Part 1 (2/2)

[4] See below, p 9

[5] In this edition, Vol I, pp 294-336 See especially pp 312 ff

[6] See below, pp 19, 25

[7] _Treatise on the New Testament_, Vol I, pp 297 ff

[8] See Kostlin, _Luther's Theologie_, I, 292 f; also Hering, _Die Mystik Luthers_, Leipzig, 1879, pp 171-174

[9] See below, p 23

[10] See below, p20

[11] See _Treatise concerning the Ban_, below, p 37

A TREATISE CONCERNING THE BLESSED SACRAMENT OF THE HOLY AND TRUE BODY OF CHRIST AND CONCERNING THE BROTHERHOODS

1519

1 Like the sacrament of holy baptism[1] the holy sacrament of the altar, or of the holy and true body of Christ, has three parts which it is necessary or us to know The first is the sacranificance of this sacrament, the third is the faith required by both of these; the three parts which must be found in every sacrament The sacrament must be external and visible, and have sonificance must be internal and spiritual, within the spirit of man; faith must apply and use both these

[Sidenote: The First Part of the Sacran, is in the forn water; although the sign is not simply the form of bread and wine, but the use of the bread and wine in eating and drinking, just as the water of baptis For the sacran, must be received, or h at present the two kinds are not given the people daily, as of old,--nor is this necessary,--yet the priesthood partakes of it daily in the sight of the people, and it is enough that the people desire it daily and receive one kind at the proper time, as the Christian Church ordains and offers[2]

3 I deeeneral council should again decree[3] that all persons, as well as the priests, be given both kinds Not that one kind were insufficient, since indeed the siustine says: ”Why preparest thou stomach and teeth? Only believe and thou hast already partaken of the sacraht that the foriven not in part only, but in its entirety, just as I have said of baptis to immerse than to pour the water, for the sake of the conifies the complete union and the undivided fellowshi+p of the saints, as we shall see, and this is poorly and unfittingly indicated by only one part of the sacraer in the use of the cup as is supposed, since the people seldoo to this sacraers[6], and yet saw it to institute both kinds or the use of all His Christians

[Sidenote: The Second Part of the Sacranificance or purpose of this sacrament is the fellowshi+p of all saints, whence it derives its common name _synaxis_ or _communio_, that is, fellowshi+p; and _communicare_ o to the sacrament, because Christ and all saints are one spiritual body, just as the inhabitants of a city are one co a member of the other and a member of the entire city All the saints, therefore, are members of Christ and of the Church, which is a spiritual and eternal city of God, and whoever is taken into this city is said to be received into the community of saints, and to be incorporated into Christ's spiritual body and made a member of Him On the other hand, _excommunicare_ means to put out of the community and to sever a e ”putting one under the ban”; yet there is a difference, as I shall show in the following treatise, concerning the ban[4]

To receive the bread and wine of this sacran of this fellowshi+p and incorporation with Christ and all saints As though a citizen were given a sign, a document, or some other token as a proof that he is a citizen of the city, a member of the community Even so St Paul says: ”We are all one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of one bread and of one cup” [1 Cor 10:17]

5 This fellowshi+p is of such a nature that all the spiritual possessions of Christ and His saints[8] are imparted and coain, all his sufferings and sins are coenders love and unites all

To carry out our houre: it is like a city where every citizen shares with all the others the naes, help, support, protection and the like, of that city, and on the other hand shares all the danger of fire and flood, enemies and death, losses, imposts and the like For he ould have part in the common profits must also share in the losses, and ever recos a citizen wrongs the entire city and all the citizens; whoever benefits one deserves favor and thanks from all the others So, too, in our natural body, as St Paul says in i Corinthians xii, where this sacraiven a spiritual explanation: the members have a care one or another; whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; whether one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it [1 Cor 12:25 f] It is apparent then that if any one's foot hurts him, nay, even the srasp it, the face frowns, the whole body bends to it, and all are concerned with this small member; on the other hand, if it is cared for, all the other hed if one wishes to understand this sacrament; for the Scriptures employ it or the sake of the unlearned

6 In this sacrah the priest a sure sign to man, to show that, in like manner, he shall be united with Christ and His saints and have all things in cos and life shall be his own, together with the lives and sufferings of all the saints, so that whoever does him an injury does injury to Christ and all the saints, as He says by the prophet, ”He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of My eye” [Zech

2:8]; on the other hand, whoever does him a kindness does it to Christ and all His saints, as He says, ”What ye have done unto one of the least of My brethren, that ye have done unto Me” [Matt 25:40] Again, heto share all the burdens and misfortunes of Christ and His saints, their sorrow and joy These two sides of the fellowshi+p we shall consider more fully

7 Now, adversity assails us in more than one for in our flesh after baptiser, hatred, pride and unchastity, and so forth, which assails us as long as we live Against this we not only need the help of the congregation and of Christ, in order that they ainst it, but it is also necessary that Christ and His saints intercede or us before God, that sin ainst these sins, God gives us this sacrah He said: ”Behold, ive thee My pledge that sin assails not only thee but My Son Christ, and all His saints in heaven and on earth Therefore, be bold and confident; thou fightest not alone; great help and support are round about thee” King David, also, says of this bread: ”The bread strengtheneth man's heart” [Ps 104:15]; and the Scriptures in other places characterize this sacra So in Acts ix it is written of St Paul that he was baptised and when he had received thened [Acts 9:19] In the second place, the evil spirit assails us unceasingly with many sins and afflictions

In the third place, the world is full of wickedness and entices and persecutes us and is altogether bad Finally, our own guilty conscience assails us with our past sins, with the fear of death, and with the pains of hell All of these afflictions th in this fellowshi+p

8 If any one be in despair, if he be distressed by his sinful conscience or terrified by death, or have any other burden on his heart, and desire to be rid of theo joyfully to the sacrarief in the ation and seek help from the entire company of the spiritual body; just as when a citizen whose property has suffered injury or misfortune at the hands of his enemies makes complaint to his town council and fellow citizens and asks therace and iven us in this sacrament, that we may there lay down all ation, and especially on Christ, and h I ah this or that o to the sacran frohteousness, He and sufferings, with all holy angels and all the blessed in heaven, and all pious men on earth If I die, I am not alone in death; if I suffer, they suffer with me I have shared all my n of their love toward me” Lo, this is the benefit to be derived from this sacrament, this is the use we should make of it; then the heart cannot but rejoice and be comforted