January 24, 1520.
1. We John, by the grace of God and the Papal See, Bishop of the Free Church of Meissen, are obligated by reason of our episcopal office, so commanded, to administer and do the office of a true pastor and shepherd, and not of a transient hireling, and to protect and manage the shepherding of the Lord, so commanded, not only from the present, but also from future dangers of the souls, and to prepare medicinal remedies in the time of safety, with which, when the same diseases break out, we maintain and keep the said shepherd's house for the poisoning and attachment 1) of the souls.
2 Because a booklet or sermon in German on the Most Holy Sacrament of the Corpus Christi of our dear Lord Christ, under the name and title of D. Martini Luther, Augustine, contrary to the statutes of the recently held Lateran Council, is now publicly available in our cities and diocese. Martini Luther, Augustine, contrary to the statutes of the recently held holy Lateran-Concilium generals, is now and then publicly available in our cities and diocese, in which, among other things, it is understood and written that the teacher of the same booklet considered it fine, useful and convenient that the Christian Church, by means of a common concilium, establishes that all Christian believers of spiritual and secular status, under both forms of bread and wine, are to be informed and communicated with the reverend Sacrament; so that the Sacrament may be administered and given, not in part or in pieces, but entirely, to the faithful. And many other things more, which give the simple, who keep and compare themselves to the harmony of the holy Christian church, with the reception of the reverend sacrament only under one form of bread, reason to doubt the sacrament of the holy Corpus Christi, and the reception of the same, and finally cause many an annoyance, error and division in the church of God, and especially in the Church of God.
1) i.e. infection.
Our diocese, which borders on the lands of the same schism, separation, or misrule and damnable error, would like to arouse.
3. If we now wish to face the same aversions and dangers as we are obliged to, with the foreseen counsel and approval of our worthy Chapter, we command in virtue of holy obedience, and in the case of penalties from the right, and earnestly command all and every lord, We earnestly command all and every lords, abbots, deans, archdeacons, priors, guardians, canons, parish priests, preachers, altar servers, lecturers and all other priests, clerics and clergymen to be exempt, 2) also both sexes, male and female, clerical and secular, believers in Christ; But we remind you, living in unity and purity of faith, by the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, and because of your devotion and love for the Holy Papal See and the Christian Church, we exhort you to diligently gather the same booklets or the same sermon everywhere, and to keep them with you until our further command.
(4) And in order that the offences arising from the publication or public distribution of this booklet among the simple in our diocese may be averted and eradicated, we command, enjoin, and remind you that in your sermons you shall instruct the people, as you are commanded, diligently and actually, so that they may believe, beyond all doubt, most firmly and unwaveringly that under every form is the whole Christ, our Lord and Savior. That even to those who take the reverend Sacrament under one form alone, the Sacrament is not given and administered piecemeal and in part, but wholly and completely.
2) religiosis non exemptis. The thread in this intricate sentence is this: to all non-exempt clergy 2c. we command; but to all exempt we remind and admonish, that etc., etc., etc.
*This decree of the Bishop of Meissen is found in German in the Wittenberg edition (1669), vol. IX, p. 88; in the Jena edition (1564), vol. I, p. 213 k; in the Altenburg edition, vol. I., p. 344 and in the Leipzig edition, vol. P. 344 and in the Leipzig, vol. XVII, p. 285. It is inserted in Luther's Latin reply to this decree m the Wittenberg edition, Dom. II, col. 30; m the Jena (1579), Dom. I, col. 460k; and in the Erlangen, oxx. var. arZ. Vol. IV, p. 139. We have reproduced the text of the Jena edition.
And that the holy Christian church, in a holy common council in the Holy Spirit, the time being duly assembled, by the divine inspiration of the same Holy Spirit, has suspended and decreed that those who do not confess the reverend sacrament, or walk and act, shall receive the reverend sacrament in the form of bread alone; For the sake of which suspension 1) and order, the reception of the reverend Sacrament under both forms is also sacrilegious, avoidable, annoying, detrimental and saddening to Christian ecclesiastical practice, and consequently an introduction of eternal damnation.
5. and because obedience is better than sacrifice [1 Sam. 15:22], that those who have the Sa-.
1) i.e. appointment.
crament do not act and walk more deserving of the taking of the one form of bread than of both forms, and that therefore all and every one, as faithful children and Christians of the whole Christian Church, will follow the same of their mother's leprosy and order, and order, also of the holy fathers and chosen ones of God, to firmly and faithfully keep the faith in pure unity, and to prove yourselves in this way, so that you may receive reward from God, the rewarder of all people, and be praised for your dutiful devotion to the Christian faith. Date Stolpen, in the year after the birth of the Lord one thousand five hundred and twentieth and on the fourth and twentieth day of June, with the seal of the Official Office of our Court impressed on the present letter.