(Regest.)
Vadian reports on the adoption of the Concordie at the last Basel Convention, and, emphasizing the sincere striving for perfect concord and the true community of faith, explains why the Swiss considered a detailed declaration necessary.
Printed in Keßler's Sabbata ed. Götzinger, II, 469 and in Kolde's Analecta, p. 274.
No. 2316.
To King Christian III of Denmark.
Luther approves of the king's shaving off the bishops and exhorts him not to squander church goods.
In the archives at Weimar there is a collated copy from the Danish imperial archives. Printed in Schumachers gelehrter Männer Briefe an die Könige in Dänemark, 2. Theil, p. 260; in De Wette, vol. V, p. 33 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 55, p. 156.
Grace and peace in Christ our Lord and Savior, even my poor Pator noster. Almighty, most noble, highborn Prince, most gracious Lord King! I have almost gladly listened to Your Majesty's writing, and I am well pleased that Your Majesty has criticized the bishops (who cannot stop persecuting God's word and confusing the worldly regiment).
2) This P. V. is to be dissolved by: Praepositus Wittebergensis. Seidemann reads P. W., while the Corp. ref. offers "V. W.".
Letters from the year 1536. No. 2316. 2317.
I will also, where I can, help to interpret and answer for the best. However, I also humbly request that His Holiness will separate as much of the spiritual goods that have been placed under the crown, so that the churches may nevertheless be well and adequately provided for. For, where they are separated and torn apart, how will the preachers be maintained? I admonish (perhaps unnecessarily) your Lordships, who will know how to keep this well and Christianly, that I have no doubt, without our people's examples moving me to report such, among whom there are many who would gladly take everything for themselves; and if God had not given us such a pious sovereign, who meant it with all seriousness and faithfulness, and kept above it, then many parishes would lie desolate. Whether or not Satan would also deceive some in E. K. M.'s lands, God help E. K. M. to mean the churches. This is the divine word and all those who both now and in the future shall learn to be saved by it and escape eternal death; for it all depends on God's word. Christ, our dear Lord, be with E. K. M. here and forever, Anten. Saturday after St. Andrew's Day [2 Dec.] 1536.
E. K. M. williger Martinus Luther, D.
No. 2317.