#1985-To Michael Stiefel

Grace and peace in Christ! I hear that you are very aroused .my dear Michael, that I am not in agreement with your calculation although you know very well my upright love toward you. Thus I have always said that it is not so much that I have a different opinion but rather that I do not understand and I do not believe that you want to force me to say I understand which I absolutely do not understand or comprehend. To what would such an assertion serve either me or you? I cannot confidently assume that you could be so excited over this matter which makes no difference (indifferente). Since if this Day (Judgment Day) comes before Michael (Sept.29) you are not in DANGER if you believe and say this; if He should not come so we sin in no way, we who believe that He can come at any hour. Since he who believes that He can come at any hour, he believes that He can come before Michael's. If we perhaps now err in what we do not know and admit that we do not know whether it is completely certain that He,as you say, is coming before Michael's this error is for us without danger just as all your certain knowledge, if you hold such, is without danger. What disturbs you then if here both sides are secure and without danger? I say to you that this your excitement arouses the suspicion in me that Satan may desire this to afflict you. Since he who can so arouse your affect (affectum) without cause can also confuse your understanding without a basis in actuality (sine re). For this reason I plead with you THAT you lay aside this excitement of disposition and come to us and do not forsake our old friendship or change it. Be it well with you in Christ. Wittenberg on the day of St. John (24 June) 1533.
Note: No signature on this one. This subject is talked about in the Table Talks chapters 37 and 51. Stiefel, the inventor of logarithms, has made a miscalculation?
ML has stood by and helped Michael many times. This prediction will get him in much trouble with people selling and losing everything in anticipation of the End. Michael is the anonymous writer of "Rechenbuchlin vom End=Christ." Wittenberg 1532.