To the electress Sibylla of Saxony - Martin Luther
TO THE ELECTRESS SIBYLLA OF SAXONY
Luther comforts her under her husband’s absence at Speyer. March 30, 1544.
To the Serene High-born Princess and Lady, etc. My most gracious lady, grace and peace! I would most humbly thank your Electoral Grace for asking so particularly after my health and about my wife and children, and also for all your good wishes. God be thanked that things are much better with us than
we deserve. That my head should at times be good for nothing is not to be wondered at. Old age brings many ailments with it. The pitcher that goes long to the well breaks at last. I have lived long enough. God grant me a peaceful end, so that the useless, moth-eaten carcass may come underground to its people, and the worms not be done out of their due. Just watch. I have seen the best I shall ever see upon earth, for it looks as if evil times were at hand. God help His own! Amen. That your Royal Highness finds herself very solitary in the absence of her husband I can easily understand, but seeing
it is necessary for the good of Christianity, we must patiently submit to the Divine Will. And with others we have our dear God’s Word, which comforts and sustains us in this life, and promises us blessedness in the life to come. And we have also prayer, which (as your Grace writes) we know is well pleasing to God, and will be heard at the right time. Two such unspeakable gems neither devil, Turk, nor Pope can have, and thus they are poorer than any beggar upon earth. For these great blessings we must thank God, the Father of all mercies in Christ Jesus, His dear Son, that He has given us such a costly
treasure, and called us through His grace, unworthy as we are, to such an inheritance, so that we may not only be able to endure patiently the passing evils of this blinded, miserable world, but may have compassion on those exalted heads who have not been considered worthy to partake of such grace. May God yet enlighten them, so that they also may, with us, see, know, and understand it. Amen. My
Kathie offers her poor paternoster on your behalf, and humbly thanks your Electoral Grace for so kindly thinking of her. I herewith commit you to the dear God. Amen.
Your Royal Highness’s obedient MARTIN LUTHER . (De Wette.)