CONCERNING THE GRACE OF GOD.
did not deal with us according to our imagined righteousness; so, in leturn, we, too, should not deal vrith. them according to their merits or demerits, hut assist them from the principles of pure love, awaiting thanks and reward, not from them, but from God. Let this suffice in regard to the sum of this Ex)istle.
Now, let us take into consideration the v\^ords which he employs in expressing and commending this grace. In the first place, he extols it so high as to reject all our righteousness and good works. For we must not come to the conclusion that the thing which he rejects by these words, is a matter of no importance, but that it is the very best that man can accomiDlish on earth, namely, righteousness. If all men were to concentrate all their diligence in the accomi^lishment of wisdom and virtue according to their reason, knowledge, and free-will, — as the illustrious virtues and wisdom of €ertain pagan teachers and i^rinces, as Socrates, Trajanus, &c., of which we read, and which all the world apl^laud in writing and conversation, — yet such wisdom and virtue are nothing in the sight of God, but sin, and altogether reprehensible; because they are not accomplished in the grace of God: that is, those who accomi)lish these, neither know God, nor honor him in this way, presuming they have achieved them through their own abilities. This is taught by nothing <.4se, hut grace in the Gospel.
Thus, too, St. Paul boasts that he rather than any of his equals led a life altogether irreproachable, presuming too that he did right in persecuting the Christians- who rejected this pious life. But afterwards, when he learned to know Christ, he said, that he regarded his righteousness as filth and dkt, in order that he might be found, not in his own righteousness, but in Chiist and in faith; as he further indicates all this in Phil. 3, 9, and Gal. 1, 14.
Here he sets aside, therefore, all boasting of free-Avill, all human virtue, righteousness and good works, concluding that all these are nothing but lierversion, no matter how dazzling, how great, they may be, and that we must be saved by the grace of God alone, and that it saves all who possess this faith, and desire it in a correct conception of their own corruption and justness.
Now it is necessary for us to accustom ourselves to that portion of Scripture, which incidcates two kinds of righteousness: A human righteousness, as St. Paul here and in many other places styles it; and a divine righteousness, that is, divine gTace Vv^hich justifies us through faith, as St. Paul here expresses it, saying in the conclusion of this Epistle: " That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Here you i)erceive that the grace of God and righteousness— which is also called the righteousness of God, because he gives it to us, and ours, because we receive it — become ours.
Thus, he says, Eom. 1, 17: It is declared in the Gospel, relative to the righteousness of God, that it is secured through faith: '' as it is written, The just shall live by faith." AgainJ it is thus stated, Gen. 15, 6: "Abraham believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.'' Thus the Scripture concludes, that no one is justified before God, except him that believes, as just stated, and as quoted by St. Paul from Habak. 2, 4: " The just shall live by his faith." — Thus faith, grace, mercy, truth, is a thing which God works in us through Christ and his Gosiiel; as it stands mitten, Ps. 25, 10: " AU the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth."
But we walk in the ways of God, and he in us, when we observe his commandments. These ways must all proceed in divine mercy and truth, and not in our abihties or powers which are ways of wrath and falsehood in the eyes of God, as he says, Isa. 55, 9: "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways;" as if he should say, your ways are earthly and nugatory; you must walk in my heavenly ways, if you are to be saved.
" But according to his mercy he saved us."
How may these words, wliicli read as if we were already saved, pass criticism '? Are we not still on eartli, in the midst of afflictions? Reply: They are thus declared, in order that the ]oower of divine grace and the character of faith may be expressed m op- I)Osition to the erring self-righteous, who desire to secure and obtain salvation for themselves, through their works, as if it were still far from tbem. Xot thus, Christ has saved us at once in two diverse ways: In the first place, he has done everything that is necessary for our salvation; namely, he has subdued and destroyed sin, death, and hell, so that in this respect there is nothing more for any one to do. In the second place, he has given all this to all of us in Baptism, so that whoever believes in Christ, that he has accomplished this, assuredly, immediately', in the twinkling of an eye has it, and all his sins with death and hell are removed, so that he needs nothing more in order to salvation, than such faith.
Behold, blessings so superabundant God pours out upon us in Baptism, so as to exclude the works, by which foolish x^ersons presume to merit heaven and to become happy. No, dear friend, you must have heaven, and be in a state of salvation before you can do good works. Works merit not heaven, but heaven is conferred out of pure grace. Good works should be performed, without any expectation of merit, simply for the benefit of our neighbors, and to the honor of God, until the body is also liberated from sin, death, and hell. All the life, therefore, that a truly believing Christian leads after his baptism, is but a waiting for the manifestatioji of the salvation he already has.
Most assuredly he is in full i^ossession of it, but it is still concealed in faith. Were this tViith taken away, it would be manifest in him; this occurs in i)hysical death, as it stands Avritten, 1 John 3, 2: *' Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when he shall api:>car we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him i^urifieth himself, even as he is pure."
Therefore, let not the self-?fghteons who disregard faith, mislead you, removing 5^our salvation from you, and compelling you to secure it by works;!N"o, beloved friend, it is within you j; it is already secured, as Christ, Luke 17,21, says; ^'The kingdom of God is within you." The life, therefore, which we live after our baptism, m nothing else but a tarrying, a waiting,, and a louging for a manifestation of that which is in us, and an apprehension of that, for which Ave are also apprehended, as St. Paul, Phil. 3, 12^ says: ^' I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus;" that i&\ that we may see the blessings wbicli are given ns in the shrine of faitb« He is eager and desires to see hi& treasure, which Baptism has given and sealed to him in faith.
Thus, too, he says in this same ehai>- ter: "Our conversation is" already " in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus; Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body." Again, Gal. 4, 9, where he says, '^ After that ye have known God," he repeats the words, saying, ' • or rather known of God." Whilst both these are truej there is still a difference: we are known of God, and are already aj)- X^rehended; but we do not yet know and apprehend him. For our knowledge is yet covered and locked up in
Thus too he says, Eom. 8, 24: '^ We are saved," already in hope; that is^ we do not yet see it. " But hope that is seen is not hope," says he,• '' for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with i^atience wait for it." Again, also Christ, Luke 12, 35, 36, says: '^ Let yonr loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when te Cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately." Again, St. Paul also said in the foregoing Epistley
should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the the great God and our Saviour Jesus
Behold, these and similar texts all show that we are already saved, and that a Christian should not seek after works, for the purpose of being saved by them. For such illusion and doctrine blind his Christian eyes, pervert the proper understanding of faith; and force him from the way of truth and salvation. This is implied in the words: '■' According to his mercy he saved us f and at the end of this Epistle: '' We should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." We are he:'rs, — jo^t this is concealed in faith, — and wait in hoi^e for its manifestation.
This waiting, however, and the life we live after we are baptized, are designed to subdue the body, and to display the 1)0 wer of grace in the conflict against the flesh, the world, and the devil; and yet all this finally, to enable us to work for the benefit of our neighbors, and to bring them also to the faith by our i^reaching and. examples. For, although he might ac- desires to do it through us, human beings, so that faith may be perpetuated and completed in a more congenial manner; for faith would not continue here, if angels were continually to dwell with us. iNTeither woidd it be so agreeable, as if effected through creatures, like us, to which we are accustomed, and which we understand. The fact, therefore, that we spend so much for the sake of purgatory, and forgetful of such faith, presume to secure ourselves against it, or to liberate ourselves from it, by good works, is, without doubt, an indication that we are under the influence of the devil and of Antichrist; as if our salvation were not already secured, and as if we must get it in some other way, than through faith; even when we see that it is contrary to all Scripture and the principles of Christianity. For whoever does not receive salvation through x^ire gTace, independent of all good works, will most assuredly never secure it; and w^hoever turns his good works to his own advantage, and endeavoi'S to profit himself and not his neighbors by them, performs no good work. For all this is faithless, and pernicious error and deceit.*
ISTow the devil has exerted such an influence that very nearly all institutions, cloisters, masses and x^rayers, have reference to purgatory alone, Avith a view so i)ernicious, moreover, that through v\' orks we must imjirove our condition and secure salvation. The blessings, therefore, of Baptism and faith must be obscured, and Christians ultimately become heathens.
O, Lord God, what abomination! Whilst, like Christ and St. Paul, we should teach Christians to consider themselves, after baptism or Absolution, ready for all hours of death, waiting for a manifestation of the salvation which they have already received, we, by a deiDcndence on i)urgatory, afibrd them very sluggish security, in which they take into consideration simply this life, and defer and procrastinate till they come to their death-beds, and there effect sorrow and repentance, and presume by institutions, soul-masses, and testaments or Tsdlls, to liberate themselves from purgatory. But such hopes are vain and futile. Kow follows: —
'' B_y the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."
How beautifully does the Apostle, in explicit terms, extol the grace of God, given us in Baptism. He calls Baptism a washing, by v/hich not only our feet or hands, but our Avhole bodies are cleansed. Thus too. Baptism wholy and at once cleanses and saves an individual, so that for the chief part and inheritance of salvation, nothing more is necessary', but such faith in such grace of God; so that we are saved, indeed, through pure grace, without works and merit; and thus love, praise, thanks, and honor for divine mercy, shall continue
* A. That I wish purgatory had never been devised, or introduced into the pulpit, as it is fo abominably destructive of such Christian truth and correct faith.
in US eternallj'^ pure, without any boasting of, or pleasure in our own I)Owers or i>erformances; as has heen -already sufficiently and frequently stated.
The righteousness of man is not such a washing, but simply a washing of garments and vessels, as it is written in regard to hypocrites, Matt. 23j 25, in which they appear externally clean to themselves and others, but internally they continue full, full of filth. Thus he calls this washiug, not a bodily washing, but a '' washing of regeneration," which is a washiug that does not wash the skin superficially and cleanse men bodily, but converts and changes the whole nature into another nature, so that the first birth, the birth of the flesh, is destroyed with all the inheritance of sin and •condemnation.
In this way, moreover, it is clearly indicated that our salvation is not to be secured by Avorks, but is given to us -at once. By our birth we get ]iot only one member, as our hands or feet, but the whole life, the whole person, which acts not in order to be born, but because it is born. Thus works do not render us clean and pious or save us; but we are first made clean and pious and saved, and then we freely perform works to the honor of God, and for the benefit of our neighbor.
Behold, this is the pure knowledge of the pure grace of God. Here then we learn to know God and ourselves, to praise God, to reject oiu'selves, to seek consolation from God, and to despair of ourselves. At this doctrine, those who i^resume to compel persons to endeavor to obtain salvation by laws, commands and works, stumble very much.
In order, moreover, that this washing and this regeneration may be the more clearly understood, he adds, saying: Beneimng^ because here there is a new man, a new nature, a new creature, which has altogether a different disposition, loves differently, and lives and speaks and acts differently from the manner in which it did before. As he says. Gal. G, 15: ''In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcis- ion,' (that is, no work of the law,) ' but a new creature j" as if he should say: It will not thus admit of being x)atched and mended here and there with works. There must be an entirely new disposition J the nature must be changed) then works wiU folio av of themselves.
Concerning this birth Christ, also, says, John 3, 3: '' Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."' Here we see that works will not do J the individual himself must die, and secure a different nature, which occurs in Baptism, when he believes j for faith is this renewing. For the damned also will be born differently in the last day. But this will be a birth without a renewing. They will be unclean, as they were here in their old Adamic life. Wherefore, this is a washing, a regeneration, which makes new creatures.
Relative to this birth there is much said in various places in the Scripture. For God calls his Word and Gospel matneem and vulvam, Isa. 46, 3: — '' Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and ail the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb:-' as women speak in regard to the bearin g of children. Whoever believes the Gospel, is conceived and born of God. But more in reference to this at some other time.
All these are such words, we perceive, as overthrow Vr'orks and human presumption in regard to commands, and clearly point out the nature of faith, that an individual at once fully receives grace and is saved, so that works do not come to his assistance, but must follow. Precisely as if God would produce out of a dry log, a fresh, green tree, Avhich would then bring forth its natural fruit. The grace of God is great, strong, i^owerful and effective. It does not lie, as visionary j)reachers presume, in the soul, asleep -, nor does it permit itself to be borne, as a painted board bears its i)aint. iSTo, not thus, it bears, it leads, it drives, it draws, it changes, it works all in man, and lets itself be felt and experienced. It is concealed, but its works are manifest -, words and works shoAY where it dwells; as the fmit and leaves of a tree iudicate its kind and nature.
Therefore, to attribute nothing- more to it, hut that it aids in adorning and accomijlishing works, Uke the sophists, Thomas and Scotus, and the masses, erroneously and i)erversely do, is a doctrine which falls far short of its import and significance. It not only aids in the accomplishment of works, hut it alone accomplishes them; yes, not onl}^ the works, it changes and renews the whole person, and its object is to change the person, rather than to accomi)lish the works of the person. Its design is to effect a washing, a regeneration, a renewing, not only of the works, but, of the whole man.
Behold this is preaching freely and fully concerning the grace of God. For Paul does not say here, that God has saved us by works; but he exclaims in a full voice, that God saved us bj' regeneration and renewing. To patch up this matter with works avails nothing; an entire conversion of our nature is necessary. Therefore, it happens, too, that those who believe right, must suffer much, and die, in order that grace may manifest its nature and presence.*.
Finally, he calls this washing, " regeneration, renewing," in order that the greatness and efficacy of grace may be, in deed, fully expressed. — Thus this washing is a matter of such great importance, that it must be effected, not by a creature, but by the Holy Ghost. Ay, how comi)letely dost thou, thou holy St. Paul, reject the free-will, the good works, and great merits of presumi)tuous saints! How high thou exaltest our salvation, and yet bringest it so near to ns, yes, in us! How clearly and purely thou
* A. Observe, in regard to this, David says? Ps. Ill, 2: " The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein." Who are these, his works? We are, sought through his grace in Baptism. We are great works, new works, new-born. For it is a great matter to be saved so quickly, to be liberated from sin, death, and hell, eternally. For this reason he says: They are " sought out of all them that have pleasure therein," or desire; God has devised this, and he does all that man desires. But what more can he desire than to be saved, and redeemed from sin, death, and hell?
preachest grace! Therefore, work here or work there; to renew the man, and to change the person, are impossible, except by the Avashing of regeneration of the Holy Ghost.
This we clearly perceive in the selfrighteous; there are none more intolerant, presumi)tuous, proud, and faithless than they are. For they are intractable, unrenewed, obdurate, hardened, and immovable, in their old Adamic nature, which they clothe and adorn with their good works; their evil nature is unchanged; they have nothing but outward Avorks. O, they are a pernicious peoi)le, and in the eyes of God wholly destitute of grace, although they imagine they sit in his lap.
^ow, St. Paul accords here with Christ, John 3, 5, where he says, in reference to this washing: '' Except a man be born of ^Yater and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Here you perceive that the water is the washing; moreover, that to be born again is the regeneration and renewing, and that the Spirit whom St. Paul mentions here, is the Holy Ghost.
It should also be observed here, that the Apostle seems to know nothing of the sacrament of confirmation. For he teaches, as Christ also teaches, that the Holy Spirit is given in Baptism; yes, in Baptism we are born of the Holy Spirit. We read, it is true, in the Acts of the Apostles, 8, j 17, that the Apostles laid their hands I on the heads of those who had been I baptized, that they might receive the j Holy Ghost. This is so construed as j to make it apply to confirmation, when j at the same time, it Avas done that I they might receive the Holy Ghost as I external evidence, and speak Avith di-. A^ers tongues in jireaching the Gos- I pel. But this in the course of time I ceased, and no longer exists, except j in the ordination or consecration to i the priestly or ministerial office; and j even this is dreadfully abused. But, I more of this at some other time.
" Which he shed on us abundantly i through Jesus Christ our Sa\'ior."
1 Observe, the Holy Spirit is not only given, but shed; not only shed, but ahundantly shed. The Apostle cannot sufficiently magnify grace and its works, and yet avc, alas, place such a low estimate on it, in comparison with our works. It were absurd for God and his IIolj^ Spirit to pour out the Spirit upon us, so abundantly, and still to seek something from us and in us, by which we might be justified and saved, — as if such divine, superabundant works were insufficient.
Thus, too, St. Paul had spoken too inconsiderately, and miglit justly have been accused of falsehood. But he speaks in terms so full and excellent, that it is clear that no one can rely too much upon such washing and regeneration,— they are inexhaustible 5 — and that no one can place too nuich confidence in them, — there is still room for more. And even for this reason, God has embraced, in the word and faith, blessings so great, that the nature of this life could neither bear nor comprehend them, if they would begin to manifest themselves. And, at the same time too, when they begin to be manifested, the individual must die, and leave this life, so as entirely to sink and disappear in the blessings which he now apprehends in faith, as in the limits of a little point. Behold, so superabundantly are we justified and saved- without any works, if we only believe it.
Wherefore, St. Peter also, 2 Peter 1, 4, says: ^'Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precions promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine njiture." He does not say they wiU he given to us, but they are given to us. And Christ, John 3, 16, says: " For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that all who believe in him, perish not, but have everlasting life."* Observe here, that they, all who believe, have eternal life. If so, they are certainly just and holy withoutany of their works; and works contribute nothing thereto: but it is effected by imre grace and mercy, so richly shed upon us.
But you may say: ''How does it hapx^en, then, that it is so frequently said in the Scripture, that those who do good shall be saved!" as, Christ, John 5, 20, says: "And shall come forth: they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation 5" and Paul, Kom. 2, 7: Honor and glory to all who do good; indignation and wrath to all who do evil; and many other similar declarations. Answer: Hoav is this to be viewed I Xot otherwise than the Avords indicate, without any ^loss. He that does good shall be saved; he that does evil shall be damned. The error, however, arises from the fact that we judge good works according to external appearances. This is not the case in the Scriptures, which teach that no one can do good, unless he himself is good first. Now, he does not become good through good works, but the works become good through him. But he becomes good tlirough this washing of regeneration, and in no other way. This is v. hat Christ means, Matt. 7, 17: " Every good tree brill geth forth gx)od fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit; — Matt. 12, 33: "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt."
It is true indeed, the self-righteous perform works similar to the regenerated; yes, their works are frequently more brilliant than those of the regenerated. They pray, fast, contribute, aid in the erection of institutions, make pilgrimages, and conduct themselves very splendidly. But Christ, Matt. 7, 15, calls this sheep's clofhingj in which ravening wolves move. None of them are really humble, mild, moderate, and good in their hearts. This they show when any one crosses them and rejects their works; then they b.ring forth their natural fruits, by Avhich they may be known; as temerity, imi)atience, arbitrariness, obstinacy, and slander, with many other evil propensities.
It is true therefore, he that does coxcEK^'lxa the grace of god.
good shall be saved; that is, liis salvation shall be made manifest 5 but he Avoiild do nothing good, Avere he not already saved in the new birth. The Scii[)tures. therefore, sometimes designate such persons aceording to their external conduct in regard to good works, and at other times, according to their internal nature, which produces such external conduct, in regard to good works, saying: Thej^ are already saved in view of their internal nature, and the}' shall be saved, if they do good: that is, if they remain steadfast, their salvation shall be made manifest.
The works, therefore, Avhich we performed in our old, unregenerate state and Adamic nature, are the works which the Apostle rejects in this Epistle, saying: " Not by works of righteousness, which we have done," &c. Tliev mav be "ood works, but not before God, who regards personal goodness, and afterwards the works; as, Gen. 4, J:, 5, he had respect first for Abel, and then for his oiferiug; and he turned awa^' from Cain first, and then from his offering, which according to its external appearance, however, was an offering and a good thing, as well as the offering of Abel.
He adds too in a remarkable manner: " Jesus Christ our SaA'ior," in order to keep us uuder Christ, as young chickens are gathered under the Avings of the hen.
" O Jeru-
how often AA'ould I liaAX gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her Avings, and ye would not!" In this is taught the natiu-e of true and living faith. It is of such a character, that it is not enough in order to salvation for you to belieA^e in God like the Jews and many others did, upon whom he, also conferred many blessings and temporal advantages; but you must believe in God through Jesus Christ. In the first place, you must not doubt that he is your gracious God and Father, that lie has forgiven you all your sins, and saved you in Baptism. In the second place, you must know besides, that all this has not been effected without reason.
or Avithout satisfaction having been rendered to his righteousness. For there is no occasion for mercy or grace to operate on and in us, or to aid us in eternal blessings and salvation; justice must first be satisfied to the fullest extent; as Christ, Matt. 5, 18, says: '• One jot or one tittle shall in no Avise pass from tlie law till all be fulfilled."
For whatever is said iji regard to the grace audi goodness of God, must be understood in reference to those alone, Avho most purely fulfill his commands; as he says, Mich. 2, 7, wheiA the JeAvs presumed the.A Avcre great in the sight of God, and continually exclaimed: "Peace, peace f again, '* Should God be so angry? should his benign Spirit haxe thus broken from us,*' &c. 5 he answers: Yes, " do not my words do good to him that Avalketh uprightly f Xo one, therefore, can attain the rich grace of God, unless he shall liaA^e rendered the fullest satisfaction to the commands of God.
Now, enough has been said to show, that our Avorks are nothing before God, and that we cannot fulfill the least of his commands in a single Avork; how much less then can avc render full satisfaction to his justice, so as to become worthy of his grace? If, moreoA'er, Ave were CA^en able to keep all his commandments, and to make full satisfaction to his justice, still Ave woiild not thereby' be vrorthy of his grace and salvation; nor Avould he be under any obligation to confer them upon us. But lie might requii-e all that from us as obligatory service of his creatures, Avho are under obli-
But whatever is i)ure grace and mercy.
This Christ clearly taught, Luke 17, 7, 10, Avhere he thus says in a parable: " But which of you, having a ser- A'ant i)loAving or feeding cattle, Avill say unto hiin b^' and by, Avhen he is come from the field. Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready Avherewith I may gation to serve him. he grants besides sup, and gird thyself, till I haA'e eaten and and serve me, drunken: and afterAvards thou shalt eat and drink?
Dotli he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded hm? I trow not. So likewise ye, Avhen ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do."
Kow, if through grace, and not in consequence of any obligation, heaven is given to those, who do all that they are under obligation to do, and if also to such persons, (if there be any such,) heaven is given, not in consequence of merit, but through divine, gracious promises j as it is said. Matt. 19, 17, ^' If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments; what then shall we presume ui^on our Avretched works? Why extol them as if, in consequence of their nature, and not in consequence of the pure x)romise and gracious word of God, they are worthy of the kingdom of heaven I
In the first i)lace, therefore, God has given us a being, who has fully satisfied divine justice for us all. And in the second place, he lias, also, through this same being, shed abroad his grace and rich blessings, so that, notwithstanding this grace is received without price or merit, yea, with great demerit and unworthiness, it is still not given to us without cause and deserved merit. But as St. Paul, Eom. 5, 18, teaches, that, as we fell into sin, which is born in us in our natural birth, through Adam, without our own deserts and actions; so, on the other hand, in the new birth, Ave enter into grace and salvation, through Christ, without our merit and works.
For this reason, the holy Apostle is so careful, in every place where he speaks of grace and faith, to add. Through Jesus Christ, so that no one come, and say, Yes, I believe in God, and am thus satisfied. No, beloved friend, you must believe so as to know how, and through whom you must believe, that God requires of you the fulfillment of all his commandments and satisfaction of his justice, before he accepts your faith unto salvation; and if you could render full satisfactioUj you should still await salvation.
through grace alone, and not on account of any duties you may perform; so that your pride and presumption must fall to the gTound before the eyes of God.
Observe, such are the advantages you have in Christ, through whom grace and salvation are conferred upon you, as through him, who has rendered full satisfaction to all the commandments and justice of God, in your stead and for you. Beside^?, he is worthy of grace and salvation being conferred upon you, through him. This is true and Christian faith.
For no faith is sufficient, but the Christian faith, which believes in Christ, and accepts, through him, and in no other way, these two principles; namely, the satisfaction of divine justice, and grace, or the gracious bestowment of eternal salvation. Thus says Paul, Bom. 4, 25: " Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification;" not only for the purpose of putting away sm and of fulfilling the commandments of God, but also for the purpose of rendering us worthy, through him, of being righteous, and the children of grace.
Again, Bom. 3, 25: "Whom God hath set forth to be a jiropitiation through faith in his blood;" not only simple faith, but faith in his blood, with which, in our nature, he has rendered full satisfaction, and become a throne of grace for us, so that we receive both absolution and grace, without any cost and labor to us, but not withotft cost and labor to Christ.
We must, therefore, shelter ourselves under his wings. Matt. 23, 37, and not in the security of our own faith, flee aAvay, as the hawk would soon devoiu' us. Our salvation must exist, not in our righteousness, but, as I have often said, in the righteousness of Christ himself, as a tabernacle and Aving spread out for us.
For our faith, and all that we may have from God, is insufiicient; yes, it is inadequate, unless it rests itself beneath the Avings of Christ, and firmly trusts, that, not we, but he can render and has rendered full satisfaction to the justice of God for us, and that grace and salvation are conferred uj)- on us, not on account of our faitli, but through the will of Christ 5 so that God's pure grace, promised, i')rocured, and given for us, may he fully and clearly recognized.
This is implied in his declaration, John 14, 6: '' Xo man cometh unto the Father, hut by me;" and he does nothing more in the whole Gospel, than draAV us out to himself, si)reading out his wings, and calling us to-
This is the design of St. Paul also, in the conclusion of this Epistle, where he says:
" That being justified by bis grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying."
He does not say, by our faith, but, by the grace of Christ; that is, Christ alone is in favor with God; he alone has done the will of God, and merited eternal life. Xow, since he has dene this, not for himself, but for us, all who believe in him, should be so deeply absorbed in him, that through him and his grace, all that he has done for them, should be regarded as if they, themselves had accomi^lished it. Behold what a rich, inexpressible thing- Christian faith is; what great and incomprehensible blessings it brings to all believers!
Let us learn from this how precious the Gosi^el is, which proclaims these blessings, and what injuries and destruction to souls, those who silently pass over the Gospel, and preach the Avorks of the law, yea their own human doctrines, effect. Therefore, guard against false preachers, yes, against false faith also; rely not upon yourself, or uj)on your faith; flee to Christ, keei) under his wings, stay under his shelter, let not yours, but his righteousness and grace be your shelter ', so that you may be made an heir of eternal life, not by the grace which you have received, but, as Paul says here, by his grace.
Thus, too, it is said, Ps. 91, 4: ''He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust;" — and, in the Song of Solomon, 2, 14: " O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs." That is, in the wounds of Christ the soul is preserved. Behold, this is the true Christian faith, which does not flee to, and rely upon itself, as the sophists dream, but it flees to, and relies upon Christ, and is preserved under and through him.
It has been sufficiently stated already, that we are heirs of eternal life, in hope, and that grace, without any works, confers at once, all, salvation, iidieritance, *&c., yet in hope. For these are concealed until death, and then we shall see what we have received and Avhat we possess in
The Armor of this Epistle.
This Epistle militates forcibly and in express terms against all righteousness devised by human reason, as well as against all human x)owers and free-will. The words are clear, in which he says: " Not by Avorks of righteousness, Avhich we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us," &c. And, in fact, all the Avords militate against such righteousness. For he attributes all to the Avashing of regeneration, to renewing, to the Holy Si)irit, to Jesus Christ, and his grace. Hoav then caii the least particle of presumption continue in us, before such claps of thunder '?
Wherefore, it matters not how brilliant secular and ecclesiastical laws may be, how splendid the position of I^riests, monks, and nuns, hoAV dazzling gentlemen of honor and ladies of uprightness, — CA^eii if they could raise the dead, — without faith in Christ, all is nothing. Such hypocrisy blinds and misleads the whole Avorld, and obscures for us the holy gosi3el and Christian faith.
As little, then, as the works of beasts, or the occux)ations of men helj) us in i)rocuring salA^ation, so little db such brilliant AAorks and conditions of men, as we haAe just mentioned, assist us in our sah ation; yea, they obstruct it in a most pernicious manner. For this reason, you should guard against Avohes in sheep-s clothing, and learn to cleave to Christ in true and firm faith.
God, wiso Hi sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past imfo the fathers by the prophets.
Hath in these last days spoken unto us iiy his Son, Mhom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sing, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they*
For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thon art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will fee to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
And again, when he bringeth in the!irst-begotten into the world, he salth, And let all the angels of God worship him.
And of the angels he saith, Whomaketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, 0 God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre ©f righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom:
Thou Iiast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
They shall perish; but thou remainest: and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed; but thou art the game, and thy years shall not fail.
This is n strong^ a forcible, a lofty Epistle, pre-eminently j)reseiitiiig and enforcing- tlie liigh article of faith concerning the Godhead, (the divinity) of Christ: and the presnmption, that it was not written by St. Panl, is rather plausible, because it ])resents a style altogether more ornamented, than he is accustomed to use in other places..Some jue of the opini(m that it was written by St. Luke, and others, by St. Apollos, whom St. Luke represents as having been mighty in the ~* A. Of Riiih Mass.
Scriptures, in opposition to the Jews, Acts 18, 24. It is true indeed, that no Epistle enforces the Scriptures with greater power, than that employed iu this Epistle 5 so that it is evident that its author was an eminent. Apostolical individual, no matter who he may have been, ^ow th.e object of this Epistle is to establish and advance the faith concerning the divinity of Christ, and as I have already said, there is scarcely any portion of the Bible that more strenuoush enforces it. We must, therefore, adhere to it, and treat it in its regular order.
In the first place, it was tlie design of the Apostle to bring the Jews to the Christian faith; and he presses them so closely indeed, as we shall hear, that they cannot deny that Christ is true God. Kow, if he is God and the son of God, and he himself has preached to us, and suf!i?red for us, necessity and justice demand that we should much rather believe in him: the fathers in times past believed, when God spake simply through the prophets.
Thus he contrasts the preachers and the disci])les; the fathers and us, who are the disciples; the Prophets and Christ, avIio are tlie preachers. The Son, the Lord himself, ];reaches tons; his servants preached to the fathers. No^^', if the fathers believed the setvants, how much more would they have beb'eved the Lord himself? And if Ave believe not the Lord, how much less would we have believed the servants? Thus he urges the one by the other; so that our unbelief in comparison with the faith of the fathers, is an enormous disgrace; and on the other hand, the faith of the fathers, in comparison with our unbelief, is a very great honor.
Our shame apx)ears still greater, when we bear in mind the fact, that God spake to the fathers, not only once, but at sundry times, and not only in one manner, but in divers manners, and still they always believed, whilst we are not once induced by such examples to believe the Lord himself. Observe, thus he proceeds with a powerful discourse to convert the Jews, and yet it availed nothing.