Diet of Regensburgopened in January.
Emperor conceded this to humour the Protestants tillhe was ready to compel them to submit to the Luther's last undertakingwas to reconcile the He preachedfor the last time on 17th he signeda paper, and the Counts begged him to rest.
At supper he was very bright,discussingdeath and everlasting life.
After supper he was much oppressed, and Albrecht,who tried remedies.
He slepttillone, when Dr. Jonastried to persuadehim that the cold sweat he complained of was salutary."No," he replied,"it is the cold sweat of death."
He prayedconstantly, and said three times in Latin, "God so loved the world,"and Ixviii.20, committing his spiritinto He died before three,in presence of Dr. Jonas,Colius,Aurifaber, and his two sons.
Melanchthon to remain in Wittenberg.
Grace and peace in Christ,and my poor paternoster, High-born Prince,most gracious I ask respectfully whether it be necessary to send
Philip to the present vain and fruitlessdiscussion at Regensburg.
For theyhave no man on their side who is worth anything, and Major is more than sufficientfor all that is needed, even should he only be able to say
" to what is beingenacted.
What would be done were Philipdead or ill, as he reallyis,so that I got him home alive from Hence he must now be spared,for he is of more use lyingin bed here than at the He is willing to risk his lifeif it be desired,but who would counsel that ?
It would be a temptingof Providence.
The young doctors must come to the front,for when we are gone they must proclaimthe Word.
Major and others are able to A conclusive proofthat theyspent Christmas in Schloss Mansfeld. preachand teach,it will be easy for them to disputewith such sophists, for theyhave dailyto combat and withstand the devil himself.
I respectfully write this for your Grace's consideration.
Christ make you act in accordance with his Divine will.
Electoral Grace's obedient Concerningthe dispensing of unconsecrated wafers.
Dr. Major are absent,Pommer and It is not heedlessness,but rightdownwickedness of that curate to declare that consecrated and unconsecrated wafers
{Hostien) are the same.
Let him go to his Zwinglians.It is not necessary that a man who is not one of us should be kept in prison,whose word, and even oath, cannot be believed.
Further, he who has partakenof an unconsecrated wafer has not sinned ; for his faith has saved him, because he believed that he received the true sacrament, and trusted in Word, justas he who believes is baptized, althoughhe who baptizes him playswith the ordinance,or uses some other fluid for the purpose.
But we need not discuss this so minutely, in case of inflamingunenlightened consciences.
It is enough that all is possible to him who believes.
Regarding adulterated wafers, it would be well to burn them, although reallynot necessary, because they are no sacrament except in their actual use.
Even as baptismal water, except in its application in the rite,is no sacrament, even so Christ in this sacrament onlyoperates on those who eat and believe.
But on account of the scandal,the vicar has done well to burn it.
Philipleft for Torgau yesterday.The Prince wishes to send him to the Regensburg Conference,from which I have tried to dissuade him with all my might,as Philipis too illto be sent on such a