we are forbidden to inquireinto such mysteries.For what God desires to keep secret we must not wish to know ; because this was the apple,the eatingof which broughtdeath to Eve, with all their posterity.
Even as murder, theft,and swearingare sins,so it is also sinful to try to investigate such matters, and the devil is at the root of this,as he is of all other sins.
On the other hand, God has givenus Christ,whom we should make our example,dailymeditating on Him, which will cause God's decrees to assume a most lovelyaspect in our eyes.
Christ everything is vanity,death, and the devil ; but with Him all is pure peace and joy. For if a man is constantlytormenting himself as to the decrees of Providence, he only reaps anxious forebodings.Therefore eschew such thoughtsas coming from the serpent in paradise, and instead look at Letter of consolation.
Grace and peace in Christ,who is our sole consolation and Serene High-bornPrince I have been informed of the serious accident which has befallen your
Grace's consort, for which I am deeplygrieved. May Christ cause it to conduce to our release from such troubles.
But her ladyship must remember that she is stillhere below with all the saints,in this valleyof tribulation, and has not yet attained to our eternal Fatherland,which we hope to reach.
Therefore we cannot expect to be better off than our brethren in the world, who sail in the same ship with us, who suffer at the hands of the devil from the winds and the storms.
We have no cause of offence againsthim if he be the means of making us cleave closer to Grace must not be too timid to do this.
God who can arrange everythingbetter than we can conceive,and give far more than we could Let us commit ourselves to Him, putting our affairs into the hands of Him who careth for us, as St. Peter admonishes.
David, too, tellsus to commit our way unto the Lord ; and if we do not do this then our cares are in vain,for our fruitlessworryingonlyprevents
God from caringfor us.
Jesus comfort and"^ strengthen your Grace throughHis Holy Spirit to do and to suffer His holy will.
I offer my poor paternoster on your behalf,and wish you and my graciouslord,Prince Joachim,all that is good, and thank both of you for the game.
Luther sends a petitionon behalf of their pastor, To the honoured and wise citizens and My graciouslords and friends, grace and peace in the Lord
Gabriel,has begged me to present this petition for him.
He havingreceived a present of one cask of beer from the honoured Council,and having purchasedtwo in addition,and beingobligedto purchase a fourth, we desire that the fourth should also be a gift.
AlthoughI am sure he could have got this without my intervention, he wished me to intercede for him.
As the honoured town and Council know how longand faithfully he has served,and has enlargedhis house without any specialassistance,I beg of you to present him with the fourth cask of beer also.
For he is one who should receive twofold honour, as I would not ask this did I not know it could be easilygranted. I am ever ready to helpthe
I herewith commit you to the dear I fancyI have thanked the honoured (forin the multitude of my thoughtsand business I forget) for the present of the cask of beer.
I now do so most warmly, for it was excellent.