[423] To Cath. Bora, “Briefe,” ed. De Wette, 5, p. 786. Cp. the letter of Feb. 7 to the same, ib., 5, p. 787: “I think that hell and the whole world must be empty of devils who have all forgathered here at Eisleben on my account; so great are the difficulties.”
[424] “Fünf Briefen aus den letzten Tagen Luthers,” ed. Kawerau (”Stud. und Krit.,“ 54, 1881, p. 160 ff.), p. 162: “Ut video, Sathan nates videndas porrigit mihi et ultro derisum adest (addit?)”; after this, adds Friedrich, the way was paved for some sort of reconciliation.
[425] To Amsdorf, Jan. 8, 1546, “Briefe,” ed. De Wette, 5, p. 773: “Satanica sunt hæc, sed Deus, quem rident, ridebit eos suo tempore.” Cp. also vol. v., passim.
[426] Mathesius, “Aufzeichn.,” p. 113. Erl. ed., 60, pp. 55, 73.
[427] p. 193 ff.
[428] Ib., p. 200.
[429] Erl. ed., 31, p. 311.
[430] To Nich. Hausmann, Dec. 17, 1533, “Briefwechsel,” 9, p. 363.
[431] Cp. G. Koffmane, “Handschriftl. Überlieferung von Werken Luthers,” 1907. See above, vol. iv., p. 520 f.
[432] This was the view taken, e.g. by Fr. Balduinus, who published a work at Eisleben in 1605 against the unfortunate attempt of the learned Jesuit, Nicholas Serarius, to uphold the reality of the dialogue with the devil. According to Balduinus it was really a “gravissima tentatio beati Lutheri,” by which the devil sought to reduce him to despair.