Works of Martin Luther, with Introductions and Notes (Volume II)Luther, Martin
ReligionChristian
Works of Martin Luther, with Introductions and Notes (Volume II)
Luther, Martin
Lutheran Church -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 16th century -- Early works to 1800
I confess that I am conquered by this to me unanswerable argument, and
that I have neither read nor heard nor found anything to advance
against it. For here the word and example of Christ stand firm, when
He says, not by way of permission but of command, "Drink ye all of
it." [Matt.26:27] For if all are to drink, and the words cannot be
understood as addressed to the priests alone, then it is certainly an
impious act to withhold the cup from laymen who desire it, even though
an angel from heaven were to do it. For when they say that the
distribution of both kinds was left to the judgment of the Church,
they make this assertion without giving any reason or it and put it
forth without any authority; it is ignored just as readily as it is
proved, and does not hold against an opponent who confronts us[33]
with the word and work of Christ. Such an one must be refuted with a
word of Christ, but this we[34] do not possess.
But if one kind may be withheld from the laity, then with equal right
and reason a portion of baptism and penance might also be taken from
them by this same authority of the Church. Therefore, just as baptism
and absolution must be administered in their entirety, so the
sacrament of the bread must be given in its entirety to all laymen, if
they desire it. I am amazed to find them asserting that the priests
may never receive only the one kind, in the mass, on pain of
committing a mortal sin; and that for no other reason, as they
unanimously say, than that both kinds constitute the one complete
sacrament, which may not be divided. I pray them to tell me why it may
be divided in the case of the laity, and why to them alone the whole
sacrament may not be given. Do they not acknowledge, by their own
testimony, either that both kinds are to be given to the laity, or
that it is not a valid sacrament when only one kind is given to them?
How can the one kind be a complete sacrament or the laity and not a
complete sacrament for the priests? Why do they flaunt the authority
of the Church and the power of the pope in my face? These do not make
void the Word of God and the testimony of the truth.
But further, if the Church can withhold the wine from the laity, it
can also withhold the bread from them; it could, therefore, withhold
the entire sacrament of the altar from the laity and completely annul
Christ's institution so far as they are concerned. I ask, by what
authority? But if the Church cannot withhold the bread, or both kinds,
neither can it withhold the wine. This cannot possibly be gainsaid;
for the Church's power must be the same over either kind as over both
kinds, and if she has no power over both kinds, she has none over
either kind. I am curious to hear what the Roman sycophants will have
to say to this.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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