leo LUTHER'S CORRESPONDENCE AND Let sfiT
several children by Joseph, and they daily go from bad to worse. Prays God to stretch forth His arm. Still hopes that with the divine assistance it may be possible to apply some good remedy before the close of this diet.
567. LUTHER TO SPALATIN. Enders, iv, 63. Wittenberg, January 14, 1523.
Grace and peace. Our fathers will have their celebration on the day after the Purification of the Virgin, and so we are expecting you to keep your promise.^ You learned from my former letter ' my plan for reforming the priesthood of Ama- ziah ; * I have no other.
I think the Lord's Supper ought henceforth to be freely given and received in both kinds. We have been sufficiently indulgent heretofore to the infirm, and the matter has now been made known everywhere until they have almost grown accustomed to greater innovations. It is time to make room for the Gospel and those who are offended by a practice that has become so well known are not weak, but rather obstinate. Let us, therefore, use our liberty in this matter.
Perhaps you have already seen my letter to Duke George,* for I can scarcely believe that he would not make it public himself, especially to our Elector and the Imperial Council;' but I must be careful that it does not first get abroad from me. I am sending you his letter to me,* and will send mine to him unless you have it already. Farewell, and pray for me.
Martin Luther.
568. HENRY Vni OF ENGLAND TO FREEfERIC, JOHN AND
GEORGE, DUKES OF SAXONY.
Letters and Papers of Henry VIII, iv, no. 40.
Gbeenwich, January 20, 1529.
The original may be found under the title llenrici VIII contra Lutherum ejusque haeresim ad • • • Saxoniae duces," in Spicilegium
- ■ Cf, supra so. 563.
•No. 563.
• The clergy of the Castle Church (C/. Amos vii, lo). ^ Supra no. 564.
- In this surmise Luther was not mistaken. January 17 the Duke addressed aa
angry letter to the Elector on this subject (Gess, i, 438) and February 4 he entered formal complaint with the Imperial Council (ibid^, 456).
- Supra no. $62.
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