To Herr Pancratz, Preacher at Dantzic - Martin Luther

TO HERR PANCRATZ, PREACHER AT DANTZIC

Luther rejoices at the spread of the gospel in Dantzic. March 7, 1543.

I devoured your letters with the greatest delight, rejoicing to hear of the wonderful progress the Word of God is making in Dantzic. May the Lord perfect His work, which He began through you! You say the king and bishops have forbidden the sacrament to the people, for which they are longing. If they had sufficient faith and courage to do God’s will, in preference to that of man, then I would advise them to risk partaking of it. Any magistrate who is not opposed to the rite could find excuses for them with the king. He could say it was not his duty to interfere in church matters or introduce innovations, or, in other words, to teach God knowledge. For when the king forbade preaching in Dantzic there existed another state of matters there, serious disturbances being rife among the citizens. Now that they are at one, having received the greater, viz. the Word of God, why should they be forbidden accepting the lesser? For, in an exigency, one can do without the sacrament, but not without the Divine Word. But should things be otherwise now, that outweighs the reasons for this participation in the sacrament.

Nevertheless do not desist from preaching the Word or forsake the church, but steadfastly proclaim the doctrine of the sacraments. So, if they cannot have the ordinance now, let believers still long earnestly for it, and comfort themselves through their faith in it, till the Lord hear their earnest prayer, and strengthen them to confess their faith openly, and enter into the full enjoyment of the sacrament. The main point has already been achieved when the administration of the church has been reformed. May the Lord strengthen you and all your believing ones with His Holy Spirit, that you may have courage to bring matters to a happy conclusion. God grant this.

MARTIN LUTHER . WITTENBERG. (Schutze.)