“Wherefore, Dr. Severus, you ought to write that man [in Linz] that he shouldn’t torment himself but should have confidence. In his good time the devil will of his own accord stop forcing such blasphemies upon him. As far as perfect righteousness is concerned, I can readily believe that he desires to be perfectly righteous and that he tries to be holy and blameless. But such a life would be a life of angels and it will not be ours except in the future life. I often get angry with myself because I find much impurity in myself. But what should I do? I can’t divest myself of my nature. Meanwhile Christ deems us righteous on account of his blood and counts for righteousness the fact that we desire to be righteous, abhor this uncleanness, and love his Word and trust in him. (Luther’s Works, v. 54, p.374)

“This ceasing {of struggles at the end} happened to me in Gotha. Being certain that I was about to die I said farewell to everybody, called Pomeranus, commended to him the church, the school, my wife, and the rest, and asked him to absolve me of my sins. I requested my dear Frederick to keep me in his cemetery in Gotha, but he said, ‘Doctor, I don’t want to have you here; you ought to go back home.’ Thus with a peaceful mind and without any struggle at all I would have fallen asleep in Christ. But Christ wished me to live on. So also my Katy, when we had all given up hope for her life, would have died willingly, happily, and with complete peace, and she said nothing at all but, ‘In thee, O Lord, do I seek refuge; let me never be put to shame’ [Ps. 31:1]. She repeated this more than a thousand times.” She was now seated at the table and confirmed this. Then the doctor added, “If we hadn’t had children I wouldn’t have said one more prayer for her but would have committed her soul to Christ’s keeping.  (Luther’s Works, v. 54, p.374)