Diet of Augsburg held.
Elector started for Augsburg, April 3, with a brilliant retinue. made his grand entry into Augsburg,June 15.
Augsburg Confession read on Confutation of the same was presentedAugust 3.
Melanchthon preparedthe Augsburg Confession,a noble and learned document, which the Emperor refused to receive till many alterations were made upon it.
To my dear father, Hans Jacob has written saying how ill you are.
I am very anxious about you, as things seem so black everywhere just now.
For althoughGod has hitherto blessed you with good health,stillyour advanced age fillsme with concern.
I would have come to you had I not been dissuaded from temptingGod by runninginto temptation,for you know how interested both lords and all are in my welfare.
It would be a great joy to us if my mother and you would come here.
Kathie and all ask this with tears ; and we would nurse you tenderly. I have sent Cyriacto see if you are able.
I should like to be near you, and, in obedience to the Commandment, cherish you with child-like kindness to show my gratitude to God to keep you through His
Spirit, so that you may discern the teachingof Son, who has called you out of the blackness of error to preserve you to Christ's joyousappearing.For He has set this seal to your faith,that He has brought much shame, contempt, and enmity upon you for my sake.
For, these are the true signsof our likeness to St. Paul says, "If we suffer, we shall also reign with So remember in your weakness that we have an Father who died to take away our sins,and now sitswith the angels,waitingfor us, so that when our hour comes to leave the world we need not fear beinglost.His power over death and sin beingso complete.
He who cannot lie has said, " Ask, and ye shall receive.'* Psalms are full of such precious promises,especially the 91st., which is so suited for sick people. I write thus because of your illness, and as we do not know the hour
I may be a partaker of your faith,conflict, and consolation,and gratitude to He has so abundantly bestowed on us at this time.
Will not to transplantyou at once to that better life,but let you remain a littlelongerwith us for the help of others,then
He will give you grace to accept your lot in an obedient spirit.
For this lifeis trulya vale of tears, where the longer one remains the more wickedness and miseryone sees ; and this never ceases tillthe hour of our departuresounds and we fallasleepin Jesus,tillHe comes and givesus a joyful awaking. Amen
I herewith commit you to Him who loves you better than you do yourself,having paid the penaltyof your sins with His blood,so that you need have no anxiety. Leave
Him to see to everything.He will do all well,and has alreadydone so in a far higherdegree than we can imagine.
Saviour be with you, and we shall shortly meet againwith Christ,as the departurefrom this world is a much smaller thingwith
God than if I said farewell to you in Mansfeld to come here, or if you bade adieu to me in Wittenbergto return to It is onlya case of one short hour's sleep,and then all will be changed.
I hope your pastors render you faithful service in such matters, so that my chatter may not be needed, but I could not refrain from apologising for my bodilyabsence, which is a great trial to me.
Lene, all salute you and pray for you.
Give my love to my dear mother and all the relations.