[Wittenberg,] January 27, 15371 Luther tells of his pleasure with his son's studies and letters, and encourages his son to continue studying diligently. Pointing to the fourth commandment and to God's blessing for obedient children and God's curse for disobedient children, Luther admonishes John to fear God, to obey his parents, and to avoid all improper conversations. Then Luther sends greetings from the whole family, and informs John that it would be possible for him and his teacher to visit with the Luthers during Shrovetide.
On John Luther, see LW 49, 152, n. 7.
Text in Latin (with some words in Gorman): WA, Br 8, 19–20.
Grace and peace in the Lord!
Thus far, my dearest son, your studies and the letters you have written to me have been a pleasure for me.
If you continue this way then not only will you please me, your father who loves you, but you also will very much benefit yourself, so that you will not seem to have stained yourself with dishonor. Therefore take care to pursue diligently what you started. For God, who has commanded children to be obedient to their parents, has also promised his blessing to obedient children. See to it that you have only this blessing before your eyes, and that you do not let yourself be diverted from it by any evil example. For that same
God has also threatened disobedient children with a curse. Therefore fear God who blesses and curses, who even though he delays with his promises and threats, a fact which leads to the ruin of the evil, nevertheless quite quickly implements them for the well-being of the good. Fear God, therefore, and listen to your parents—who certainly want nothing but the best for you—and run from disgraceful and disreputable conversations.
Your mother cordially greets you; so do Aunt Lena and your sisters and brothers, all of whom are looking forward to a successful progress and conclusion of your studies. Mother requests that you greet your teacher and his wife. Further, should they wish to be with you here during this Shrovetide, or these happy days, while I am gone from here, then this is fine with us. Aunt Lena very much asks for this.
Farewell, my son; listen to and learn from the exhortations given to you by good men. The Lord be with you.
MARTIN LUTHER your Father according to the flesh and spirit Altenburg, February 1, [1537] Notwithstanding a severe cardiac illness in the second half of December, 1536, Luther drafted the Smalcald Articles; they were discussed, revised, and approved at a conference of theologians who had been especially baled to Wittenberg.1 On January 3, 1537, Luther forwarded the articles to Elector John
Frederick.2 In the meantime the Smalcaldic League had been called to meet in Smalcald on February 7, 1537, in order to work out a program of joint action in response to the papal summons of a general council to Mantua.3 Summoned by the Elector to attend this meeting, Luther, along with Melanchthon,
Bugenhagen, and Jonas, left Wittenberg for Smalcald on january 30.4 Their first stopover was Torgau, where Jonas suffered such a severe attack of (gall?) stones that he had to stay behind; on January 31 the others continued the journey. Luther's party spent the night of January 31 at the Electoral castle in Grimma, and arrived at the castle in Altenburg in the late afternoon of February 1; while there Luther wrote the following letter to the ailing Jonas in Torgau.5 Luther expresses his hope that Jonas' health has in the meantime improved. Then he reports that the papal envoy, Peter van der Vorst, might come to Smalcald, and that the Imperial vice-chancellor, Matthias Held, will be present at the Smalcald meeting of the league, so that this meeting will turn out to be of greater importance than "both sides" had assumed.
Luther mentions that a certain canon from Zeitz swears that the pending meeting at Smalcald will be attended by men more learned than will attend the council of Mantua, should it ever come about. Luther asks Jonas to visit his family, and that of Bugenhagen; he tells of the magnificent hospitality he is experiencing in the Elector's castles, and sends some verses which he has addressed to Spalatin.