♦. LUTHER TO MARGARET, DUCHESS OF BRUNSWICK.
Icrs, ii. 217. Dc Wctte, i. 386. German.
(Wittenberg, middle of October, 1519.)
Margaret, a daughter of Count Conrad of Rietberg, married on vember 16, 1483, Duke Frederic of Brunswick-Luneburg, who died xch 5, 1495. Luther had never seen her. Infra, no. 185.
n dating this letter, the dedication to Luther's Sermons on the
- raments, which in Enders is assigned simply to October, with a
- stion mark, I follow the St. Louis edition, vol. xxi., no. 226. The
.t sermons appeared early in November, and the dedication must re been written earlier. See further Luthers Werke, ed. Qemen, L
High-bom Princess, gracious Lady, certain of my friends,* icsts and gentlemen, have besought me ^o dedicate some iritual and Christian writing to your Grace, as a grateful cognition of your gracious favor and pleasure in my tm- orthy self, and to show my humble service. My own sense { obligation often urged me to do the same, but the difii- olty was that I had very little material ready with which I ught satisfy my desire and discharge my debt, especially as am certain that Christ, the master of all of us, has long ince anticipated me. But finally I have allowed myself yt the sake of your Grace's pious love of the Scripture, hich has often been told me, to publish certain sermons* dedi- tcd to your Grace, on the holy, precious and comfortable
- raments of penance, baptism and of Christ's body. For I
Dsidered that many consciences are troubled and pained, d I have found people here who do not know the holy and U grace of the sacraments nor how to use them; but is! presiune to seek peace rather in their own works than the holy sacrament of God's grace. For doctrines of men ve hidden and taken from us the holy sacraments. I pray It your Gra^e will recognize my small service and not take T presumption ill. For I am always humbly ready to serve ur Grace, whom I now and then commend to God. Amen.
Puticttlarly Otto Beckmann, infra, no. 185.
ferment V9% der Busse der Taube, und dem Leichnam Chrisii. Weimar, U. S. On I«ttther't sacramental system. Smith, op. cit,, Sgf., infra, no. ao6.
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