To Friedrich Myconius,Preacher in Gotha letter 2 - Martin Luther
TO FRIEDRICH MYCONIUS
Myconius had just returned from Leipsic. He had been overworked, and wrote to Luther, his dearest friend on earth, in his weakness. This is Luther’s answer. Long after, Myconius wrote that the effect of this letter was magical. Myconius survived Luther and was a comfort to many.
January 9, 1541.
To the honoured Friedrich, Bishop of the Church in Gotha and of the Thuringian Churches, my beloved brother. Grace and peace in Christ! I have received your letter, my dear Herr Friedrich, in which you
say you are sick unto death, or, to express it in a more Christian manner, sick unto life. Although it is a great joy to me that you are able to look forward so peacefully and fearlessly to death, which,
according to the Scriptures, is not a death, but a sweet sleep to the saints — nay, that you have a great longing to depart and be with Christ, in which frame of mind we believers should always be not only upon a sick-bed, but in perfect health, as beseemeth Christians who have been made alive again with Christ, and placed with Him in heavenly places, who will be the Judge of the angels, till all that remains to be done is the drawing aside of the veil of separation and of the dark world. Although it is a great joy to hear all this, still I beg and plea with the Lord Jesus, our Life, Salvation, and Health, that He will not permit this misfortune to overtake me, that I should live to see you get in advance of me by the veil being pushed aside and you entering into rest, leaving me behind in an evil world, the prey of wild beasts and devils, from whom I have suffered enough for over twenty years, to merit being released before all of you, and allowed to fall asleep in the Lord. Therefore I plead that the dear God would smite me with illness instead of you, and command me to lay aside this weary, worn-out frame, which can henceforth benefit no one. I earnestly admonish you to join us in imploring the dear God, for the good of His Church and the discomfiture of Satan, to maintain you in life. For Christ, our Life, also sees what manner of persons and gifts His Church now and then requires. After waiting five weeks we have received letters from Worms, some of which George Rorer will send you. God be praised our party is doing everything in a wise, straightforward way, while our opponents are acting foolishly and childishly, full of cunning and lies, from which we may gather that Satan, seeing the approach of dawn, wriggles into a thousand corners, seeking refuge in subterfuge and lies, but all in vain, for glory,
power, and victory belong to the Lamb who was slain and rose again. We hope our people may soon return from Worms. May all go well with you, my dear Friedrich, and may the Lord not permit me to hear that you are dead, but allow you to survive me. This shall be my petition, this is my desire, and my will shall be done. Amen. For my will seeks the honour of the Divine name, and not my own honor and pleasure. Once more farewell in the Lord. We pray earnestly for you. My Kathie greets you, she, like all of us, being much distressed at your illness. MARTIN LUTHER . (Schutze.)