To Nicolas Medler - Martin Luther

TO NICOLAS MEDLER

Luther offers his friend a post. December 27, 1544.

Grace and peace in the Lord! I do not at present, dear Medler, most honored sir, comfort you under your heavy cross, with which the Lord has crucified you. But the Lord and Savior is good and kind. You know this well, and tell others that our Heavenly Father, whose goodness is infinite, and whose will is always the best, although the flesh and reason cannot see it, is only chastising us, that we may learn how good and loving the Lord is. And this can never be learned aright unless the flesh be lacerated in everyway, so that the spirit may be driven to sigh and long to see the Lord in the land of the living. This is God’s way of teaching, but it is to be hoped it may not be much needed by you. And now I have something to tell you. The highly esteemed and much loved of God and man, Nicolas Amsdorf, bishop, has written me that there is a theological lectureship vacant in Naumburg, which he desires you to fill. Therefore I beg of you, if possible, at once to accept the post, for your reputation merits it, or to

answer by return, that I may appoint someone else. I write very briefly, as I have much to do, for it is only a few days since I was raised from the dead. I have preached twice since, with no difficulty, which has been a wonder to many. May you and yours prosper, and be assured that all of us have been plunged in almost as deep grief as yourself over the loss of your dear son of such high promise. But he has been taken away from the evil so that he might not become corrupted. God’s ways are other than ours, and at all times far better.

MARTIN LUTHER . (Walch, 21. 1340.)

The Diet of Worms was held during this year. Charles V. was present, but none of the Wittenberg theologians. Spalatin died January 16. First part of Luther’s book, Against the Papacy in Rome, Founded by the Devil, appeared. Lukas Cranach at once issued a series of woodcuts, turning the Pope into ridicule. The Zurich divines issued a treatise on the sacrament. Luther, in reading Calvin’s pamphlet on the subject, said the author must be a learned and pious man, and if OEcolampadius and

Zwingli had so expressed themselves, no discussion would have arisen. Luther was a great sufferer this year, and this may be why he took a gloomy view of life and left Wittenberg, intending never to return, and telling his wife to sell their house. Dr. Bruck tried to console the Elector by saying the house-

selling might be a slow process. The Elector wrote Luther a beautiful letter, still extant, lamenting that he had not let him know his intention, in order that he might at least have supplied him with money for the journey. Luther was softened at once, and returned with Melanchthon and Bugenhagen, who

had been sent by the University to bring him back. In November Luther concluded his ten years’ course of lectures on Genesis, saying, “May our Lord God send some one after me to expound them better. I can do no more, for I am weak. Pray God to grant me a blessed release.”