November 17, 1524.
Grace and peace in Christ, worthy, dear sirs. It has come before me once again how the Sacrament is administered in your church under one form, 1) contrary to what has been decided, 2) and especially promised to me before by the worthy dean. Because I sense in you that our great patience, as we have borne your devilish nature and idolatry in your church up to now, will nowhere suffice, but that you will not let your sacrilege and
1) The dean had communicated a sick woman under one figure. Luther refers to this fact in his letter to Spalatin of November 27. Walch, old edition, vol. XXI, 934, p. 3. This confirms our date.
2) Burkhardt: bequeathed, i.e. agreed upon.
In spite of this, you will increase and strengthen yourselves until you not only despise God's word, which is offered to you, so shamefully that you also run away and do not want to listen, but, as I can well see from the sacrament-rich one form, you have in mind that you intend to divide our community and unity wherever you want, to set up factions and sects, which would finally grow into rebellion; I am urged, as a called preacher of this congregation, with God's grace, to undertake counsel and means against it, so that I may be sufficient for my conscience and dampen the fire, because it is still smoldering in the tinder, as much as is in me.
Because you are now my most gracious
*) This letter is found in the editions: in the Wittenberger, vol. IX, p. 201 d; in the Jenaer (1585), "vol. II, p. 487d; in the Altenburger, vol. II, p. 839; in the Leipziger, vol. XVIII, p. 500; in the Erlanger, BV. 53, p. 269 and in De Wette, vol. II, p. 564. In Burkhardt, p. 76, some variants of a copy in the Weimar archives are noted. We give the text according to the Jena edition.
Herr Meinung wohl wisset, dass S. Chur. F. G. has no objection to you doing what is right, and in addition you should know and do what God wills, that you may excuse yourselves neither with the prince nor with ignorance, but nothing more than a pure defiant will, by the devil's power, has possessed you: Therefore, my friendly request and earnest desire to you is that you put an end to this game, which is red and sectarian, to masses, vigils, and everything that is contrary to the holy Gospel, and make such an order, so that our conscience may stand before God, and name before the world, as those of your devil's fellowship avoid and are willing to flee.
But if you refuse to do this, you must assume that I will not rest, if God helps me, that you will have to do it without your thanks. Know how to judge yourselves. And I ask for a correct, straight, immediate answer, yes or no, before this next Sunday, to judge me by it. God give you his grace to follow his light, amen. On the Thursday after Martinmas, 2) Anno 1524.
1) Burkhardt: unauslauftig, i.e. without evasion.
2) In the editions "Nicolai" (8 Dec.), which must be wrong, because on 2 December, as Luther writes to Amsdorf, the matter was settled. In Burkhardt 1. e. is the correct date.