Grace and peace in Christ! That you are quarreling with me, better Amsdorf,about silence you are doing nothing other than giving me cause with greater justification to quarrel about your stubborn and constant silence. You must know that I was in solitude and not only do you not have mercy but add pain upon pain in that you do burden me with your long-standing silence. And now you add to it this what is already your sin by blaming and accusing me of a fault which is not mine but yours.You make it necessary for me to suppose that you might have likely become Archbishop of Magdeburg, Primate of Germany since you so easily forget me one so poor and haughtily scold. What else can I think when you blame me for calling the Mainzer ""Highly-worthy Father"(see #1612) although I used this word in no other way than the common usage of the Court which addresses every sort of gracious (gratios) Lord who are actually raging (furiosi) devils. You probably thought I was depriving you of this title. Yet in one way you have made me happy in calling the pamphlet which I published this summer good. Because of my health I could not publish more and I also could not have worked more (than I have done)because for half of the time I was in solitude so that in everything that I wrote from there (Coburg) I was like a thief stealing time from the illness. The printers go on with similar sluggishness and yet have two pamphlets under the press which were written a long time ago. For the rest, when you finally once come to visit us you will perk me up through a very lovely conversation as you used to do before we were separated.I feel that I have become very old or at least lost strength.Satan's angel has made me dull. The LOrd be with you in grace and truth,Amen. Wittenberg on the last of October 1530. Your Martin Luther.
NOTES: There is a crux interpretum on the half-time at Coburg according to the Editors but I haven't been able to figure out what they mean.
Waiting for publication was the "Admonition regarding the Sacrament" and the "Exposition of Psalm 111".
1 comment:
Looks like the interpretations vary on whether it was half a year of working or whether half were done in the isolation of Coburg.
Haven't notice any early celebrations of October 31 as Reformation Day.
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