Letter 9101: My dear Andreas, I have heard of the troubles that have come upon you, and I write simply to say that you are not...

Hearing that grief and sickness have severely afflicted your Glory, I grieved deeply along with you; but immediately recognizing that it [the grief] has fully departed, I gave great thanks to almighty God that the sorrow was soon turned into joy, because He struck in order to heal, and afflicted in order to lead [you] to true joys. For concerning this it is written: 'Whom the Lord loves He chastises, and He scourges every son whom He receives.' Concerning this, Truth Himself says through His own person: 'My Father is the husbandman, and every branch in me not bearing fruit He takes away; but every one that bears fruit, He has cleansed it, that it may bring forth more fruit.' For the unfruitful branch is taken away, because the sinner is uprooted to the very root; but the fruitful branch is said to be pruned, because through discipline it is cut back, so that it may be brought to more abundant grace. For thus the grains of the ears of corn, threshed by the threshing-sledge, are stripped of their husks and chaff; thus the olives, pressed by the press, flow down into the richness of oil; thus the clusters of the vineyards, trodden by heels, dissolve into wine. Rejoice therefore, good man, you who in this scourge of yours behold also your advancement, [in] that by the eternal Judge [...]. Moreover, I beg that my glorious daughter, your wife, be greeted in my stead. And may almighty God guard you with His heavenly protection, and console you both now with the bounty of His gifts and afterward with the reward of His recompenses.

Audtens, quod gloriam vestram vehementer afRixerit luctus et aegritudo, vatde condolui; sed protinua agDoscens, quod* perfecte reliquerit, dolorcm mox in'' laetitia verti magnasque" omnipotenti Deo gratias retuli, quia percussit, ut sanaret, afHixit, ut ad gaudia vera perduceret. Hinc enim scriptum est : 'Quem diligit Dominus castigat, Hstu flagellat autem'' omnem filium quem recipit.* Hinc per semetipsam veritasdicit: 'Pateri"ii. meua agricola eat et omnem palmitem in m« non ferentem fructum tollit eum ; omnem vero qui fert fructum, purgavit eum, ut* fructum plus afferat.' Palmis enim infructuoaua tollitur, quia peccator funditus eradicatur; palmis vero fnictuoaua purgari dicitur, quia per disciplinam reciditur', ut ad uberiorem gratiam perducatur. Sic enim apicanim grana tribulis attrita aristis et paleis nudantur; aic olivae pntelo pressae' in olei pin- guedinem defluunt; aic botri vinearum'' timsi calcibus in vinum liquescunt. Gaude igitur, bone vir, qui in hoc flagello tuo et provectn conapicis, quod ab aetemo ludice Fraeterea filiam meam glorioaam ' coniugem veatram mea peto vice aalntari. OmDipotens autem Deus caelesti vos protectione custodiat voaque et modo consoletur de lorgitate donorum et postmodum de retributione^ praemiorum. IX, 100. •) ei dUtitutiim corr. diiititutAni Ca m.i; diatituMm C I. 3. ••) doirtimum ('1.3 tt ex deBtitiitiiiii roTT. C'3 m.S. ') fntlernitiiti C3, ^i cnepiMuipontro ('/. •) Anoliimitnno Cl; AncoD- tiniULne C3. dlligere eodd. n., led m dirigerc eiirv. C3 m I. b) er «d forr. tt C 3. ••) diicre- patiofie C I. ') roborittuB codd, «. IX, 101. •) quod om. B t. gl. p* I. *■) ot {pro in) H 1. •) iiiiigiioBt|UB B I. •') auteiu om. M l. •) qnod Bl. I) iia B 1. fl; redigitur p •. «) prq e p* I. >•) vineanna blt B I. ') gloriain nieam p*/. ^) tribulatione f*2.8. IX, 100. Cf. ep. ftratcedeitUm tl ep. II, 40 «. IX, 101. Dt Andrm, qui tdim Hcolaaticiis dieilHr cf. ep. V, Sln. ,GoogIe „ QBEGORn I. BEOLSTRI