Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/457

 also for your favor and Christian zeal. I believe that your Grace has received a sufficient copy of the desired recantation. I hope your Grace kindly remembers how I was driven against my will to write against Zwingli and Oecolampadius/ or else to give my reasons in writing why I still hoped it would be impossible to write concerning the sacraments; but though I heard Christian admonition, I found it impossible to do that without your Grace's foreknowledge and gracious consent. I hope your Grace also remembers your further permission and other reason, not set forth in the book sent to your Grace, why I should treat with Dr. Luther and others.

Thereupon I wrote to Dr. Luther, and sent him two pam- phlets, and he tried to get rid of me easily with this answer : "If Dr. Carlstadt has an argument in the words *dedit' * and 'donee veniet," to prove that the body and blood of Christ are not in the bread and wine, and are not corporeally enjoyed, let him make the most of these words, no matter what parts of speech they are."

Whether this answer was Christian, suitable to my humility and his office, I will let anyone judge who will read my en- closed books and his answer.

Gracious Elector and Lord, your Grace will* take my busi- ness and words kindly. I say that I was not helped by such an answer, nor did I deserve it. Truly it were just as possible for me to take Dr. Luther's opinion about the sacrament with good conscience and whole heart, merely on the ground of what he has hitherto written, as it would be for me to fly in the air like a bird. And I believe that anyone else who reads both our writings will say the same. ... I know that if an angel came from heaven, and said that there was another body of Christ than His natural body given and broken for us on the cross, that angel would be an abomination and curse to me and all believers. And if I am asked to-day what body was given for us, I must answer, the natural body of Christ conceived in Mary by the Holy Ghost. And I know that all prophets, apostles and angels could give no other answer,*. ..


 * The recantation of 1525; cf. supra, no. 703.


 * Mark xiv, 22.

■ I Corinthians xi, 26.


 * Underlined in the original with red ink.

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