About certain disputes in Zwickau. About Luther's book "Von der Winkelmesse," which some have misinterpreted.
Handwritten in Wolfenbüttel in Cod. Gud. From the collection of Caspar Sagittarius at Jena in Schütze, vol. II, p. 315 and in De Wette, vol. IV, p. 534.
Grace and peace in Christ! My dear brother Leonhard, I believe your pleas and your testimony about Stanislaus, 1) your fellow servant, and so I easily forgive. I hope that he will not deceive you or me. But I will reserve the right to reconcile the Mühlpfort group, not as if they could not go to heaven without me, if Christ wills, but because I do not want to burden my conscience with their safety, although Christ does everything apart from me and without me (which I am glad about). But because they themselves know that I am offended, I cannot bear their sins, which they do not want to be sins.
Do not worry about my book. I wrote about the private mass against the papists, rather against the abominations, not against ours. Who can avoid all the calumnies of all? I wanted nothing less than that the papists should protect themselves with my book. There would be no end to answering every single word. He who does not look for the short epitome (summam) or does not care about the things (which one can call the intention
1) Hofmann. Burkhardt, p. 223.
I will not be able to do enough for such people with any books. Farewell and pray for me. 1534, Monday after Cantate [May 4]. Yours, Martin Luther.
No. 2054.