Produced by Michael McDermott, from scans obtained at the
Internet Archive
PHILADELPHIAA. J. HOLMAN Company1916
Copyright, 1915, by
A. J. HOLMAN Company
A TREATISE CONCERNING THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
AND CONCERNING THE BROTHERHOODS (1519).
Introduction (J. J. Schindel)
Translation (J. J. Schindel)
A TREATISE CONCERNING THE BAN (1520).
Introduction (J. J. Schindel)
Translation (J. J. Schindel)
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CHRISTIAN NOBILITY (1520).
Introduction (C. M. Jacobs)
Translation (C. M. Jacobs)
THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY OF THE CHURCH (1520).
Introduction (A. T. W. Steinhaeuser)
Translation (A. T. W. Steinhaeuser)
A TREATISE ON CHRISTIAN LIBERTY (1520).
Introduction (W. A. Lambert)
Translation (W. A. Lambert)
A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS,
THE CREED, AND THE LORD'S PRAYER (1520).
Introduction (C. M. Jacobs)
Translation (C. M. Jacobs)
THE EIGHT WITTENBERG SERMONS (1522).
Introduction (A. Steimle)
Translation (A. Steimle)
THAT DOCTRINES OF MEN ARE TO BE REJECTED (1522).
Introduction (W. A. Lambert)
Translation (W. A. Lambert)
1519
This treatise belongs to a series of four which appeared in the latterhalf of the year 1519, the others treating of the Ban, Penance, andBaptism. The latter two with our treatise form a trilogy which Lutherdedicates to the Duchess Margaret of Braunschweig and Lüneburg.
He undertakes the work, as he says, "because there are so manytroubled and distressed ones—and I myself have had theexperience—who do not know what the holy sacraments, full of allgrace, are, nor how to use them, but, alas! presume upon quietingtheir consciences with their works, instead of seeking peace in God'sgrace through the holy sacrament; so completely are the holysacraments obscured and withdrawn from us by the teaching of men."[1]
In a letter to Spalatin[2] of December 18, 1519, he says that no oneneed expect treatises from him on the other sacraments, since hecannot acknowledge them as such.
A copy from the press of John Grünenberg of Wittenberg reached DukeGeorge of Saxony by December 24, 1519, who on December 27th alreadyentered his protest against it with the Elector Frederick and theBishops of Meissen and Merseburg[3]. Duke George took exceptionparticularly to Luther's advocacy of the two kinds in theCommunion[4]. This statement of Luther, however, was but incidental tohis broad and rich treatment of the subject of the treatise.
It was Luther's first extended statement of his view of the Lord'sSupper. As such it is very significant, not only because of what hesays, but also because of what he does not say. There is no referenceat all to that which was then distinctive of the Church's doctrine,the sacrifice of the mass. Luther has already abandoned this position,but is either too loyal a church-man to attack it or has not as yetfound an evangelical inter