THAT THESE WORDS OF CHRIST, “THIS IS MY BODY,” ETC., STILL STAND FIRM AGAINST THE FANATICS 1527

Again, they say it is a minor matter, yet there is no topic that they so diligently promote and cultivate and espouse; all other topics lie dormant. Here they become martyrs and saints. Anyone who does not share their fanaticism is no Christian and can accomplish nothing in the Scriptures and in matters of the Spirit. Great and magnificent wisdom this is, when anyone can say, “Bread and wine!” With this wisdom the Holy Spirit alone now operates!  In reality what is going on here is simply that on top of everything the damnable devil is mocking us through them, as if to say, “I intend to cause all kinds of mischief and dissension in deeds, and then to wipe my mouth and say in words, ‘I seek and desire love and unity!’ ”—as the Psalter also says, “They speak peace with their neighbors, while mischief is in their hearts” [Ps. 28:3].
Well, since they are so completely wicked as to mock the whole world, I shall add a Lutheran warning and say; Cursed be such love and unity in the abyss of hell, because such unity not only divides the Christian Church wretchedly, but in true devilish fashion even mocks it and pokes fun at it for its wretchedness. Now I do not mean to judge so harshly as to hold that they do this out of malice. But I think they are blinded by Satan, and perhaps they have developed a conscience that bites them, saying, “Truly we have caused a great offense and kindled a great fire, now we must paste and putty up the affair with words, and claim indulgence because it is not an important matter. And even if we lose the argument, let us declare in advance that we have not lost anything important, but have committed only a minor offense, and as we say of singers when they make a mistake, ‘They only farrowed a piglet.’ ” -Martin Luther