Ueber einen Kirchenzuchtsfall und die churbrandenburgische Kirchenordnung.
Handwritten in Aurifaber, vol. III, p. 305. Printed in Schütze, vol. III, p. 202 and in De Wette, vol. V, p. 307. German in the Altenburg edition, vol. VII, p. 721; in the Leipzig edition, vol. XXII, p. 368 and in Walch, vol. XXI, 439.
To M. Georg Solinus, pastor in Tangermünde.
Mercy and peace! I have advised, my dear Solinus, that this is how the public death-witcher should be dealt with; this is also how we have acted. After it is certain that the authorities have acquitted him, and the offended party has been reconciled, then you too have found out that he is heartily sorry and repentant, as you write, on a feast day after the sermon from the pulpit you shall announce the case and the repentance of the person, and call upon the congregation that they may with
1) See St. Louis Edition, Vol. XX, Introduction, p. 57 a and p. 59.
Letters from the year 1540. No. 2709 to 2712.
pray for him and approve his absolution, which he humbly asks for. Then, before the high altar before which he kneels, you shall publicly exhort him to repent and to accept the faith of absolution and not to doubt it; then you shall absolve him in the usual form and say in a loud voice: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Before the absolution at the altar, the choir should first sing the psalm: "God, be merciful to me according to your goodness" [Ps. 51].
The church order of your prince pleases me quite well, as far as doctrine and faith are concerned. If you wish, you can also anoint the sick and confirm adults for a while, because he says they are not sacraments; a free conscience can perform a ceremony immediately. If, however, you find yourself complaining about something, follow the example of the priest in Spandau, who, having been called from Zerbst, did not want to come until the prince promised and allowed that he should be free of these things. I think that these additions will not last long, especially the excessive amount of masses and other offices, since they have begun to be despised and to disintegrate into themselves; through the weariness of them and the contempt of the people, it will not last long. In the meantime one must serve the things that are free 1) and the common salvation of souls. Ask the same for me. On the Monday after the Nativity of the Virgin Mary [Sept. 13] Anno 1540. Yours, Martin Luther, D.
No. 2710.
To Conrad Rehlinger, citizen of Augsburg.
Luther thanks for a cup sent to him from Honold's estate and apologizes for seemingly unkind words in an earlier letter.
The original is in the monastery library in Roßleben. Printed by Burkhardt, p. 362.
G. u. F. Honorable, careful, dear sir and friend! I would like you to know that I received the cup yesterday in front of Dato,
1) De Wette reads literis; Walch read liberis, which we have assumed.
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