EXPLANATION OP THE EPISTLE FOB NEW YEARNS I>AY
over, -every one has his mode for serviii^jGrod; and hence the saying, Many <»/)untries^ inany customs. These, liowevier,. aiid every thing that is external, and.not* faith, render no one just and.pious vbef ore God j nor do they hinder*- justiiication; for faith may exist ■ equally in and with all these- customs, persons, and distinctiansj without any difference.
But the m-isjfortiine occurs that a person falls inl;© these habits or custoins^Jand perseveres in them for the jHil'pofe^.Dfiibecoming pious and just l)yi tlrem,^ and of aiding his soul in ])utting off its sins, and in securing sii^vaMon • tliere all is i>erverted — ( 'hrist is denied, God is lost, faith and til* Gospel are abandoned; there works and the law rule again; there tlife >feonscience is already misled, tliinking that if it observe not these <^ilst4ins^ it is already externally lost, biit if' it observe them it might be save^' by them. This is the most pernicious error on eartli; against whidi th^ Apostle strives so vehemently. For it is impossible for Clirifetiaii faith to exist with such an imagination or conscience. That per-; vson Neither will nor can be justified and (SSved by. any thing in heaven or on earth, excei^t in Christ alone. All othet" modes, laws j works, customs, ])ersbns, should be employed for the 4»xercise of this life on earth, and for the b'ehefit of our neighbors.
What defect, then, is there with the Jiews, that prevents tliem from being saved! St. Paul, Eom. 0, 32, ailswers, that they wish to be saved by works, and not by faith. They wish none but eTews to be admitted into heaven; but God designs that no^rtebut Christians, whether Jews or Greeks, male or female, shall be admitted there. They think tlm t if they o]>serve th« law, they will be saved, if not, they will Ix^ condemned; God, on the other hand, intends tliat he thafbelieveth in Christ, shall be savv<\; -he that believeth not, shall be <lamiied, Mark 10, lO. Without faith, mor<^6ver, no one can keej) the law, as stated above, and as St. Paul testities, Gal. 0, lo, where he writes: ** Neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law." Why I Because tliey do not observe it willingly, but merely through fear and the incitations of the law. ]^ow, since they think that they must bo Jews, and enter upon the observance. of ^he law, not otherwise than th<.^ Jews, thus cleaving to Jewdaism and laws, with their (conscience lettered, they must ]>erish eternally; for it,i>s concluded that there is neither Jew., nor Greek, as St. Paul says, but- Christ and Christians-.
Now, if they would:Mrst believe in Christ, and then, if they felt disposed, continue to be Jew's, circumcise thenv selves^ or, permit it to be done, and keep their laws as they might see tit, without presuming to become pious and to be saved by these, but through the giace of Christ alone, — as all theirr fathers aiul the patriarchs did, as St- Peter, Acts 15, 11, declares; — it Avould be no detriment to tliem. This, however they will not do; they cleave so firmly to the works, the terrors, and allurements of the law, that even on account of these, they condemn and persecute all who teach otherwise^ and preach faith. For this same rea> son, their predecessors also perse- (iuted and killed all the prophets, and then said that, for the sake of Gofl and his law, they exterminated the deceivers of the people and blasphemers of the law, and the services of God, as Moses commanded them.
But let us also notice the Jew» of our day, who act still more rudely and improperly. Those Jews had, atleast, a plaus-ible indication, that they were bound by the law^ of God: our Jews, the Pope and his papists, drive uh to their own inventions, and to laws, merely human, which God lias forbidden. Tliev (^T out verv much in reference to the noble viitue, oheiliencrj that withont it no one can bo saved, but with it every one may be. This obedience, however, they refer, not to the law of God, but to their own laws and inventions.
By observing their course of conduct, Ave clearly perceive that they expect to become pious and to be saved, not through faith as Christians, but by their works and laws, as Carthu- niaiis, Preiaclieis, FrtiDci scans, Aiiiriistiniaiis, Piebeiulaiies, Vicars, &c. They llienisclves acknowledge that they regard these orders and conditions as the right Avay to become j)i(nis and to be saved; so that it is ilear, how their consciences cleave to i do voii want?
Anthonies, a sixth, nothing but St. Paids, a seventh, notliing but angelic Gabriels, Avliat then! If they teacli otherwise, let them be accui\sed. Still the Avord of (iod must stnnd, and Christ alone 7)ii(.si rcm((jn. AVliat moie luit tliaf \ye inUst. become ])ious and be saved J] iron gh him alone, we do not believi'. h'cir Avhat theu,"" they demand, '' word<l good works be use-
]\latt. 24, 1>1, Chiist said of theso sects, that' many talse ('hrists and l)roi)hets slioiihl arise, who Avould say, lo, here is Christ, lo, there is Christ! These should not be believed. Tliey will do signs, so as to deceive even tho elect, if it Avere i>ossibIe. Two reasons prevented ine, for a long time, from understanding this passage in reference to these sects and orders. 'Iho first Avas that they were so numerous, filling ail the Avorld. Had their number 'beeTr less, I Avould not have hesitated.. I imagined tlmt God Avould fulf TJjese orders and states Avould ' not let so many i)ersohs err. I did be A'aiu. Thou desirest to abolish i not ]>erceive that the text clearly said,
;?ood.Avorks and tlie services of (4od. Away, away Avith tliat accursed here there shall be njany of tliem, so that even tlie elect, the luimber of Avliich is small, may err Avith them. The other reason Avas, that lioly persons were among tliem; as, Benedict, Bernard, Augustine, Francis, Do- comest thou Avith this diabolical i I inmgined, no error ccmld exist lieie, faith r i and 1 did not ])erceive that Christ said
Behold, is it not true that our saints I the elect should stumble, and bt* and Jews thus, proceed? AYhat then must Ave do Avith them? AVe must do as St. Paul did Avitli the Gailatians; he exclaimed tAvice: '' Though A\e, or an angel from heaAcn, j)reach any tempted Avitli error; Avho, hoAvever, should not continue in it.
Gideon, too, Judges 8, 27, was agTcat man in faith, by Avhich he did great things; yet he Avas misled when otlier gospel unto you thaii that Avhich i he iiKide an e])hod; that is Avhen ho
Ave haA'c preached unto yon, let liim b( accursed;'- Gal. 1,8,1). Thus, too, we wty, our preac^hing and the foundation of our faith, are that by faitli alone, inih'pendent of law jind Avorks, justification and snlvaticn stand. — XoAV, if the Avorld Avere nothing but ('arthusians, and Avould teach other- Avise, let it be accursed. If all the Avorhl Av.ere nothing but barefooted friars, ])i'eachers, Augustints, l?enedicts, and would teach otherwise, let it be accursed. Say, mor<M>ver, if one Avorld Avere nothing but holy Augnstines, another, iu)thing but holy Fiancisces, IV third, nothing but ho-y Dominies, a fourth, nothing but holy Benedicts, a lifth, nothing but lu)ly instituted a ])eculiar kind of ap])aiel designed to be used in serving God. From which many evils afterAvarddi resulted; his whole race Avas; exterminated, as the Scii])tures declare. ^Vhv then shi uld it be surprising, if Sit. i'eiMMliet, Francis, ])omini(!, (iredl?"AVho(an r.ssure us tliat tliey did iHiterr!
It is possible tiiat it occurred liere, as it g(>]!erally does Avith the legi^nds of all saints, that the ])eop'le ]>assid by the best juactices and ijrojjcr system of the beloved saints, and fell up-* on that, in which they stumbled as n)en. Here, their infiimities are exalted as their strength, and their strength is suppressed; for every ou<^ is <iispose(l to ntbllow the weakest and iii«st iusigiiiii«^iit, yes, tlie worst aud iioi the best.
Yetj if they wouUi practice these, their states and orders, as free, not wilti a view to become pious and to be isaA^ed by them, but merely to exiirofee their bodies, to serve their ne^^&bors, and to honor God, and if they woukl leave their piety and sal- >atie«i to be secured through faith ^ilone; these would not be intolerable, and iaijiuious to them; tlicy would »^till «*ot, however, be inoffensive to the illiterate mass, who are led thereby to ihhik that such a course of conduct is the right way, and thus their faith is disparaged, if not entirely dest^o^x,^d, For, faith is verv tender and pr*>cious; it is easily injured, especially by works and practices so l)rilliant iind glittering.
There is no doabt that, so far as their dis(;iples r«ere concerned, the lioly fatliers use4 these orders with freedom and ])ixig»riety, yea, with a A iew to increiise tkeirfaitli; otherwise they could not have been really holy. But, these blind j>eople mimic and follow after them, losing sight of the kernel, retaining tiie shell, doiiig the works, and forgettfing the faith of the lioly fathers; and j?till they wish to boast, ami appear as if they observed the position^ the orders, and examples of these holy men when, at the same time, they have nothing moie than the shadow; they are real apes, who jnimic eveiy thing they see, and still remain apes, without exercising anything like Christian liberty. This they show hy their declaration: — *' Shall we ii«()t become pious and be saved, throagh our conditions, onlers, jjnd works! If it depends on faith only, which everybody has, what did we seek in the cloisters i Why did we become monks f Why, then, are we priests! What avail the masses, then, which we hold^ and the prayei-s which we offer I We might as well have continued hiymen., Here you perceive, from their own words, that they are neither believei s nor ('hristians, and are unwilling to be one with all Christians, as St. I'aul; says here, that all the baptiz4'd have put on Christ, and are all one iu Christ. They seek ways peculiar to themselves, superior to all Christians; and Christ is neither good enough nor sufficient for them to put ou, and to be justified aud saved in him.
Thus, they pervert this declaration of Paul, and say: "All the baptized are not one in Christ; but there are not only Jews and Greeks, but also Carthusians, barefooted Friars, Preachers, Priests, and those of similar orders: these are right ways to salvation.'^ Thus, they seek, first of all, in their own i)erformanoes, the salvation and piety which they should have had before through Baptism, in faith, as other Christians have them; they forget their Christian duties and name, assume, instead of these, human duties and names; they are no longer called Christians, but Carthusians, Benedictines, barefooted Friars, &c.
St. Paul speaks here of the bond and the free according to the ancient custom, (which is not common in Germany now, as it was formerly,) according to which the servants were bondmen, whom their nmsters could sell, and in regard to whom thej^ could deal as witli their beasts. Now, those who are not such bondmen, the Apostle calls the free. Now, those occupying cloisters might well be called these servants and bondmen, since they give themselves into the i^ossession of men; and would to God, they would take themselves in consideration, and let their spiritual existence be a willing incarceration, not to become i)ious and to be saved in it, but to exercise in it their ])iety and salvation received through taith.
Now, as little as it contributes to, or impedes your salvation, to be a man or woman; so little does it contribute to, or impede it, to be a Carthusian or a priest, to perform externally various duties or works, or to assume difi'erent orders or i anks. To be a female, renders you neither))ious nor wicked, even if you i)erform all the works api)i-o})riate for a female; but faith in (Jhrist, indei>endent of your womanhood and female duties and works, renders you pious.
Thus, to be a nun, renders you neither spiritual nor x>ious, nor does it «ave you, even it' you observe in the closest manner all the regulations, laws, and works of the order of nuns; nay, even if you alone should fulfill all the works and duties of all nuns; but faith in Christ secures to you these blessings; faith, which knows neither nuns nor monks, nor laymen nor priests, nor shoemakers nor tailors, nor fasts, nor prayers, more than it knows Jews and Greeks, male. and female, bond and free. But it is in all, and above all, without any distinction of orders, ranks, persons, gestures, works, costumes, meats, days, places, occupations; in ii word, upon none of these, depend piety and salvation.
But, again, Christians may indeed cleave to piety and salvation; that is, they may believe in Christ, and become one in him, no matter how different their external pursuits; as St. Paul savs: "Ye are all one in Christ;" and ♦Ps. 133, 1: "Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" For faith is one and the same in all, and renders one pious like the other. This, however, is not the case with the sects and orders; but in these ea^h one assumes a mode of his own; and hence, it is a by-path.§
He says: " Ye are all one,^ precisely as if he spoke of the person of one man. This he says in opposition to the idea of multitude, thus: " Ye are not many, but one. Even if ye are many and different, in externals, not
♦ A. In regard to this, it is said, Ps. 68, 6: "God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those who are bound. "
§ A. And where there are no prelates in cloisters, who teach this, it were better, not to leave a stock or a stone of these cloisters standing; they are nothing but gates to hell: it would be better to leave them at once, and learn faith elsewhere, than to remain in them A single hour. Continence can be preserved without these. O, the numberless snares and scandals I How many noble souls, who might so easily be ameliorated, must be ensnared and suffocated here, in a most miserable manner? Woe, woe, woe to you jxmtiifH, bishops, and all who are commanded to take the oversight of these masses! Here, the words of Christ, ilatt. 24, 19, will «pply: — *'Woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days."
all being of the same condition or occupation, upon which piety and salvation do not depend; yet, inwardly, where salvation and piety lie, ye are one. It is true, iji the eyes of men, the layman differs somewhat from the priest, the monk from the nun, a man from a woman; but, before God, there is neither layman nor priest,t man nor woman. One is like the other in faith. This is the proverb of the Scriptures: nmi est jyroaopolepsia, which the Apostles generaUy employ, and it may be rendered thus; *' There is no respect of persons."
Here the figure, Exod. 16, 18, is fulfilled, where it is said the children of Israel gathered the manna; one more, another less; and, afterwards when they measured it with the measure omer, which contained as much as one was allowed to eat in a day, they all received alike; each one, his omer: and as the text say.«, those who gathered much, received no more; those who gathered little, no less.| This should be the case also now, not only in legard to faith, in which we all alike receive one (Christ in one omer of faith, even if one does hear more gospel than the othei*; but also in love, so that the advantages and blessings of all Christians luight be common; as the Apostle, 2 Cor. 8, lo, explains this figure: ''lie that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack." Thus the burdens would l)e equal as they were in the beginning among the Apostles.
For as Christ acts towards us in faith, manifesting his lo\e, pouring out his blessing upon us, making u>* all like himself, and himself like us; so we must also act towards our neighbor in regard to our professions, if we wish to be Christians. If our faitli is right, we will, undoubtedly, do thJiS willingly from our hearts. Here, then, all things are one thing, and all Chri*<' tians, one peison. Here, then, the law is entirely fulfilled. But, if we are unwilling' to do this, then we have neither fa ith nor Christ. Hence, it is t'ttsy to perceive liow faith is now jn'ostruted in all tlie world, aiul that There are no more Cluistiaiis; and yet every corner is full of masses and divine services. These are sheer idolatry.
You will say, then: '• in this Avay.^on will dis])erse all tlie cloisters and institutions, and j^ive occasioii for <iVery one to iiin out of them, and to forsake iiis order." I answer: These are not my Avords and doctrines, as yt^ii ])erceive. Ask St. raul, yea, <Jhrist and God, in reference to this matter, vrhy they disperse snch institutions and transactions. Among the children of Israel, too, there were a. sino{iiaT people, called tlie ])eopleof.(hull and Moloch, until all the country- and towns were full of their self- <levised and singular Jiiodes of worship; so that Jeremiah 2, 28, and flosea 10, 1, say, they have erected as many altars and ^ods as they liave towns; and yet they all wivsiied to nerve God in this way. Therefore God permitted the country to be destroyed.
The holy kin^i^ Josiah became dissatisfied, 2 Kiiio-s 2:3, 5, severed and destroyed all their mofles of serving (rod, not fearing the Pop(^'s l>an, how- «'.ver, or that it miglit be said in regard to him, that lie had destroyed tlie services of God; as llabshakeh censured the lioly king Hezekiah, ou a similar occasion, 2 Kings IS, 22.*
Mark the words of Paul, l^ow he guards and secures both sides, so as to kcM'.j) us right in the nuddle track. He says: ^' There is neither Jew nor Greek," &c. If from these words, a Jew should say:, ^* If being a Jew avails nothing Uetbre (>od, well, then, I will let it pjiss, assmne the opposite, find l)ecome a Greek." Here St. Paul meets liim on the other side. ''No,".says he, ''to be a Greek also avails nothing." If the Greek should say: '• Why, I shall no longer b(^ a (ireek, fMit will become a dew." "Xo," says St. Paul, "it avails nothing to be a Jew." If the female or the bond.should say: " Why, were oidy I a
* A. Yet, this doctrine does not destroy the floisters or institutions, l)ut tcaclies how to UAti them in a proper and Christian manner.
male or free, since being a femiile or being bond avails nothing;" St. Paul meets her, and says: ^' No^ to be a male or a female also avaitis' hothing." Wh at, then, does avail! Why, not to pass to either side, biit over, above Jew, Greek, bond, free, male, female, into faith and in Christ. The former are earthly ways; the latter is a heavenly way.
Thus, too, 1 Cor. 7, 18, he says: " Is any man called being circumcised * let him not become uncircumcised. Is ' any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised." What more is this, but that, On the one hand, a Jew slumld not say: "Since my circumcision avails nothing, then the uncircumcision avails, and in it 1 will now become pious; and, on the other, a Greek should not say: " Since my uncircumcision avails nothing, if I wish to be saved, I must be circumcised.'^ ^o, says St. Paul, not either, and tiius conclude^: "Circumcision is nothuig and uhcircumcision is nothing, l)ut the keeping of the commandments of God." This is equivalent to saying, first believe in Christ, in wiiich faith the commandments of God \y ill be kept, and be pious and saved first, then be circumcised or uncircumcised, a Jew" or a Greek, a male or a female, bond or free, as yon will, the efficacy is the same.f
Kow let us draw a rough comparison: If a young boy should ICarn the art of shoemaking, and would engage with ii master so foolish and knavish as to tQacli iiim, that this trade is a means, • through which to become pious and to be saved, and if the boy would believe him, and luosecuto
■ t A. Neither should a nun, priest, or monk i <<ay: ''If my condition in life avails nothing, I then I will become a layman." No, says St. j Paul, to 1)0 a layman also avails nothing. A- I i^ain, if a layman sliould say: O, if I were a I priest, a moak. or a nun, for my condition a« a layman is worldly and unblissful! No, says'St. Paul, the condition of monk, nun, or 1 priest, avails nothing, and is as worldly and j unblissful as that of a layman. >Vhat, then, j avails? Beyojid yourself, beyond laymen,! beyond monks, beyond nuns, beyond ecclesin j astics, beyond worldliness. Believe in Christ, I do to your neighbor as you believe Christ ha* I done to you; this is the only right way to be- 1 conic pious and happy, and there is no other.
this trade under the impression tliat he must be saved through it, and that witliout it he cannot be saved ^ forsaking all other means, itaith and love; what would you do in this case f Should you not commiserate the boy f Should not the master incur your displeasure and disapprobation f Xow, how would you relieve the boy 'l Would you say — "Beloved son, the art of siioem akin g does not render you pious. It avails nothing in heaven, you must become a tailor." In tliis Avay, you would lead hiiu from one hell into another 5 aiul you would be just about as pious as that master. So thcs(^. act, who advise a priest to become a monk; a monk, to enter some other, nuu'c dificult order, and thus cast the souls and consciences from one frying pan into the other. — i>ut in this way, you must relieve him: " Belovecl son, here tliere is neither shoemaking nor taihuing; but you nuist believe in Christ, and then do to your neighbor, as you believe Christ has done to you; then you may continue to be a shoemaker, or a tailor, as you ]>lease.''
Behold, here you have liberated his soul; here his consicence will be lilled with joy and' peace"; he will thank God and you: and, yet, he will not need to forsake his trade;, no, he may follow it more joyfully aiul.freely than he did before. Eor Christ does not release cur hands from lal)Oj?,. our persons from otMce, our bodies from tiieir condition, or raidc, but' he redeems the sold fro m. false impressions and the conscienct^ iiom a false faitii. lie is a redeemer of. the consciences aiul a bishop, of souls,- as St. Peter says, 1 Pet. 2.^ 25; yet he lets our hands continue their labors, our ])erspnsjiheir oftices, and our bodies their < (^nditions.
Kow^, act thus too, thou priest, monk, nun. Believe not those teacliers who teach you that your condition, or rank, is a means through which to become pious and to be saved. They are nothing but bliud leaders of the blind, the messengers of the devil, and murderers of souls; but learn iirst that to believe in Christ and to serve your neighbor, is the right way.*
♦ A. Then remain where you are.
But you will say: '*Yes, but I became clerical because I Avished t(> become pious and to be saved in this state, or condition; otherwise I would not have taken this step; and I believe there is not one in a thousand, who entered this state with any other intention; and if people knew this, no one, indeed, would enter this clerical state, and in thirty years every cloister and institution would i>ass away of itself, so that no one would need to destroy them.'-
Here I answer: Do you su])pos« then, tluit Christ was intoxica.ted or a fool, when he said that these falso CInists. Avill deceive many, even, if it. were possible, the elect. Matt. 2f, 24. And St. Peter, 2 Epistle 2, 2, sayn that many shall follow tlies(3 damnable sects. Is it astonishing,. then, that Christ spoke the truth 1 Will you beiieve.the iigments of your own mind rather than the words of ("hristt Observe, therefore, where this clerical state does not proceed in this way, in faith and love, as stated, I would not only that this my doctrine Avere a cause of destroying the cloisters and institutio]is, but that they alrettdy laj in ashes. If you can liberate your conscience and soid through this do(!- trine, and so live in your clerical state as not to think to become pious, and to be saved through it, but only to exercise your failli in it over your body, and to serve your neighbor; then continue in it, and you need not run ironi it. But if you cannot do this, iind your conscience continues to be held captive; it will be better lor you to tear your caps and pates, and to forsake your masses and prayers eternally, and become a swineherd, if you can do no better. For nothing in heaven or on earth should keep us from liberating our souls and consciences.
If any one reproaches you as au apostate, a turn-coat, a vagab(aid monk, sufter it, and think of the declaration of Christ, Matt. 7, 3, whei« the one who had a beam in his ey(\ rebuked him who had a mote in hin eye. You are an apostate from men; tiiey are apostates from God. Yo'i ran away from men, in order to get to irod; they ran away from God, in order to get to themselves and to men.
Be careful, however, not to deceive yourself so as to forsake your state from improper motives. For, our old Adaraic nature is very ready to adorn itself, and will take an ell, if you allow it the breadth of a finger. You may deceive men; God you cannot deceive. If you leave your state merely for the purpose of living free, and of being liberated from your order, and not wholly for the purpose of seeking the liberation of your eonscience, you have not followed me; nor have I thus advised you; this 1 wish you to understand.*
In a word, one of the two: you must either lay aside your opinion or meaning, or you must forsake your order. Faith will not allow the opinioti that you are to become pious, an<l to be saved by your spiritual life or order.! The only aim is at the head of the serpent, the opinion. If this were dead, so that persons would not imagine that they will or may become pious, or be saved by works and or- <lers, all danger and dread would be dissipated.
But, the seri>ent is so careful of her liead, that Christ teaches us also to be thus careful of our heads, where he says: "Be ye wise as serpents, and harmless as doves," Matt. 10, 10. The serpent will expose her whole body and all that she has, to secure her head, in which is her life.
Thus, we should be careful of our head, faith, risking all else for it; let the consequence be what it may, for in it is our life. This, the evil sx)irit seeks to destroy hj such brilliant or-
* You can remain in your orders indeed, and sustain your conscience free according to this doctrine. Mark tlie example which I have given in regard to the boy engaged in the craft of shoe-making. But, if you are so weak as not to be able to keep your conscience thus free, it is better to be far from these states.
t Since faith, however, may allow the order, it is better to forsake the opinion than the order; otherwise it might happen tliat there would be such a remorse of conscience afterwards, in consequence of the forsaken order, (if the opinion were not dead,) as would be equivalent to remaining in the order.
ders and states. When, moreover, we bruise the head of the serpent,, that is, our opinion, which is a false iaith resting upon works, all else becemes. harmless. Matt. 12, 34, Christ eallR the Pharisees a generation of vipers^ because they adhered so tenacioiwsly to their works and opinions. If, howevery we were to secure our heads^ like serpents do, and were we as Vise in onr ways as the children of the worhl are in theirs, then the simplicity of the dove Avould follow of itseltV so that we would embrace for ourselves no external works, states, performances.
Here the greatest fault, however, m not Pilate's, but Caiaphas' who delivered Christ into tlie hands of Pilate,* that is, the Pope, bishops^ and doctors in the higb schools, who as shepherds should i)revent these things, and, yet like w€ylves, they themselves devour the sheep. Whilst they should preserve the faith, they exterminate it; and they not onky permit these orders amd states to KSt't in the world, but institute them; th^y establish them and extol them, rei)osing the head of the serpent upon silken pillows, giving her milk enough to eat and to drink. They have introduced into the worM two declaratioi»fit» and impressed tUsem so deeply iato the hearts of all^ that it was impossible for the Christian faith to continue. Tlie one is this l " The clerical state is a state of perfection.'- In this way they effected such a disparity betweeii themselves and common Christians, that they almost alone were regarded as Christians, and the others. a& unworthy, reprobate domestics. lit this way they caused every one to gaze and to stare; every one came flocking in, and wished to be perfect, and scorned the common condition in life as worthless, until they attadned the. K-otion that no one could becosne pious and be saved unless he become cleriical.
Behold, in this manner, fa»ifch has fallen to the ground, and works and orders have arisen, i)recisely as if not only our becoming pious and being saved, but, also, perfection depends on their performance j when, at tlie same time, all depends on faitli alone,; J>oth to become pious and perfect. — | O, what a banner the infernal Satan; hoisted here! When that declaration | was introduced and took effect, he \ then, doubtless, scaled the metropolis j of Christianity. Thus, the blind, frantic multitude proceeds, ever talking about perfection, and not knowing one tittle about what piety is, to i i^ay nothing about what perfection is, thinking it must be accomplished by ' works and states. |
Yet, besides this, tbey effected for | themselves a large air-hole, saying: \ •••Perfection and state of perfection | are two different things. A i)erson l may indeed be in a state of perfection, | and yet not be perfect; that is, he i may be a clergyman, and yet not be \ lioly j as generally tbey all are in a i state of perfection, and yet none of | them are in perfection.^ They also j have St. Thomas from Aquin, who i teaches: ''It is not necessary to be |)erfect, but it is enough to be in a «tate of perfection, and to exi>ect to become perfect." j
Hence, it is their custom now, that j ^ person may be in a state of perfection, and yet not be perfect, and that! it is not necessary to be perfect, but! only to strive after perfection. Blind, i blind, blind, frantic, frantic, frantic, • Ibolish, foolish, foolish, and mad are that people. Who does not know; that a monk may wear a cap and a pate, and yet be a rogue at heart? j He is in a state of perfection, and yet | lie is not perfect. A state of perfec- 1 tion is now called monk, cap, and i pates. Let them lead the blind;! Ohrist says they are blind and leaders of the blind. If St. Thomas was holy, which I doubt, he surely become holy more extraordinarily than any one else; this conclusion follows from his pernicious and venomous doctrines.
The other declaration is this: — **The Gospel divides itself into two parts, in Consllia et jyraecepta, counsels and commandments.*^ In the whole Gospel Christ has presented but one counsel, namely, Chastity, which may also be observed in the laical state, by an individual who has that grace. But they have instituted twelve counsels in it, and they act in regard t(^ the Gospel as it suits them. In thi* way, however, they have now divided and separated the world; their lives, they make to subsist in the counsels^ the lives of the laity, in the commandments, pretending that their lives; are higher than the commandments of God. Consequently the lives of common Christians, and iSiith became like sour, ijutrid beer; every oik» stared open his eyes, contemned the commandments, and ran after the counsels.
And when they had run almost out,, they finally found human laws, in clothing, meats, singing, reading,. I)ates, &c., and consequently the commandments of God followed after faith, and both were exterminated and forgotten, so that now to be perfect and to live in the counsels, is tO" put oil black, white, grey, or speckled caps, to bawl in the churches, to shave the head, to eat no eggs, meat, butter, and yet to eat and to drink the best, and to live an idle, sumptuous life.
Bebold, this Satan desired to accomplish thiough these two declarations. The fiist exterminates faith and the whole ]N^ew Testament with Christ. The second, hunts down the^ commandments and the whole Okt Testament with Moses. These ar^ the peopJe,. concerning whom all the= Scriptures say that, in the end of tint world, they shall reign under Antidirist. Two declarations more pernicious and virulent have never been made upon earth, which so powerfully and rapidly drive mit of the world the entire Scriptures of God, so that it is not known what commandment or Gospel is. The Gospel does not present codnmandiBents; but it shows how impossible it is to observe them,, and teaches faith in Christ, through which they are kept.
I wish, moreover, that all the cloisters were supplied with ministers who ])reacli the true dextrine of faith, or, that they were laid in ashes. For these there is no taediiun, like thereis for the conditions of laymen; the layman does not attach to his laical works the opinion that he becomes pi~
VMS and is saved by them. The former, however, can neither live nor exist withont that opinion. Here there is no remedy. Kight or wrong, they must pUiee faith in their works. Now, U^t this sivffice for once, in re- *^ar(l to the sects. Ahis, they are sf> deepl}^ corrupted as to cost many words: I scarcely know whether it will profit much to present again, the clear, lucid words of Paul.
"And it' ye be Christ's, then arc ^ ye Abraham's seed, and heirjj according to the promise."
•How does it folio w that all who put on Christ and are luis, are. also the seed and heirs of Abraham, when, at the same time, they are not of Jewish descent ' That all who put on Christ through baptisui and faith, are his, and that, on the other hand, he is {il- Ho tJieirs, is clear enougli from the preceding text and explanation; and being all one in Christ and one with him, si)iritually, however, not bodily, they must also be and liave all that Christ is and has. But Christ is Abraham's seed; therefore they must also be Abraham's spiritual seed through him. Precisely as they have Christ, so they are also seed. They have him, however, not bodily in flesh and blood, but spiritually in faith, and iiciice they are not bodily, but spiritually his seed.
But here it is to be observed that the Apostle attributes to Abraham three kinds of seed. First, those who are only physically his children, deriving from lum only their tlesh and blood; this is a mere conseqiuaice of nature. AVith these God has no more to do than with heathens. This he allows in the case of ishmael who, although he was of Abrahiisn's tlesli and blood and his lirst son in this respect, was nevertheless not reckoned in the Hcriptures among Abraham's children. Again, thus Esau too was naturally Isaac's son and Abraham's llesh and blood; afterwards there were many of Israel, all of whom were Abraham's children as to their Hesh and blood, and yet they were destroyed in the Avilderness; subsequently there have been many who were condemned; and the greater part of tbe^ Jews are still condemned.
Secondly, those who are both physically and spiritually Abraham^f!} chih dren, who bring with them not oid.r the tlesh and blood, but also the spirit and faith of Abraham; as, Isaac, Ja cob, the patriarchs, prophets, and all the blessed among the i)eople of Israel. These are the true seed, Avith whom God has to do. This seed ho delivered out of Egypt, led into t]i(» land of Canaan, and favored witli innunu>rable blessings, as;.thpBcrij!)tuie.* show. For the sake of this -seed, ho tolerated amoiig them alsQ ilia, merely physical seed, and allowed uk'ui to enjoy temporally similar bfessings. Now as Abraham was their spiritual father through the faith of Christ, so they were all his spiritual cjiildren also, independent of their natural relationship.
Among this seed (Christ is the head, in whom Abraliam himself and all Abraham's seed, his brethren ami joint-heirs, are blessed. Now, this \» the text in which he speaks concerning this seed. Gen. 12, 3, and 22, 18: ''In thy seed shall ail the natioris of the earth be blessed." This i s f n I f i 1 1 ed in Christ* For they are altogether with Christ and in Christ, and Christ is with them and in them, one seed. Christ is blessed of God; his joiutheirs are blessed through Christ; the -heathens through the Apostles, and the Jews in Christ, who are also his joint seed.
Thirdly, those who do not derive their tlesh and blood from Abraham, but possess his spiritual disposition, or character; that is, Abrahani's faith in Christ, his seed. Now, these ar« we and all Gentiles who are Christians in true faith. For precisely 'a» unbelief is so strong as to.separate* eveji natural children, llesh and blood from Abraham's relationship,' so that in the Scriptures they are not called Abraham's seed and the children of God, so, on the other hand, faith is so much more powerful as to (constitute even those the true seed of Abraham, who are not of his llesh and blood, but merely bring with them the faith of Abraham, from his spir sERM:ojsrs oisr the efistles.
itiial disposition. Of this St. Paul Kpeaks^, limn. 4, 13, Eom. 9, 8, and (ral. 3. This seed is indicated in the ])roinise, in which God says to Ahraimni: '* In thy seed shall all the na-; tions of the earth be blessed."
If this blessing- is to result to the tuitions, they must become like the »seed of Abraham. For Abraham and his seed have nothing- else, but this (dessing. If, then, the inheritance, the chief good, the blessing is one and the same to Abraham's seed and to all nations on earth, tliey all must likewise be reckoned equal heirs, seed, and children of Abraham, Avhether they derive their tlesh from him or not; so that it is concluded that Abraham has no seed except those only who believe. For in the Scriptures these are accounted to him as seed. To this conclusion we are forced by the promise of God, which says Abraham's seed shall be blessed, and shall bless others. All that are seed and heirs of Abraham, must be blessed, according to the force of the words of the x)romise.
Xow, no one is blessed unless he believe. He that believes not, remains under the curse; so that, Rom. 4, 13, and 9, 8, St. Paul may well call such seed of Abraham, the seed of tlic ju'omise; that is, not the seed of the ti\?sh, but of faith, as designated in the lu'omise, as he says, Eom. 9, 8: ••' They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the chddren of God: but the children of the promise are counted for siicd." With this, also, the declaration, John 1, 13, i works which Ik *^ AYhich were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God,'' accords.
Xow you perceive what the Apostle means, when he says here: '* If ye be (lirisfs, then are ye also Abraham'^ seed, and heirs according to the prom^ ise." A^ if he should say: " Ye arc not the natural seed of Abraham, — Avliich would profit you nothing at all, as it profits no one else,— but ye ar0 his promised seed, upon which too the efficacy entirely depends." For Abra ham has no other seed but the promised, blessed seed, God grant, whether they derive their flesh and blood from him or not. We must understand Abraham's seed according to the Scri])tures, not according to nature* Xow the Scriptures do not regard the nature, recognizing alike all who are blessed and believe, whether they are natural seed or not. Although God ibresaw that there would undoubtedly be children of the blessing from the natural seed also,• yet not in consc- (pience of their nature, but for the sake of election through grace.
Xow, you must properly comprc: hend the phrase, '^'Abraham's seed^ and heirs, as already stated in th4 preceding Epistle in oi^position to the self-righteous, that righteousness is not obtained through works, but it must precede them and ac(;omi)iish them. For he that is an heir, does not work for the inlieritance, or for areward of the inheritance, but he already occnipies the inheritance, an([ uses it with his works; so, he tliat believes is already ])ious and just, and saved, besides, without any vrorks. through grace thus (jonfernnl. The.
subsequently j.'cr^ of exercise in this inheritance.. •