,,concerning ,,christian ,,liberty  by  
,martin ,luther     ,,letter ,,of       
,,martin ,,luther ,,to ,,pope ,,leo ,x4 
,among those monstrous evils of this age
 with which ,i have now for three years 
been waging war1 ,i am sometimes        
compelled to look to you and to call you
 to mind1 most blessed father ,leo4 ,in 
truth1 since you alone are everywhere   
considered as being the cause of my     
engaging in war1 ,i cannot at any time  
fail to remember you2 and although ,i   
have been compelled by the causeless    
raging of your impious flatterers       
against me to appeal from your seat to a
 future council--fearless of the futile 
decrees of your predecessors ,pius and  
,julius1 who in their foolish tyranny   
prohibited such an action--yet ,i have  
never been so alienated in feeling from 
your ,blessedness as not to have sought 
with all my might1 in diligent prayer   
and crying to ,god1 all the best gifts  
for you and for your see4 ,but those who
 have hitherto endeavoured to terrify me

 with the majesty of your name and      
authority1 ,i have begun quite to       
despise and triumph over4 ,one thing ,i 
see remaining which ,i cannot despise1  
and this has been the reason of my      
writing anew to your ,blessedness3      
namely1 that ,i find that blame is cast 
on me1 and that it is imputed to me as a
 great offence1 that in my rashness ,i  
am judged to have spared not even your  
person4  ,now1 to confess the truth     
openly1 ,i am conscious that1 whenever  
,i have had to mention your person1 ,i  
have said nothing of you but what was   
honourable and good4 ,if ,i had done    
otherwise1 ,i could by no means have    
approved my own conduct1 but should have
 supported with all my power the        
judgment of those men concerning me1 nor
 would anything have pleased me better1 
than to recant such rashness and        
impiety4 ,i have called you ,daniel in  
,babylon2 and every reader thoroughly   
knows with what distinguished zeal ,i   
defended your conspicuous innocence     

against ,silvester1 who tried to stain  
it4 ,indeed1 the published opinion of so
 many great men and the repute of your  
blameless life are too widely famed and 
too much reverenced throughout the world
 to be assailable by any man1 of however
 great name1 or by any arts4 ,i am not  
so foolish as to attack one whom        
everybody praises2 nay1 it has been and 
always will be my desire not to attack  
even those whom public repute disgraces4
 ,i am not delighted at the faults of   
any man1 since ,i am very conscious     
myself of the great beam in my own eye1 
nor can ,i be the first to cast a stone 
at the adulteress4  ,i have indeed      
inveighed sharply against impious       
doctrines1 and ,i have not been slack to
 censure my adversaries on account1 not 
of their bad morals1 but of their       
impiety4 ,and for this ,i am so far from
 being sorry that ,i have brought my    
mind to despise the judgments of men and
 to persevere in this vehement zeal1    
according to the example of ,christ1    

who1 in ,his zeal1 calls ,his           
adversaries a generation of vipers1     
blind1 hypocrites1 and children of the  
devil4 ,paul1 too1 charges the sorcerer 
with being a child of the devil1 full of
 all subtlety and all malice2 and       
defames certain persons as evil workers1
 dogs1 and deceivers4 ,in the opinion of
 those delicate-eared persons1 nothing  
could be more bitter or intemperate than
 ,paul's language4 ,what can be more    
bitter than the words of the prophets8  
,the ears of our generation have been   
made so delicate by the senseless       
multitude of flatterers that1 as soon as
 we perceive that anything of ours is   
not approved of1 we cry out that we are 
being bitterly assailed2 and when we can
 repel the truth by no other pretence1  
we escape by attributing bitterness1    
impatience1 intemperance1 to our        
adversaries4 ,what would be the use of  
salt if it were not pungent1 or of the  
edge of the sword if it did not slay8   
,accursed is the man who does the work  

of the ,lord deceitfully4  ,wherefore1  
most excellent ,leo1 ,i beseech you to  
accept my vindication1 made in this     
letter1 and to persuade yourself that ,i
 have never thought any evil concerning 
your person2 further1 that ,i am one who
 desires that eternal blessing may fall 
to your lot1 and that ,i have no dispute
 with any man concerning morals1 but    
only concerning the word of truth4 ,in  
all other things ,i will yield to any   
one1 but ,i neither can nor will forsake
 and deny the word4 ,he who thinks      
otherwise of me1 or has taken in my     
words in another sense1 does not think  
rightly1 and has not taken in the truth4
  ,your see1 however1 which is called   
the ,court of ,rome1 and which neither  
you nor any man can deny to be more     
corrupt than any ,babylon or ,sodom1 and
 quite1 as ,i believe1 of a lost1       
desperate1 and hopeless impiety1 this ,i
 have verily abominated1 and have felt  
indignant that the people of ,christ    
should be cheated under your name and   

the pretext of the ,church of ,rome2 and
 so ,i have resisted1 and will resist1  
as long as the spirit of faith shall    
live in me4 ,not that ,i am striving    
after impossibilities1 or hoping that by
 my labours alone1 against the furious  
opposition of so many flatterers1 any   
good can be done in that most disordered
 ,babylon2 but that ,i feel myself a    
debtor to my brethren1 and am bound to  
take thought for them1 that fewer of    
them may be ruined1 or that their ruin  
may be less complete1 by the plagues of 
,rome4 ,for many years now1 nothing else
 has overflowed from ,rome into the     
world--as you are not ignorant--than the
 laying waste of goods1 of bodies1 and  
of souls1 and the worst examples of all 
the worst things4 ,these things are     
clearer than the light to all men2 and  
the ,church of ,rome1 formerly the most 
holy of all ,churches1 has become the   
most lawless den of thieves1 the most   
shameless of all brothels1 the very     
kingdom of sin1 death1 and hell2 so that

 not even antichrist1 if he were to     
come1 could devise any addition to its  
wickedness4  ,meanwhile you1 ,leo1 are  
sitting like a lamb in the midst of     
wolves1 like ,daniel in the midst of    
lions1 and1 with ,ezekiel1 you dwell    
among scorpions4 ,what opposition can   
you alone make to these monstrous evils8
 ,take to yourself three or four of the 
most learned and best of the cardinals4 
,what are these among so many8 ,you     
would all perish by poison before you   
could undertake to decide on a remedy4  
,it is all over with the ,court of      
,rome2 the wrath of ,god has come upon  
her to the uttermost4 ,she hates        
councils2 she dreads to be reformed2 she
 cannot restrain the madness of her     
impiety2 she fills up the sentence      
passed on her mother1 of whom it is     
said1 ,we would have healed ,babylon1   
but she is not healed2 let us forsake   
her4 ,it had been your duty and that of 
your cardinals to apply a remedy to     
these evils1 but this gout laughs at the

 physician's hand1 and the chariot does 
not obey the reins4 ,under the influence
 of these feelings1 ,i have always      
grieved that you1 most excellent ,leo1  
who were worthy of a better age1 have   
been made pontiff in this4 ,for the     
,roman ,court is not worthy of you and  
those like you1 but of ,satan himself1  
who in truth is more the ruler in that  
,babylon than you are4  ,oh1 would that1
 having laid aside that glory which your
 most abandoned enemies declare to be   
yours1 you were living rather in the    
office of a private priest or on your   
paternal inheritance6 ,in that glory    
none are worthy to glory1 except the    
race of ,iscariot1 the children of      
perdition4 ,for what happens in your    
court1 ,leo1 except that1 the more      
wicked and execrable any man is1 the    
more prosperously he can use your name  
and authority for the ruin of the       
property and souls of men1 for the      
multiplication of crimes1 for the       
oppression of faith and truth and of the

 whole ,church of ,god8 ,oh1 ,leo6 in   
reality most unfortunate1 and sitting on
 a most perilous throne1 ,i tell you the
 truth1 because ,i wish you well2 for if
 ,bernard felt compassion for his       
,anastasius at a time when the ,roman   
see1 though even then most corrupt1 was 
as yet ruling with better hope than now1
 why should not we lament1 to whom so   
much further corruption and ruin has    
been added in three hundred years8  ,is 
it not true that there is nothing under 
the vast heavens more corrupt1 more     
pestilential1 more hateful1 than the    
,court of ,rome8 ,she incomparably      
surpasses the impiety of the ,turks1 so 
that in very truth she1 who was formerly
 the gate of heaven1 is now a sort of   
open mouth of hell1 and such a mouth as1
 under the urgent wrath of ,god1 cannot 
be blocked up2 one course alone being   
left to us wretched men3 to call back   
and save some few1 if we can1 from that 
,roman gulf4  ,behold1 ,leo1 my father1 
with what purpose and on what principle 

it is that ,i have stormed against that 
seat of pestilence4 ,i am so far from   
having felt any rage against your person
 that ,i even hoped to gain favour with 
you and to aid you in your welfare by   
striking actively and vigorously at that
 your prison1 nay1 your hell4 ,for      
whatever the efforts of all minds can   
contrive against the confusion of that  
impious ,court will be advantageous to  
you and to your welfare1 and to many    
others with you4 ,those who do harm to  
her are doing your office2 those who in 
every way abhor her are glorifying      
,christ2 in short1 those are ,christians
 who are not ,romans4  ,but1 to say yet 
more1 even this never entered my heart3 
to inveigh against the ,court of ,rome  
or to dispute at all about her4 ,for1   
seeing all remedies for her health to be
 desperate1 ,i looked on her with       
contempt1 and1 giving her a bill of     
divorcement1 said to her1 ,he that is   
unjust1 let him be unjust still2 and he 
that is filthy1 let him be filthy still1

 giving myself up to the peaceful and   
quiet study of sacred literature1 that  
by this ,i might be of use to the       
brethren living about me4  ,while ,i was
 making some advance in these studies1  
,satan opened his eyes and goaded on his
 servant ,john ,eccius1 that notorious  
adversary of ,christ1 by the unchecked  
lust for fame1 to drag me unexpectedly  
into the arena1 trying to catch me in   
one little word concerning the primacy  
of the ,church of ,rome1 which had      
fallen from me in passing4 ,that        
boastful ,thraso1 foaming and gnashing  
his teeth1 proclaimed that he would dare
 all things for the glory of ,god and   
for the honour of the holy apostolic    
seat2 and1 being puffed up respecting   
your power1 which he was about to       
misuse1 he looked forward with all      
certainty to victory2 seeking to        
promote1 not so much the primacy of     
,peter1 as his own pre-eminence among   
the theologians of this age2 for he     
thought it would contribute in no slight

 degree to this1 if he were to lead     
,luther in triumph4 ,the result having  
proved unfortunate for the sophist1 an  
incredible rage torments him2 for he    
feels that whatever discredit to ,rome  
has arisen through me has been caused by
 the fault of himself alone4  ,suffer   
me1 ,i pray you1 most excellent ,leo1   
both to plead my own cause1 and to      
accuse your true enemies4 ,i believe it 
is known to you in what way ,cardinal   
,cajetan1 your imprudent and            
unfortunate1 nay unfaithful1 legate1    
acted towards me4 ,when1 on account of  
my reverence for your name1 ,i had      
placed myself and all that was mine in  
his hands1 he did not so act as to      
establish peace1 which he could easily  
have established by one little word1    
since ,i at that time promised to be    
silent and to make an end of my case1 if
 he would command my adversaries to do  
the same4 ,but that man of pride1 not   
content with this agreement1 began to   
justify my adversaries1 to give them    

free licence1 and to order me to recant1
 a thing which was certainly not in his 
commission4 ,thus indeed1 when the case 
was in the best position1 it came       
through his vexatious tyranny into a    
much worse one4 ,therefore whatever has 
followed upon this is the fault not of  
,luther1 but entirely of ,cajetan1 since
 he did not suffer me to be silent and  
remain quiet1 which at that time ,i was 
entreating for with all my might4 ,what 
more was it my duty to do8  ,next came  
,charles ,miltitz1 also a nuncio from   
your ,blessedness4 ,he1 though he went  
up and down with much and varied        
exertion1 and omitted nothing which     
could tend to restore the position of   
the cause thrown into confusion by the  
rashness and pride of ,cajetan1 had     
difficulty1 even with the help of that  
very illustrious prince the ,elector    
,frederick1 in at last bringing about   
more than one familiar conference with  
me4 ,in these ,i again yielded to your  
great name1 and was prepared to keep    

silence1 and to accept as my judge      
either the ,archbishop of ,treves1 or   
the ,bishop of ,naumburg2 and thus it   
was done and concluded4 ,while this was 
being done with good hope of success1   
lo6 that other and greater enemy of     
yours1 ,eccius1 rushed in with his      
,leipsic disputation1 which he had      
undertaken against ,carlstadt1 and1     
having taken up a new question          
concerning the primacy of the ,pope1    
turned his arms unexpectedly against me1
 and completely overthrew the plan for  
peace4 ,meanwhile ,charles ,miltitz was 
waiting1 disputations were held1 judges 
were being chosen1 but no decision was  
arrived at4 ,and no wonder6 for by the  
falsehoods1 pretences1 and arts of      
,eccius the whole business was brought  
into such thorough disorder1 confusion1 
and festering soreness1 that1 whichever 
way the sentence might lean1 a greater  
conflagration was sure to arise2 for he 
was seeking1 not after truth1 but after 
his own credit4 ,in this case too ,i    

omitted nothing which it was right that 
,i should do4  ,i confess that on this  
occasion no small part of the           
corruptions of ,rome came to light2 but1
 if there was any offence in this1 it   
was the fault of ,eccius1 who1 in taking
 on him a burden beyond his strength1   
and in furiously aiming at credit for   
himself1 unveiled to the whole world the
 disgrace of ,rome4  ,here is that enemy
 of yours1 ,leo1 or rather of your      
,court2 by his example alone we may     
learn that an enemy is not more baneful 
than a flatterer4 ,for what did he bring
 about by his flattery1 except evils    
which no king could have brought about8 
,at this day the name of the ,court of  
,rome stinks in the nostrils of the     
world1 the papal authority is growing   
weak1 and its notorious ignorance is    
evil spoken of4 ,we should hear none of 
these things1 if ,eccius had not        
disturbed the plans of ,miltitz and     
myself for peace4 ,he feels this clearly
 enough himself in the indignation he   

shows1 too late and in vain1 against the
 publication of my books4 ,he ought to  
have reflected on this at the time when 
he was all mad for renown1 and was      
seeking in your cause nothing but his   
own objects1 and that with the greatest 
peril to you4 ,the foolish man hoped    
that1 from fear of your name1 ,i should 
yield and keep silence2 for ,i do not   
think he presumed on his talents and    
learning4 ,now1 when he sees that ,i am 
very confident and speak aloud1 he      
repents too late of his rashness1 and   
sees--if indeed he does see it--that    
there is ,one in heaven who resists the 
proud1 and humbles the presumptuous4    
,since then we were bringing about by   
this disputation nothing but the greater
 confusion of the cause of ,rome1       
,charles ,miltitz for the third time    
addressed the ,fathers of the ,order1   
assembled in chapter1 and sought their  
advice for the settlement of the case1  
as being now in a most troubled and     
perilous state4 ,since1 by the favour of

 ,god1 there was no hope of proceeding  
against me by force1 some of the more   
noted of their number were sent to me1  
and begged me at least to show respect  
to your person and to vindicate in a    
humble letter both your innocence and my
 own4 ,they said that the affair was not
 as yet in a position of extreme        
hopelessness1 if ,leo ,x41 in his inborn
 kindliness1 would put his hand to it4  
,on this ,i1 who have always offered and
 wished for peace1 in order that ,i     
might devote myself to calmer and more  
useful pursuits1 and who for this very  
purpose have acted with so much spirit  
and vehemence1 in order to put down by  
the strength and impetuosity of my      
words1 as well as of my feelings1 men   
whom ,i saw to be very far from equal to
 myself--,i1 ,i say1 not only gladly    
yielded1 but even accepted it with joy  
and gratitude1 as the greatest kindness 
and benefit1 if you should think it     
right to satisfy my hopes4  ,thus ,i    
come1 most blessed ,father1 and in all  

abasement beseech you to put to your    
hand1 if it is possible1 and impose a   
curb to those flatterers who are enemies
 of peace1 while they pretend peace4    
,but there is no reason1 most blessed   
,father1 why any one should assume that 
,i am to utter a recantation1 unless he 
prefers to involve the case in still    
greater confusion4 ,moreover1 ,i cannot 
bear with laws for the interpretation of
 the word of ,god1 since the word of    
,god1 which teaches liberty in all other
 things1 ought not to be bound4 ,saving 
these two things1 there is nothing which
 ,i am not able1 and most heartily      
willing1 to do or to suffer4 ,i hate    
contention2 ,i will challenge no one2 in
 return ,i wish not to be challenged2   
but1 being challenged1 ,i will not be   
dumb in the cause of ,christ my ,master4
 ,for your ,blessedness will be able by 
one short and easy word to call these   
controversies before you and suppress   
them1 and to impose silence and peace on
 both sides--a word which ,i have ever  

longed to hear4  ,therefore1 ,leo1 my   
,father1 beware of listening to those   
sirens who make you out to be not simply
 a man1 but partly a god1 so that you   
can command and require whatever you    
will4 ,it will not happen so1 nor will  
you prevail4 ,you are the servant of    
servants1 and more than any other man1  
in a most pitiable and perilous         
position4 ,let not those men deceive you
 who pretend that you are lord of the   
world2 who will not allow any one to be 
a ,christian without your authority2 who
 babble of your having power over       
heaven1 hell1 and purgatory4 ,these men 
are your enemies and are seeking your   
soul to destroy it1 as ,isaiah says1 ,my
 people1 they that call thee blessed are
 themselves deceiving thee4 ,they are in
 error who raise you above councils and 
the universal ,church2 they are in error
 who attribute to you alone the right of
 interpreting ,scripture4 ,all these men
 are seeking to set up their own        
impieties in the ,church under your     

name1 and alas6 ,satan has gained much  
through them in the time of your        
predecessors4  ,in brief1 trust not in  
any who exalt you1 but in those who     
humiliate you4 ,for this is the judgment
 of ,god3 ,he hath cast down the mighty 
from their seat1 and hath exalted the   
humble4 ,see how unlike ,christ was to  
,his successors1 though all will have it
 that they are ,his vicars4 ,i fear that
 in truth very many of them have been in
 too serious a sense ,his vicars1 for a 
vicar represents a prince who is absent4
 ,now if a pontiff rules while ,christ  
is absent and does not dwell in his     
heart1 what else is he but a vicar of   
,christ8 ,and then what is that ,church 
but a multitude without ,christ8 ,what  
indeed is such a vicar but antichrist   
and an idol8 ,how much more rightly did 
the ,apostles speak1 who call themselves
 servants of a present ,christ1 not the 
vicars of an absent one6  ,perhaps ,i am
 shamelessly bold in seeming to teach so
 great a head1 by whom all men ought to 

be taught1 and from whom1 as those      
plagues of yours boast1 the thrones of  
judges receive their sentence2 but ,i   
imitate ,st4 ,bernard in his book       
concerning ,considerations addressed to 
,eugenius1 a book which ought to be     
known by heart by every pontiff4 ,i do  
this1 not from any desire to teach1 but 
as a duty1 from that simple and faithful
 solicitude which teaches us to be      
anxious for all that is safe for our    
neighbours1 and does not allow          
considerations of worthiness or         
unworthiness to be entertained1 being   
intent only on the dangers or advantage 
of others4 ,for since ,i know that your 
,blessedness is driven and tossed by the
 waves at ,rome1 so that the depths of  
the sea press on you with infinite      
perils1 and that you are labouring under
 such a condition of misery that you    
need even the least help from any the   
least brother1 ,i do not seem to myself 
to be acting unsuitably if ,i forget    
your majesty till ,i shall have         

fulfilled the office of charity4 ,i will
 not flatter in so serious and perilous 
a matter2 and if in this you do not see 
that ,i am your friend and most         
thoroughly your subject1 there is ,one  
to see and judge4  ,in fine1 that ,i may
 not approach you empty-handed1 blessed 
,father1 ,i bring with me this little   
treatise1 published under your name1 as 
a good omen of the establishment of     
peace and of good hope4 ,by this you may
 perceive in what pursuits ,i should    
prefer and be able to occupy myself to  
more profit1 if ,i were allowed1 or had 
been hitherto allowed1 by your impious  
flatterers4 ,it is a small matter1 if   
you look to its exterior1 but1 unless ,i
 mistake1 it is a summary of the        
,christian life put together in small   
compass1 if you apprehend its meaning4  
,i1 in my poverty1 have no other present
 to make you1 nor do you need anything  
else than to be enriched by a spiritual 
gift4 ,i commend myself to your         
,paternity and ,blessedness1 whom may   

the ,lord ,jesus preserve for ever4     
,amen4  ,wittenberg1 #fth ,september1   
#aebj4     ,,concerning ,,christian     
,,liberty  ,christian faith has appeared
 to many an easy thing2 nay1 not a few  
even reckon it among the social virtues1
 as it were2 and this they do because   
they have not made proof of it          
experimentally1 and have never tasted of
 what efficacy it is4 ,for it is not    
possible for any man to write well about
 it1 or to understand well what is      
rightly written1 who has not at some    
time tasted of its spirit1 under the    
pressure of tribulation2 while he who   
has tasted of it1 even to a very small  
extent1 can never write1 speak1 think1  
or hear about it sufficiently4 ,for it  
is a living fountain1 springing up into 
eternal life1 as ,christ calls it in    
,john iv4  ,now1 though ,i cannot boast 
of my abundance1 and though ,i know how 
poorly ,i am furnished1 yet ,i hope     
that1 after having been vexed by various
 temptations1 ,i have attained some     

little drop of faith1 and that ,i can   
speak of this matter1 if not with more  
elegance1 certainly with more solidity1 
than those literal and too subtle       
disputants who have hitherto discoursed 
upon it without understanding their own 
words4 ,that ,i may open then an easier 
way for the ignorant--for these alone ,i
 am trying to serve--,i first lay down  
these two propositions1 concerning      
spiritual liberty and servitude3--  ,a  
,christian man is the most free lord of 
all1 and subject to none2 a ,christian  
man is the most dutiful servant of all1 
and subject to every one4  ,although    
these statements appear contradictory1  
yet1 when they are found to agree       
together1 they will make excellently for
 my purpose4 ,they are both the         
statements of ,paul himself1 who says1  
,though ,i be free from all men1 yet    
have ,i made myself servant unto all 7#a
 ,cor4 ix4 #ai71 and ,owe no man        
anything1 but to love one another 7,rom4
 xiii4 #h74 ,now love is by its own     

nature dutiful and obedient to the      
beloved object4 ,thus even ,christ1     
though ,lord of all things1 was yet made
 of a woman2 made under the law2 at once
 free and a servant2 at once in the form
 of ,god and in the form of a servant4  
,let us examine the subject on a deeper 
and less simple principle4 ,man is      
composed of a twofold nature1 a         
spiritual and a bodily4 ,as regards the 
spiritual nature1 which they name the   
soul1 he is called the spiritual1       
inward1 new man2 as regards the bodily  
nature1 which they name the flesh1 he is
 called the fleshly1 outward1 old man4  
,the ,apostle speaks of this3 ,though   
our outward man perish1 yet the inward  
man is renewed day by day 7#b ,cor4 iv4 
#af74 ,the result of this diversity is  
that in the ,scriptures opposing        
statements are made concerning the same 
man1 the fact being that in the same man
 these two men are opposed to one       
another2 the flesh lusting against the  
spirit1 and the spirit against the flesh

 7,gal4 v4 #ag74  ,we first approach the
 subject of the inward man1 that we may 
see by what means a man becomes         
justified1 free1 and a true ,christian2 
that is1 a spiritual1 new1 and inward   
man4 ,it is certain that absolutely none
 among outward things1 under whatever   
name they may be reckoned1 has any      
influence in producing ,christian       
righteousness or liberty1 nor1 on the   
other hand1 unrighteousness or slavery4 
,this can be shown by an easy argument4 
,what can it profit the soul that the   
body should be in good condition1 free1 
and full of life2 that it should eat1   
drink1 and act according to its         
pleasure2 when even the most impious    
slaves of every kind of vice are        
prosperous in these matters8 ,again1    
what harm can ill-health1 bondage1      
hunger1 thirst1 or any other outward    
evil1 do to the soul1 when even the most
 pious of men and the freest in the     
purity of their conscience1 are harassed
 by these things8 ,neither of these     

states of things has to do with the     
liberty or the slavery of the soul4     
,and so it will profit nothing that the 
body should be adorned with sacred      
vestments1 or dwell in holy places1 or  
be occupied in sacred offices1 or pray1 
fast1 and abstain from certain meats1 or
 do whatever works can be done through  
the body and in the body4 ,something    
widely different will be necessary for  
the justification and liberty of the    
soul1 since the things ,i have spoken of
 can be done by any impious person1 and 
only hypocrites are produced by devotion
 to these things4 ,on the other hand1 it
 will not at all injure the soul that   
the body should be clothed in profane   
raiment1 should dwell in profane places1
 should eat and drink in the ordinary   
fashion1 should not pray aloud1 and     
should leave undone all the things above
 mentioned1 which may be done by        
hypocrites4  ,and1 to cast everything   
aside1 even speculation1 meditations1   
and whatever things can be performed by 

the exertions of the soul itself1 are of
 no profit4 ,one thing1 and one alone1  
is necessary for life1 justification1   
and ,christian liberty2 and that is the 
most holy word of ,god1 the ,gospel of  
,christ1 as ,he says1 ,i am the         
resurrection and the life2 he that      
believeth in ,me shall not die eternally
 7,john xi4 #be71 and also1 ,if the ,son
 shall make you free1 ye shall be free  
indeed 7,john viii4 #cf71 and1 ,man     
shall not live by bread alone1 but by   
every word that proceedeth out of the   
mouth of ,god 7,matt4 iv4 #d74  ,let us 
therefore hold it for certain and firmly
 established that the soul can do       
without everything except the word of   
,god1 without which none at all of its  
wants are provided for4 ,but1 having the
 word1 it is rich and wants for nothing1
 since that is the word of life1 of     
truth1 of light1 of peace1 of           
justification1 of salvation1 of joy1 of 
liberty1 of wisdom1 of virtue1 of grace1
 of glory1 and of every good thing4 ,it 

is on this account that the prophet in a
 whole ,psalm 7,psalm cxix471 and in    
many other places1 sighs for and calls  
upon the word of ,god with so many      
groanings and words4  ,again1 there is  
no more cruel stroke of the wrath of    
,god than when ,he sends a famine of    
hearing ,his words 7,amos viii4 #aa71   
just as there is no greater favour from 
,him than the sending forth of ,his     
word1 as it is said1 ,he sent ,his word 
and healed them1 and delivered them from
 their destructions 7,psalm cvii4 #bj74 
,christ was sent for no other office    
than that of the word2 and the order of 
,apostles1 that of bishops1 and that of 
the whole body of the clergy1 have been 
called and instituted for no object but 
the ministry of the word4  ,but you will
 ask1 ,what is this word1 and by what   
means is it to be used1 since there are 
so many words of ,god8 ,i answer1 ,the  
,apostle ,paul 7,rom4 i47 explains what 
it is1 namely the ,gospel of ,god1      
concerning ,his ,son1 incarnate1        

suffering1 risen1 and glorified1 through
 the ,spirit1 the ,sanctifier4 ,to      
preach ,christ is to feed the soul1 to  
justify it1 to set it free1 and to save 
it1 if it believes the preaching4 ,for  
faith alone and the efficacious use of  
the word of ,god1 bring salvation4 ,if  
thou shalt confess with thy mouth the   
,lord ,jesus1 and shalt believe in thine
 heart that ,god hath raised ,him from  
the dead1 thou shalt be saved 7,rom4 x4 
#i72 and again1 ,christ is the end of   
the law for righteousness to every one  
that believeth 7,rom4 x4 #d71 and ,the  
just shall live by faith 7,rom4 i4 #ag74
 ,for the word of ,god cannot be        
received and honoured by any works1 but 
by faith alone4 ,hence it is clear that 
as the soul needs the word alone for    
life and justification1 so it is        
justified by faith alone1 and not by any
 works4 ,for if it could be justified by
 any other means1 it would have no need 
of the word1 nor consequently of faith4 
,but this faith cannot consist at all   

with works2 that is1 if you imagine that
 you can be justified by those works1   
whatever they are1 along with it4 ,for  
this would be to halt between two       
opinions1 to worship ,baal1 and to kiss 
the hand to him1 which is a very great  
iniquity1 as ,job says4 ,therefore1 when
 you begin to believe1 you learn at the 
same time that all that is in you is    
utterly guilty1 sinful1 and damnable1   
according to that saying1 ,all have     
sinned1 and come short of the glory of  
,god 7,rom4 iii4 #bc71 and also3 ,there 
is none righteous1 no1 not one2 they are
 all gone out of the way2 they are      
together become unprofitable3 there is  
none that doeth good1 no1 not one 7,rom4
 iii4 #aj-ab74 ,when you have learnt    
this1 you will know that ,christ is     
necessary for you1 since ,he has        
suffered and risen again for you1 that1 
believing on ,him1 you might by this    
faith become another man1 all your sins 
being remitted1 and you being justified 
by the merits of another1 namely of     

,christ alone4  ,since then this faith  
can reign only in the inward man1 as it 
is said1 ,with the heart man believeth  
unto righteousness 7,rom4 x4 #aj72 and  
since it alone justifies1 it is evident 
that by no outward work or labour can   
the inward man be at all justified1 made
 free1 and saved2 and that no works     
whatever have any relation to him4 ,and 
so1 on the other hand1 it is solely by  
impiety and incredulity of heart that he
 becomes guilty and a slave of sin1     
deserving condemnation1 not by any      
outward sin or work4 ,therefore the     
first care of every ,christian ought to 
be to lay aside all reliance on works1  
and strengthen his faith alone more and 
more1 and by it grow in the knowledge1  
not of works1 but of ,christ ,jesus1 who
 has suffered and risen again for him1  
as ,peter teaches 7#a ,peter v47 when he
 makes no other work to be a ,christian 
one4 ,thus ,christ1 when the ,jews asked
 ,him what they should do that they     
might work the works of ,god1 rejected  

the multitude of works1 with which ,he  
saw that they were puffed up1 and       
commanded them one thing only1 saying1  
,this is the work of ,god3 that ye      
believe on ,him whom ,he hath sent1 for 
,him hath ,god the ,father sealed 7,john
 vi4 #bg1 #bi74  ,hence a right faith in
 ,christ is an incomparable treasure1   
carrying with it universal salvation and
 preserving from all evil1 as it is     
said1 ,he that believeth and is baptised
 shall be saved2 but he that believeth  
not shall be damned 7,mark xvi4 #af74   
,isaiah1 looking to this treasure1      
predicted1 ,the consumption decreed     
shall overflow with righteousness4 ,for 
the ,lord ,god of hosts shall make a    
consumption1 even determined 7verbum    
abbreviatum et consummans71 in the midst
 of the land 7,isa4 x4 #bb1 #bc74 ,as if
 he said1 ,faith1 which is the brief and
 complete fulfilling of the law1 will   
fill those who believe with such        
righteousness that they will need       
nothing else for justification4 ,thus1  

too1 ,paul says1 ,for with the heart man
 believeth unto righteousness 7,rom4 x4 
#aj74  ,but you ask how it can be the   
fact that faith alone justifies1 and    
affords without works so great a        
treasure of good things1 when so many   
works1 ceremonies1 and laws are         
prescribed to us in the ,scriptures8 ,i 
answer1 ,before all things bear in mind 
what ,i have said3 that faith alone     
without works justifies1 sets free1 and 
saves1 as ,i shall show more clearly    
below4  ,meanwhile it is to be noted    
that the whole ,scripture of ,god is    
divided into two parts3 precepts and    
promises4 ,the precepts certainly teach 
us what is good1 but what they teach is 
not forthwith done4 ,for they show us   
what we ought to do1 but do not give us 
the power to do it4 ,they were ordained1
 however1 for the purpose of showing man
 to himself1 that through them he may   
learn his own impotence for good and may
 despair of his own strength4 ,for this 
reason they are called the ,old         

,testament1 and are so4  ,for example1  
,thou shalt not covet1 is a precept by  
which we are all convicted of sin1 since
 no man can help coveting1 whatever     
efforts to the contrary he may make4 ,in
 order therefore that he may fulfil the 
precept1 and not covet1 he is           
constrained to despair of himself and to
 seek elsewhere and through another the 
help which he cannot find in himself2 as
 it is said1 ,o ,israel1 thou hast      
destroyed thyself2 but in ,me is thine  
help 7,hosea xiii4 #i74 ,now what is    
done by this one precept is done by all2
 for all are equally impossible of      
fulfilment by us4  ,now when a man has  
through the precepts been taught his own
 impotence1 and become anxious by what  
means he may satisfy the law--for the   
law must be satisfied1 so that no jot or
 tittle of it may pass away1 otherwise  
he must be hopelessly condemned--then1  
being truly humbled and brought to      
nothing in his own eyes1 he finds in    
himself no resource for justification   

and salvation4  ,then comes in that     
other part of ,scripture1 the promises  
of ,god1 which declare the glory of     
,god1 and say1 ,if you wish to fulfil   
the law1 and1 as the law requires1 not  
to covet1 lo6 believe in ,christ1 in    
whom are promised to you grace1         
justification1 peace1 and liberty4 ,all 
these things you shall have1 if you     
believe1 and shall be without them if   
you do not believe4 ,for what is        
impossible for you by all the works of  
the law1 which are many and yet useless1
 you shall fulfil in an easy and summary
 way through faith1 because ,god the    
,father has made everything to depend on
 faith1 so that whosoever has it has all
 things1 and he who has it not has      
nothing4 ,for ,god hath concluded them  
all in unbelief1 that ,he might have    
mercy upon all 7,rom4 xi4 #cb74 ,thus   
the promises of ,god give that which the
 precepts exact1 and fulfil what the law
 commands2 so that all is of ,god alone1
 both the precepts and their fulfilment4

 ,he alone commands2 ,he alone also     
fulfils4 ,hence the promises of ,god    
belong to the ,new ,testament2 nay1 are 
the ,new ,testament4  ,now1 since these 
promises of ,god are words of holiness1 
truth1 righteousness1 liberty1 and      
peace1 and are full of universal        
goodness1 the soul1 which cleaves to    
them with a firm faith1 is so united to 
them1 nay1 thoroughly absorbed by them1 
that it not only partakes in1 but is    
penetrated and saturated by1 all their  
virtues4 ,for if the touch of ,christ   
was healing1 how much more does that    
most tender spiritual touch1 nay1       
absorption of the word1 communicate to  
the soul all that belongs to the word6  
,in this way therefore the soul1 through
 faith alone1 without works1 is from the
 word of ,god justified1 sanctified1    
endued with truth1 peace1 and liberty1  
and filled full with every good thing1  
and is truly made the child of ,god1 as 
it is said1 ,to them gave ,he power to  
become the sons of ,god1 even to them   

that believe on ,his name 7,john i4     
#ab74  ,from all this it is easy to     
understand why faith has such great     
power1 and why no good works1 nor even  
all good works put together1 can compare
 with it1 since no work can cleave to   
the word of ,god or be in the soul4     
,faith alone and the word reign in it2  
and such as is the word1 such is the    
soul made by it1 just as iron exposed to
 fire glows like fire1 on account of its
 union with the fire4 ,it is clear then 
that to a ,christian man his faith      
suffices for everything1 and that he has
 no need of works for justification4    
,but if he has no need of works1 neither
 has he need of the law2 and if he has  
no need of the law1 he is certainly free
 from the law1 and the saying is true1  
,the law is not made for a righteous man
 7#a ,tim4 i4 #i74 ,this is that        
,christian liberty1 our faith1 the      
effect of which is1 not that we should  
be careless or lead a bad life1 but that
 no one should need the law or works for

 justification and salvation4  ,let us  
consider this as the first virtue of    
faith2 and let us look also to the      
second4 ,this also is an office of      
faith3 that it honours with the utmost  
veneration and the highest reputation   
,him in whom it believes1 inasmuch as it
 holds ,him to be truthful and worthy of
 belief4 ,for there is no honour like   
that reputation of truth and            
righteousness with which we honour ,him 
in whom we believe4 ,what higher credit 
can we attribute to any one than truth  
and righteousness1 and absolute         
goodness8 ,on the other hand1 it is the 
greatest insult to brand any one with   
the reputation of falsehood and         
unrighteousness1 or to suspect him of   
these1 as we do when we disbelieve him4 
,thus the soul1 in firmly believing the 
promises of ,god1 holds ,him to be true 
and righteous2 and it can attribute to  
,god no higher glory than the credit of 
being so4 ,the highest worship of ,god  
is to ascribe to ,him truth1            

righteousness1 and whatever qualities we
 must ascribe to one in whom we believe4
 ,in doing this the soul shows itself   
prepared to do ,his whole will2 in doing
 this it hallows ,his name1 and gives   
itself up to be dealt with as it may    
please ,god4 ,for it cleaves to ,his    
promises1 and never doubts that ,he is  
true1 just1 and wise1 and will do1      
dispose1 and provide for all things in  
the best way4 ,is not such a soul1 in   
this its faith1 most obedient to ,god in
 all things8 ,what commandment does     
there remain which has not been amply   
fulfilled by such an obedience8 ,what   
fulfilment can be more full than        
universal obedience8 ,now this is not   
accomplished by works1 but by faith     
alone4  ,on the other hand1 what greater
 rebellion1 impiety1 or insult to ,god  
can there be1 than not to believe ,his  
promises8 ,what else is this1 than      
either to make ,god a liar1 or to doubt 
,his truth--that is1 to attribute truth 
to ourselves1 but to ,god falsehood and 

levity8 ,in doing this1 is not a man    
denying ,god and setting himself up as  
an idol in his own heart8 ,what then can
 works1 done in such a state of impiety1
 profit us1 were they even angelic or   
apostolic works8 ,rightly hath ,god shut
 up all1 not in wrath nor in lust1 but  
in unbelief1 in order that those who    
pretend that they are fulfilling the law
 by works of purity and benevolence     
7which are social and human virtues7 may
 not presume that they will therefore be
 saved1 but1 being included in the sin  
of unbelief1 may either seek mercy1 or  
be justly condemned4  ,but when ,god    
sees that truth is ascribed to ,him1 and
 that in the faith of our hearts ,he is 
honoured with all the honour of which   
,he is worthy1 then in return ,he       
honours us on account of that faith1    
attributing to us truth and             
righteousness4 ,for faith does truth and
 righteousness in rendering to ,god what
 is ,his2 and therefore in return ,god  
gives glory to our righteousness4 ,it is

 true and righteous that ,god is true   
and righteous2 and to confess this and  
ascribe these attributes to ,him1 this  
it is to be true and righteous4 ,thus   
,he says1 ,them that honour ,me ,i will 
honour1 and they that despise ,me shall 
be lightly esteemed 7#a ,sam4 ii4 #cj74 
,and so ,paul says that ,abraham's faith
 was imputed to him for righteousness1  
because by it he gave glory to ,god2 and
 that to us also1 for the same reason1  
it shall be imputed for righteousness1  
if we believe 7,rom4 iv474  ,the third  
incomparable grace of faith is this3    
that it unites the soul to ,christ1 as  
the wife to the husband1 by which       
mystery1 as the ,apostle teaches1       
,christ and the soul are made one flesh4
 ,now if they are one flesh1 and if a   
true marriage--nay1 by far the most     
perfect of all marriages--is            
accomplished between them 7for human    
marriages are but feeble types of this  
one great marriage71 then it follows    
that all they have becomes theirs in    

common1 as well good things as evil     
things2 so that whatsoever ,christ      
possesses1 that the believing soul may  
take to itself and boast of as its own1 
and whatever belongs to the soul1 that  
,christ claims as ,his4  ,if we compare 
these possessions1 we shall see how     
inestimable is the gain4 ,christ is full
 of grace1 life1 and salvation2 the soul
 is full of sin1 death1 and             
condemnation4 ,let faith step in1 and   
then sin1 death1 and hell will belong to
 ,christ1 and grace1 life1 and salvation
 to the soul4 ,for1 if ,he is a         
,husband1 ,he must needs take to        
,himself that which is ,his wife's1 and 
at the same time1 impart to ,his wife   
that which is ,his4 ,for1 in giving her 
,his own body and ,himself1 how can ,he 
but give her all that is ,his8 ,and1 in 
taking to ,himself the body of ,his     
wife1 how can ,he but take to ,himself  
all that is hers8  ,in this is displayed
 the delightful sight1 not only of      
communion1 but of a prosperous warfare1 

of victory1 salvation1 and redemption4  
,for1 since ,christ is ,god and man1 and
 is such a ,person as neither has       
sinned1 nor dies1 nor is condemned1 nay1
 cannot sin1 die1 or be condemned1 and  
since ,his righteousness1 life1 and     
salvation are invincible1 eternal1 and  
almighty1--when ,i say1 such a ,person1 
by the wedding-ring of faith1 takes a   
share in the sins1 death1 and hell of   
,his wife1 nay1 makes them ,his own1 and
 deals with them no otherwise than as if
 they were ,his1 and as if ,he ,himself 
had sinned2 and when ,he suffers1 dies1 
and descends to hell1 that ,he may      
overcome all things1 and since sin1     
death1 and hell cannot swallow ,him up1 
they must needs be swallowed up by ,him 
in stupendous conflict4 ,for ,his       
righteousness rises above the sins of   
all men2 ,his life is more powerful than
 all death2 ,his salvation is more      
unconquerable than all hell4  ,thus the 
believing soul1 by the pledge of its    
faith in ,christ1 becomes free from all 

sin1 fearless of death1 safe from hell1 
and endowed with the eternal            
righteousness1 life1 and salvation of   
its ,husband ,christ4 ,thus ,he presents
 to ,himself a glorious bride1 without  
spot or wrinkle1 cleansing her with the 
washing of water by the word2 that is1  
by faith in the word of life1           
righteousness1 and salvation4 ,thus ,he 
betrothes her unto ,himself in          
faithfulness1 in righteousness1 and in  
judgment1 and in loving-kindness1 and in
 mercies 7,hosea ii4 #ai1 #bj74  ,who   
then can value highly enough these royal
 nuptials8 ,who can comprehend the      
riches of the glory of this grace8      
,christ1 that rich and pious ,husband1  
takes as a wife a needy and impious     
harlot1 redeeming her from all her evils
 and supplying her with all ,his good   
things4 ,it is impossible now that her  
sins should destroy her1 since they have
 been laid upon ,christ and swallowed up
 in ,him1 and since she has in her      
,husband ,christ a righteousness which  

she may claim as her own1 and which she 
can set up with confidence against all  
her sins1 against death and hell1       
saying1 ,if ,i have sinned1 my ,christ1 
in whom ,i believe1 has not sinned2 all 
mine is ,his1 and all ,his is mine1 as  
it is written1 ,my beloved is mine1 and 
,i am ,his 7,cant4 ii4 #af74 ,this is   
what ,paul says3 ,thanks be to ,god1    
which giveth us the victory through our 
,lord ,jesus ,christ1 victory over sin  
and death1 as he says1 ,the sting of    
death is sin1 and the strength of sin is
 the law 7#a ,cor4 xv4 #ef1 #eg74  ,from
 all this you will again understand why 
so much importance is attributed to     
faith1 so that it alone can fulfil the  
law and justify without any works4 ,for 
you see that the ,first ,commandment1   
which says1 ,thou shalt worship one ,god
 only1 is fulfilled by faith alone4 ,if 
you were nothing but good works from the
 soles of your feet to the crown of your
 head1 you would not be worshipping     
,god1 nor fulfilling the ,first         

,commandment1 since it is impossible to 
worship ,god without ascribing to ,him  
the glory of truth and of universal     
goodness1 as it ought in truth to be    
ascribed4 ,now this is not done by      
works1 but only by faith of heart4 ,it  
is not by working1 but by believing1    
that we glorify ,god1 and confess ,him  
to be true4 ,on this ground faith alone 
is the righteousness of a ,christian    
man1 and the fulfilling of all the      
commandments4 ,for to him who fulfils   
the first the task of fulfilling all the
 rest is easy4  ,works1 since they are  
irrational things1 cannot glorify ,god1 
although they may be done to the glory  
of ,god1 if faith be present4 ,but at   
present we are inquiring1 not into the  
quality of the works done1 but into him 
who does them1 who glorifies ,god1 and  
brings forth good works4 ,this is faith 
of heart1 the head and the substance of 
all our righteousness4 ,hence that is a 
blind and perilous doctrine which       
teaches that the commandments are       

fulfilled by works4 ,the commandments   
must have been fulfilled previous to any
 good works1 and good works follow their
 fulfillment1 as we shall see4  ,but1   
that we may have a wider view of that   
grace which our inner man has in        
,christ1 we must know that in the ,old  
,testament ,god sanctified to ,himself  
every first-born male4 ,the birthright  
was of great value1 giving a superiority
 over the rest by the double honour of  
priesthood and kingship4 ,for the       
first-born brother was priest and lord  
of all the rest4  ,under this figure was
 foreshown ,christ1 the true and only   
,first-born of ,god the ,father and of  
the ,virgin ,mary1 and a true ,king and 
,priest1 not in a fleshly and earthly   
sense4 ,for ,his kingdom is not of this 
world2 it is in heavenly and spiritual  
things that ,he reigns and acts as      
,priest2 and these are righteousness1   
truth1 wisdom1 peace1 salvation1 etc4   
,not but that all things1 even those of 
earth and hell1 are subject to ,him--for

 otherwise how could ,he defend and save
 us from them8--but it is not in these1 
nor by these1 that ,his kingdom stands4 
,so1 too1 ,his priesthood does not      
consist in the outward display of       
vestments and gestures1 as did the human
 priesthood of ,aaron and our           
ecclesiastical priesthood at this day1  
but in spiritual things1 wherein1 in    
,his invisible office1 ,he intercedes   
for us with ,god in heaven1 and there   
offers ,himself1 and performs all the   
duties of a priest1 as ,paul describes  
,him to the ,hebrews under the figure of
 ,melchizedek4 ,nor does ,he only pray  
and intercede for us2 ,he also teaches  
us inwardly in the spirit with the      
living teachings of ,his ,spirit4 ,now  
these are the two special offices of a  
priest1 as is figured to us in the case 
of fleshly priests by visible prayers   
and sermons4  ,as ,christ by ,his       
birthright has obtained these two       
dignities1 so ,he imparts and           
communicates them to every believer in  

,him1 under that law of matrimony of    
which we have spoken above1 by which all
 that is the husband's is also the      
wife's4 ,hence all we who believe on    
,christ are kings and priests in        
,christ1 as it is said1 ,ye are a chosen
 generation1 a royal priesthood1 a holy 
nation1 a peculiar people1 that ye      
should show forth the praises of ,him   
who hath called you out of darkness into
 ,his marvellous light 7#a ,peter ii4   
#i74  ,these two things stand thus4     
,first1 as regards kingship1 every      
,christian is by faith so exalted above 
all things that1 in spiritual power1 he 
is completely lord of all things1 so    
that nothing whatever can do him any    
hurt2 yea1 all things are subject to    
him1 and are compelled to be subservient
 to his salvation4 ,thus ,paul says1    
,all things work together for good to   
them who are the called 7,rom4 viii4    
#bh71 and also1 ,whether life1 or death1
 or things present1 or things to come1  
all are yours2 and ye are ,christ's 7#a 

,cor4 iii4 #bb1 #bc74  ,not that in the 
sense of corporeal power any one among  
,christians has been appointed to       
possess and rule all things1 according  
to the mad and senseless idea of certain
 ecclesiastics4 ,that is the office of  
kings1 princes1 and men upon earth4 ,in 
the experience of life we see that we   
are subjected to all things1 and suffer 
many things1 even death4 ,yea1 the more 
of a ,christian any man is1 to so many  
the more evils1 sufferings1 and deaths  
is he subject1 as we see in the first   
place in ,christ the ,first-born1 and in
 all ,his holy brethren4  ,this is a    
spiritual power1 which rules in the     
midst of enemies1 and is powerful in the
 midst of distresses4 ,and this is      
nothing else than that strength is made 
perfect in my weakness1 and that ,i can 
turn all things to the profit of my     
salvation2 so that even the cross and   
death are compelled to serve me and to  
work together for my salvation4 ,this is
 a lofty and eminent dignity1 a true and

 almighty dominion1 a spiritual empire1 
in which there is nothing so good1      
nothing so bad1 as not to work together 
for my good1 if only ,i believe4 ,and   
yet there is nothing of which ,i have   
need--for faith alone suffices for my   
salvation--unless that in it faith may  
exercise the power and empire of its    
liberty4 ,this is the inestimable power 
and liberty of ,christians4  ,nor are we
 only kings and the freest of all men1  
but also priests for ever1 a dignity far
 higher than kingship1 because by that  
priesthood we are worthy to appear      
before ,god1 to pray for others1 and to 
teach one another mutually the things   
which are of ,god4 ,for these are the   
duties of priests1 and they cannot      
possibly be permitted to any unbeliever4
 ,christ has obtained for us this       
favour1 if we believe in ,him3 that just
 as we are ,his brethren and co-heirs   
and fellow-kings with ,him1 so we should
 be also fellow-priests with ,him1 and  
venture with confidence1 through the    

spirit of faith1 to come into the       
presence of ,god1 and cry1 ,abba1       
,father6 and to pray for one another1   
and to do all things which we see done  
and figured in the visible and corporeal
 office of priesthood4 ,but to an       
unbelieving person nothing renders      
service or work for good4 ,he himself is
 in servitude to all things1 and all    
things turn out for evil to him1 because
 he uses all things in an impious way   
for his own advantage1 and not for the  
glory of ,god4 ,and thus he is not a    
priest1 but a profane person1 whose     
prayers are turned into sin1 nor does he
 ever appear in the presence of ,god1   
because ,god does not hear sinners4     
,who then can comprehend the loftiness  
of that ,christian dignity which1 by its
 royal power1 rules over all things1    
even over death1 life1 and sin1 and1 by 
its priestly glory1 is all-powerful with
 ,god1 since ,god does what ,he ,himself
 seeks and wishes1 as it is written1 ,he
 will fulfil the desire of them that    

fear ,him2 ,he also will hear their cry1
 and will save them8 7,psalm cxlv4 #ai74
 ,this glory certainly cannot be        
attained by any works1 but by faith     
only4  ,from these considerations any   
one may clearly see how a ,christian man
 is free from all things2 so that he    
needs no works in order to be justified 
and saved1 but receives these gifts in  
abundance from faith alone4 ,nay1 were  
he so foolish as to pretend to be       
justified1 set free1 saved1 and made a  
,christian1 by means of any good work1  
he would immediately lose faith1 with   
all its benefits4 ,such folly is        
prettily represented in the fable where 
a dog1 running along in the water and   
carrying in his mouth a real piece of   
meat1 is deceived by the reflection of  
the meat in the water1 and1 in trying   
with open mouth to seize it1 loses the  
meat and its image at the same time4    
,here you will ask1 ,if all who are in  
the ,church are priests1 by what        
character are those whom we now call    

priests to be distinguished from the    
laity8 ,i reply1 ,by the use of these   
words1 priest1 clergy1 spiritual person1
 ecclesiastic1 an injustice has been    
done1 since they have been transferred  
from the remaining body of ,christians  
to those few who are now1 by hurtful    
custom1 called ecclesiastics4 ,for ,holy
 ,scripture makes no distinction between
 them1 except that those who are now    
boastfully called popes1 bishops1 and   
lords1 it calls ministers1 servants1 and
 stewards1 who are to serve the rest in 
the ministry of the word1 for teaching  
the faith of ,christ and the liberty of 
believers4 ,for though it is true that  
we are all equally priests1 yet we      
cannot1 nor1 if we could1 ought we all  
to1 minister and teach publicly4 ,thus  
,paul says1 ,let a man so account of us 
as of the ministers of ,christ and      
stewards of the mysteries of ,god 7#a   
,cor4 iv4 #a74  ,this bad system has now
 issued in such a pompous display of    
power and such a terrible tyranny that  

no earthly government can be compared to
 it1 as if the laity were something else
 than ,christians4 ,through this        
perversion of things it has happened    
that the knowledge of ,christian grace1 
of faith1 of liberty1 and altogether of 
,christ1 has utterly perished1 and has  
been succeeded by an intolerable bondage
 to human works and laws2 and1 according
 to the ,lamentations of ,jeremiah1 we  
have become the slaves of the vilest men
 on earth1 who abuse our misery to all  
the disgraceful and ignominious purposes
 of their own will4  ,returning to the  
subject which we had begun1 ,i think it 
is made clear by these considerations   
that it is not sufficient1 nor a        
,christian course1 to preach the works1 
life1 and words of ,christ in a historic
 manner1 as facts which it suffices to  
know as an example how to frame our     
life1 as do those who are now held the  
best preachers1 and much less so to keep
 silence altogether on these things and 
to teach in their stead the laws of men 

and the decrees of the ,fathers4 ,there 
are now not a few persons who preach and
 read about ,christ with the object of  
moving the human affections to          
sympathise with ,christ1 to indignation 
against the ,jews1 and other childish   
and womanish absurdities of that kind4  
,now preaching ought to have the object 
of promoting faith in ,him1 so that ,he 
may not only be ,christ1 but a ,christ  
for you and for me1 and that what is    
said of ,him1 and what ,he is called1   
may work in us4 ,and this faith is      
produced and is maintained by preaching 
why ,christ came1 what ,he has brought  
us and given to us1 and to what profit  
and advantage ,he is to be received4    
,this is done when the ,christian       
liberty which we have from ,christ      
,himself is rightly taught1 and we are  
shown in what manner all we ,christians 
are kings and priests1 and how we are   
lords of all things1 and may be         
confident that whatever we do in the    
presence of ,god is pleasing and        

acceptable to ,him4  ,whose heart would 
not rejoice in its inmost core at       
hearing these things8 ,whose heart1 on  
receiving so great a consolation1 would 
not become sweet with the love of       
,christ1 a love to which it can never   
attain by any laws or works8 ,who can   
injure such a heart1 or make it afraid8 
,if the consciousness of sin or the     
horror of death rush in upon it1 it is  
prepared to hope in the ,lord1 and is   
fearless of such evils1 and undisturbed1
 until it shall look down upon its      
enemies4 ,for it believes that the      
righteousness of ,christ is its own1 and
 that its sin is no longer its own1 but 
that of ,christ2 but1 on account of its 
faith in ,christ1 all its sin must needs
 be swallowed up from before the face of
 the righteousness of ,christ1 as ,i    
have said above4 ,it learns1 too1 with  
the ,apostle1 to scoff at death and sin1
 and to say1 ,o death1 where is thy     
sting8 ,o grave1 where is thy victory8  
,the sting of death is sin1 and the     

strength of sin is the law4 ,but thanks 
be to ,god1 which giveth us the victory 
through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ 7#a    
,cor4 xv4 #ee-eg74 ,for death is        
swallowed up in victory1 not only the   
victory of ,christ1 but ours also1 since
 by faith it becomes ours1 and in it we 
too conquer4  ,let it suffice to say    
this concerning the inner man and its   
liberty1 and concerning that            
righteousness of faith which needs      
neither laws nor good works2 nay1 they  
are even hurtful to it1 if any one      
pretends to be justified by them4  ,and 
now let us turn to the other part3 to   
the outward man4 ,here we shall give an 
answer to all those who1 taking offence 
at the word of faith and at what ,i have
 asserted1 say1 ,if faith does          
everything1 and by itself suffices for  
justification1 why then are good works  
commanded8 ,are we then to take our ease
 and do no works1 content with faith8   
,not so1 impious men1 ,i reply2 not so4 
,that would indeed really be the case1  

if we were thoroughly and completely    
inner and spiritual persons2 but that   
will not happen until the last day1 when
 the dead shall be raised4 ,as long as  
we live in the flesh1 we are but        
beginning and making advances in that   
which shall be completed in a future    
life4 ,on this account the ,apostle     
calls that which we have in this life   
the firstfruits of the ,spirit 7,rom4   
viii4 #bc74 ,in future we shall have the
 tenths1 and the fullness of the        
,spirit4 ,to this part belongs the fact 
,i have stated before3 that the         
,christian is the servant of all and    
subject to all4 ,for in that part in    
which he is free he does no works1 but  
in that in which he is a servant he does
 all works4 ,let us see on what         
principle this is so4  ,although1 as ,i 
have said1 inwardly1 and according to   
the spirit1 a man is amply enough       
justified by faith1 having all that he  
requires to have1 except that this very 
faith and abundance ought to increase   

from day to day1 even till the future   
life1 still he remains in this mortal   
life upon earth1 in which it is         
necessary that he should rule his own   
body and have intercourse with men4     
,here then works begin2 here he must not
 take his ease2 here he must give heed  
to exercise his body by fastings1       
watchings1 labour1 and other regular    
discipline1 so that it may be subdued to
 the spirit1 and obey and conform itself
 to the inner man and faith1 and not    
rebel against them nor hinder them1 as  
is its nature to do if it is not kept   
under4 ,for the inner man1 being        
conformed to ,god and created after the 
image of ,god through faith1 rejoices   
and delights itself in ,christ1 in whom 
such blessings have been conferred on   
it1 and hence has only this task before 
it3 to serve ,god with joy and for      
nought in free love4  ,but in doing this
 he comes into collision with that      
contrary will in his own flesh1 which is
 striving to serve the world and to seek

 its own gratification4 ,this the spirit
 of faith cannot and will not bear1 but 
applies itself with cheerfulness and    
zeal to keep it down and restrain it1 as
 ,paul says1 ,i delight in the law of   
,god after the inward man2 but ,i see   
another law in my members1 warring      
against the law of my mind and bringing 
me into captivity to the law of sin     
7,rom4 vii4 #bb1 #bc71 and again1 ,i    
keep under my body1 and bring it unto   
subjection1 lest that by any means1 when
 ,i have preached to others1 ,i myself  
should be a castaway 7#a ,cor4 ix4 #bg71
 and ,they that are ,christ's have      
crucified the flesh1 with the affections
 and lusts 7,gal4 v4 #bd74  ,these      
works1 however1 must not be done with   
any notion that by them a man can be    
justified before ,god--for faith1 which 
alone is righteousness before ,god1 will
 not bear with this false notion--but   
solely with this purpose3 that the body 
may be brought into subjection1 and be  
purified from its evil lusts1 so that   

our eyes may be turned only to purging  
away those lusts4 ,for when the soul has
 been cleansed by faith and made to love
 ,god1 it would have all things to be   
cleansed in like manner1 and especially 
its own body1 so that all things might  
unite with it in the love and praise of 
,god4 ,thus it comes that1 from the     
requirements of his own body1 a man     
cannot take his ease1 but is compelled  
on its account to do many good works1   
that he may bring it into subjection4   
,yet these works are not the means of   
his justification before ,god2 he does  
them out of disinterested love to the   
service of ,god2 looking to no other end
 than to do what is well-pleasing to    
,him whom he desires to obey most       
dutifully in all things4  ,on this      
principle every man may easily instruct 
himself in what measure1 and with what  
distinctions1 he ought to chasten his   
own body4 ,he will fast1 watch1 and     
labour1 just as much as he sees to      
suffice for keeping down the wantonness 

and concupiscence of the body4 ,but     
those who pretend to be justified by    
works are looking1 not to the           
mortification of their lusts1 but only  
to the works themselves2 thinking that1 
if they can accomplish as many works and
 as great ones as possible1 all is well 
with them1 and they are justified4      
,sometimes they even injure their brain1
 and extinguish nature1 or at least make
 it useless4 ,this is enormous folly1   
and ignorance of ,christian life and    
faith1 when a man seeks1 without faith1 
to be justified and saved by works4  ,to
 make what we have said more easily     
understood1 let us set it forth under a 
figure4 ,the works of a ,christian man1 
who is justified and saved by his faith 
out of the pure and unbought mercy of   
,god1 ought to be regarded in the same  
light as would have been those of ,adam 
and ,eve in paradise and of all their   
posterity if they had not sinned4 ,of   
them it is said1 ,the ,lord ,god took   
the man and put him into the garden of  

,eden to dress it and to keep it 7,gen4 
ii4 #ae74 ,now ,adam had been created by
 ,god just and righteous1 so that he    
could not have needed to be justified   
and made righteous by keeping the garden
 and working in it2 but1 that he might  
not be unemployed1 ,god gave him the    
business of keeping and cultivating     
paradise4 ,these would have indeed been 
works of perfect freedom1 being done for
 no object but that of pleasing ,god1   
and not in order to obtain              
justification1 which he already had to  
the full1 and which would have been     
innate in us all4  ,so it is with the   
works of a believer4 ,being by his faith
 replaced afresh in paradise and created
 anew1 he does not need works for his   
justification1 but that he may not be   
idle1 but may exercise his own body and 
preserve it4 ,his works are to be done  
freely1 with the sole object of pleasing
 ,god4 ,only we are not yet fully       
created anew in perfect faith and love2 
these require to be increased1 not1     

however1 through works1 but through     
themselves4  ,a bishop1 when he         
consecrates a church1 confirms children1
 or performs any other duty of his      
office1 is not consecrated as bishop by 
these works2 nay1 unless he had been    
previously consecrated as bishop1 not   
one of those works would have any       
validity2 they would be foolish1        
childish1 and ridiculous4 ,thus a       
,christian1 being consecrated by his    
faith1 does good works2 but he is not by
 these works made a more sacred person1 
or more a ,christian4 ,that is the      
effect of faith alone2 nay1 unless he   
were previously a believer and a        
,christian1 none of his works would have
 any value at all2 they would really be 
impious and damnable sins4  ,true1 then1
 are these two sayings3 ,good works do  
not make a good man1 but a good man does
 good works2 ,bad works do not make a   
bad man1 but a bad man does bad works4  
,thus it is always necessary that the   
substance or person should be good      

before any good works can be done1 and  
that good works should follow and       
proceed from a good person4 ,as ,christ 
says1 ,a good tree cannot bring forth   
evil fruit1 neither can a corrupt tree  
bring forth good fruit 7,matt4 vii4     
#ah74 ,now it is clear that the fruit   
does not bear the tree1 nor does the    
tree grow on the fruit2 but1 on the     
contrary1 the trees bear the fruit1 and 
the fruit grows on the trees4  ,as then 
trees must exist before their fruit1 and
 as the fruit does not make the tree    
either good or bad1 but on the contrary1
 a tree of either kind produces fruit of
 the same kind1 so must first the person
 of the man be good or bad before he can
 do either a good or a bad work2 and his
 works do not make him bad or good1 but 
he himself makes his works either bad or
 good4  ,we may see the same thing in   
all handicrafts4 ,a bad or good house   
does not make a bad or good builder1 but
 a good or bad builder makes a good or  
bad house4 ,and in general no work makes

 the workman such as it is itself2 but  
the workman makes the work such as he is
 himself4 ,such is the case1 too1 with  
the works of men4 ,such as the man      
himself is1 whether in faith or in      
unbelief1 such is his work3 good if it  
be done in faith2 bad if in unbelief4   
,but the converse is not true that1 such
 as the work is1 such the man becomes in
 faith or in unbelief4 ,for as works do 
not make a believing man1 so neither do 
they make a justified man2 but faith1 as
 it makes a man a believer and          
justified1 so also it makes his works   
good4  ,since then works justify no man1
 but a man must be justified before he  
can do any good work1 it is most evident
 that it is faith alone which1 by the   
mere mercy of ,god through ,christ1 and 
by means of ,his word1 can worthily and 
sufficiently justify and save the       
person2 and that a ,christian man needs 
no work1 no law1 for his salvation2 for 
by faith he is free from all law1 and in
 perfect freedom does gratuitously all  

that he does1 seeking nothing either of 
profit or of salvation--since by the    
grace of ,god he is already saved and   
rich in all things through his          
faith--but solely that which is         
well-pleasing to ,god4  ,so1 too1 no    
good work can profit an unbeliever to   
justification and salvation2 and1 on the
 other hand1 no evil work makes him an  
evil and condemned person1 but that     
unbelief1 which makes the person and the
 tree bad1 makes his works evil and     
condemned4 ,wherefore1 when any man is  
made good or bad1 this does not arise   
from his works1 but from his faith or   
unbelief1 as the wise man says1 ,the    
beginning of sin is to fall away from   
,god2 that is1 not to believe4 ,paul    
says1 ,he that cometh to ,god must      
believe 7,heb4 xi4 #f72 and ,christ says
 the same thing3 ,either make the tree  
good and his fruit good2 or else make   
the tree corrupt1 and his fruit corrupt 
7,matt4 xii4 #cc71--;as much as to say1 
,he who wishes to have good fruit will  

begin with the tree1 and plant a good   
one2 even so he who wishes to do good   
works must begin1 not by working1 but by
 believing1 since it is this which makes
 the person good4 ,for nothing makes the
 person good but faith1 nor bad but     
unbelief4  ,it is certainly true that1  
in the sight of men1 a man becomes good 
or evil by his works2 but here becoming 
means that it is thus shown and         
recognised who is good or evil1 as      
,christ says1 ,by their fruits ye shall 
know them 7,matt4 vii4 #bj74 ,but all   
this stops at appearances and externals2
 and in this matter very many deceive   
themselves1 when they presume to write  
and teach that we are to be justified by
 good works1 and meanwhile make no      
mention even of faith1 walking in their 
own ways1 ever deceived and deceiving1  
going from bad to worse1 blind leaders  
of the blind1 wearying themselves with  
many works1 and yet never attaining to  
true righteousness1 of whom ,paul says1 
,having a form of godliness1 but denying

 the power thereof1 ever learning and   
never able to come to the knowledge of  
the truth 7#b ,tim4 iii4 #e1 #g74  ,he  
then who does not wish to go astray1    
with these blind ones1 must look further
 than to the works of the law or the    
doctrine of works2 nay1 must turn away  
his sight from works1 and look to the   
person1 and to the manner in which it   
may be justified4 ,now it is justified  
and saved1 not by works or laws1 but by 
the word of ,god--that is1 by the       
promise of ,his grace--so that the glory
 may be to the ,divine majesty1 which   
has saved us who believe1 not by works  
of righteousness which we have done1 but
 according to ,his mercy1 by the word of
 ,his grace4  ,from all this it is easy 
to perceive on what principle good works
 are to be cast aside or embraced1 and  
by what rule all teachings put forth    
concerning works are to be understood4  
,for if works are brought forward as    
grounds of justification1 and are done  
under the false persuasion that we can  

pretend to be justified by them1 they   
lay on us the yoke of necessity1 and    
extinguish liberty along with faith1 and
 by this very addition to their use they
 become no longer good1 but really      
worthy of condemnation4 ,for such works 
are not free1 but blaspheme the grace of
 ,god1 to which alone it belongs to     
justify and save through faith4 ,works  
cannot accomplish this1 and yet1 with   
impious presumption1 through our folly1 
they take it on themselves to do so2 and
 thus break in with violence upon the   
office and glory of grace4  ,we do not  
then reject good works2 nay1 we embrace 
them and teach them in the highest      
degree4 ,it is not on their own account 
that we condemn them1 but on account of 
this impious addition to them and the   
perverse notion of seeking justification
 by them4 ,these things cause them to be
 only good in outward show1 but in      
reality not good1 since by them men are 
deceived and deceive others1 like       
ravening wolves in sheep's clothing4    

,now this leviathan1 this perverted     
notion about works1 is invincible when  
sincere faith is wanting4 ,for those    
sanctified doers of works cannot but    
hold it till faith1 which destroys it1  
comes and reigns in the heart4 ,nature  
cannot expel it by her own power2 nay1  
cannot even see it for what it is1 but  
considers it as a most holy will4 ,and  
when custom steps in besides1 and       
strengthens this pravity of nature1 as  
has happened by means of impious        
teachers1 then the evil is incurable1   
and leads astray multitudes to          
irreparable ruin4 ,therefore1 though it 
is good to preach and write about       
penitence1 confession1 and satisfaction1
 yet if we stop there1 and do not go on 
to teach faith1 such teaching is without
 doubt deceitful and devilish4 ,for     
,christ1 speaking by ,his servant ,john1
 not only said1 ,repent ye1 but added1  
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand    
7,matt4 iii4 #b74  ,for not one word of 
,god only1 but both1 should be preached2

 new and old things should be brought   
out of the treasury1 as well the voice  
of the law as the word of grace4 ,the   
voice of the law should be brought      
forward1 that men may be terrified and  
brought to a knowledge of their sins1   
and thence be converted to penitence and
 to a better manner of life4 ,but we    
must not stop here2 that would be to    
wound only and not to bind up1 to strike
 and not to heal1 to kill and not to    
make alive1 to bring down to hell and   
not to bring back1 to humble and not to 
exalt4 ,therefore the word of grace and 
of the promised remission of sin must   
also be preached1 in order to teach and 
set up faith1 since without that word   
contrition1 penitence1 and all other    
duties1 are performed and taught in     
vain4  ,there still remain1 it is true1 
preachers of repentance and grace1 but  
they do not explain the law and the     
promises of ,god to such an end1 and in 
such a spirit1 that men may learn whence
 repentance and grace are to come4 ,for 

repentance comes from the law of ,god1  
but faith or grace from the promises of 
,god1 as it is said1 ,faith cometh by   
hearing1 and hearing by the word of ,god
 7,rom4 x4 #ag71 whence it comes that a 
man1 when humbled and brought to the    
knowledge of himself by the threatenings
 and terrors of the law1 is consoled and
 raised up by faith in the ,divine      
promise4 ,thus weeping may endure for a 
night1 but joy cometh in the morning    
7,psalm xxx4 #e74 ,thus much we say     
concerning works in general1 and also   
concerning those which the ,christian   
practises with regard to his own body4  
,lastly1 we will speak also of those    
works which he performs towards his     
neighbour4 ,for man does not live for   
himself alone in this mortal body1 in   
order to work on its account1 but also  
for all men on earth2 nay1 he lives only
 for others1 and not for himself4 ,for  
it is to this end that he brings his own
 body into subjection1 that he may be   
able to serve others more sincerely and 

more freely1 as ,paul says1 ,none of us 
liveth to himself1 and no man dieth to  
himself4 ,for whether we live1 we live  
unto the ,lord2 and whether we die1 we  
die unto the ,lord 7,rom4 xiv4 #g1 #h74 
,thus it is impossible that he should   
take his ease in this life1 and not work
 for the good of his neighbours1 since  
he must needs speak1 act1 and converse  
among men1 just as ,christ was made in  
the likeness of men and found in fashion
 as a man1 and had ,his conversation    
among men4  ,yet a ,christian has need  
of none of these things for             
justification and salvation1 but in all 
his works he ought to entertain this    
view and look only to this object--that 
he may serve and be useful to others in 
all that he does2 having nothing before 
his eyes but the necessities and the    
advantage of his neighbour4 ,thus the   
,apostle commands us to work with our   
own hands1 that we may have to give to  
those that need4 ,he might have said1   
that we may support ourselves2 but he   

tells us to give to those that need4 ,it
 is the part of a ,christian to take    
care of his own body for the very       
purpose that1 by its soundness and      
well-being1 he may be enabled to labour1
 and to acquire and preserve property1  
for the aid of those who are in want1   
that thus the stronger member may serve 
the weaker member1 and we may be        
children of ,god1 thoughtful and busy   
one for another1 bearing one another's  
burdens1 and so fulfilling the law of   
,christ4  ,here is the truly ,christian 
life1 here is faith really working by   
love1 when a man applies himself with   
joy and love to the works of that freest
 servitude in which he serves others    
voluntarily and for nought1 himself     
abundantly satisfied in the fulness and 
riches of his own faith4  ,thus1 when   
,paul had taught the ,philippians how   
they had been made rich by that faith in
 ,christ in which they had obtained all 
things1 he teaches them further in these
 words3 ,if there be therefore any      

consolation in ,christ1 if any comfort  
of love1 if any fellowship of the       
,spirit1 if any bowels and mercies1     
fulfil ye my joy1 that ye be            
like-minded1 having the same love1 being
 of one accord1 of one mind4 ,let       
nothing be done through strife or       
vainglory2 but in lowliness of mind let 
each esteem other better than           
themselves4 ,look not every man on his  
own things1 but every man also on the   
things of others 7,phil4 ii4 #a-d74  ,in
 this we see clearly that the ,apostle  
lays down this rule for a ,christian    
life3 that all our works should be      
directed to the advantage of others1    
since every ,christian has such         
abundance through his faith that all his
 other works and his whole life remain  
over and above wherewith to serve and   
benefit his neighbour of spontaneous    
goodwill4  ,to this end he brings       
forward ,christ as an example1 saying1  
,let this mind be in you1 which was also
 in ,christ ,jesus1 who1 being in the   

form of ,god1 thought it not robbery to 
be equal with ,god1 but made ,himself of
 no reputation1 and took upon ,him the  
form of a servant1 and was made in the  
likeness of men2 and being found in     
fashion as a man1 ,he humbled ,himself1 
and became obedient unto death 7,phil4  
ii4 #e-h74 ,this most wholesome saying  
of the ,apostle has been darkened to us 
by men who1 totally misunderstanding the
 expressions form of ,god1 form of a    
servant1 fashion1 likeness of men1 have 
transferred them to the natures of      
,godhead and manhood4 ,paul's meaning is
 this3 ,christ1 when ,he was full of the
 form of ,god and abounded in all good  
things1 so that ,he had no need of works
 or sufferings to be just and saved--for
 all these things ,he had from the very 
beginning--yet was not puffed up with   
these things1 and did not raise ,himself
 above us and arrogate to ,himself power
 over us1 though ,he might lawfully have
 done so1 but1 on the contrary1 so acted
 in labouring1 working1 suffering1 and  

dying1 as to be like the rest of men1   
and no otherwise than a man in fashion  
and in conduct1 as if ,he were in want  
of all things and had nothing of the    
form of ,god2 and yet all this ,he did  
for our sakes1 that ,he might serve us1 
and that all the works ,he should do    
under that form of a servant might      
become ours4  ,thus a ,christian1 like  
,christ his ,head1 being full and in    
abundance through his faith1 ought to be
 content with this form of ,god1        
obtained by faith2 except that1 as ,i   
have said1 he ought to increase this    
faith till it be perfected4 ,for this   
faith is his life1 justification1 and   
salvation1 preserving his person itself 
and making it pleasing to ,god1 and     
bestowing on him all that ,christ has1  
as ,i have said above1 and as ,paul     
affirms3 ,the life which ,i now live in 
the flesh ,i live by the faith of the   
,son of ,god 7,gal4 ii4 #bj74 ,though he
 is thus free from all works1 yet he    
ought to empty himself of this liberty1 

take on him the form of a servant1 be   
made in the likeness of men1 be found in
 fashion as a man1 serve1 help1 and in  
every way act towards his neighbour as  
he sees that ,god through ,christ has   
acted and is acting towards him4 ,all   
this he should do freely1 and with      
regard to nothing but the good pleasure 
of ,god1 and he should reason thus3--   
,lo6 my ,god1 without merit on my part1 
of ,his pure and free mercy1 has given  
to me1 an unworthy1 condemned1 and      
contemptible creature all the riches of 
justification and salvation in ,christ1 
so that ,i no longer am in want of      
anything1 except of faith to believe    
that this is so4 ,for such a ,father1   
then1 who has overwhelmed me with these 
inestimable riches of ,his1 why should  
,i not freely1 cheerfully1 and with my  
whole heart1 and from voluntary zeal1 do
 all that ,i know will be pleasing to   
,him and acceptable in ,his sight8 ,i   
will therefore give myself as a sort of 
,christ1 to my neighbour1 as ,christ has

 given ,himself to me2 and will do      
nothing in this life except what ,i see 
will be needful1 advantageous1 and      
wholesome for my neighbour1 since by    
faith ,i abound in all good things in   
,christ4  ,thus from faith flow forth   
love and joy in the ,lord1 and from love
 a cheerful1 willing1 free spirit1      
disposed to serve our neighbour         
voluntarily1 without taking any account 
of gratitude or ingratitude1 praise or  
blame1 gain or loss4 ,its object is not 
to lay men under obligations1 nor does  
it distinguish between friends and      
enemies1 or look to gratitude or        
ingratitude1 but most freely and        
willingly spends itself and its goods1  
whether it loses them through           
ingratitude1 or gains goodwill4 ,for    
thus did its ,father1 distributing all  
things to all men abundantly and freely1
 making ,his sun to rise upon the just  
and the unjust4 ,thus1 too1 the child   
does and endures nothing except from the
 free joy with which it delights through

 ,christ in ,god1 the ,giver of such    
great gifts4  ,you see1 then1 that1 if  
we recognize those great and precious   
gifts1 as ,peter says1 which have been  
given to us1 love is quickly diffused in
 our hearts through the ,spirit1 and by 
love we are made free1 joyful1          
all-powerful1 active workers1 victors   
over all our tribulations1 servants to  
our neighbour1 and nevertheless lords of
 all things4 ,but1 for those who do not 
recognise the good things given to them 
through ,christ1 ,christ has been born  
in vain2 such persons walk by works1 and
 will never attain the taste and feeling
 of these great things4 ,therefore just 
as our neighbour is in want1 and has    
need of our abundance1 so we too in the 
sight of ,god were in want1 and had need
 of ,his mercy4 ,and as our heavenly    
,father has freely helped us in ,christ1
 so ought we freely to help our         
neighbour by our body and works1 and    
each should become to other a sort of   
,christ1 so that we may be mutually     

,christs1 and that the same ,christ may 
be in all of us2 that is1 that we may be
 truly ,christians4  ,who then can      
comprehend the riches and glory of the  
,christian life8 ,it can do all things1 
has all things1 and is in want of       
nothing2 is lord over sin1 death1 and   
hell1 and at the same time is the       
obedient and useful servant of all4 ,but
 alas6 it is at this day unknown        
throughout the world2 it is neither     
preached nor sought after1 so that we   
are quite ignorant about our own name1  
why we are and are called ,christians4  
,we are certainly called so from        
,christ1 who is not absent1 but dwells  
among us--provided1 that is1 that we    
believe in ,him and are reciprocally and
 mutually one the ,christ of the other1 
doing to our neighbour as ,christ does  
to us4 ,but now1 in the doctrine of men1
 we are taught only to seek after       
merits1 rewards1 and things which are   
already ours1 and we have made of       
,christ a taskmaster far more severe    

than ,moses4  ,the ,blessed ,virgin     
beyond all others1 affords us an example
 of the same faith1 in that she was     
purified according to the law of ,moses1
 and like all other women1 though she   
was bound by no such law and had no need
 of purification4 ,still she submitted  
to the law voluntarily and of free love1
 making herself like the rest of women1 
that she might not offend or throw      
contempt on them4 ,she was not justified
 by doing this2 but1 being already      
justified1 she did it freely and        
gratuitously4 ,thus ought our works too 
to be done1 and not in order to be      
justified by them2 for1 being first     
justified by faith1 we ought to do all  
our works freely and cheerfully for the 
sake of others4  ,st4 ,paul circumcised 
his disciple ,timothy1 not because he   
needed circumcision for his             
justification1 but that he might not    
offend or contemn those ,jews1 weak in  
the faith1 who had not yet been able to 
comprehend the liberty of faith4 ,on the

 other hand1 when they contemned liberty
 and urged that circumcision was        
necessary for justification1 he resisted
 them1 and would not allow ,titus to be 
circumcised4 ,for1 as he would not      
offend or contemn any one's weakness in 
faith1 but yielded for the time to their
 will1 so1 again1 he would not have the 
liberty of faith offended or contemned  
by hardened self-justifiers1 but walked 
in a middle path1 sparing the weak for  
the time1 and always resisting the      
hardened1 that he might convert all to  
the liberty of faith4 ,on the same      
principle we ought to act1 receiving    
those that are weak in the faith1 but   
boldly resisting these hardened teachers
 of works1 of whom we shall hereafter   
speak at more length4  ,christ also1    
when ,his disciples were asked for the  
tribute money1 asked of ,peter whether  
the children of a king were not free    
from taxes4 ,peter agreed to this2 yet  
,jesus commanded him to go to the sea1  
saying1 ,lest we should offend them1 go 

thou to the sea1 and cast a hook1 and   
take up the fish that first cometh up2  
and when thou hast opened his mouth thou
 shalt find a piece of money2 that take1
 and give unto them for ,me and thee    
7,matt4 xvii4 #bg74  ,this example is   
very much to our purpose2 for here      
,christ calls ,himself and ,his         
disciples free men and children of a    
,king1 in want of nothing2 and yet ,he  
voluntarily submits and pays the tax4   
,just as far1 then1 as this work was    
necessary or useful to ,christ for      
justification or salvation1 so far do   
all ,his other works or those of ,his   
disciples avail for justification4 ,they
 are really free and subsequent to      
justification1 and only done to serve   
others and set them an example4  ,such  
are the works which ,paul inculcated1   
that ,christians should be subject to   
principalities and powers and ready to  
every good work 7,titus iii4 #a71 not   
that they may be justified by these     
things--for they are already justified  

by faith--but that in liberty of spirit 
they may thus be the servants of others 
and subject to powers1 obeying their    
will out of gratuitous love4  ,such1    
too1 ought to have been the works of all
 colleges1 monasteries1 and priests2    
every one doing the works of his own    
profession and state of life1 not in    
order to be justified by them1 but in   
order to bring his own body into        
subjection1 as an example to others1 who
 themselves also need to keep under     
their bodies1 and also in order to      
accommodate himself to the will of      
others1 out of free love4 ,but we must  
always guard most carefully against any 
vain confidence or presumption of being 
justified1 gaining merit1 or being saved
 by these works1 this being the part of 
faith alone1 as ,i have so often said4  
,any man possessing this knowledge may  
easily keep clear of danger among those 
innumerable commands and precepts of the
 ,pope1 of bishops1 of monasteries1 of  
churches1 of princes1 and of            

magistrates1 which some foolish pastors 
urge on us as being necessary for       
justification and salvation1 calling    
them precepts of the ,church1 when they 
are not so at all4 ,for the ,christian  
freeman will speak thus3 ,i will fast1  
,i will pray1 ,i will do this or that   
which is commanded me by men1 not as    
having any need of these things for     
justification or salvation1 but that ,i 
may thus comply with the will of the    
,pope1 of the bishop1 of such a         
community or such a magistrate1 or of my
 neighbour as an example to him2 for    
this cause ,i will do and suffer all    
things1 just as ,christ did and suffered
 much more for me1 though ,he needed not
 at all to do so on ,his own account1   
and made ,himself for my sake under the 
law1 when ,he was not under the law4    
,and although tyrants may do me violence
 or wrong in requiring obedience to     
these things1 yet it will not hurt me to
 do them1 so long as they are not done  
against ,god4  ,from all this every man 

will be able to attain a sure judgment  
and faithful discrimination between all 
works and laws1 and to know who are     
blind and foolish pastors1 and who are  
true and good ones4 ,for whatsoever work
 is not directed to the sole end either 
of keeping under the body1 or of doing  
service to our neighbour--provided he   
require nothing contrary to the will of 
,god--is no good or ,christian work4    
,hence ,i greatly fear that at this day 
few or no colleges1 monasteries1 altars1
 or ecclesiastical functions are        
,christian ones2 and the same may be    
said of fasts and special prayers to    
certain saints4 ,i fear that in all     
these nothing is being sought but what  
is already ours2 while we fancy that by 
these things our sins are purged away   
and salvation is attained1 and thus     
utterly do away with ,christian liberty4
 ,this comes from ignorance of          
,christian faith and liberty4  ,this    
ignorance and this crushing of liberty  
are diligently promoted by the teaching 

of very many blind pastors1 who stir up 
and urge the people to a zeal for these 
things1 praising them and puffing them  
up with their indulgences1 but never    
teaching faith4 ,now ,i would advise    
you1 if you have any wish to pray1 to   
fast1 or to make foundations in         
churches1 as they call it1 to take care 
not to do so with the object of gaining 
any advantage1 either temporal or       
eternal4 ,you will thus wrong your      
faith1 which alone bestows all things on
 you1 and the increase of which1 either 
by working or by suffering1 is alone to 
be cared for4 ,what you give1 give      
freely and without price1 that others   
may prosper and have increase from you  
and your goodness4 ,thus you will be a  
truly good man and a ,christian4 ,for   
what to you are your goods and your     
works1 which are done over and above for
 the subjection of the body1 since you  
have abundance for yourself through your
 faith1 in which ,god has given you all 
things8  ,we give this rule3 the good   

things which we have from ,god ought to 
flow from one to another and become     
common to all1 so that every one of us  
may1 as it were1 put on his neighbour1  
and so behave towards him as if he were 
himself in his place4 ,they flowed and  
do flow from ,christ to us2 ,he put us  
on1 and acted for us as if ,he ,himself 
were what we are4 ,from us they flow to 
those who have need of them2 so that my 
faith and righteousness ought to be laid
 down before ,god as a covering and     
intercession for the sins of my         
neighbour1 which ,i am to take on       
myself1 and so labour and endure        
servitude in them1 as if they were my   
own2 for thus has ,christ done for us4  
,this is true love and the genuine truth
 of ,christian life4 ,but only there is 
it true and genuine where there is true 
and genuine faith4 ,hence the ,apostle  
attributes to charity this quality3 that
 she seeketh not her own4  ,we conclude 
therefore that a ,christian man does not
 live in himself1 but in ,christ and in 

his neighbour1 or else is no ,christian3
 in ,christ by faith2 in his neighbour  
by love4 ,by faith he is carried upwards
 above himself to ,god1 and by love he  
sinks back below himself to his         
neighbour1 still always-abiding in ,god 
and ,his love1 as ,christ says1 ,verily 
,i say unto you1 ,hereafter ye shall see
 heaven open1 and the angels of ,god    
ascending and descending upon the ,son  
of man 7,john i4 #ea74  ,thus much      
concerning liberty1 which1 as you see1  
is a true and spiritual liberty1 making 
our hearts free from all sins1 laws1 and
 commandments1 as ,paul says1 ,the law  
is not made for a righteous man 7#a     
,tim4 i4 #i71 and one which surpasses   
all other external liberties1 as far as 
heaven is above earth4 ,may ,christ make
 us to understand and preserve this     
liberty4 ,amen4  ,finally1 for the sake 
of those to whom nothing can be stated  
so well but that they misunderstand and 
distort it1 we must add a word1 in case 
they can understand even that4 ,there   

are very many persons who1 when they    
hear of this liberty of faith1          
straightway turn it into an occasion of 
licence4 ,they think that everything is 
now lawful for them1 and do not choose  
to show themselves free men and         
,christians in any other way than by    
their contempt and reprehension of      
ceremonies1 of traditions1 of human     
laws2 as if they were ,christians merely
 because they refuse to fast on stated  
days1 or eat flesh when others fast1 or 
omit the customary prayers2 scoffing at 
the precepts of men1 but utterly passing
 over all the rest that belongs to the  
,christian religion4 ,on the other hand1
 they are most pertinaciously resisted  
by those who strive after salvation     
solely by their observance of and       
reverence for ceremonies1 as if they    
would be saved merely because they fast 
on stated days1 or abstain from flesh1  
or make formal prayers2 talking loudly  
of the precepts of the ,church and of   
the ,fathers1 and not caring a straw    

about those things which belong to our  
genuine faith4 ,both these parties are  
plainly culpable1 in that1 while they   
neglect matters which are of weight and 
necessary for salvation1 they contend   
noisily about such as are without weight
 and not necessary4  ,how much more     
rightly does the ,apostle ,paul teach us
 to walk in the middle path1 condemning 
either extreme and saying1 ,let not him 
that eateth despise him that eateth not2
 and let not him which eateth not judge 
him that eateth 7,rom4 xiv4 #c76 ,you   
see here how the ,apostle blames those  
who1 not from religious feeling1 but in 
mere contempt1 neglect and rail at      
ceremonial observances1 and teaches them
 not to despise1 since this knowledge   
puffeth up4 ,again1 he teaches the      
pertinacious upholders of these things  
not to judge their opponents4 ,for      
neither party observes towards the other
 that charity which edifieth4 ,in this  
matter we must listen to ,scripture1    
which teaches us to turn aside neither  

to the right hand nor to the left1 but  
to follow those right precepts of the   
,lord which rejoice the heart4 ,for just
 as a man is not righteous merely       
because he serves and is devoted to     
works and ceremonial rites1 so neither  
will he be accounted righteous merely   
because he neglects and despises them4  
,it is not from works that we are set   
free by the faith of ,christ1 but from  
the belief in works1 that is from       
foolishly presuming to seek             
justification through works4 ,faith     
redeems our consciences1 makes them     
upright1 and preserves them1 since by it
 we recognise the truth that            
justification does not depend on our    
works1 although good works neither can  
nor ought to be absent1 just as we      
cannot exist without food and drink and 
all the functions of this mortal body4  
,still it is not on them that our       
justification is based1 but on faith2   
and yet they ought not on that account  
to be despised or neglected4 ,thus in   

this world we are compelled by the needs
 of this bodily life2 but we are not    
hereby justified4 ,my kingdom is not    
hence1 nor of this world1 says ,christ2 
but ,he does not say1 ,my kingdom is not
 here1 nor in this world4 ,paul1 too1   
says1 ,though we walk in the flesh1 we  
do not war after the flesh 7#b ,cor4 x4 
#c71 and ,the life which ,i now live in 
the flesh ,i live by the faith of the   
,son of ,god 7,gal4 ii4 #bj74 ,thus our 
doings1 life1 and being1 in works and   
ceremonies1 are done from the           
necessities of this life1 and with the  
motive of governing our bodies2 but yet 
we are not justified by these things1   
but by the faith of the ,son of ,god4   
,the ,christian must therefore walk in  
the middle path1 and set these two      
classes of men before his eyes4 ,he may 
meet with hardened and obstinate        
ceremonialists1 who1 like deaf adders1  
refuse to listen to the truth of        
liberty1 and cry up1 enjoin1 and urge on
 us their ceremonies1 as if they could  

justify us without faith4 ,such were the
 ,jews of old1 who would not understand1
 that they might act well4 ,these men we
 must resist1 do just the contrary to   
what they do1 and be bold to give them  
offence1 lest by this impious notion of 
theirs they should deceive many along   
with themselves4 ,before the eyes of    
these men it is expedient to eat flesh1 
to break fasts1 and to do in behalf of  
the liberty of faith things which they  
hold to be the greatest sins4 ,we must  
say of them1 ,let them alone2 they be   
blind leaders of the blind 7,matt4 xv4  
#ad74 ,in this way ,paul also would not 
have ,titus circumcised1 though these   
men urged it2 and ,christ defended the  
,apostles1 who had plucked ears of corn 
on the ,sabbath day2 and many like      
instances4  ,or else we may meet with   
simple-minded and ignorant persons1 weak
 in the faith1 as the ,apostle calls    
them1 who are as yet unable to apprehend
 that liberty of faith1 even if willing 
to do so4 ,these we must spare1 lest    

they should be offended4 ,we must bear  
with their infirmity1 till they shall be
 more fully instructed4 ,for since these
 men do not act thus from hardened      
malice1 but only from weakness of faith1
 therefore1 in order to avoid giving    
them offence1 we must keep fasts and do 
other things which they consider        
necessary4 ,this is required of us by   
charity1 which injures no one1 but      
serves all men4 ,it is not the fault of 
these persons that they are weak1 but   
that of their pastors1 who by the snares
 and weapons of their own traditions    
have brought them into bondage and      
wounded their souls when they ought to  
have been set free and healed by the    
teaching of faith and liberty4 ,thus the
 ,apostle says1 ,if meat make my brother
 to offend1 ,i will eat no flesh while  
the world standeth 7#a ,cor4 viii4 #ac72
 and again1 ,i know1 and am persuaded by
 the ,lord ,jesus1 that there is nothing
 unclean of itself2 but to him that     
esteemeth anything to be unclean1 to him

 it is unclean4 ,it is evil for that man
 who eateth with offence 7,rom4 xiv4    
#ad1 #bj74  ,thus1 though we ought      
boldly to resist those teachers of      
tradition1 and though the laws of the   
pontiffs1 by which they make aggressions
 on the people of ,god1 deserve sharp   
reproof1 yet we must spare the timid    
crowd1 who are held captive by the laws 
of those impious tyrants1 till they are 
set free4 ,fight vigorously against the 
wolves1 but on behalf of the sheep1 not 
against the sheep4 ,and this you may do 
by inveighing against the laws and      
lawgivers1 and yet at the same time     
observing these laws with the weak1 lest
 they be offended1 until they shall     
themselves recognise the tyranny1 and   
understand their own liberty4 ,if you   
wish to use your liberty1 do it         
secretly1 as ,paul says1 ,hast thou     
faith8 have it to thyself before ,god   
7,rom4 xiv4 #bb74 ,but take care not to 
use it in the presence of the weak4 ,on 
the other hand1 in the presence of      

tyrants and obstinate opposers1 use your
 liberty in their despite1 and with the 
utmost pertinacity1 that they too may   
understand that they are tyrants1 and   
their laws useless for justification1   
nay that they had no right to establish 
such laws4  ,since then we cannot live  
in this world without ceremonies and    
works1 since the hot and inexperienced  
period of youth has need of being       
restrained and protected by such bonds1 
and since every one is bound to keep    
under his own body by attention to these
 things1 therefore the minister of      
,christ must be prudent and faithful in 
so ruling and teaching the people of    
,christ1 in all these matters1 that no  
root of bitterness may spring up among  
them1 and so many be defiled1 as ,paul  
warned the ,hebrews2 that is1 that they 
may not lose the faith1 and begin to be 
defiled by a belief in works as the     
means of justification4 ,this is a thing
 which easily happens1 and defiles very 
many1 unless faith be constantly        

inculcated along with works4 ,it is     
impossible to avoid this evil1 when     
faith is passed over in silence1 and    
only the ordinances of men are taught1  
as has been done hitherto by the        
pestilent1 impious1 and soul-destroying 
traditions of our pontiffs and opinions 
of our theologians4 ,an infinite number 
of souls have been drawn down to hell by
 these snares1 so that you may recognise
 the work of antichrist4  ,in brief1 as 
poverty is imperilled amid riches1      
honesty amid business1 humility amid    
honours1 abstinence amid feasting1      
purity amid pleasures1 so is            
justification by faith imperilled among 
ceremonies4 ,solomon says1 ,can a man   
take fire in his bosom1 and his clothes 
not be burned8 7,prov4 vi4 #bg74 ,and   
yet as we must live among riches1       
business1 honours1 pleasures1 feastings1
 so must we among ceremonies1 that is   
among perils4 ,just as infant boys have 
the greatest need of being cherished in 
the bosoms and by the care of girls1    

that they may not die1 and yet1 when    
they are grown1 there is peril to their 
salvation in living among girls1 so     
inexperienced and fervid young men      
require to be kept in and restrained by 
the barriers of ceremonies1 even were   
they of iron1 lest their weak minds     
should rush headlong into vice4 ,and yet
 it would be death to them to persevere 
in believing that they can be justified 
by these things4 ,they must rather be   
taught that they have been thus         
imprisoned1 not with the purpose of     
their being justified or gaining merit  
in this way1 but in order that they     
might avoid wrong-doing1 and be more    
easily instructed in that righteousness 
which is by faith1 a thing which the    
headlong character of youth would not   
bear unless it were put under restraint4
  ,hence in the ,christian life         
ceremonies are to be no otherwise looked
 upon than as builders and workmen look 
upon those preparations for building or 
working which are not made with any view

 of being permanent or anything in      
themselves1 but only because without    
them there could be no building and no  
work4 ,when the structure is completed1 
they are laid aside4 ,here you see that 
we do not contemn these preparations1   
but set the highest value on them2 a    
belief in them we do contemn1 because no
 one thinks that they constitute a real 
and permanent structure4 ,if any one    
were so manifestly out of his senses as 
to have no other object in life but that
 of setting up these preparations with  
all possible expense1 diligence1 and    
perseverance1 while he never thought of 
the structure itself1 but pleased       
himself and made his boast of these     
useless preparations and props1 should  
we not all pity his madness and think   
that1 at the cost thus thrown away1 some
 great building might have been raised8 
,thus1 too1 we do not contemn works and 
ceremonies--nay1 we set the highest     
value on them2 but we contemn the belief
 in works1 which no one should consider 

to constitute true righteousness1 as do 
those hypocrites who employ and throw   
away their whole life in the pursuit of 
works1 and yet never attain to that for 
the sake of which the works are done4   
,as the ,apostle says1 they are ever    
learning and never able to come to the  
knowledge of the truth 7#b ,tim4 iii4   
#g74 ,they appear to wish to build1 they
 make preparations1 and yet they never  
do build2 and thus they continue in a   
show of godliness1 but never attain to  
its power4  ,meanwhile they please      
themselves with this zealous pursuit1   
and even dare to judge all others1 whom 
they do not see adorned with such a     
glittering display of works2 while1 if  
they had been imbued with faith1 they   
might have done great things for their  
own and others' salvation1 at the same  
cost which they now waste in abuse of   
the gifts of ,god4 ,but since human     
nature and natural reason1 as they call 
it1 are naturally superstitious1 and    
quick to believe that justification can 

be attained by any laws or works        
proposed to them1 and since nature is   
also exercised and confirmed in the same
 view by the practice of all earthly    
lawgivers1 she can never of her own     
power free herself from this bondage to 
works1 and come to a recognition of the 
liberty of faith4  ,we have therefore   
need to pray that ,god will lead us and 
make us taught of ,god1 that is1 ready  
to learn from ,god2 and will ,himself1  
as ,he has promised1 write ,his law in  
our hearts2 otherwise there is no hope  
for us4 ,for unless ,he himself teach us
 inwardly this wisdom hidden in a       
mystery1 nature cannot but condemn it   
and judge it to be heretical4 ,she takes
 offence at it1 and it seems folly to   
her1 just as we see that it happened of 
old in the case of the prophets and     
,apostles1 and just as blind and impious
 pontiffs1 with their flatterers1 do now
 in my case and that of those who are   
like me1 upon whom1 together with       
ourselves1 may ,god at length have      

mercy1 and lift up the light of ,his    
countenance upon them1 that we may know 
,his way upon earth and ,his saving     
health among all nations1 who is blessed
 for evermore4 ,amen4 ,in the year of   
the ,lord ,,mdxx4