Gospel. The same went out red in the first, then it burned and brought the cross, because it was obscured by riots and sects. But I do not think anything certain of such signs, because they are usually devilish and deceitful signs. We have seen many such signs these fifteen years.
In 1536, on September 16, on Saturday evening, between six and seven o'clock, there was a great lightning and a great thunderclap, because eight days before there had been a great cold. The mathematicians call it Chasma, and it means great dryness in the air: D. M. Luther and D. Pommer had also heard and seen it at home, and said that it had been wonderful and not far from the seven stars, which the peasants call the chariot, towards midnight; and would be enough, if it happened in Africa, Asia and hot countries, under the Tropico Cancri.
It is, said D. M. Luther, it is devilish. I think that the devils wanted to set up a disputation, and an angel prevented it by the Chasma, tore them a hole through the Propositiones. But the world does not pay attention to such signs, which happen innumerable times, it always remains safe.
Anno 1539, on April 18, at four o'clock in the evening, there was an eclipse of the sun, which D. M. Luther sighed diligently, near to the end, and asked that God would give a better outlook.
We did not want to give any more signs than we feared, but that all people would be moved to repentance and prayer against God through these and other signs.
After that, at six, there came thunder with a very fruitful rain, awakening and moistening the earth and the trees. Then he spoke with thanksgiving: This is beautiful weather, which you give us, dear God, who are so ungrateful, wicked and stingy. Well then, you are a pious God. The devil would not do that, I am sure. This is a fruitful thunder that shakes the earth so that it is opened, and gives a smell, just as the prayer of pious Christians gives a smell before God.
When M. Luther was on his way to Leipzig and saw the seed standing in the field so beautiful and lovely and horny, he prayed and gave thanks, saying: "Oh, dear Lord God, you want to give us a good year, truly, not for the sake of our piety, but for the sake of your name. Grant, dear Father, that we may improve ourselves and grow and increase in your word, for these are nothing else but miraculous works, that out of the earth, yes, out of the sand, which is crushed pebbles, you bring forth stalks and ears. Dear Father, give us, your children, our daily bread.
In 1539, a comet was seen in Leo for ten days. M. Luther: We have enough signs of divine wrath, from the holy scriptures, in the sky and on earth, but it follows, unfortunately, no improvement. God's wrathful visitation and visitation must come, otherwise it is not the last day, which will clean up everything. The comet's tail was not long, and stretched towards noon.
Anno 1539, on the 21st of April, came a thunderous and fruitful weather; then M. Luther prayed, thanked God and said: "Ah, how noble weather, which our Lord God gives us, not for the sake of our piety, but
for his name's sake, that he not be blasphemed. As if to say: I will give the boys another good year; therefore let us pray for daily bread.
Since there was a very fertile weather in the sky, M. Luther said with a sigh: "Oh, praise God, this is a beautiful weather! God is merciful, who gives such things to the unworthy and undeserving, so that we would also become more pious. If this were to happen, we would have paradise and heaven here. All plagues and everything that is annoying and repugnant to us would be changed and would cease, caterpillars, ants, butterflies and all worms and vermin would not harm our fruit, but everything would grow and bear sweetly. But the punishment of original sin goes on in the whole world, over all creatures. Now, in Thuringia and Meissen, the seed must be scraped with great lust; but we Saxons here may not, therefore we have a harvest before them.
Since a very merry time and beautiful weather was in May, which is a figure of the resurrection, D. M. Luther said: Behold, how the trees mate and marry 1) each other! How sweetly green it is! How delicious a May is this, the like of which I do not remember. Since it thus continues, then a very good and fruitful year will become, as the world is also full. Oh, that we could trust in God! What will become of that life, if God can show such pleasure in this pilgrimage and miserable life?
Anno 1539, den 10. Junii, kam ein groß greulich Wetter, welches eil: Unglück bedeutet, so vorhanden war; da sprach D. M. Luther: "Oh, how many ways God has to humble us, and yet cannot bring us to humble ourselves and to recognize and call upon Him through righteous repentance and faith. This evening there came a very fruitful and sweet rain, which moistened the ground. After that he said: Oh, we do not know what theurung and hunger are. Look at the time of the prophet Elijah, what distress and famine there was, when in three years and six months there was no famine.
1) So Stangwald instead of: zuehelichen.
and all the wells were dried up, so that all men and animals died of hunger, and only the king's horses and those of his counselors remained alive. For Elijah said, "As surely as the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain for these years, I tell you. And so he departed, 1 Kings 17:1. I think that they took Eliam for a sorcerer, and sought after him in all places.
As there was beautiful weather at harvest time, D. M. Luther: "This year our dear Lord God has done everything according to our will, has miraculously given us peace, and has controlled the impending wars and bloodshed. He blesses us with fruit and grain in the midst of the storm. He is equal to us, as the saying in Psalms says: "He does what the godly desire, and hears their cry, and helps them", Ps. 145, 19. But what do we do? Yes, God freely despised, cursed, blasphemed. Then all misfortune must follow, that he will have to retract his hand.
(2) Satan's prophecies are screwed and two-faced.
(Cordatus No. 672. 673.)
Since I am asked, because the devils always give ambiguous answers, how they would have answered certain things in relation to Saul through the supposed Samuel: Tomorrow you will be with me [1 Sam. 28, 19.], I answer: In the expression "tomorrow" there is an ambiguity, he. has met or missed, this day or the other.
It is certain that the devil does not know the certain outcome, yes, he answers ambiguously. It is called turning screws, if he cannot deny or assert with certainty and yet does not want to keep quiet. So also Christ answers about the interest of the emperor [Matth. 22, 20. 21.], so Abraham delivered his wife to the king [Gen. 20, 2.], so David fought against Amalek with the godless king and said to Achish [1 Sam. 29, 8.]: I will fight with my lord 2c., since the text says that he hid his face. That is, in courtly, turned screws, in German: ausdrehen.