,,works ,,of ,,martin ,,luther ,,with   
,,introductions ,,and ,,notes ,,volume  
,i  ,,philadelphia ,a4 ,j4 ,,holman     
,,company #aiae  ,copyright1 #aiae1 by  
,a4 ,j4 ,,holman ,,company  ,,contents  
,,introduction ,,translator',s ,,note   
,,luther',s ,,prefaces 7,c4 ,m4 ,jacobs7
 ,,disputation ,,on ,,indulgences       
7#aeag7     ,introduction 7,c4 ,h4      
,jacobs7     ,translation 7,c4 ,m1      
,jacobs7 ,,treatise ,,on ,,baptism      
7#aeai7     ,introduction 7,h4 ,e4      
,jacobs7     ,translation 7,c4 ,m4      
,jacobs7 ,,discussion ,,of ,,confession 
7#aebj7     ,introduction 7,h4 ,e4      
,jacobs7     ,translation 7,c4 ,m4      
,jacobs7 ,,the ,,fourteen ,,of          
,,consolation 7#aebj7     ,introduction 
7,a4 ,t4 ,w4 ,steinhaeuser7             
,translation 7,a4 ,t4 ,w4 ,steinhaeuser7
 ,,treatise ,,on ,,good ,,works 7#aebj7 
,introduction 7,a4 ,t4 ,w4              
,steinhaeuser7     ,translation 7,a4 ,t4
 ,w4 ,steinhaeuser7 ,,treatise ,,on     
,,the ,,new ,,testament 7#aebj7         

,introduction 7,j4 ,l4 ,neve7           
,translation 7,j4 ,j4 ,schindel7 ,,the  
,,papacy ,,at ,,rome 7#aebj7            
,introduction 7,t4 ,e4 ,schmauk7        
,translation 7,a4 ,steimle7 ,,index 7,w4
 ,a4 ,lambert7   ,,introduction   ,no   
historical study of current             
issues--politics or social science or   
theology--can far proceed without       
bringing the student face to face with  
the principles asserted by the          
,reformation of the ,sixteenth ,century 
and its great leader1 ,martin ,luther4  
,he has had many critics and many       
champions1 but neither his critics nor  
his champions feel that the last word   
concerning him has been spoken1 for     
scarcely a year passes that does not    
witness the publication of a new        
biography4  ,had ,luther been nothing   
more than a man of his own time and his 
own nation the task of estimating him   
would long since have been completed4 ,a
 few exhaustive treatises would have    
answered all demands4 ,but the          

,catalogue of the ,british ,museum1     
published in #ahid1 contains over two   
hundred folio pages1 averaging about    
thirty-five titles to the page1 of books
 and pamphlets written either by or     
about him1 that have been gathered into 
this single collection1 in a land       
foreign to the sphere of his labors1 and
 this list has been greatly augmented   
since #ahid4 ,above all other historical
 characters that have appeared since the
 first years of ,christianity1 he is a  
man of the present day no less than of  
the day in which he lived4  ,but ,luther
 can be properly known and estimated    
only when he is allowed to speak for    
himself4 ,he should be seen not through 
the eyes of others1 but through our own4
 ,in order to judge the man we must know
 all sides of the man1 and read the     
heaviest as well as the lightest of his 
works1 the more scientific and          
theological as well as the more         
practical and popular1 his informal     
letters as well as his formal treatises4

 ,we must take account of the time of   
each writing and the circumstances under
 which it was composed1 of the          
adversaries against whom he was         
contending1 and of the progress which he
 made in his opinions as time went on4  
,the great fund of primary sources which
 the historical methods of the last     
generation have made available should   
also be laid under contribution to shed 
light upon his statements and his       
attitude toward the various questions   
involved in his life-struggles4  ,as    
long as a writer can be read only in the
 language or languages in which he      
wrote1 this necessary closer contact    
with his personality can be enjoyed only
 by a very limited circle of advanced   
scholars4 ,but many of these will be    
grateful for a translation into their   
vernacular for more rapid reading1 from 
which they may turn to the standard text
 when a question of more minute         
criticism is at stake4 ,even advanced   
students appreciate accurately rendered 

and scholarly annotated translations1 by
 which the range of the leaders of human
 thought1 with whom it is possible for  
them to be occupied1 may be greatly     
enlarged4 ,such series of translations  
as those comprised in the well-edited   
,ante-,nicene1 ,nicene and ,post-,nicene
 ,libraries of the ,fathers have served 
a most excellent purpose4  ,in the      
series introduced by this volume the    
attempt is made to render a similar     
service with respect to ,luther4 ,this  
is no ambitious project to reproduce in 
,english all that he wrote or that fell 
from his lips in the lecture-room or in 
the pulpit4 ,the plan has been to       
furnish within the space of ten volumes 
a selection of such treatises as are    
either of most permanent value1 or      
supply the best means for obtaining a   
true view of his many-sided literary    
activity and the sources of his abiding 
influence4 ,the aim is not to popularize
 the writer1 but to make the ,english1  
as far as possible1 a faithful          

reproduction of the ,german or ,latin4  
,the work has been done by a small group
 of scholarly ,lutheran pastors1        
residing near each other1 and jointly   
preparing the copy for the printer4 ,the
 first draft of each translation was    
thoroughly discussed and revised in a   
joint conference of the translators     
before final approval4 ,representative  
scholars1 who have given more or less   
special study to ,luther1 have been     
called in to prepare some of the        
introductions4 ,while the part          
contributed by each individual is       
credited at the proper place1 it must   
yet be added that my former colleague1  
the late ,rev4 ,prof4 ,adolph ,spaeth1  
,d4 ,d41 ,,ll4 ,d4 7died ,june #be1     
#aiaj71 was actively engaged as the     
,chairman of the ,committee that        
organized the work1 determined the plan1
 and1 with the undersigned1 made the    
first selection of the material to be   
included4  ,the other members of the    
,committee are the ,rev4 ,t4 ,e4        

,schmauk1 ,d4 ,d41 ,,ll4 ,d41 the ,rev4 
,l4 ,d4 ,reed1 ,d4 ,d41 the ,rev4 ,w4   
,a4 ,lambert1 ,j4 ,j4 ,schindel1 ,a4    
,steimle1 ,a4 ,t4 ,w4 ,steinhaeuser1 and
 ,c4 ,m4 ,jacobs1 ,d4 ,d42 upon the five
 last named the burden of preparing the 
translations and notes has rested4      
,their work has been laborious and      
difficult4 ,luther's complaints         
concerning the seriousness of his task  
in attempting to teach the patriarch    
,job to speak idiomatic ,german might   
doubtless have found an echo in the     
experience of this corps of scholars in 
forcing ,luther into idiomatic ,english4
 ,we are confident1 however1 that1 as in
 ,luther's case1 so also here1 the      
general verdict of readers will be that 
they have been eminently successful4 ,it
 should also be known that it has been  
purely a labor of love1 performed in the
 midst of the exacting duties of large  
pastorates1 and to serve the ,church1 to
 whose ministry they have consecrated   
their lives4  ,the approaching jubilee  

of the ,reformation in #aiag will call  
renewed attention to the author of these
 treatises4 ,these volumes have been    
prepared with especial reference to the 
discussions which1 we have every reason 
to believe1 will then occur4      ,henry
 ,eyster ,jacobs4     ,luther           
,theological ,seminary1     ,mt4 ,airy1 
,philadelphia4   ,,translators' ,,note  
,the languages from which the following 
translations have been made are the     
,latin and the ,german1--the ,latin of  
the ,german ,universities1 the ,german  
of the people1 and both distinctively   
,luther's4 ,in the ,latin there is added
 to the imperfection of the form1 when  
measured by classical standards1 the    
difficulty of expressing in an old      
language the new thoughts of the        
,reformation4 ,german was regarded even 
by ,gibbon1 two hundred and fifty years 
later1 as a barbarous idiom4 ,luther1   
especially in his earlier writings1     
struggled to give form to a language and
 to express the highest thoughts in it4 

,where ,luther thus struggled with two  
languages1 it is evident that they have 
no easy task who attempt to reproduce   
the two in a third4  ,modern ,germans   
find it convenient to read ,luther's    
,german in a modernized text1 sometimes 
rather hastily and uncritically         
constructed1 and altogether unsafe as a 
basis for translation4 ,where the       
,germans have had to modify1 a          
translator meets double difficulties4   
,it may be puzzling for him to know     
,luther's exact meaning2 it is even more
 puzzling to find the exact ,english    
equivalent4  ,in order to overcome these
 difficulties1 in part at least1 and    
present a translation both accurate and 
readable1 the present group of          
translators have not simply distributed 
the work among themselves1 but have     
together revised each translation as it 
was made4 ,the original translator1 at a
 meeting of the group1 has submitted his
 work to the rest for criticism and     
correction1 amounting at times to       

retranslation4 ,no doubtful point1      
whether in sense or in sound1 has been  
passed by unchallenged4  ,even with such
 care1 the translation is not perfect4  
,in places a variant reading is         
possible1 a variant interpretation      
plausible4 ,we can only claim that an   
honest effort has been made to be both  
accurate and clear1 and submit the      
result of our labors to a fair and      
scholarly criticism4 ,critics can hardly
 be more severe than we have been to one
 another4 ,if they find errors1 it may  
be that we have seen them1 and preferred
 the seeming error to the suggested     
correction2 if not1 we can accept       
criticism from others as gracefully as  
from each other4  ,the sources from     
which our translations have been made   
are the best texts available in each    
case4 ,in general1 these are found in   
the ,weimar ,edition 7,d4 ,martin       
,luthers ,werke4 ,kritische             
,gesammtausgabe4 ,weimar4 ,hermann      
,bhlaus ,nachfolger1 #ahhc ff471 so far 

as this is completed4 ,a more complete  
and fairly satisfactory edition is that 
known as the ,erlangen ,edition1 in     
which the ,german and ,latin works are  
published in separate series1 #ahbf ff4 
,the text of the ,berlin ,edition       
7,luthers ,werke1 herausgegeben von     
,pfarrer ,d4 ,dr4 ,buchwald1 etc41      
,berlin1 ,c4 ,a4 ,schwetschke und ,sohn1
 third edition1 #aije1 ten volumes7 is  
modernized1 and where it has been used  
it has been carefully compared with the 
more critical texts4 ,the two editions  
of ,walch--the original1 published      
#agdj-agec1 in twenty-four volumes1 at  
,halle1 and the modern edition1 known as
 the ,st4 ,louis1 ,mo41 edition1 #ahhj  
ff4--are entirely ,german1 and somewhat 
modernized4 ,for our purpose they could 
be used only as helps in the            
interpretation1 and not as standard     
texts for translation4 ,a very          
convenient and satisfactory critical    
text of selected treatises is to be     
found in ,otto ,clemen1 ,luthers ,werke 

in ,auswahl1 ,bonn1 #d vols41 of which  
two volumes appeared in #aiab4   ,,works
 ,,of ,,martin ,,luther   ,,selections  
,,from ,,luther',s ,,prefaces ,,to ,,his
 ,,works #aeci and #aede   ,i           
,,luther',s ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,first
 ,,part ,,of ,,his ,,german ,,works#a   
,,edition ,,of #aeci   ,i would gladly  
have seen all my books forgotten and    
destroyed2 if only for the reason that  
,i am afraid of the example4#b ,for ,i  
see what benefit it has brought to the  
churches1 that men have begun to collect
 many books and great libraries1 outside
 and alongside of the ,holy ,scriptures2
 and have begun especially to scramble  
together1 without any distinction1 all  
sorts of ,fathers1 ,councils1 and       
,doctors4 ,not only has good time been  
wasted1 and the study of the ,scriptures
 neglected2 but the pure understanding  
of the divine ,word is lost1 until at   
last the ,bible has come to lie         
forgotten in the dust under the bench4  
,although it is both useful and         

necessary that the writings of some of  
the ,fathers and the decrees of some of 
the ,councils should be preserved as    
witnesses and records1 nevertheless1 ,i 
think1 est modus in rebus1#c and it is  
no pity that the books of many of the   
,fathers and ,councils have1 by ,god's  
grace1 been lost4 ,if they had all      
remained1 one could scarce go in or out 
for books1 and we should still have     
nothing better than we find in the ,holy
 ,scriptures4  ,then1 too1 it was our   
intention and our hope1 when we began to
 put the ,bible into ,german1 that there
 would be less writing1 and more        
studying and reading of the ,scriptures4
 ,for all other writings should point to
 the ,scriptures1 as ,john pointed to   
,christ2 when he said1 ,he must         
increase1 but ,i must decrease4 ,john   
#c3cj ,in this way every one may drink  
for himself from the fresh spring1 as   
all the ,fathers have had to do when    
they wished to produce anything worth   
while4 ,neither ,fathers nor ,councils  

nor we ourselves will do so well1 even  
when our very best is done1 as the ,holy
 ,scriptures have done2 that is to say1 
we shall never do so well as ,god       
,himself4 ,even though for our salvation
 we need to have the ,holy ,spirit and  
faith and divine language and divine    
works1 nevertheless we must let the     
,prophets and ,apostles sit at the desk1
 while we sit at their feet and listen  
to what they say4 ,it is not for us to  
say what they must hear4  ,since1       
however1 ,i cannot prevent it1 and1     
without my wish1 they are now bent on   
collecting and printing my books--small 
honor to me--,i shall have to let them  
put their energy and labor on the       
venture4 ,i comfort myself with the     
thought that my books will yet be       
forgotten in the dust1 especially when1 
by ,god's grace1 ,i have written        
something good4 ,non ero melior patribus
 meis4#da ,kings #ai3d ,the other kind  
will be more likely to endure4 ,for when
 the ,bible can be left lying under the 

bench1 and when it is true of the       
,fathers and ,councils that the better  
they were1 the more completely they have
 been forgotten2 there is good hope     
that1 when the curiosity of this age has
 been satisfied1 my books too will not  
long remain2 the more so1 since it has  
begun to rain and snow books and        
,doctors1 of which many are already     
forgotten and gone to dust1 so that one 
no longer remembers even their names4   
,they themselves had hoped1 to be sure1 
that they would always be in the market1
 and play schoolmaster to the churches4 
,well1 then1 let it go1 in ,god's ,name4
 ,i only ask in all kindness that the   
man who wishes at this time to have my  
books will by no means let them be a    
hindrance to his own study of the       
,scriptures1 but read them as ,i read   
the orders and the ordures of the pope#e
 and the books of the sophists4 ,i look 
now and then to see what they have done1
 or learn from them the history and     
thought of their time1 but ,i do not    

study them1 or feel myself bound to     
conform to them4 ,i do not treat the    
,fathers and the ,councils very         
differently4 ,in this ,i follow the     
example of ,st4 ,augustine1 who is one  
of the first1 and almost the only one of
 them to subject himself to the ,holy   
,scriptures alone1 uninfluenced by the  
books of all the ,fathers and the       
,saints4 ,this brought him into a hard  
fray with ,st4 ,jerome1 who cast up to  
him the writings of his predecessors2   
but he did not care for that4 ,if this  
example of ,st4 ,augustine had been     
followed1 the pope would not have become
 ,antichrist1 the countless vermin1 the 
swarming1 parasitic mass of books would 
not have come into the ,church1 and the 
,bible would have kept its place in the 
pulpit4  ,,footnotes  #a ,text as given 
in the ,berlin ,edition of the ,buchwald
 and others1 ,vol4 ,i pp4 ix ff4  #b ,i4
 e4 ,the example set by preserving and  
collecting them4  #c ,there is          
moderation in all things4  #d ,i shall  

not be better than my fathers4 ,cf4 #a  
,kings #ai3d  #e ,des ,pabats ,drecet   
and ,drecketal4 ,luther makes a pun on  
decreta and decretalia--the official    
names for the decrees of the ,pope4     
,,ii ,,dr4 ,,martin ,,luther ,,to ,,the 
,,christian ,,reader#a ,,edition ,,of   
#aede   ,above all things ,i beseech the
 ,christian reader and beg him for the  
sake of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 to    
read my earliest books very             
circumspectly and with much pity1       
knowing that before now ,i too was a    
monk1 and one of the right frantic and  
raving papists4 ,when ,i took up this   
matter against ,indulgences1 ,i was so  
full and drunken1 yea1 so besotted in   
papal doctrine that1 out of my great    
zeal1 ,i would have been ready to do    
murder--at least1 ,i would have been    
glad to see and help that murder should 
be done--on all who would not be        
obedient and subject to the pope1 even  
to his smallest word4  ,such a ,saul was
 ,i at that time2 and ,i meant it right 

earnestly2 and there are still many such
 today4 ,in a word1 ,i was not such a   
frozen and ice-cold#b champion of the   
papacy as ,eck and others of his kind   
have been and still are4 ,they defend   
the ,roman ,see more for the sake of the
 shameful belly1 which is their god1    
than because they are really attached to
 its cause4 ,indeed ,i am wholly of the 
opinion that like latter-day            
,epicureans1#c they only laugh at the   
pope4 ,but ,i verily espoused this cause
 in deepest earnest and in all fidelity2
 the more so because ,i shrank from the 
,last ,day with great anxiety and fear  
and terror1 and yet from the depths of  
my heart desired to be saved4           
,therefore1 ,christian reader1 thou wilt
 find in my earliest books and writings 
how many points of faith ,i then1 with  
all humility1 yielded and conceded to   
the pope1 which since then ,i have held 
and condemned for the most horrible     
blasphemy and abomination1 and which ,i 
would have to be so held and so         

condemned forever4 ,amen4  ,thou wilt   
therefore ascribe this my error1 or as  
my opponents venomously call it1 this   
inconsistency of mine1#d to the time1   
and to my ignorance and inexperience4   
,at the beginning ,i was quite alone and
 without any helpers1 and moreover1 to  
tell the truth1 unskilled in all these  
things1 and far too unlearned to discuss
 such high and weighty matters4 ,for it 
was without any intention1 purpose1 or  
will of mine that ,i fell1 quite        
unexpectedly1 into this wrangling and   
contention4 ,this ,i take ,god1 the     
,searcher of hearts1 to witness4  ,i    
tell these things to the end that1 if   
thou shalt read my books1 thou mayest   
know and remember that ,i am one of     
those who1 as ,st4 ,augustine says of   
himself1 have grown by writing and by   
teaching others1 and not one of those   
who1 starting with nothing1 have in a   
trice become the most exalted and most  
learned doctors4 ,we find1 alas6 many of
 these self-grown doctors2 who in truth 

are nothing1 do nothing and accomplish  
nothing1 are moreover untried and       
inexperienced1 and yet1 after a single  
took at the ,scriptures1 think          
themselves able wholly to exhaust its   
spirit4  ,farewell1 dear reader1 in the 
,lord4 ,pray that the ,word may be      
further spread abroad1 and may be strong
 against the miserable devil4 ,for he is
 mighty and wicked1 and just now is     
raving everywhere and raging cruelly1   
like one who well knows and feels that  
his time is short1 and that the kingdom 
of his ,vicar1 the ,antichrist in       
,rome1#e is sore beset4 ,but may the    
,god of all grace and mercy strengthen  
and complete in us the work ,he has     
begun1 to ,his honor and to the comfort 
of ,his little flock4 ,amen4            
,,footnotes  #a ,from the ,preface to   
the ,complete ,works 7#aede74 ,text     
according to the ,berlin ,edition of the
 ,buchwald and others1 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 xi 
ff4  #b ,evidently a play on the ,latin 
frigidus1 often used in the sense of    

trivial or silly2 so ,luther refers to  
the frigida decreta ,paperum in his     
,propositions for the ,leipzipg         
,disputation 7#aeai74  #c i4 e4         
,frivolous mockers at holy things4  #d  
,see ,prefatory ,note to the ,fourteen  
of ,consolation1 below1 p4#aji4  #e     
,long before this ,luther had repeatedly
 expressed the conviction that the ,pope
 was the ,antichrist foretold in #b     
,thess4 #b3c f41 and ,rev4 #ac and #ag4 
,,the ,,disputation ,,of ,,doctor       
,,martin ,,luther ,,on ,,the ,,power    
,,and ,,efficacy ,,of ,,indulgences     
7,,the ,,ninety-,,five ,,theses7 #aeag  
,,together ,,with ,,three ,,letters     
,,explanatory ,,of ,,the ,,theses       
,,introduction  ,a ,disputation of the  
,power and ,efficacy of ,indulgences #a 
is the full title of the document       
commonly called ,the ,ninety-five       
,theses4 ,the form of the document was  
determined by the academic practice of  
the ,middle ,ages4 ,in all the ,medival 
,universities the disputation was a     

well-established institution4 ,it was a 
debate1 conducted according to accepted 
rules1 on any subject which the chief   
disputant might elect1 and no student's 
education was thought to be complete    
until he had shown his ability to defend
 himself in discussions of this kind4   
,it was customary to set forth the      
subject which was to be discussed1 in a 
series of theses1 which were statements 
of opinion tentatively advanced as the  
basis of argument4 ,the author1 or some 
other person he might designate1        
announced himself ready to defend these 
statements against all comers1 and      
invited all who might wish to debate    
with him to a part in the discussion4   
,such an academic document1 one out of  
many hundreds1 exhaling the atmosphere  
of the ,medival ,university1 is the     
,disputation1 which by its historical   
importance has earned the name ,the     
,,xcv ,theses4  ,the ,theses were       
published on the ,eve of ,all ,saints   
7,oct #ca71 #aeag4 ,they were not       

intended for any other public than that 
of the ,university1#b and ,luther did   
not even have them printed at first1    
though copies were forwarded to the     
,archbishop of ,mainz1 and to ,luther's 
own diocesan1 the ,bishop of            
,brandenburg4 ,the manner of their      
publication too was academic4 ,they were
 simply posted on the door of the       
,church of ,all ,saints--called the     
,castle-church1 to distinguish it from  
its neighbor1 the ,town-church--not     
because more people would see them there
 than elsewhere1 but because that       
church-door was the customary place for 
posting such announcements1 the         
predecessor of the black-board in the   
modern ,german ,university4 ,it was not 
night1 but mid-day#c when the ,theses   
were nailed up1 and the ,eve of ,all    
,saints was chosen1 not that the crowds 
who would frequent the next day's       
festival might read them1 for they were 
written in ,latin1 but because it was   
the customary day for the posting of    

theses4 ,moreover1 the ,feast of ,all   
,saints was the time when the precious  
relics1 which earned the man who adored 
them1 long years of indulgence1#d were  
exhibited to worshipers1 and the        
approach of this high feast-day put the 
thought of indulgences uppermost in the 
minds of everybody in ,wittenberg1      
including the author of the ,theses4#e  
,but neither the ,theses nor the results
 which followed them could be confined  
to ,wittenberg4 ,contrary to ,luther's  
expectation and to his great surprise1#f
 they circulated all through ,germany   
with a rapidity that was startling4     
,within two months1 before the end of   
#aeag1 three editions of the ,latin text
 had been printed1 one at ,wittenberg1  
one at ,nrnberg1 and one as far away as 
,basel1 and copies of the ,theses had   
been sent to ,rome4 ,numerous editions1 
both ,latin and ,german1 quickly        
followed4 ,luther's contemporaries saw  
in the publication of the ,theses the   
beginning of the ,reformation1 #g and   

the judgment of modern times has        
confirmed their verdict1 but the        
,protestant of to-day1 and especially   
the ,protestant layman1 is almost       
certain to be surprised1 possibly deeply
 disappointed1 at their contents4 ,they 
are not a trumpet-blast of reform2 that 
title must be reserved for the great    
works of #aebj4h ,the word faith1       
destined to become the watchword of the 
,reformation1 does not once occur in    
them2 the validity of the ,sacrament of 
,penance is not disputed2 the right of  
the pope to forgive sins1 especially in 
reserved cases1 is not denied2 even the 
virtue of indulgences is admitted1      
within limits1 and the question at issue
 is simply ,what is that virtue8  ,to   
read the ,theses1 therefore1 with a fair
 degree of comprehension we must know   
something of the time that produced     
them1 and we must bear two facts        
continually in mind4 ,we must remember  
that at this time ,luther was a devoted 
son of the ,church and servant of the   

pope1 perhaps not quite the right       
frantic and raving papist #i he         
afterwards called himself1 but as yet   
entirely without suspicion of the extent
 to which he had inwardly diverged from 
the teachings of ,roman theology4 ,we   
must also remember that the ,theses were
 no attempt at a searching examination  
of the whole structure and content of   
,roman teaching1 but were directed      
against what ,luther conceived to be    
merely abuses which had sprung up around
 a single group of doctrines centering  
in the ,sacrament of ,penance4 ,he      
sincerely thought that the teaching of  
the ,theses was in full agreement with  
the best traditions of the ,church1#aj  
and his surprise that they should have  
caused so much excitement is undoubtedly
 genuine and not feigned4 ,he shows     
himself both hurt and astonished that he
 should be assailed as a heretic and    
schismatic1 and called by six hundred   
other names of ignominy4 #aa ,on the    
other hand1 we are compelled to admit   

that from the outset ,luther's opponents
 had grasped far more completely than he
 himself the true significance of his   
purely academic protest4  #b4 ,penance  
and ,indulgence4--,the purpose of the   
disputation which ,luther proposed to   
hold was to clear up the subject of the 
virtue of indulgences1 and the          
indulgences were the most striking and  
characteristic feature of the religious 
life of the ,church in the last three   
,centuries of the ,middle ,ages4#ab ,we 
meet them everywhere--indulgences for   
the adoration of relics1 indulgences for
 worship at certain shrines1 indulgences
 for pilgrimages here or there1         
indulgences for contributions to this or
 that special object of charity4 ,luther
 roundly charges the indulgence-vendors 
with teaching the people that the       
indulgences as a means to the remission 
of sins4 ,what are these indulgences8   
,their history is connected1 on the one 
hand1 with the history of the ,sacrament
 of ,penance1 on the other with the     

history of the development of papal     
power4 ,the ,sacrament of ,penance      
developed out of the administration of  
,church discipline4 ,in the earliest    
days of the ,church1 the ,christian who 
fell into sin was punished by exclusion 
from the communion of the ,church4 ,this
 excommunication was not1 however1      
permanent1 and the sinner could be      
restored to the privileges of           
,church-fellowship after he had         
confessed his sin1 professed penitence1 
and performed certain penitential acts1 
chief among which were alms-giving1     
fasting and prayer1 and1 somewhat later1
 pilgrimage4 ,these acts of penitence   
came to have the name of satisfactions1 
and were a condition precedent to the   
reception of absolution4 ,they varied in
 duration and severity1 according to the
 enormity of the offence1 end for the   
guidance of those who administered the  
discipline of the ,church1 sets of rules
 were formulated by which the           
satisfactions or penances were imposed4 

,these codes are the ,penitential       
,canons4 #ac ,the first step in the     
development of the indulgences may be   
found in the practice which gradually   
arose1 of remitting some part of the    
enjoined penances on consideration of   
the performance of certain acts which   
could be regarded as meritorious4  ,the 
indulgences received a new form1        
however1 and became a part of the       
regular ,church administration1 when the
 popes discovered the possibilities     
which lay in this institution for the   
advancement of their own power and the  
furtherance of their own interests4     
,this discovery seems to date from the  
time of the ,crusades4 ,the             
crusading-indulgences1 granted at first 
only to those who actually went to the  
,holy ,war1 subsequently to those also  
who contributed to the expense of the   
expedition1 were virtually the          
acceptance of this work as a substitute 
for any penance which the ,church might 
otherwise require4 ,as zeal for the     

,crusades began to wane1 the indulgences
 were used more and more freely to      
stimulate lagging interest2 their number
 was greatly increased1 and those who   
purchased the indulgences with money far
 outnumbered those who actually took the
 ,cross4 ,failing in their purpose as an
 incentive to enlistment in the         
crusading armies1 they showed their     
value as a source of income1 and from   
the beginning of the ,,xiv4 ,century the
 sale of indulgences became a regular   
business4  ,about the same time a new   
kind of indulgence arose to take the    
place of the now somewhat antiquated    
crusading-indulgence4 ,this was the     
,jubilee-indulgence1 and had its origin 
in the ,jubilee of #acjj4 ,by the ,bull 
,antiquorum ,habet ,fide1 ,boniface     
,,viii4 granted to all who would visit  
the shrines of the ,apostles in ,rome   
during the year #acjj and during each   
succeeding centennial year1 a plenary   
indulgence4#ad ,little by little it     
became the custom to increase the number

 of these ,jubilee-indulgences4 ,once in
 a hundred years was not often enough   
for ,christians to have a chance for    
plenary forgiveness1 and at last1       
unwilling to deprive of the privileges  
of the ,jubilee those who were kept away
 from ,rome1 the popes came to grant the
 same plenary indulgence to all who     
would make certain contributions to the 
papal treasury4#ae  ,meanwhile the      
,sacrament of ,penance had become an    
integral part of the ,roman sacramental 
system1 and had replaced the earlier    
penitential discipline as the means by  
which the ,church granted ,christians   
forgiveness for sins committed after    
baptism4 ,the scholastic theologians had
 busied themselves with the theory of   
this ,sacrament4 ,they distinguished    
between its material1 its form and its  
effect4 ,the form of the ,sacrament was 
the absolution3 its effect1 the         
forgiveness of sins2 ,its material1     
three acts of the penitent3 confession1 
contrition1 and satisfaction4           

,confession must be by word of mouth1   
and must include all the sins which the 
sinner could remember to have committed2
 contrition must be sincere sorrow of   
the heart1 and must include the purpose 
henceforth to avoid sin2 satisfaction   
must be made by works prescribed by the 
priest who heard confession4 ,in the    
administration of the ,sacrament1       
however1 the absolution preceded        
satisfaction instead of following it1 as
 it had done in the discipline of the   
early ,church4#af ,to justify this      
apparent inconsistency1 the ,doctors    
further distinguished between the guilt 
and the penalty of sin4#ag ,sins were   
classified as mortal and venial4 #ah    
,mortal sins for which the offender had 
not received absolution were punished   
eternally1 while venial sins were those 
which merited only some smaller penalty2
 but when a mortal sin was confessed and
 absolution granted1 the guilt of the   
sin was done away1 and with it the      
eternal penalty4 ,and yet the absolution

 did not open the gate of heaven1 though
 it closed the door of hell2 the eternal
 penalty was not to be exacted1 but     
there was a temporal penalty to be paid4
 ,the satisfaction was the temporal     
penalty1 and if satisfaction was in     
arrears at death1 the arrearage must be 
paid in purgatory1 a place of punishment
 for mortal sins confessed and repented1
 but unsatisfied1 and for venial sins1  
which were not serious enough to bring  
eternal condemnation4 ,the penalties of 
purgatory were temporal1 viz41 they     
stopped somewhere this side of eternity1
 and their duration could be measured in
 days and years1 though the number of   
the years might mount high into the     
thousands and tens of thousands4  ,it   
was at this point that the practice of  
indulgences united with the theory of   
the ,sacrament of ,penance4 ,the        
indulgences had to do with the          
satisfaction4 #ai ,they might be        
partial1 remitting only a portion of the
 penalties1 measured by days or years of

 purgatory2 or they might be plenary1   
remitting all penalties due in this     
world or the next4 ,in theory1 however1 
no indulgence could remit the guilt or  
the eternal penalty of sin1#bj and the  
purchaser of an indulgence was not only 
expected to confess and be absolved1 but
 he was also supposed to be corde       
contritus1 i4 e41 truly penitent4 #ba ,a
 rigid insistence on the fulfilment of  
these conditions would have greatly     
restricted the value of the indulgences 
as a means of gain1 for the right to    
hear confession and grant absolution    
belonged to the parish-priests4         
,consequently1 it became the custom to  
endow the indulgence-vendors with       
extraordinary powers4 ,they were given  
the authority to hear confession and    
grant absolution wherever they might be1
 and to absolve even from the sins which
 were normally reserved for the         
absolution of the higher ,church        
authorities4  ,the demand for contrition
 was somewhat more difficult to meet4   

,but here too there was a way out4      
,complete contrition included love to   
,god as its motive1 and the truly       
contrite man was not always easy to     
find2 but some of the scholastic        
,doctors had discovered a substitute for
 contrition in what they called         
attrition4 viz41 incomplete contrition1 
which might have fear for a motive1 and 
which the ,sacrament of ,penance could  
transform into contrition4 ,when1       
therefore1 a man was afraid of hell or  
of purgatory1 he could make his         
confession to the indulgence-seller or  
his agent1 receive from him the         
absolution which gave his imperfect     
repentance the value of true contrition1
 released him from the guilt of sin1 and
 changed its eternal penalty to a       
temporal penalty2 then he could purchase
 the plenary indulgence1 which remitted 
the temporal penalty1 and so in one     
transaction1 in which all the demands of
 the ,church were formally met1 he could
 become sure of heaven4 ,thus the       

indulgence robbed the ,sacrament of     
,penance of its ethical content4        
,furthermore1 indulgences were made     
available for souls already in          
purgatory4 ,this kind of indulgence     
seems to have been granted for the first
 time in #adgf4 ,it had long been been  
that the prayers of the living availed  
to shorten the pains of the departed1   
and the institution of masses for the   
dead was of long standing2 but it was   
not without some difficulty that the    
,popes succeeded in establishing their  
claim to power over purgatory4 ,their   
power over the souls of the living was  
not disputed4 ,the ,power of the ,keys  
had been given to ,peter and transmitted
 to his successors2 the ,treasury of the
 ,church1 #bb i4 e41 the merits of      
,christ and of the ,saints1 was believed
 to be at their disposal1 and it was    
this treasury which they employed in the
 granting of indulgences2#bc but it     
seemed reasonable to suppose that their 
jurisdiction ended with death4          

,accordingly1 ,pope ,sixtus ,,iv1 in    
#adgg1 declared that the power of the   
,pope over purgatory1 while genuine1 was
 exercised only per modum sufiragii1 by 
way of intercession4 #bd ,the           
distinction was thought dogmatically    
important1 but to the layman1 who looked
 more to results than to methods1 the   
difference between intercession and     
jurisdiction was trifling4 ,to him the  
important thing was that the ,pope1     
whether by jurisdiction or intercession1
 was able to release the soul of a      
departed ,christian from the penalties  
of purgatory4 ,it is needless to say    
that these indulgences for the dead were
 eagerly purchased4 ,in filial love and 
natural affection the indulgence vendor 
had powerful allies4  #c4 ,the          
,indulgence of #aeae4--,the ,,xcv       
,theses were called forth by the        
preaching of the ,jubilee ,indulgence   
#be of #aeaj1 which was not placed on   
sale in central ,germany until #aeae4   
,the financial needs of the papacy were 

never greater than in the last years of 
the ,,xv4 and the first years of the    
,,xvi4 ,century1 and they were further  
increased by the resolve of ,julius     
,,ii4 to erect a new church of ,st4     
,peter1 which should surpass in         
magnificence all the churches of the    
world4 ,the indulgence of #aeaj was an  
extraordinary financial measure1 the    
proceeds of which were to pay for the   
erection of the new ,basilica1 but when 
,julius died in #aeac1 the church was   
not completed1 and the money had not    
been raised4 ,the double task was       
bequeathed to his successor1 ,leo ,x4   
,on the #cast of ,march1 #aeae1 ,leo    
proclaimed a plenary indulgence for the 
,archbishops of ,magdeburg and ,mainz1  
and appointed ,albrecht1 of             
,brandenburg1 who was the incumbent of  
both sees and of the bishopric of       
,halberstadt as well1 ,commissioner for 
the sale of this indulgence4 ,by a      
secret agreement1 of which ,luther was1 
of course1 entirely ignorant1 one-half  

of the proceeds was to be paid to the   
,fuggers of ,ausburg on account of money
 advanced to the ,archbishop for the    
payment of the fees to ,rome1 and of the
 sums demanded in consideration of a    
dispensation allowing him to occupy     
three sees at the same time2 the other  
half of the proceeds was to go to the   
papal treasury to be applied to the     
building of the new church4 ,the period 
during which the indulgence was to be on
 sale was eight years4  ,the actual work
 of organizing the indulgence-campaign  
was put into the hands of ,john ,tetzel1
 whose large experience in the selling  
of indulgences fitted him excellently   
for the post of ,sub-commissioner4 ,the 
indulgence-sellers acted under the      
commission of the ,archbishop and the   
directions of ,tetzel1 who took personal
 charge of the enterprise4 ,the         
preachers went from city to city1 and   
during the time that they were preaching
 the indulgence in any given place1 all 
other preaching was required to         

cease4#bf ,they held out the usual      
inducements to prospective buyers4 ,the 
plenary nature of the indulgence was    
made especially prominent1 and the      
people were eloquently exhorted that the
 purchase of indulgence-letters was     
better than all good works1 that they   
were an insurance against the pains of  
hell and of purgatory1 that they availed
 for all satisfactions1 even in the case
 of the most heinous sins that could be 
conceived4#bg ,confessional letters #bh 
were one of the forms of this           
indulgence4 ,they gave their possessor  
permission to choose his own confessor1 
and entitled him to plenary remission   
once in his life1 to absolution from    
sins normally reserved1 etc4 ,the       
indulgences for the dead were zealously 
proclaimed1 and the duty of purchasing  
for departed souls release from the     
pains of purgatory was most urgently    
enjoined4 ,so great was the power of the
 indulgence to alleviate the pains of   
purgatory1 that the souls of the        

departed were said to pass into heaven  
the instant that the coins of the       
indulgence-buyer jinked in the          
money-box4#bi  #d4 ,luther's            
,protest--,the ,theses were ,luther's   
protest against the manner in which this
 indulgence was preached1 and against   
the ,use conception of the efficacy of  
indulgences which the people obtained   
from such preaching4 ,they were not his 
first protest1 however4 ,in a sermon1   
preached ,july #cgth1 #aeaf1cj he had   
issued a warning against the false idea 
that a man who had bought an indulgence 
was sure of salvation1 and had declared 
the assertion that souls could be bought
 out of purgatory to be a piece of      
temerity4 ,his warnings were repeated in
 other sermons1 preached ,october #cast1
 #aeaf1 and ,february #adth1 #aeag4ca   
,the burden of these warnings is always 
the same3 the indulgences lead men      
astray2 they incite to fear of ,god's   
penalties and not to fear of sin2 they  
encourage false hopes of salvation1 and 

make light of the true condition of     
forgiveness1 vis41 sincere and genuine  
repentance4  ,these warnings are        
repeated in the ,theses4 ,the preaching 
of indulgences has concealed the true   
nature of repentance2 the first thing to
 consider is what our ,lord and ,master 
,jesus ,christ means1 when ,he says1    
,repent4 #cb ,without denying the pope's
 right to the power of the keys1 ,luther
 wishes to come into the clear about the
 extent of the pope's jurisdiction1     
which does not reach as far as          
purgatory4 ,he believes that the pope   
has the right to remit penalties1 but   
these penalties are of the same sort as 
those which were imposed in the early   
,church as a condition precedent to the 
absolution2 they are ecclesiastical     
penalties merely1 and do not extend     
beyond the grave2 the true penalty of   
sin is hatred of self1 which continues  
until entrance into the kingdom of      
heaven4#cc  ,the ,theses are formulated 
with continual reference to the         

statements of the indulgence-preachers1 
and of the ,instruction to the          
,commissaries issued under the name of  
the ,archbishop of ,mainz4 #cd ,for this
 reason there is little logical sequence
 in the arrangement of the ,theses1 and 
none of the attempts to discover a plan 
or scheme underlying them has been      
successful4#ce ,in a general way it may 
be said that for the positive views of  
,luther on the subjects discussed1      
,theses #cj-cg and #da-ea are the most  
vital1 while ,theses #ib-ie are         
sufficient evidence of the motive which 
led ,luther to make his protest4  #e4   
,conclusion--,the editors of this       
,translation present herewith a new     
translation of the ,theses1 together    
with three letters1 which will help the 
reader to understand the mind of ,luther
 at the time of their composition and   
his motive in preparing them4 ,the first
 of these letters is that which was     
sent1 with a copy of the ,theses1 to    
,albrecht of ,mainz4 ,the second and    

third are addressed respectively to     
,staupitz and ,leo ,x41 and were written
 to accompany the ,resolutions1 #cf an  
exhaustive explanation and defense of   
the ,theses1 published in #aeah1 after  
the controversy had become bitter4  #f4 
,literature--7a7 ,sources4 ,the source  
material for history of indulgences is  
naturally widely scattered4 ,the most   
convenient collection is found in       
,koehler1 ,dokumente zum ,ablassstreit1 
,tbingen1 #aijj4 ,for the indulgences   
against which ,luther protested1 see1   
beside the ,editions of ,luther's       
,works1 ,kapp1 ,schauplatz des          
,tetselischen ,ablass-,krams1 ,leipzig1 
#agbj2 ,sammlung einiger zum pbstlichen 
,ablass gehrigen ,schriften1 ,leipzig1  
#agba2 ,kleine ,nachlese zur ,erluterung
 der ,reformationsgeschicte1 ,leipzig1  
#agcj and #agcc2 also ,loescher1        
,vollstndige ,reformationsacta1 ,i1     
,leipzig1 #agbj  7b7 ,secondary ,works4 
,beside the general works in ,church    
,history and ,history of ,doctrine1 see 

the ,lives of ,luther1 in ,german       
especially those of ,kstlin-,kawerau1   
,kolde1 ,berger and ,hausrath2 in       
,english those of ,beard1 ,jacobs1      
,lindsay1 ,smith and ,mc,giffert2 also  
,boehmer1 ,luther im ,lichte der neueren
 ,forschung1 ad ed41 ,leipzig1 #aiaj4   
,on the indulgences in their relation to
 the ,sacrament of ,penance1 ,h1 ,c4    
,lea1 ,history of ,confession and       
,indulgence1 especially ,vol4 ,,iii1    
,philadelphia1 #ahif2 ,brieger1 ,das    
,wesen des ,ablasses am ,ausgang des    
,mittelalters1 ,leizig1 #ahig1 and      
,article ,indulgenzen in ,,pre4#c ,,ix1 
pp4 #gf ff4 7,eng4 in ,schaff-,herzog   
v41 pp4 #dhe-hh72 ,gottlob1 ,kreuzablass
 und ,almosenablass1 ,stuttgart1 #aijf  
7especially valuable for the origin of  
indulgences74  ,on the indulgences and  
the ,,xcv ,theses1 ,koestlin1 ,luther's 
,theologie1 ,leipzig1 #ahhc 7,eng4      
,trans1 by ,hay1 ,the ,theology of      
,luther1 ,philadelphia1 #ahig72 ,bratke1
 ,luther's ,,xcv ,thesen und ihre       

dogmengeschictlichen ,voraussetzungen1  
,gttingen1 #ahhd2 ,dieckboff1 ,der      
,ablassstreit dogmengeschichtlich       
dargestellt1 ,gotha1 #ahhf2 ,lindsay1   
,history of the ,reformation1 ,i1 ,new  
,york1 #aijf2 ,tschackert1 ,entstehung  
der lutherischen und reformierten       
,kirchenlehre1 ,gttingen1 #aiaj4  ,on   
the financial aspects of the            
indulgence-traffic1 ,schulte1 ,die      
,fugger in ,rom1 #b vols41 ,leipzig1    
#aijd4      ,,charles ,m4 ,,jacobs4     
,allentown1 ,,pa4  ,,footnotes  #a      
,disputato pro declaratione virutis     
indulgentiarum4  #b ,luther says1 ,apud 
nostros et propter nostros editae aunt4 
,weimar ,ed41 ,i4 #ebh4 ,on the whole   
subject see ,letters to ,staupitz and   
the ,pope1 below4  #c ,cf4 ,weimar ,ed41
 ,i1 #bbi4  #d ,the ,church of ,all     
,saints at ,wittenberg was the          
repository of the great collection of   
relics which ,frederick the ,wise had   
gathered4 ,a catalogue of the           
collection1 with illustrations by ,lucas

 ,cranach1 was published in #aeji4 ,the 
collection contained #ejje sacred       
objects1 including a bit of the crown of
 thorns and some of the ,virgin         
,mother's milk4 ,adoration of these     
relics on ,all ,saints' ,day 7,nov4     
#ast7 was rewarded with indulgence for  
more than #ejj1jjj years4 ,so1 ,vol     
,bezold1 ,die deutsche ,reformation     
7#ahij71 p4 #ajj2 see also ,barge1      
,karlstadt1 ,i1 #ci;ff4  #e ,luther had 
preached a sermon warning against the   
danger of indulgences on the ,eve of    
,all ,saints 7#aeaf74 ,see below4  #f   
,see below1 ,letter to ,leo ,x4  #g     
,weimar ,ed41 ,i1 #bcj4  #h ,the        
,address to the ,christian ,nobility and
 the ,babylonian ,captivity of the      
,church4  #i ,introduction to the       
,complete ,works 7#aede72 above p4#aj4  
#aj ,see ,letter to ,staupitz1 below4   
#aa ,see ,letter to ,leo ,x1 below4  #ab
 ,cf4 ,gottlob1 ,kreuzablass und        
,almosenblass1 p4 ,i4  #ac ,see ,theses 
#e1 #h1 #he4  #ad ,non solam plenam et  

largiorem1 imo plenissimam omnium suorum
 concedemus et concedimus veniam        
peccatorum4 ,mirbt1 ,quellen1 #b;d ed41 
,no4 #bdc4  #ae ,this custom of putting 
the ,jubilee-indulgences on sale seems  
to date from the year #acij4 ,cf4 ,lea1 
,hist4 of ,conf4 and ,indulg41 ,,iii1   
#bjf4  ,no mention is here made of the  
indulgences attached to adoration of the
 relics1 etc4 ,on the development of    
this form of indulgence see ,lea1 ,hist4
 of ,conf4 and ,indulg41 ,,iii1         
#aca-aid1 #bcd-aie1 and ,gottlog1       
,kreuzablass und ,almosenablass1 pp4    
#aie-bed4  #af ,see ,thesis #ab4  #ag   
,see ,theses #d-f1 ,note #b4  #ah ,for  
,luther's opinion of this distinction1  
see the ,discourse ,concerning          
,confession elsewhere in the present    
volume4  #ai ,not even the poorest part 
of the penance which is called          
'satisfaction1' but the remission of the
 poorest part of penance4 ,letter to    
,staupitz1 below4  #bj ,there is ample  
proof that in practice the indulgences  

were preached as sufficient to secure   
the purchaser the entire remission of   
sin1 and the form a culpa et poena was  
officially employed in many cases 7,cf4 
,brieger1 ,das ,wesen des ,abiases am   
,ausgang des ,m ,a4 and ,,pre#c ,,ix4   
#hc ff41 and ,lea1 ,history of          
,confession1 etc41 ,,iii1 #ed ff474 ,it 
is difficult to withstand the conclution
 that even in theory indulgences had    
been declared to be efficacious for the 
removal of the guilt of sin in the      
presence of ,god1 ,lindsay1 ,history of 
the ,reformation1 ,i1 #bbf4  #ba ,it is 
the basis of this theory that ,roman    
,catholic writers on indulgences declare
 them to be extra-sacramental1 i4 e41   
outside the ,sacrament of ,penance4 ,so1
 e4g41 ,kent1 in ,the ,catholic         
,encyclopedia1 ,art4 ,indulgence4  #bb  
,see ,theses #ef-eh4  #bc ,the doctrine 
of the ,treasury of the ,church grew up 
as a result of the indulgences4 ,it was 
an attempt to answer the question1 ,how 
can a satisfaction1 which ,god demands1 

be waived8 ,the answer is1 ,by the      
application of merits earned by ,christ 
and by the ,saints who did more than    
,god requires4 ,these merits form the   
,treasury of the ,church4 ,cf4 ,seeberg1
 ,,pre#c ,,xv1 #dag2 ,lea1 ,hist4 of    
,confession1 etc41 ,,iii1 #ad-bh4  #bd  
,see ,theses #bf4  #be i4 e4 ,a plenary 
indulgence similar to those granted for 
pilgrimage to ,rome in ,jubilee-years4  
,see above1 p4#ah4  #bf ,see ,theses    
#ec-ee4  #bg ,see ,thesis #ge4  #bh ,see
 ,thesis #ce4  #bi ,see ,thesis #bg4    
#cj ,weimar ,ed41 ,i1 #fc ff42 ,erl4    
,ed41 ,i1 #aja ff4  #ca ,weimar ,ed41   
,i1 #id ff12 ,erl4 ,ed41 ,i1 #aga ff41  
#agg ff4  #cb ,see ,thesis #a4  #cc ,see
 ,thesis #d4  #cd ,see ,letter to       
,archbishop1 below4 ,the text of this   
,instruction in ,kapp1 ,sammlung1 etc4  
7#agba71 pp4 #aag-bjf4 ,tschackert has  
surmised that even the number of the    
,theses was determined by the number of 
the paragraphs in this ,instruction4    
,there were #id of these paragraphs1 and

 of the ,theses #id  #a4 ,enstehung d4  
luth4 u4 ref4 ,kirchenlehre 7#aiaj71 p4 
#af1 note #a4  #ce ,the following1 based
 on an unpublished manuscript of ,th4   
,brieger1 is an interesting analysis of 
the contents and subject matter of the  
,theses4 ,for the sake of brevity the   
minor subdivisions are omitted3         
,introduction4 ,the ideas fundamentally 
involved in the concept         of      
poenitentia 7,th4 #a-g74     ,i4        
,indulgences for souls in purgatory     
7,th4 #h-bi74         #a4 ,canonical    
,penalties and the pains of purgatory   
7,th4 #h-ai74         #b4 ,the relation 
of the ,pope to purgatory 7,th4 #h-ai74 
,,ii4 ,indulgences for the living 7,th4 
#cj-hj74         #a4 ,the content and   
nature of the preaching of indulgences  
7,th4 #cj-ee74         #b4 ,the treasury
 of the ,church 7,th4 #ef-ff74          
#c4 ,the duty of the regular            
church-authorities on the               
matter 7,th4 #fg-hj74     ,conclusion   
7,th4 #ha-ie74         #a4 ,the         

objections of the laity of the          
indulgence-traffic             7,th4    
#ha-ia74         #b4 ,the evil motive of
 the traffic in indulgences1 with       
special references to the statements of 
,th4 #a-d 7,th4             #ia-ie74 ,h4
 ,hermelink in ,krger's ,handbuch der   
,kirchengeschicte 7#aiaa71 ,,iii1 #ff4  
#cf ,weimar ,ed41 ,i1 pp4 #ebe ff4   ,i 
,,letter ,,to ,,the ,,archbishop        
,,albrecht ,,of ,,mainz  ,,october #ca1 
#aeag   ,to the ,most ,reverend ,father 
in ,christ and ,most ,illustrious ,lord1
 ,albrecht of ,magdeburg and ,mainz1    
,archbishop and ,primate of the ,church1
 ,margrave of ,brandenburg1 etc41 his   
own lord and pastor in ,christ1 worthy  
of reverence and fear1 and most         
gracious4  ,,jesus#a  ,the grace of ,god
 be with you in all its fulness and     
power6 ,spare me4 ,most ,reverend       
,father in ,christ and ,most            
,illustrious ,prince1 that ,i1 the dregs
 of humanity1 have so much boldness that
 ,i have dared to think of a letter to  

the height of your ,sublimity4 ,the     
,lord ,jesus is my witness that1        
conscious of my smallness and baseness1 
,i have long deferred what ,i am now    
shameless enough to do1--moved thereto  
most of all by the duty of fidelity     
which ,i acknowledge that ,i owe to your
 most ,reverend ,fatherhood in ,christ4 
,meanwhile1 therefore1 may your         
,highness deign to cast an eye upon one 
speck of dust1 and for the sake of your 
pontifical clemency to heed my prayer4  
,papal indulgences for the building of  
,st4 ,peter's are circulating under your
 most distinguished name1 and as regards
 them1 ,i do not bring accusation       
against the outcries of the preachers1  
which ,i have not heard1 so much as ,i  
grieve over the wholly false impressions
 which the people have conceived from   
them2 to wit1--the unhappy souls believe
 that if they have purchased letters of 
indulgence they are sure of their       
salvation2#b again1 that so soon as they
 cast their contributions into the      

money-box1 souls fly out of purgatory2#c
 furthermore1 that these graces i4 e41  
the graces conferred in the indulgences 
are so great that there is no sin too   
great to be absolved1 even1 as they     
say--though the thing is impossible--if 
one had violated the ,mother of ,god2#d 
again1 that a man is free1 through these
 indulgences1 from all penalty and      
guilt4#e  ,o ,god1 most good6 ,thus     
souls committed to your care1 good      
,father1 are taught to their death1 and 
the strict account1 which you must      
render for all such1 grows and          
increases4 ,for this reason ,i have no  
longer been able to keep quiet about    
this matter1 for it is by no gift of a  
bishop that man becomes sure of         
salvation1 since he gains this certainty
 not even by the inpoured grace #f of   
,god1 but the ,apostle bids us always   
work out our own salvation in fear and  
trembling1 ,phil4 #b3ab and ,peter says1
 the righteous scarcely shall be saved4 
#a ,pet4 #d3ah1 ,matt ,finally1 so      

narrow is the way that leads to life1   
that the ,lord1 through the prophets    
,amos and ,zechariah1 calls those who   
shall be saved brands plucked from the  
burning1 ,amos #d3aa1 ,zech4 #c3b and   
everywhere declares the difficulty of   
salvation4  ,why1 then1 do the preachers
 of pardons1 by these false fables and  
promises1 make the people careless and  
fearless8 ,whereas indulgences confer on
 us no good gift1 either for salvation  
or for sanctity1 but only take away the 
external penalty1 which it was formerly 
the custom to impose according to the   
canons4#g  ,finally1 works of piety and 
love are infinitely better than         
indulgences1#h and yet these are not    
preached with such ceremony or such     
zeal2 nay1 for the sake of preaching the
 indulgences they are kept quiet1 though
 it is the first and the sole duty of   
all bishops that the people should learn
 the ,gospel and the love of ,christ1   
for ,christ never taught that           
indulgences should be preached4 ,how    

great then is the horror1 how great the 
peril of a bishop1 if he permits the    
,gospel to be kept quiet1 and nothing   
but the noise of indulgences to be      
spread among his people6#i ,will not    
,christ say to them1 straining at a gnat
 and swallowing a camel8 ,matt4 #bc3cdaj
  ,in addition to this1 ,most ,reverend 
,father in the ,lord1 it is said in the 
,instruction to the ,commissaries#aa    
which is issued under your name1 ,most  
,reverend ,father 7doubtless without    
your knowledge and consent71 that one of
 the chief graces of indulgence is that 
inestimable gift of ,god by which man is
 reconciled to ,god1 and all the        
penalties of purgatory are destroyed4#ab
 ,again1 it is said that contrition is  
not necessary in those who purchase     
souls out of purgatory or buy           
confessionalia4#ac  ,but what can ,i do1
 good ,primate and ,most ,illustrious   
,prince1 except pray your ,most         
,reverend ,fatherhood by the ,lord      
,jesus ,christ that you would deign to  

look on this matter with the eye of     
fatherly care1 and do away entirely with
 that treatise#ad and impose upon the   
preachers of pardons another form of    
preaching2 lest1 perchance1 one may some
 time arise1 who will publish writings  
in which he will confute both them and  
that treatise1 to the shame of your     
,most ,illustrious ,sublimity4 ,i shrink
 very much from thinking that this will 
be done1 and yet ,i fear that it will   
come to pass1 unless there is some      
speedy remedy4  ,these faithful offices 
of my insignificance ,i beg that your   
,most ,illustrious ,grace may deign to  
accept in the spirit of a ,prince and a 
,bishop1 i4 e41 with the greatest       
clemency1 as ,i offer them out of a     
faithful heart1 altogether devoted to   
you1 ,most ,reverend ,father1 since ,i  
too am a part of your flock4  ,may the  
,lord ,jesus have your ,most ,reverend  
,fatherhood eternally in ,his keeping4  
,amen4  ,from ,wittenberg on the ,vigil 
of ,all ,saints1 ,,mdxvii4  ,if it      

please the ,most ,reverend ,father he   
may see these my ,disputations1 and     
learn how doubtful a thing is the       
opinion of indulgences which those men  
spread as though it were most certain4  
,to the ,most ,reverend ,father1        
,brother ,martin ,luther4  ,,footnotes  
#a ,in the original editions the word   
,jesus appears at the head of the works1
 and the present editors have retained  
the use1 which was apparently an act of 
obedience to the command1 ,whatsoever ye
 do1 in word or in deed1 do all in the  
name of the ,lord ,jesus 7,col4 #c3ag74 
#b ,see ,theses #ah-bd1 #cb1 #eb4  #c   
,see ,thesis #bg4  #d ,see ,thesis #ge4 
#e ,see ,theses #e1 #f1 #bj1 #ba4  #f   
,gratia infusa1 meaning the working of  
,god upon the hearts of men1 by means of
 which their lives become pleasing to   
,god4 ,cf4 ,loors' ,dogmengeschicte1    
#dth ed41 pp4 #efb ff4  #g ,see ,thesis 
#e4  #h ,see ,theses #da-dg4  #i ,see   
,theses #eb-ee4  #aj ,see ,thesis #hj4  
#aa ,see above1 ,introduction1 p4 #bb f4

  #ab ,see ,theses #ba1 #cc4  #ac ,see  
,thesis #ee1 and ,introduction1 p4#bb4  
#ae viz41 ,the ,instruction to the      
,commissaries4   ,,ii  ,,disputation    
,,of ,,doctor ,,martin ,,luther ,,on    
,,the ,,power ,,and ,,efficacy ,,of     
,,indulgences  ,,october #ca1 #aeag     
,out of love for the truth and the      
desire to bring it to light1 the        
following propositions will be discussed
 at ,wittenberg1 under the presidency of
 the ,reverend ,father ,martin ,luther1 
,master of ,arts and of ,sacred         
,theology1 and ,lecturer in ,ordinary on
 the same at that place4 ,wherefore he  
requests that those who are unable to be
 present and debate orally with us1 may 
do so by letter4  ,in the ,name our     
,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,amen4  #a4 ,our  
,lord and ,master ,jesus ,christ1 when  
,he said ,poenitentiam agite1#a willed  
that the whole life of believers should 
be repentance4 ,matt4 #d3ag  #b4 ,this  
word cannot be understood to mean       
sacramental penance1 i4 e41 confession  

and satisfaction1 which is administered 
by the priests4  #c4 ,yet it means not  
inward repentance only2 nay1 there is no
 inward repentance which does not       
outwardly work divers mortifications of 
the flesh4  #d4 ,the penalty#b of sin1  
therefore1 continues so long as hatred  
of self continues2 for this is the true 
inward repentance1 and continues until  
our entrance into the kingdom of heaven4
  #e4 ,the pope does not intend to      
remit1 and cannot remit any penalties   
other than those which he has imposed   
either by his own authority or by that  
of the ,canons4#c  #f4 ,the pope cannot 
remit any guilt1 except by declaring    
that it has been remitted by ,god and by
 assenting to ,god's remission2 though1 
to be sure1 he may grant remission in   
cases reserved to his judgment4 ,if his 
right to grant remission in such cases  
were despised1 the guilt would remain   
entirely unforgiven4  #g4 ,god remits   
guilt to no one whom ,he does not1 at   
the same time1 humble in all things and 

bring into subjection to ,his vicar1 the
 priest4  #h4 ,the penitential canons   
are imposed only on the living1 and1    
according to them1 nothing should be    
imposed on the dying4  #i4 ,therefore   
the ,holy ,spirit in the pope is kind to
 us1 because in his decrees he always   
makes exception of the article of death 
and of necessity4#d  #aj4 ,ignorant and 
wicked are the doings of those priests  
who1 in the case of the dying1 reserve  
canonical penances for purgatory4  #aa4 
,this changing of the canonical penalty 
to the penalty of purgatory is quite    
evidently one of the tares that were    
sown while the bishops slept4 ,matt4    
#ac3be  #ac4 ,in former times the       
canonical penalties were imposed not    
after1 but before absolution1 as tests  
of true contrition4  #ac4 ,the dying are
 freed by death from all penalties2 they
 are already dead to canonical rules1   
and have a right to be released from    
them4  #ad4 ,the imperfect health of    
soul1 that is to say1 the imperfect     

love1 of the dying brings with it1 of   
necessity1 great fear2 and the smaller  
the love1 the greater is the fear4  #ae4
 ,this fear and horror is sufficient of 
itself alone 7to say nothing of other   
things7 to constitute the penalty of    
purgatory1 since it is very near to the 
horror of despair4  #af4 ,hell1         
purgatory1 and heaven seem to differ as 
do despair1 almost-despair1 and the     
assurance of safety4  #ag4 ,with souls  
in purgatory it seems necessary that    
horror would grow less and love         
increase4  #ah4 ,it seems unproved1     
either by reason or ,scripture1 that    
they are outside the state of merit1    
that is to say1 of increasing love4     
#ai4 ,again1 it seems unproved that     
they1 or at least that all of them1 are 
certain or assured of their own         
blessedness1 though we may be quite     
certain of it4  #bj4 ,therefore by full 
remission of all penalties the pope     
means not actually of all1 but only of  
those imposed by himself4  #ba4         

,therefore those preachers of           
indulgences are in error1 who say that  
by the pope's indulgences a man is freed
 from every penalty1 and saved2  #bb4   
,whereas he remits to souls in purgatory
 no penalty which1 according to the     
canons1 they would have had to pay in   
this life4  #bc4 ,if it is at all       
possible to grant to any one the        
remission of all penalties whatsoever1  
it is certain that this remission can be
 granted only to the most perfect1 that 
is1 to the very fewest4  #bd4 ,it must  
needs be1 therefore1 that the greater   
part of the people are deceived by that 
indiscriminate and high-sounding promise
 of release from penalty4  #be4 ,the    
power which the pope has1 in a general  
way1 over purgatory1 is just like the   
power which any bishop or curate has1 in
 a special way1 within his own diocese  
or parish4  #cf4 ,the pope does well    
when he grants remission to souls in    
purgatory1 not by the power of the keys 
7which he does not possess71#e but by   

way of intercession4  #bg4 ,they preach 
man#f who say that so soon as the penny 
jingles into the money-box1 the soul    
flies out of purgatory4 #g  #bh4 ,it is 
certain that when the penny jingles into
 the money-box1 gain and avarice can be 
increased1 but the result of the        
intercession of the ,church is in the   
power of ,god alone4  #bi4 ,who knows   
whether all the souls in purgatory wish 
to be bought out of it1 as in the legend
 of ,sts4 ,severinus and ,paschal4#h    
#cj4 ,no one is sure that his own       
contrition is sincere2 much less that he
 has attained full remission4  #ca4     
,rare as is the man that is truly       
penitent1 so rare is also the man who   
truly buys indulgences1 i4 e41 such men 
are most rare4  #cb4 ,they will be      
condemned eternally1 together with their
 teachers1 who believe themselves sure  
of their salvation because they have    
letters of pardon4#i  #cc4 ,men must be 
on their guard against those who say    
that the pope's pardons are that        

inestimable gift of ,god by which man is
 reconciled to ,him2  #cd4 ,for these   
graces of pardon concern only the       
penalties of sacramental satisfaction1  
and these are appointed by man4#aj  #ce4
 ,they preach no ,christian doctrine who
 teach that contrition is not necessary 
in those who intend to buy souls out of 
purgatory or to buy confessionalia4#aa  
#cf4 ,every truly repentant ,christian  
has a right to full remission of penalty
 and guilt1 even without letters of     
pardon4  #cg4 ,every true ,christian1   
whether living or dead1 has part in all 
the blessings of ,christ and the        
,church2 and this is granted him by     
,god1 even without letters of pardon4   
#ch4 ,nevertheless1 the remission and   
participation in the blessings of the   
,church which are granted by the pope   
are in no way to be despised1 for they  
are1 as ,i have said1#ab the declaration
 of divine remission4  #ci4 ,it is most 
difficult1 even for the very keenest    
theologians1 at one and the same time to

 commend to the people the abundance of 
pardons and the need of true contrition4
  #dj4 ,true contrition seeks and loves 
penalties1 but liberal pardons only     
relax penalties and cause them to be    
hated1 or at least1 furnish an occasion 
for hating them4  #da4 ,apostolic#ac    
pardons are to be preached with caution1
 lest the people may falsely think them 
preferable to other good works of love4 
#db4 ,christians are to be taught that  
the pope does not intend the buying of  
pardons to be compared in any way to    
works of mercy4  #dc4 ,christians are to
 be taught that he who gives to the poor
 or lends to the needy does a better    
work than buying pardons2  #dd4 ,because
 love grows by works of love1 and man   
becomes better2 but by pardons man does 
not grow better1 only more free from    
penalty4  #de4 ,christians are to be    
taught that he who sees a man in need1  
and passes him by1 and gives his money  
for pardons1 purchases not the          
indulgences of the pope1 but the        

indignation of ,god4  #df4 ,christians  
are to be taught that unless they have  
more than they need1 they are bound to  
keep back what is necessary for their   
own families1 and by no means to        
squander it on pardons4  #dg4           
,christians are to be taught that the   
buying of pardons is a matter of free   
will1 and not of commandment4  #dh4     
,christians are to be taught that the   
pope1 in granting pardons1 needs1 and   
therefore desires1 their devout prayer  
for him more than the money they bring4 
#di4 ,christians are to be taught that  
the pope's pardons are useful1 if they  
do not put their trust in them2 but     
altogether harmful1 if through them they
 lose their fear of ,god4#ad  #ej4      
,christians are to be taught that if the
 pope knew the exactions of the         
pardon-preachers1 he would rather that  
,st4 ,peter's church should go to ashes1
 than that it should be built up with   
the skin1 flesh and bones of his sheep4 
#ea4 ,christians are to be taught that  

it would be the pope's wish1 as it is   
his duty1 to give of his own money to   
very many of those from whom certain    
hawkers of pardons cajole money1 even   
though the church of ,st4 ,peter might  
have to be sold4  #ec4 ,the assurance of
 salvation by letters of pardon is vain1
 even though the commissary1#ae nay1    
even though the pope himself1 were to   
stake his soul upon it4  #ec4 ,they are 
enemies of ,christ and of the pope1 who 
bid the ,word of ,god be altogether     
silent in some ,churches1 in order that 
pardons may be preached in others4  #ed4
 ,injury is done the ,word of ,god when1
 in the same sermon1 an equal or a      
longer time is spent on pardons than on 
this ,word4#af  #ee4 ,it must be the    
intention of the pope that if pardons1  
which are a very small thing1 are       
celebrated with one bell1 with single   
processions and ceremonies1 then the    
,gospel1 which is the very greatest     
thing1 should be preached with a hundred
 bells1 a hundred processions1 a hundred

 ceremonies4  #ef4 ,the treasures of the
 ,church1 #ag out of which the pope     
grants indulgences1 are not sufficiently
 named or known among the people of     
,christ4  #eg4 ,that they are not       
temporal treasures is certainly evident1
 for many of the vendors do not pour out
 such treasures so easily1 but only     
gather them4  #eh4 ,not are they the    
merits of ,christ and the ,saints1 for  
even without the pope1 these always work
 grace for the inner man1 and the cross1
 death1 and hell for the outward man4   
#ei4 ,st4 ,lawrence said that the       
treasures of the ,church were the       
,church's poor1 but he spoke according  
to the usage of the word in his own     
time4  #fj4 ,without rashness we say    
that the keys of the ,church1 given by  
,christ's merit1 are that treasure2     
#fa4 ,for it is clear that for the      
remission of penalties and of reserved  
cases1 the power of the pope is of      
itself sufficient4  #fb4 ,the true      
treasure of the ,church is the ,most    

,holy ,gospel of the glory and the grace
 of ,god4  #fc4 ,but this treasure is   
naturally most odious1 for it makes the 
first to be last4  #fd4 ,on the other   
hand1 the treasure of indulgences is    
naturally most acceptable1 for it makes 
the last to be first4  #fe4 ,therefore  
the treasures of the ,gospel are nets   
with which they formerly were wont to   
fish for men of riches4  #ff4 ,the      
treasures of the indulgences are nets   
with which they now fish for the riches 
of men4  #fg4 ,the indulgences which the
 preachers cry as the greatest graces   
are known to be truly such1 in so far as
 they promote gain4  #fh4 ,yet they are 
in truth the very smallest graces       
compared with the grace of ,god and the 
piety of the ,cross4  #fi4 ,bishops and 
curates are bound to admit the          
commissaries of apostolic pardons1 with 
all reverence4  #gj4 ,but still more are
 they bound to strain all their eyes and
 attend with all their ears1 lest these 
men preach their own dreams instead of  

the commission of the pope4  #ga4 ,he   
who speaks against the truth of         
apostolic pardons1 let him be anathema  
and accursed6  #gc4 ,but he who guards  
against the lust and license of the     
pardon-preachers1 let him be blessed6   
#gc4 ,the pope justly thunders#ah       
against those who1 by any art1 contrive 
the injury of the traffic in pardons4   
#gd4 ,but much more does he intend to   
thunder against those who use the       
pretext of pardons to contrive the      
injury of holy love and truth4  #ge4 ,to
 think the papal pardons so great that  
they could absolve a man even if he had 
committed an impossible sin and violated
 the ,mother of ,god--this is           
madness4#ai  #gf4 ,we say1 on the       
contrary1 that the papal pardons are not
 able to remove the very least of venial
 sins1 so far as its guilt is           
concerned4#bj  #gg4 ,it is said that    
even ,st4 ,peter1 if he were now ,pope1 
could not bestow greater graces2 this is
 blasphemy against ,st4 ,peter and      

against the pope4  #gh4 ,we say1 on the 
contrary1 that even the present pope1   
and any pope at all1 has greater graces 
at his disposal2 to wit1 the ,gospel1   
powers1 gifts of healing1 etc41 as it is
 written in ,i4 ,corinthians xii4  #gi4 
,to say that the cross1 emblazoned with 
the papal arms1 which is set up by the  
preachers of indulgences1 is of equal   
worth with the ,cross of ,christ1 is    
blasphemy4  #hj4 ,the bishops1 curates  
and theologians who allow such talk to  
be spread among the people1 will have an
 account to render4  #ha4 ,this         
unbridled preaching of pardons makes it 
no easy matter1 even for learned men1 to
 rescue the reverence due to the pope   
from slander1 or even from the shrewd   
questionings of the laity4  #hb4 ,to    
wit3--,why does not the pope empty      
purgatory1 for the sake of holy love and
 of the dire need of the souls that are 
there1 if he redeems an infinite number 
of souls for the sake of miserable money
 with which to build a ,church8 ,the    

former reasons would be most just2 the  
latter is most trivial4  #hc4           
,again3--,why are mortuary and          
anniversary masses for the dead         
continued1 and why does he not return or
 permit the withdrawal of the endowments
 founded on their behalf1 since it is   
wrong to pray for the redeemed8  #hd4   
,again3--,what is this new piety of ,god
 and the pope1 that for money they allow
 a man who is impious and their enemy to
 buy out of purgatory the pious soul of 
a friend of ,god1 and do not rather1    
because of that pious and beloved soul's
 own need1 free it for pure love's sake8
  #he4 ,again3--,why are the penitential
 canons1#ba long since in actual fact   
and through disuse abrogated and dead1  
now satisfied by the granting of        
indulgences1 as though they were still  
alive and in force8  #hf4 ,again3--,why 
does not the pope1 whose wealth is      
to-day greater than the riches of the   
richest1 build just this one church of  
,st4 ,peter with his own money1 rather  

than with the money of poor believers8  
#hg4 ,again3--,what is it that the pope 
remits1 and what participation#bb does  
he grant to those who1 by perfect       
contrition1 have a right to full        
remission and participation8  #hh4      
,again3--,what greater blessing could   
come to the ,church than if the pope    
were to do a hundred times a day what he
 now does once1#bc and bestow on every  
believer these remissions and           
participations8  #hi4 ,since the pope1  
by his pardons1 seeks the salvation of  
souls rather than money1 why does he    
suspend the indulgences and pardons     
granted heretofore1 since these have    
equal efficacy8 #bd  #ij4 ,to repress   
these arguments and scruples of the     
laity by force alone1 and not to resolve
 them by giving reasons1 is to expose   
the ,church and the pope to the ridicule
 of their enemies1 and to make          
,christians unhappy4  #ia4 ,if1         
therefore1 pardons were preached        
according to the spirit and mind of the 

pope1 all these doubts would be readily 
resolved2 nay1 they would not exist4    
#ib4 ,away1 then1 with all those        
prophets who say to the people of       
,christ1 ,peace1 peace1 and there is no 
peace6 ,ezek4 #ac3aj  #ic4 ,blessed be  
all those prophets who say to the people
 of ,christ1 ,cross1 cross1 and there is
 no cross6#be  #id4 ,christians are to  
be exhorted that they be diligent in    
following ,christ1 their ,head1 through 
penalties1 deaths1 and hell2  #ie4 ,and 
thus be confident of altering into      
heaven rather through many tribulations1
 than through the assurance of peace4   
,acts #ad3bb  ,,footnotes  #a ,matt4    
#d3ag4 ,greek1 eta88e8te2 ,english      
repent2 ,german ,bussetun4 ,the ,latin  
and ,german versions may also be        
rendered1 ,do penance2 the ,greek1 on   
the other hand1 can only mean ,repent4  
#b ,the ,roman theology distinguishes   
between the guilt and the penalty of    
sin4 ,see ,introduction1 p4#ai4  #c     
,decrees of the ,church1 having the     

force of law4 ,the canons referred to   
here and below 7,cf4 ,theses #h1 #he7   
are the so-called penitential ,canons4  
,see ,introduction1 p4#ag4  #d          
,commenting on this ,thesis in the      
,resolutions1 ,luther distinguishes     
between temporal and eternal necessity4 
,necessity knows no law4 ,death is the  
necessity of necessities 7,weimar ,ed41 
,i1 #edi2 ,erl4 ,ed4 op4 var4 arg41     
,,ii1 #aff74  #e ,this is not a denial  
of the power of the keys1 i4 e41 the    
power to forgive and retain sin1 but    
merely that the power of the keys       
extends to purgatory4  #f i4 e41 ,merely
 human doctrine4  #g ,an alleged        
statement of indulgence-vendors4 ,see   
,letter to ,mainz and ,introduction4  #h
 ,luther refers again to this story in  
the ,resolutions 7,weimar ,ed41 ,i1     
p4#ehf74 ,the story is that these saints
 preferred to remain longer in purgatory
 that they might have greater glory in  
heaven4 ,luther adds1 ,whoever will1 may
 believe in these stories2 it is no     

concern of mine4  #i ,luther uses the   
terms pardon and indulgence             
interchangeably4  #aj ,for meaning of   
the term satisfaction1 see              
,introduction1 p4 #ai;f4  #aa           
,privileges entitling their holder to   
choose his own confessor and relieving  
him of certain satisfactions4 ,see      
,introduction1 p4 #bb4  #ab ,see above1 
,thesis #f4  #ac i4 e41 ,papal4  #ad    
,cf4 ,thesis #cb4  #ae ,the commissioner
 who sold the letters of indulgence4    
#af ,the best texts read illi1 on it1 i4
 e41 the ,word of ,god4 ,the ,erl4 ,ed4 
has a variant verbis evangelics1 the    
words of the ,gospel 7op4 var4 arg41 ,i1
 #bhi74  #ag ,see ,introduction1 p4 #bj1
 note #b4  #ah i4 e41 ,threatens with   
thunder-bolt of excommunication4  #ai   
,see ,letter to ,mainz1 above p4 #bf4   
,for repetition and defense of the      
statement against which ,luther here    
protests1 see ,disp4 ,i4 ,jo ,tetzelii1 
,th4 #ii-aja2 ,loescher4 ,i1 #eac4  #bj 
,cf4 ,thesis #f4  #ba ,cf4 ,thesis #e   

and note4  #bb ,cf4 ,theses #cf1 #cg4   
#bc ,the letter of indulgence entitled  
its possessor to absolution once in life
 and in the article of death4  #bd      
,during the time when the               
,jubilee-indulgences were preached1     
other ,indulgences were suspended4  #be 
,in a letter to ,michael ,dressel1 #bb  
,june1 #aeaf1 ,luther had written3 ,it  
is not that man1 therefore whom no one  
disturbs who has peace--which is indeed1
 the peace of the world--but he whom all
 men and all things harass and who bears
 all quietly with joy4 ,you say with    
,israel3 ',peace1 peace1' and there is  
no peace2 say rather with ,christ1      
',cross1 cross' and there is no cross4  
,for the cross ceases to be a cross as  
soon as you say joyfully3 ',blessed     
cross1 there is no tree like you'       
7,preserved ,smith1 ,luther1 p4 #cb74   
,,iii  ,,letter ,,to ,,john ,,staupitz  
,,accompanying ,,the ,,resolutions ,,to 
,,the ,,xcv ,,theses  #aeah   ,to his   
,reverend and ,dear ,father  ,,john     

,,staupitz1  ,professor of ,sacred      
,theology1 ,vicar of the ,augustinian   
,order1  ,brother ,martin ,luther1  his 
pupil1  sendeth greeting4  ,i remember1 
dear ,father1 that once1 among those    
pleasant and wholesome talks of thine1  
with which the ,lord ,jesus ofttimes    
gives me wondrous consolation1 the word 
poenitentia#a was mentioned4 ,we were   
moved with pity for many consciences1   
and for those tormentors who teach1 with
 rules innumerable and unbearable1 what 
they call a modus confitendi4#b ,then we
 heard thee say as with a voice from    
heaven1 that there is no true penitence 
which does not begin with love of       
righteousness and of ,god1 and that this
 love1 which others think to be the end 
and the completion of penitence1 is     
rather its beginning4  ,this word of    
thine stuck in me like a sharp arrow of 
the mighty1 ,ps4 #abj3d and from that   
time forth ,i began to compare it with  
the texts of ,scripture which teach     
penitence4 ,lo1 there began a joyous    

game6 ,the words frollicked with me     
everywhere6 ,they laughed and gamboled  
around this saying4 ,before that there  
was scarcely a word in all the          
,scriptures more bitter to me than      
penitence1 though ,i was busy making    
pretences to ,god and trying to produce 
a forced1 feigned love2 but now there is
 no word which has for me a sweeter or  
more pleasing sound than penitence4 ,for
 ,god's commands are sweet1 when we find
 that they are to be read not in books  
alone1 but in the wounds of our sweet   
,saviour4  ,after this it came about    
that1 by the grace of the learned men   
who dutifully teach us ,greek and       
,hebrew1 ,i learned that this word is in
 ,greek metanoia and is derived from    
meta and noun1 i4 e41 post and mentem1#c
 so that poenitentia or metanoia is a   
coming to one's senses1 and is a        
knowledge of one's own evil1 gained     
after punishment has been accepted and  
error acknowledged2 and this cannot     
possibly happen without a change in our 

heart and our love4 ,all this answers so
 aptly to the theology of ,paul1 that   
nothing1 at least in my judgment1 can so
 aptly illustrate ,st4 ,paul4  ,then ,i 
went on and saw that metanoia can be    
derived1 though not without violence1   
not only from post and mentem1 but also 
from trans and mentem1 #d so that       
metanoia signifies a changing#e of the  
mind and heart1 because it seemed to    
indicate not only a change of the heart1
 but also a manner of changing it1 i4   
e41 the grace of ,god4 ,for that passing
 over of the mind1 #f which is true     
repentance1 is of very frequent mention 
in the ,scriptures4 ,christ has         
displayed the true significance of that 
old word ,passover2 and long before the 
,passover1 ,ex4 #ai3aa ,abraham was a   
type of it1 when he was called a        
pilgrim1 #a ,cor4 #e3g i4 e41 a ,hebrew1
 #g that is to say1 one who passed over 
into ,mesopotamia1 as the ,doctor of    
,bourgos#h learnedly explains4 ,with    
this accords1 too1 the title of the     

,psalm ,ps4 #ci in which ,jeduthun1 i4  
e41 the pilgrim1 #i is introduced as the
 singer4  ,depending on these things1 ,i
 ventured to think those men false      
teachers who ascribed so much to works  
of penitence that they left us scarcely 
anything of penitence itself except     
trivial satisfactions#aj and laborious  
confession1 because1 forsooth1 they had 
derived their idea from the ,latin words
 poenitentiam agere1#aa which indicate  
an action1 rather than a change of      
heart1 and are in no way an equivalent  
for the ,greek metanoia4  ,while this   
thought was boiling in my mind1 suddenly
 new trumpets of indulgences and bugles 
of remissions began to peal and to bray 
all about us2 but they were not intended
 to arouse us to keen eagerness for     
battle4 ,in a word1 the doctrine of true
 penitence was passed by1 and they      
presumed to praise not even that poorest
 part of penitence which is called      
satisfaction1 #ab but the remission of  
that poorest part of penitence2 and they

 praised it so highly that such praise  
was never heard before4 ,then1 too1 they
 taught impious and false and heretical 
doctrines with such authority 7,i wished
 to say with such assurance7 that he who
 even muttered anything to the contrary 
under his breath1 would straightway be  
consigned to the flames as a heretic1   
and condemned to eternal malediction4   
,unable to meet their rage half-way1 ,i 
determined to enter a modest dissent1   
and to call their teaching into         
question1 relying on the opinion of all 
the doctors and of the whole ,church1   
that to render satisfaction is better   
than to secure the remission of         
satisfaction1 i4 e41 to buy indulgences4
 ,nor is there anybody who ever taught  
otherwise4 ,therefore1 ,i published my  
,disputation2#ac in other words1 ,i     
brought upon my head all the curses1    
high1 middle and low1 which these lovers
 of money 7,i should say of souls7 are  
able to send or to have sent upon me4   
,for these most courteous men1 armed1 as

 they are1 with very dense acumen1 since
 they cannot deny what ,i have said1 now
 pretend that in my ,disputation ,i have
 spoken against the power of the        
,supreme ,pontiff4#ad  ,that is the     
reason4 ,reverend ,father1 why ,i now   
regretfully come out in public4 ,for ,i 
have ever been a lover of my corner1 and
 prefer to look upon the beauteous      
passing show of the great minds of our  
age1 rather than to be looked upon and  
laughed at4 ,but ,i see that the bean   
must appear among the cabbages1#ae and  
the black must be put with the white1   
for the sake of seemliness and          
loveliness4  ,i ask1 therefore1 that    
thou wilt take this foolish work of mine
 and forward it1 if possible1 to the    
most ,excellent ,pontiff1 ,leo ,x1 where
 it may plead my cause against the      
designs of those who hate me4 ,not that 
,i wish thee to share my danger6 ,nay1  
,i wish this to be done at my peril     
only4 ,christ will see whether what ,i  
have said is ,his or my own2 and without

 ,his permission there is not a word in 
the ,supreme ,pontiff's tongue1 nor is  
the heart of the king in his own hand4  
,ps4 #ach3d 7,vulgate71 ,prov4 #ba3a ,he
 is the ,judge whose verdict ,i await   
from the ,roman ,see4  ,as for those    
threatening friends of mine1 ,i have no 
answer for them but that word of        
,reuchlin's--,he who is poor fears      
nothing2 he has nothing to lose4        
,fortune ,i neither have nor desire2 if 
,i have had reputation and honor1 he who
 destroys them is always at work2 there 
remains only one poor body1 weak and    
wearied with constant hardships1 and if 
by force or wile they do away with that 
7as a service to ,god71 they will but   
make me poorer by perhaps an hour or two
 of life4 ,john #af3b ,enough for me is 
the most sweet ,saviour and ,redeemer1  
my ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 to ,whom ,i    
shall always sing my song2 ,ps4 #ajd3cc 
if any one is unwilling to sing with me1
 what is that to me8 ,let him howl1 if  
he likes1 by himself4  ,the ,lord ,jesus

 keep thee eternally1 my gracious       
,father6  ,wittenberg1 ,day of the ,holy
 ,trinity1 ,,mdxviii  ,,footnotes  #a   
,penitence1 repentance1 penance1 are all
 translations of this word4 ,see above1 
p4#bi1 note #a4  #b ,the modus          
confitendi1 or way of confession is the 
teaching of what sins are to be         
confessed to the priest and how they are
 to be confessed4 ,the subject is       
discussed fully by ,luther in his       
,discussion of ,confession1 below1 pp4  
#ha-ajb4  #c ,gr4 et81 ,lat41 post4     
,eng41 after2 ,gr4 88881 ,lat41 mens1   
,eng41 mind4  #d ,the ,greek et8 can    
also be translated by the ,latin trans1 
which1 in compounds1 denotes movement   
from one place1 or thing1 or condition1 
to another4  #e ,lat4 transmutatio1 the 
act or process of changing1 not simply a
 change 7mutatio74  #f ,transitus       
mentis4  #g ,the derivative of the term 
,hebrew is still disputed 7v4 ,,pre#c   
,,vii1 p4#ejg74 ,luther conceives it to 
mean transitor1 one who passes through  

tor across the land1 a pilgrim4 ,cf4    
,genesis #ab3f4  #h ,burgenesis1 i4 e4  
,paul of ,bourgos 7#acec-adce74  #i     
,another bit of ,medival philology4  #aj
 ,see ,introduction1 p4 #ai4  #aa ,cf4  
,thesis #a1 and foot-note4  #ab ,here   
again1 as above1 we have the double     
sense of poentitentia4 ,satisfaction is 
a part of sacramental penance4 ,luther's
 charge is that in preaching the        
remission of this part of the ,sacrament
 the doctrine of true penitence 7cf4    
,thesis #a7 is passed by4  #ac ,the     
,ninety-five ,theses4  #ad ,tetzel's    
reply to the ,theses 7,disputatio ,,ii1 
,jo4 ,tetzelli71 #aeag4 ,loescher1 ,i1  
pp4 #eag ff4  #ae ,a ,latin adage1      
chorcorus inter olern4   ,,iv  ,,letter 
,,to ,,pope ,,leo ,x1 ,,accompanying    
,,the ,,resolutions ,,to ,,the ,,xcv    
,,theses #aeah   ,to the  ,most ,blessed
 ,father1  ,,leo ,x4  ,martin ,luther1  
,augustinian ,friar1  wisheth           
everlasting welfare4  ,i have heard evil
 reports about myself1 most blessed     

,father1 by which ,i know that certain  
friends have put my name in very bad    
odor with you and yours1 saying that ,i 
have attempted to belittle the power of 
the keys and of the ,supreme ,pontiff4  
,therefore ,i am accused of heresy1     
apostasy1 and perfidy1 and am called by 
six hundred other names of ignominy4 ,my
 ears shudder and my eyes are astounded4
 ,but the one thing in which ,i put my  
confidence remains unshaken--my clear   
and quiet conscience4 ,moreover1 what ,i
 hear is nothing new4 ,with such like   
decorations ,i have been adorned in my  
own country by those same honorable and 
truthful men1 i4 e41 by the men whose   
own conscience convicts them of         
wrong-doing1 and who are trying to put  
their own monstrous doings off on me1   
and to glorify their own shame by       
bringing shame to me4 ,but you will     
deign1 blessed ,father1 to hear the true
 case from me1 though ,i am but an      
uncouth child4 ,jer4 #b3f  ,it is not   
long ago that the preaching of the      

,jubilee indulgences#a was begun in our 
country1 and matters went so far that   
the preachers of indulgences1 thinking  
that the protection of your name made   
anything permissible1 ventured openly to
 teach the most impious and heretical   
doctrines1 which threatened to make the 
power of the ,church a scandal and a    
laughing-stock as if the decretals ,de  
abusionibus quaestorum#b did not apply  
to them4  ,not content with spreading   
this poison of theirs by word of mouth1 
they published tracts and scattered them
 among the people4 ,in these books--to  
say nothing of the insatiable and       
unheard of avarice of which almost every
 letter in them vilely smells--they laid
 down those same impious and heretical  
doctrines1 and laid them down in such   
wise that confessors were bound by their
 oath to be faithful and insistent in   
urging them upon the people4 ,i speak   
the truth1 and none of them can hide    
himself from the heat thereof ,ps4      
#ai3f4 ,the tracts are extant and they  

cannot disown them4 ,these teachings    
were so successfully carried on1 and the
 people1 with their false hopes1 were   
sucked so dry that1 as the ,prophet     
says1 they plucked their flesh from off 
their bones2 ,mic4 #c3b but they        
themselves meanwhile were fed most      
pleasantly on the fat of the land4      
,there was just one means which they    
used to quiet opposition1 to wit1 the   
protection of your name1 the threat of  
burning at the stake1 and the disgrace  
of the name heretic4 ,it is incredible  
how ready they are to threaten1 even1 at
 times1 when they perceive that it is   
only their own mere silly opinions which
 are contradicted4 ,as though this were 
to quiet opposition1 and not rather to  
arouse schisms and seditions by sheer   
tyranny6  ,none the less1 however1      
stories about the avarice of the priests
 were bruited in the taverns1 and evil  
was spoken of the power of the keys and 
of the ,supreme ,pontiff1 and as        
evidence of this1 ,i could cite the     

common talk of this whole land4 ,i truly
 confess that ,i was on fire with zeal  
for ,christ1 as ,i thought1 or with the 
heat of youth1 if you prefer to have it 
so2 and yet ,i saw that it was not in   
place for me to make any decrees or to  
do anything in these matters4 ,therefore
 ,i privately admonished some of the    
prelates of the ,church4 ,by some of    
them ,i was kindly received1 to others  
,i seemed ridiculous1 to still others   
something worse2 for the terror of your 
name and the threat of ,church censures 
prevailed4 ,at last1 since ,i could do  
nothing else1 it seemed good that ,i    
should offer at least a gentle          
resistance to them1 i4 e41 question and 
discuss their teachings4 ,therefore ,i  
published a set of theses1 inviting only
 the more learned to dispute with me if 
they wished2 as should be evident1 even 
to my adversaries1 from the ,preface to 
the ,disputation4#c  ,lo1 this is the   
fire with which they complain that all  
the world is now ablaze6 ,perhaps it is 

because they are indignant that ,i1 who 
by your own apostolic authority am a    
,master of ,theology1 have the right to 
conduct public disputations1 according  
to the custom of all the ,universities  
and of the whole ,church1 not only about
 indulgences1 but also about ,god's     
power and remission and mercy1 which are
 incomparably greater subjects4 ,i am   
not much moved1 however1 by the fact    
that they envy me the privilege granted 
me by the power of your ,holiness1 since
 ,i am unwillingly compelled to yield to
 them in things of far greater moment1  
viz41 when they mix the dreams of       
,aristotle with theological matters1 and
 conduct nonsensical disputations about 
the majesty of ,god1 beyond and against 
the privilege granted them4  ,it is a   
miracle to me by what fate it has come  
about that this single ,disputation of  
mine should1 more than any other1 of    
mine or of any of the teachers1 have    
gone out into very nearly the whole     
land4 ,it was made public at our        

,university and for our ,university     
only1 and it was made public in such    
wise that ,i cannot believe it has      
become known to all men4 ,for it is a   
set of theses1 not doctrines or dogmas1 
and they are put1 according to custom1  
in an obscure and enigmatic way4        
,otherwise1 if ,i had been able to      
foresee what was coming1 ,i should have 
taken care1 for my part1 that they would
 be easier to understand4  ,now what    
shall ,i do8 ,i cannot recant them2 and 
yet ,i see that marvelous enmity is     
inflamed against me because of their    
dissemination4 ,it is unwillingly that  
,i incur the public and perilous and    
various judgment of men1 especially     
since ,i am unlearned1 dull of brain1   
empty of scholarship2 and that too in   
this brilliant age of ours1 which by its
 achievements in letters and learning   
can force even ,cicero into the corner1 
though he was no base follower of the   
public light4 ,but necessity compels me 
to be the goose that squawks among the  

swans4  ,and so1 to soften my enemies   
and to fulfil the desires of many1 ,i   
herewith send forth these trifling      
explanations of my ,disputation2 ,i send
 them forth in order1 too1 that ,i may  
be more safe under the defense of your  
name and the shadow of your protection4 
,in them all may see1 who will1 how     
purely and amply ,i have sought after   
and cherished the power of the ,church  
and reverence for the keys2 and1 at the 
same rime1 how unjustly and falsely my  
adversaries have befouled me with so    
many names4 ,for if ,i had been such a  
one as they wish to make me out1 and if 
,i had not1 on the contrary1 done       
everything correctly1 according to my   
academic privilege1 the ,most           
,illustrious ,prince ,frederick1 ,duke  
of ,saxony1 ,imperial ,elector1 etc41   
would never have tolerated such a pest  
in his ,university1 for he most dearly  
loves the ,catholic and ,apostolic      
truth1 nor could ,i have been tolerated 
by the keen and learned men of our      

,university4 ,but what has been done1 ,i
 do because those most courteous men do 
not fear openly to involve both the     
,prince and the ,university in the same 
disgrace with myself4#d  ,wherefore1    
most blessed ,father1 ,i cast myself at 
the feet of your ,holiness1 with all    
that ,i have and all that ,i am4        
,quicken1 kill1 call1 recall1 approve1  
reprove1 as you will4 ,in your voice ,i 
shall recognize the voice of ,christ    
directing you and speaking in you4 ,if  
,i have deserved death1 ,i shall not    
refuse to die4 ,for the earth is the    
,lord's and the fulness thereof4 ,ps4   
#bd3a ,he is blessed forever4 ,amen4    
,may ,he have you too forever in ,his   
keeping4 ,amen4  ,,anno ,,mdxviii4      
,,footnotes  #a ,see ,introduction1 pp4 
#ah1 #ba4  #b i4 e4 ,the papal laws     
regulating the methods of collectors of 
church-funds4  #c ,the ,ninety-five     
,theses4  #d ,see ,tetzel's ,,ii4       
,disputation1 ,theses #dg1 #dh4         
,loescher1 ,i1 p4 #ebb4   ,a ,,treatise 

,,on ,,the ,,holy ,,sacrament ,,of      
,,baptism #aebi   ,,introduction  ,this 
treatise is not a sermon in the ordinary
 acceptation of the term4 ,it was not   
preached1 but1 according to the ,latin  
usage of the word sermo1 was rather a   
discourse1 a discussion1 a disputation  
concerning baptism4 ,even in popular    
usage1 the term sermon implies careful  
preparation and the orderly arrangement 
of thought4 ,here1 therefore1 we have a 
carefully prepared statement of         
,luther's opinion of the real           
significance of baptism4 ,published in  
,november1 #aeai1 and shortly afterward 
in a ,latin translation1#a it shows that
 the leading features of his doctrine on
 this subject were already fixed4 ,with 
it should be read the chapter in the    
,large ,catechism 7#aeai71 and the      
treatise ,von der ,wiedertaufe 7#aech74b
 ,the treatment is not polemical1 but   
objective and practical4 ,the           
,anabaptist controversy was still in the
 future4 ,no objections against ,infant 

,baptism or problems that it suggested  
were pressing for attention4 ,nothing   
more is attempted than to explain in a  
very plain and practical way how every  
one who has been baptised should regard 
his baptism4 ,it commits to writing in  
an entirely impersonal way a problem of 
,luther's own inner life1 for the       
instruction of others similarly         
perplexed4  ,he is confronted with a    
rite universally found in ,christendom  
and nowhere else1 the one distinctive   
mark of a ,christian1 the seal of a     
divine covenant4 ,what it means is      
proclaimed by its very external form4   
,but it is more than a mere             
object-lesson pictorially representing a
 great truth4 ,with ,luther1 ,word and  
,spirit1 sign and that which is         
signified1 belong together4 ,wherever   
the one is present1 there also is the   
efficacy of the other4 ,the sign is not 
limited to the moment of administration1
 and that which is signified is not     
projected far into the distant future of

 adult years4  ,the emphatic preference 
here shown for immersion may surprise   
those not familiar with ,luther's       
writings4 ,he prefers it as a matter of 
choice between non-essentials4 ,to quote
 only his treatise of the next year on  
the ,babylonian ,captivity3 ,i wish that
 those to be baptised were entirety     
sunken in the water2 not that ,i think  
it necessary1 but that of so perfect and
 complete a thing1 there should be also 
an equally complete and perfect sign4 #c
 ,it was a form that was granted as     
permissible in current ,orders approved 
by the ,roman ,church1 and was continued
 in succeeding ,orders4#d ,even when    
immersion was not used1 the copious     
application of the water was a prominent
 feature of the ceremony4 ,no one is    
better qualified to speak on this       
subject than ,prof4 ,rietschel1 himself 
formerly a ,wittenberger3 ,the form of  
baptism at ,wittenberg is manifest from 
the picture by ,l4 ,cranach on the altar
 of the ,wittenberg ,pfarrkirche1 in    

which ,melanchthon is administering     
baptism4 ,at ,melanchthon's left hand   
lies the completely naked child over the
 foot4 ,with his right hand he is       
pouring water upon the child's head1    
from which the water is copiously       
flowing4 #e  ,nor should it be forgotten
 that the immersion which ,luther had in
 mind was not that of adults1 almost    
unknown at the time1 and as he himself  
says1 practically unknown for about a   
thousand years1#f but that of infants4  
,in the immersion of infants1 he finds  
two things3 first1 the sinking of the   
child beneath the water1 and1 then1 its 
being raised out1 the one signifying    
death to sin and all its consequences1  
and the other1 the new life into which  
the child is introduced4 ,four years    
later ,luther introduced into the       
revised ,order of ,baptism which he     
prepared1 the ,collect of ancient form1 
but which the most diligent search of   
liturgical scholars has thus far been   
unable to discover in any of the prayers

 of the ,ancient or ,medival ,church1   
expressing in condensed form this       
thought4 ,we quote the introduction1 as 
freely rendered by ,cranmer in the      
,first ,prayer ,book of ,edward ,,vi3   
,almighty and ,everlasting ,god1 ,which1
 of ,thy justice1 didst destroy by      
floods of water the whole world for sin1
 except eight persons1 whom of ,thy     
mercy ,thou didst save1 the same time1  
in the ark2 and when ,thou didst drown  
in the ,red ,sea wicked ,king ,pharaoh  
with all his army1 yet1 the same time1  
,thou didst lead ,thy people1 the       
children of ,israel1 safely through the 
midst thereof2 whereby ,thou didst      
figure the washing of ,thy holy baptism1
 and by the baptism of ,thy well-beloved
 ,son1 ,jesus ,christ1 didst sanctify   
the flood of ,jordan1 and all other     
waters1 to the mystical washing away of 
sin1 etc4#g  ,the figure is to him not  
that of an act1 but of a process        
extending throughout the entire earthly 
life of the one baptised4 ,sin is not   

drowned at once1 or its consequences    
escaped in a moment4 ,it is a graphic   
presentation in epitome of the entire   
work of grace with this subject4#h      
,life1 therefore1 in the language of    
this treatise1 is a perpetual baptism4  
,as the mark of our ,christian          
profession1 as the sacramental oath of  
the soldier of the cross1 it is the     
solemn declaration of relentless warfare
 against sin1 and of life-long devotion 
to ,christ our ,leader4 ,as the true    
bride is responsive to no other love    
than that of her husband1 so one        
faithful to his baptism is dead to all  
else4 ,it is as though all else had been
 sunk beneath the sea4  ,in the         
distinction drawn between the           
sacramental sign and the sacramental    
efficacy in paragraphs seven and eight1 
the ,protestant distinction between     
justification and sanctification is     
involved4 ,the one baptised1 becomes in 
his baptism1 wholly dead to the         
condemning power of sin2 but so far as  

the presence of sin is concerned1 the   
work of deliverance has just begun4     
,this is in glaring contrast with the   
scholastic doctrine that original sin   
itself is entirely eradicated in        
baptism4#i ,for baptism but begins the  
constant struggle against sin that ends 
only with the close of life4 ,hence the 
warning against making of baptism a     
ground for presumption1 and against     
relaxing the earnestness of the struggle
 upon the assumption that one has been  
baptised4 ,for unless baptism be the    
beginning of a new life1 it is without  
meaning4  ,nor is the error less fatal  
which resorts to satisfactions1         
self-chosen or ecclesiastically         
appointed1 for the forgiveness of sin   
committed after baptism4 ,for as every  
sin committed after baptism is a falling
 away from baptism1 all repentance is a 
return to baptism4 ,no forgiveness is to
 be found except upon the terms of our  
baptism4 ,never changing is ,god's      
covenant4 ,if broken on our part1 no new

 covenant is to be sought4 ,we must     
return to the faith of our childhood or 
be lost4 ,the ,medival ,church had      
devised a sacrament of penance to       
supplement and repair the alleged broken
 down and inoperative sacrament of      
baptism4 ,baptism1 so ran the teaching1 
blotted out the past and put one on a   
plane to make a new beginning2 but1     
then1 when he fell1 there was this new  
sacrament1 to which resort could be     
taken4 ,it was the second plank1 wrote  
,jerome1 by which one could swim out of 
the sea of his sins4 ,no1 exclaimed     
,luther1 in the ,large ,catechism1 the  
ship of our baptism never goes down4 ,if
 we fall out of the ship1 there it is1  
ready for our return4 #aj  ,there are1  
then1 no vows whatever that can be      
substitutes for our baptism1 or can     
supplement it4 ,the baptismal vow       
comprehends everything4 ,only one       
distinction is admissible4 ,while the   
vow made in baptism is universal1       
binding all alike to complete obedience 

to ,god1 there are particular spheres in
 which this general vow is to be        
exercised and fulfilled4 ,not all       
,christians have the same office at the 
same calling4 ,when one answers a divine
 call directing him to some specific    
form of ,christian service1 the vow made
 in response to such call is only the   
re-affirmation and application to a     
peculiar relation of the one obligatory 
vow of baptism4#aa  ,while the divine   
institution and ,word of ,god in baptism
 are of prime importance1 the office of 
faith must also be made prominent4      
,faith is the third element in baptism4 
,faith does not make the sacrament2 but 
faith appropriates and applies to self  
what the sacrament offers4 ,non         
sacramentum1 sed fides sacramenti       
justificat4 ,nor are we left in doubt as
 to what is here meant by the term      
faith4 ,in paragraph fourteen it is     
explicitly described4 ,faith1 we are    
then taught1 is nothing else than to    
look away from self to the mercy of     

,god1 as ,he offers it in the word of   
,his grace1 whereof baptism is the seal 
to every child baptised4  ,luther's     
purpose1 in this discussion1 being to   
guard against the ,medival theory of any
 opus operatum#ab efficacy in the       
sacrament1 he would have wandered from  
his subject1 if he had entered at this  
place into any extended discussion of   
the nature of the faith that is         
required4 ,a few years later 7#aebh71   
the ,anabaptist reaction1 which         
over-emphasised the subjective1 and     
depreciated the objective side of the   
sacraments1 necessitated a much fuller  
treatment of the peculiar office of     
faith with respect to baptism4 ,to      
complete the discussion1 the citation of
 a few sentences from his treatise1 ,von
 der ,wiedertaufe1 may1 therefore1 not  
be without use4 ,insisting that1        
important as faith is1 the divine ,word1
 and not faith1 is the basis of baptism1
 he shows how one who regards faith1 on 
the part of the candidate for baptism1  

essential to its validity1 can never1 if
 consistent1 administer baptism2 since  
there is no case in which he can have   
absolute certainty that faith is        
present4 ,or if one should have doubts  
as to the validity of his baptism in    
infancy1 because he has no evidence that
 he then believed1 and1 for this reason1
 should ask to be baptised in adult     
years1 then if ,satan should again      
trouble him as to whether1 even when    
baptised the second time1 he really had 
faith1 he would have to be baptised a   
third1 and a fourth time1 and so on ad  
infinitum1 as long as such doubts       
recurred4#ac ,for it often happens that 
one who thinks that he has faith1 has   
none whatever1 and that one who thinks  
that he has no faith but only doubts1   
actually believes4 ,we are not told3    
',he who knows that he believes1' or    
',if you know that you believe1' but3   
',he that believeth shall be saved4' #ad
 ,in other words1 it is not faith in our
 faith that is asked1 but faith in the  

,word and institution of ,god4 ,again3  
,tell me3 ,which is the greater1 the    
,word of ,god or faith8 ,is not the     
,word of ,god the greater8 ,for the     
,word does not depend upon faith1 but it
 is faith that is dependent on ,god's   
,word4 ,faith wavers and changes2 but   
the ,word of ,god abides forever4#ae    
,the man who bases his baptism on his   
faith1 is not only uncertain1 but he is 
a godless and hypocritical ,christian2  
for he puts his trust in what is not his
 own1 viz41 in a gift which ,god has    
given him1 and not alone in the ,word of
 ,god2 just as another builds upon his  
strength1 wisdom1 power1 holiness1      
which1 nevertheless1 are gifts which    
,god has given us4 #af ,even though at  
the time of baptism there be no faith1  
the baptism1 nevertheless1 is valid4    
,for if at the time of marriage1 a      
maiden be without love to the man whom  
she marries1 when1 two years later1 she 
has learned to love her husband1 there  
is no need of a new betrothal and a new 

marriage2 the covenant previously made  
is sufficient4#ag  ,in harmony with the 
stress laid in this treatise upon the   
fact that baptism is a treasury of      
consolation offered to the faith of     
every individual baptised1 is the great 
emphasis which ,luther1 in other places1
 was constrained to lay upon personal as
 distinguished from vicarious faith4    
,neither the faith of the sponsors1 nor 
that of the ,church1 for which1         
according to ,augustine1 the sponsors   
speak1 avails more than simply to bring 
the child to baptism1 where it becomes  
an independent agent1 with whom ,god now
 deals directly4 ,thus the ,large       
,catechism declares3 ,we bring the child
 in the purpose and hope that it may    
believe1 and we pray ,god to grant it   
faith1 but we do not baptise it upon    
that1 but solely upon the command of    
,god4 #ah ,still more explicit is a     
sermon on the ,third ,sunday after      
,epiphany2 ,the words1 ,mark #af3af1    
,romans #a3ag1 and ,john #c3af1 #ah are 

clear1 to the effect that every one must
 believe for himself1 and no one can be 
helped by the faith of any me else1 but 
only by his own faith4 ,it is just as in
 the natural life1 no one can be born   
for me1 but ,i must be born myself4 ,my 
mother may bring me to birth1 but it is 
,i who am born1 and no me else4 ,thus no
 one is saved by the faith of another1  
but solely by his own faith4 #ai  ,the  
treatise is found in ,weimar ,ed41 ,,ii1
 #gbd-gcg2 ,erlangen ,ed41 ,,xxi1       
#bbi-bdd2 ,st4 ,louis ,ed41 ,x1         
#baac-baaf2 ,clemen and ,leitzmann1     
,luthers ,werke1 ,i1 7#aiab71 #ahe-aie4 
,,henry ,e4 ,,jacobs4  ,mount ,airy1    
,philadelphia4  ,,footnotes  #a ,erl4   
,ed41 op4 var4 arg41 ,,iii1 #cid-daj4   
#b ,erl4 ,ed41 ,,xxvi1 #bef-bid4  #c    
,erl4 ,ed41 op4 var4 arg41 ,v4 #ff4 ,for
 an exhaustive treatment of ,luther's   
attitude to immersion1 sprinkling1 and  
pouring1 see ,krauth1 ,conservative     
,reformation1 #eai-edd4  #d ,for        
formulas1 see ,hfling1 ,das ,sacrament  

der ,taufe1 ,,ii4 #dj4  #e ,riechschel1 
,lehrbuch der ,liturgik1 ,,ii1 #fg f4   
#f ,if ,infant ,baptism were not right1 
then for one thousand years there was no
 baptism and no ,christian ,church1     
,erl4 ,ed41 ,,xxvi1 #bhg4  #g ,more     
literally1 but with no great difference1
 in the ,lutheran ,church ,book1 p4     
#cbc4 ,the ,book of ,common ,prayer1    
following the ,,ii4 ,prayerbook of      
,edward ,,vi1 has abbreviated it4  #h   
,small ,catechism3 ,baptism signifies   
that the old ,adam in us is to be       
drowned and destroyed by daily sorrow   
and repentance1 together with all sins  
and evil lusts2 and that again the new  
man should daily come forth and rise1   
that shall live in the presence of ,god1
 in righteousness and purity for ever4  
#i ,decrees of ,trent1 ,session ,v1 #e3 
,if any one asserts that the whole of   
that which has the proper nature of sin 
is not taken away1 but only evaded or   
not imputed1 let him be accursed4  #aj  
,book of ,concord1 ,eng4 ,trans41 p4    

#dge4  #aa ,luther recurs to this       
subject in a subsequent treatise1 the   
,confitendi ,ratio1 below pp4 #ha ff4   
#ab i4 e4 ,the theory of the ,roman     
,church that even without the faith of a
 recipient1 the blessing of the         
sacrament is bestowed4  #ac ,erl4 ,ed41 
,,xxvi1 #bfh4  #ad ,ibid41 #bfi4  #ae   
,erl4 ,ed41 ,,xxvi1 #bib4  #af ,ibid41  
#bge4  #ag ,ibid41 #bge4  #ah ,book of  
,concord1 ,english ,translation1 p4     
#dgc4  #ai ,erl4 ,ed41 ,,xi1 #fc1 #dh1  
#b;d ,ed41 ,,xi1 #fe1 #fa4 ,see         
discussion by writer in ,lutheran       
,church ,review1 ,,xviii1 #eih-feg1     
where passages cited may be found with  
full context translated1 together with  
other statements of ,luther and those   
who followed him1 on the same subject4  
,a ,,treatise ,,on ,,baptism  ,sidenote3
 ,meaning of the ,word  ,i4 ,baptism    
,german1 die ,taufe is called in the    
,greek language baptismos1 in ,latin    
mersio1 which means to plunge something 
entirely into the water1 so that the    

water closes over it4 ,and although in  
many places it is the custom no longer  
to thrust and plunge children into the  
font of baptism1 but only to pour the   
baptismal water upon them out of the    
font1 nevertheless the former is what   
should be done2 and it would be right1  
according to the meaning of the word    
,taufe1 that the child1 or whoever is   
baptised1 should be sunk entirely into  
the water1 and then drawn out again2 for
 even in the ,german tongue the word    
,taufe comes undoubtedly from the word  
tief1 and means that what is baptised is
 sunk deep into the water4 ,this usage  
is also demanded by the significance of 
baptism1 for baptism signifies that the 
old man and the sinful birth of flesh   
and blood are to be wholly drowned by   
the grace of ,god1 as we shall hear4 ,we
 should1 therefore1 do justice to its   
meaning and make baptism a true and     
complete sign of the thing it signifies4
  ,sidenote3 ,the ,sign  ,,ii4 ,baptism 
is an external sign or token1 which so  

divides us from all men not baptised1   
that thereby we are known as a people of
 ,christ1 ,heb4 #b3aj our ,captain1     
under ,whose banner 7i4 e41 the ,holy   
,cross7 we continually fight against    
sin4 ,therefore in this ,holy ,sacrament
 we must have regard to three           
things--the sign1 the significance      
thereof1 and the faith4 ,the sign       
consists in this1 that we are thrust    
into the water in the ,name of the      
,father and of the ,son and of the ,holy
 ,ghost2 but we are not left there1 for 
we are drawn out again4 ,hence the      
saying1 ,aus der ,taufe gehoben4#a ,the 
sign must1 therefore1 have both its     
parts1 the putting in and the drawing   
out4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,thing ,signified 
,,iii4 ,the significance of baptism is a
 blessed dying unto sin and a           
resurrection in the grace of ,god1 so   
that the old man1 which is conceived and
 born in sin1 is there drowned1 and a   
new man1 born in grace1 comes forth and 
rises4 ,thus ,st4 ,paul1 in ,titus iii1 

calls baptism a washing of regeneration1
 ,tit4 #c3e since in this washing man is
 born again and made new4 ,as ,christ   
also says1 in ,john iii1 ,except ye be  
born again of water and the ,spirit of  
grace1 ye shall not enter into the      
,kingdom of ,heaven4 ,john #c3e ,for    
just as a child is drawn out of its     
mother's womb and born1 and through this
 fleshly birth is a sinful man and a    
child of wrath1 ,eph4 #b3c so man is    
drawn out of baptism and spiritually    
born1 and through this spiritual birth  
is a child of grace and a justified man4
 ,therefore sins are drowned in baptism1
 and in place of sin1 righteousness     
comes forth4  ,sidenote3 ,its           
,incompleteness  ,,iv4 ,this            
significance of baptism1 viz41 the dying
 or drowning of sin1 is not fulfilled   
completely in this life1 nay1 not until 
man passes through bodily death also1   
and utterly decays to dust4 ,the        
sacrament1 or sign1 of baptism is       
quickly over1 as we plainly see4 ,but   

the thing it signifies1 viz41 the       
spiritual baptism1 the drowning of sin1 
lasts so long as we five1 and is        
completed only in death4 ,then it is    
that man is completely sunk in baptism1 
and that thing comes to pass which      
baptism signifies4 ,therefore this life 
is nothing else than a spiritual baptism
 which does not cease till death1 and he
 who is baptised is condemned to die2 as
 though the priest1 when he baptises1   
were to say1 ,lo1 thou art sinful flesh2
 therefore ,i drown thee in ,god's      
,name1 and in ,his ,name condemn thee to
 thy death1 that with thee all thy sins 
may die and be destroyed4 ,wherefore    
,st4 ,paul says1 in ,romans vi1 ,we are 
buried with ,christ by baptism into     
death2 ,rom4 #f3d and the sooner after  
baptism a man dies1 the sooner is his   
baptism completed2 for sin never        
entirely ceases while this body lives1  
which is so wholly conceived in sin that
 sin is its very nature1 as saith the   
,prophet1 ,behold ,i was conceived in   

sin1 and in iniquity did my mother bear 
me2 ,ps4 #ea3e and there is no help for 
the sinful nature unless it dies and is 
destroyed with all its sin4 ,so1 then1  
the life of a ,christian1 from baptism  
to the grave1 is nothing else than the  
beginning of a blessed death1 for at the
 ,last ,day ,god will make him          
altogether new4  ,sidenote3 ,its        
,completion  ,v4 ,in like manner the    
lifting up out of baptism is quickly    
done1 but the thing it signifies1 the   
spiritual birth1 the increase of grace  
and righteousness1 though it begins     
indeed in baptism1 lasts until death1   
nay1 even until the ,last ,day4 ,only   
then will that be finished which the    
lifting up out of baptism signifies4    
,then shall we arise from death1 from   
sins and from all evil1 pure in body and
 in soul1 and then shall we live        
forever4 ,then shall we be truly lifted 
up out of baptism and completely born1  
and we shall put on the true baptismal  
garment of immortal life in heaven4 ,as 

though the sponsors when they lift the  
child up out of baptism1#b were to say1 
,lo1 now thy sins are drowned2 we       
receive thee in ,god's ,name into an    
eternal life of innocence4 ,for so will 
the angels at the ,last ,day raise up   
all ,christians1 all pious baptised men1
 and will there fulfil what baptism and 
the sponsors signify2 as ,christ says in
 ,matthew xxiv1 ,he shall send forth    
,his angels1 and they shall gather unto 
,him ,his elect from the four places of 
the winds1 and from the rising to the   
setting of the sun4 ,matt #bd3ca  ,,vi4 
,baptism was presaged of old in ,noah's 
flood1 when the whole world was drowned1
 save ,noah with three sons and their   
wives1 eight souls1 who were kept in the
 ark4 ,that the people of the world were
 drowned1 signifies that in baptism sins
 are drowned2 but that the eight in the 
ark1 with beasts of every sort1 were    
preserved1 signifies that through       
baptism man is saved1 as ,st4 ,peter    
explains1 #a ,pet4 #c3bj f4 ,now baptism

 is by far a greater flood than was that
 of ,noah4 ,for that flood drowned men  
during no more than one year1 but       
baptism drowns all sorts of men         
throughout the world1 from the birth of 
,christ even till the ,day of ,judgment4
 ,moreover1 it is a flood of grace1 as  
that was a flood of wrath1 as is        
declared in ,psalm xxviii1 ,god will    
make a continual new flood4 #c ,ps4     
#bi3aj ,for without doubt many more     
people are baptised than were drowned in
 the flood4  ,sidenote3 ,the            
,continuance of ,sin  ,,vii4 ,from this 
it follows that when a man comes forth  
out of baptism1 he is pure and without  
sin1 wholly guiltless4 ,but there are   
many who do not rightly understand this1
 and think that sin is no more present1 
and so they become slothful and         
negligent in the killing of their sinful
 nature1 even as some do when they have 
gone to ,confession4 ,for this reason1  
as ,i said above1#d it should be rightly
 understood1 and it should be known that

 our flesh1 so long as it lives here1 is
 by nature wicked and sinful4 ,to       
correct this wickedness ,god has devised
 the plan of making it altogether new1  
even as ,jeremiah shows4 ,the potter1   
when the pot was marred in his hand1    
thrust it again into the lump of clay1  
and kneaded it1 and afterwards made     
another pot1 as it seemed good to him4  
,so1 says ,god1 are ye in ,my hands4    
,jer4 #ah3d f4 ,in the first birth we   
are marred2 therefore ,he thrusts us    
into the earth again by death1 and makes
 us over at the ,last ,day1 that then we
 may be perfect and without sin4  ,this 
plan ,he begins in baptism1 which       
signifies death and the resurrection at 
the ,last ,day1 as has been said4#e     
,therefore1 so far as the sign of the   
sacrament and its significance are      
concerned1 sins and the man are both    
already dead1 and he has risen again1   
and so the sacrament has taken place2   
but the work of the sacrament has not   
yet been fully done1 that is to say1    

death and the resurrection at the ,last 
,day are yet before us4  ,sidenote3     
,sins after ,baptism  ,,vii4 ,man1      
therefore1 is altogether pure and       
guiltless1 but sacramentally1 which     
means nothing else than that he has the 
sign of ,god1 i4 e41 baptism1 by which  
it is shown that his signs are all to be
 dead1 and that he too is to die in     
grace1 and at the ,last ,day to rise    
again1 pure1 sinless1 guiltless1 to     
everlasting life4 ,because of the       
sacrament1 then1 it is true that he is  
without sin and guilt2 but because this 
is not yet completed1 and he still lives
 in sinful flesh1 he is not without sin1
 and not in all things pure1 but has    
begun to grow into purity and innocence4
  ,therefore when a man comes to mature 
age1 the natural1 sinful                
appetites--wrath1 impurity1 lust1       
avarice1 pride1 and the like--begin to  
stir1 whereas there would be none of    
these if all sins were drowned in the   
sacrament and were dead4 ,but the       

sacrament only signifies that they are  
to be drowned through death and the     
resurrection at the ,last ,day4 ,rom4   
#g3ah ,so ,st4 ,paul1 in ,romans vii1   
and all saints with him1 lament that    
they are sinners and have sin in their  
nature1 although they were baptised and 
were holy2 and they so lament because   
the natural1 sinful appetites are always
 active so long as we live4  ,sidenote3 
,baptism a ,covenant  ,,ix4 ,but you    
ask1 ,how does baptism help me1 if it   
does not altogether blot out and put    
away sin8 ,this is the place for the    
right understanding of the sacrament of 
baptism4 ,the holy sacrament of baptism 
helps you1 because in it ,god allies    
,himself with you1 and becomes one with 
you in a gracious covenant of comfort4  
,sidenote3 ,man's ,pledge  ,first of    
all1 you give yourself up to the        
sacrament of baptism and what it        
signifies1 i4 e41 you desire to die1    
together with your sins1 and to be made 
new at the ,last ,day1 as the sacrament 

declares1 and as has been said4#f ,this 
,god accepts at your hands1 and grants  
you baptism1 and from that hour begins  
to make you a new man1 pours into you   
,his grace and ,holy ,spirit1 ,who      
begins to slay nature and sin1 and to   
prepare you for death and the           
resurrection at the ,last ,day4  ,again1
 you pledge yourself to continue in     
this1 and more and more to slay your sin
 as long as you live1 even until your   
death4 ,this too ,god accepts1 and      
trains and tries you all your life long1
 with many good works and manifold      
sufferings2 whereby ,he effects what you
 in baptism have desired1 viz41 that you
 may become free from sin1 may die and  
rise again at the ,last ,day1 and so    
fulfil your baptism4 ,therefore1 we read
 and see how bitterly ,he has let ,his  
saints be tortured1 and how much ,he has
 let them suffer1 to the end that they  
might be quickly slain1 might fulfil    
their baptism1 die and be made new4 ,for
 when this does not happen1 and we      

suffer not and are not tried1 then the  
evil nature overcomes a man1 so that he 
makes his baptism of none effect1 falls 
into sin1 and remains the same old man  
as before4  ,sidenote3 ,god's ,pledge   
,x4 ,so long1 now1 as you keep your     
pledge to ,god1 ,he1 in turn1 gives you 
,his grace1 and pledges ,himself not to 
count against you the sins which remain 
in your nature after baptism1 and not to
 regard them or to condemn you because  
of them4 ,he is satisfied and           
well-pleased if you are constantly      
striving and desiring to slay these sins
 and to be rid of them by your death4   
,for this cause1 although the evil      
thoughts and appetites may be at work1  
nay1 even although you may sin and fall 
at times1 these sins are already done   
away by the power of the sacrament and  
covenant1 if only you rise again and    
enter into the covenant1 as ,st4 ,paul  
says in ,romans viii4 ,no one who       
believes in ,christ is condemned by the 
evil1 sinful inclination of his nature1 

if only he does not follow it and       
consent to it2 ,rom4 #h3a and ,st4      
,john1 in his ,epistle1 writes1 ,if any 
man sin1 we have an ,advocate with ,god1
 even ,jesus ,christ1 ,who has become   
the forgiveness of our sins4 #a ,john   
#b3b f4 ,all this takes place in        
baptism1 where ,christ is given us1 as  
we shall hear in the remainder of the   
treatise4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,comfort of  
the ,covenant  ,,xi4 ,now if this       
covenant did not exist1 and ,god were   
not so merciful as to wink at our sins1 
there could be no sin so so small but it
 would condemn us4 ,for the judgment of 
,god can endure no sin4 ,therefore there
 is on earth no greater comfort than    
baptism1 for through it we come under   
the judgment of grace and mercy1 which  
does not condemn our sins1 but drives   
them out by many trials4 ,there is a    
fine sentence of ,st4 ,augustine1 which 
says1 ,sin is altogether forgiven in    
baptism2 not in such wise that it is no 
longer present1 but in such wise that it

 is not taken into account4 ,as though  
he were to say1 ,sin remains in our     
flesh even until death1 and works       
without ceasing2 but so long as we do   
not consent thereto or remain therein1  
it is so overruled by our baptism that  
it does not condemn us and is not       
harmful to us1 but is daily more and    
more destroyed until our death4  ,for   
this reason no one should be terrified  
if he feel evil lust or love1 nor should
 he despair even if he fall1 but he     
should remember his baptism1 and comfort
 himself joyfully with it1 since ,god   
has there bound ,himself to slay his sin
 for him1 and not to count it a cause   
for condemnation1 if only he does not   
consent to sin or remain in sin4        
,moreover1 these wild thoughts and      
appetites1 and even a fall into sin1    
should not be regarded as an occasion   
for despair1 but rather as a warning    
from ,god that man should remember his  
baptism and what was there spoken1 that 
he should call upon ,god's mercy1 and   

exercise himself in striving against    
sin1 that he should even be desirous of 
death in order that he may be rid of    
sin4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,office of ,faith 
,,xii4 ,here1 then1 is the place to     
discuss the third thing in the          
sacrament1 i4 e41 faith1 to wit1 that a 
man should firmly believe all this2     
viz41 that this sacrament not only      
signifies death and the resurrection at 
the ,last ,day1 by which man is made new
 for an everlasting1 sinless life2 but  
also that it assuredly begins and       
effects this1 and unites us with ,god1  
so that we have the will to slay sin1   
even till the time of our death1 and to 
fight against it2 on the other hand1    
that it is ,his will to be merciful to  
us1 to deal graciously with us1 and not 
to judge us with severity1 because we   
are not sinless in this life until      
purified through death4 ,thus you       
understand how a man becomes in baptism 
guiltless1 pure and sinless1 and yet    
continues full of evil inclinations1    

that he is called pure only because he  
has begun to be pure1 and has a sign and
 covenant of this purity1 and is always 
to become more pure4 ,because of this   
,god will not count against him the     
impurity which still cleaves to him1    
and1 therefore1 he is pure rather       
through the gracious imputation of ,god 
than through anything in his own nature2
 as the ,prophet says in ,psalm xxxii1  
,blessed is he whose transgression is   
forgiven2 blessed is the man unto whom  
the ,lord imputeth not iniquity4 ,ps4   
#eb3a f4  ,this faith is of all things  
the most necessary1 for it is the ground
 of all comfort4 ,he who has not this   
faith must despair in his sins4 ,for the
 sin which remains after baptism makes  
it impossible for any good works to be  
pure before ,god4 ,for this reason we   
must hold boldly and fearlessly to our  
baptism1 and hold it up against all sins
 and terrors of conscience1 and humbly  
say1 ,i know full well that ,i have not 
a single work which is pure1 but ,i am  

baptised1 and through my baptism ,god1  
,who cannot lie1 has bound ,himself in a
 covenant with me1 not to count my sin  
against me1 but to slay it and blot it  
out4  ,,xiii4 ,so1 then1 we understand  
that the innocence which is ours by     
baptism is so called simply and solely  
because of the mercy of ,god1 which has 
begun this work in us1 bears patiently  
with sin1 and regards us as though we   
were sinless1 ,this also explains why   
,christians are called in the           
,scriptures the children of mercy1 a    
people of grace1 and men of ,god's      
good-will4 ,eph4 #e3a1 #i ,it is because
 in baptism they have begun to become   
pure1 ,luke #b3ad and by ,god's mercy   
are not condemned with their sins that  
still remain1 until1 through death and  
at the ,last ,day1 they become wholly   
pure1 as the sign of baptism shows4     
,therefore they greatly err who think   
that through baptism they have become   
wholly pure4 ,they go about in their    
unwisdom1 and do not slay their sin2    

they will not admit that it is sin2 they
 persist in it1 and so they make their  
baptism of no effect2 they remain       
entangled in certain outward works1 and 
meanwhile pride1 hatred1 and other evils
 of their nature are disregarded and    
grow worse and worse4 ,nay1 not so6 ,sin
 and evil inclination must be recognized
 as truly sin2 that it does not harm us 
is to be ascribed to the grace of ,god1 
,who will not count it against us if    
only we strive against it in many       
trials1 works1 and sufferings1 and slay 
it at last in death4 ,to them who do    
this not1 ,god will not forgive their   
sins1 because they do not live according
 to their baptism and covenant1 and     
hinder the work which ,god and their    
baptism have begun4  ,sidenote3 ,baptism
 and ,repentance  ,,xiv4 ,of this sort  
are they also who think to blot out and 
put away their sin by satisfaction1 #g  
and even regard their baptism lightly1  
as though they had no more need of it   
after they had been baptised1#h and do  

not know that it is in force all through
 life1 even until death1 nay1 even at   
the ,last ,day1 as was said above4#i    
,for this cause they think to find some 
other way of blotting out sin1 viz41    
their own works2 and so they make1 for  
themselves and for all others1 evil1    
terrified1 uncertain consciences1 and   
despair in the hour of death2 and they  
know not how they stand with ,god1      
thinking that by sin they have lost     
their baptism and that it profits them  
no more4  ,guard yourself1 by all means1
 against this error4 ,for1 as has been  
said1 if any one has fallen into sin1 he
 should the more remember his baptism1  
and how ,god has there made a covenant  
with him to forgive all his sins1 if    
only he has the will to fight against   
them1 even until death4 ,upon this      
truth1 upon this alliance with ,god1 a  
man must joyfully dare to rely1 and then
 baptism goes again into operation and  
effect1 his heart becomes again peaceful
 and glad1 not in his own work or       

satisfaction1 but in ,god's mercy1      
promised him in baptism1 and to be held 
fast forever4 ,this faith a man must    
hold so firmly that he would cling to it
 even though all creatures and all sins 
attacked him1 since he who lets himself 
be forced away from it makes ,god a liar
 in ,his covenant1 the sacrament of     
baptism4  ,sidenote3 ,baptism and       
,penance  ,,xv4 ,it is this faith that  
the devil most attacks4 ,if he          
overthrows it1 he has won the battle4   
,for the sacrament of penance also 7of  
which we have already spoken7#aj has its
 foundation in this sacrament1 since    
sins are forgiven only to those who are 
baptised1 i4 e41 to those whose sins    
,god has promised to forgive4 ,the      
sacrament of penance thus renews and    
points out again the sacrament of       
baptism1 as though the priest1 in the   
absolution1 were to say1 ,lo1 ,god hath 
now forgiven thee thy sin1 as ,he long  
since hath promised thee in baptism1 and
 as ,he hath now commanded me1 by the   

power of the keys1#aa and now thou      
comest again into that which thy baptism
 does and is4 ,believe1 and thou hast   
it2 doubt1 and thou art lost4 ,so we    
find that through sin baptism is1       
indeed1 hindered in its work1 i4 e41 in 
the forgiveness and the slaying of sin2 
yet only by unbelief in its operation is
 baptism brought to naught4 ,faith1 in  
turn1 removes the hindrance to the      
operation of baptism4 ,so much depends  
on faith4  ,sidenote3 ,forgiveness and  
,sanctification  ,to speak quite        
plainly1 it is one thing to forgive     
sins1 and another thing to put them away
 or drive them out4 ,the forgiveness of 
sins is obtained by faith1 even though  
they are not entirely driven out2 but to
 drive out sins is to exercise ourselves
 against them1 and at last it is to die2
 for in death sin perishes utterly4 ,but
 both the forgiveness and the driving   
out of sins are the work of baptism4    
,thus the ,apostle writes to the        
,hebrews1 ,heb4 #ab3a who were baptised1

 and whose sins were forgiven1 that they
 shall lay aside the sin which doth     
beset them4 ,for so long as ,i believe  
that ,god is willing not to count my    
sins against me1 my baptism is in force 
and my sins are forgiven1 though they   
may still1 in a great measure1 remain4  
,after that follows the driving out of  
my sins through sufferings1 death1 etc4 
,this is what we confess in the article 
of the ,creed1 ,i believe in the ,holy  
,ghost1 the forgiveness of sins1 etc4   
,here there is special reference to     
baptism1 for in it the forgiveness takes
 place through ,god's covenant with us2 
therefore we must not doubt this        
forgiveness4  ,sidenote3 ,baptism and   
,suffering  ,,xvi4 ,it follows1         
therefore1 that baptism makes all       
sufferings and especially death1        
profitable and helpful1 since these     
things can only serve baptism in the    
doing of its work1 i4 e41 in the slaying
 of sin4 ,for he who would fulfil the   
work and purpose of his baptism and be  

rid of sin1 must die4 ,it cannot be     
otherwise4 ,sin1 however1 does not like 
to die1 and for this reason it makes    
death so bitter and so horrible4 ,such  
is the grace and power of ,god that sin1
 which has brought death1 is driven out 
again by its own work1 viz41 by         
death4#ab  ,you find many people who    
wish to live in order that they may     
become righteous1 and who say that they 
would like to be righteous4 ,now there  
is no shorter way or manner than through
 baptism and the work of baptism1 i4 e41
 through suffering and death1 and so    
long as they are not willing to take    
this way1 it is a sign that they do not 
rightly intend or know how to become    
righteous4 ,therefore ,god has          
instituted many estates in life in which
 men are to learn to exercise themselves
 and to suffer4 ,to some ,he has        
commanded the estate of matrimony1 to   
others the estate of the clergy1 to     
others1 again1 the estate of the rulers1
 and to all ,he has commanded that they 

shall toil and labor to kill the flesh  
and accustom it to death1 because for   
all such as are baptised their baptism  
has made the repose1 the ease1 the      
plenty of this life a very poison1 and a
 hindrance to its work4 ,for in these   
things no one learns to suffer1 to die  
with gladness1 to get rid of sin1 and to
 live in accordance with baptism2 but   
instead of these things there grows love
 of this life and horror of eternal     
life1 fear of death and unwillingness to
 blot out sin4  ,sidenote3 ,baptism and 
,good ,works  ,,xvii4 ,now behold the   
lives of men4 ,many there are who fast  
and pray and go on pilgrimage and       
exercise themselves in such things1     
thinking thereby only to heap up merit1 
and to sit down in the high places of   
heaven4 ,but fasting and all such       
exercises should be directed toward     
holding down the old ,adam1 the sinful  
nature1 and accustoming it to do without
 all that is pleasing for this life1 and
 thus daily preparing it more and more  

for death1 so that the work and purpose 
of baptism may be fulfilled4 ,and all   
these exercises and toils are to be     
measured1 not by their number or their  
greatness1 but by the demands of        
baptism2 that is to say1 each man is to 
take upon him so much of these works as 
is good and profitable for the          
suppressing of his sinful nature and for
 fitting it for death1 and is to        
increase or diminish them according as  
he sees that sin increases or decreases4
 ,as it is1 they go their heedless way1 
take upon themselves this1 that1 and the
 other task1 do now this1 now that1     
according to the appearance or the      
reputation of the work1 and again       
quickly leave off1 and thus become      
altogether inconstant1 till in the end  
they amount to nothing2 nay1 some of    
them so rack their brains over the whole
 thing1 and so abuse nature1 that they  
are of no use either to themselves or   
others4  ,all this is the fruit of that 
doctrine with which we have been so     

possessed as to think that after        
repentance or baptism we are without    
sin1 and that our good works are to be  
heaped up1 not for the blotting out of  
sin1 but for their own sake1 or as a    
satisfaction for sins already done4     
,this is encouraged by those preachers  
who preach unwisely the legends and     
works of the blessed ,saints1 and make  
of them examples for all4 ,the ignorant 
fall eagerly upon these things1 and work
 their own destruction out of the       
examples of the ,saints4 ,god has given 
every saint a special way and a special 
grace by which to live according to his 
baptism4 ,but baptism and its           
significance ,he has set as a common    
standard for all men1 so that every man 
is to examine himself according to his  
station in life1 to find what is the    
best way for him to fulfil the work and 
purpose of his baptism1 i4 e41 to slay  
sin and to die4 ,then ,christ's burden  
grows light and easy1 ,matt4 #aa3cj and 
it is not carried with worry and care1  

as ,solomon says of it1 ,the labor of   
the foolish wearieth every one of them1 
because he knoweth not how to go to the 
city4 ,eccl4 #aj3ae ,for even as they   
are worried who wish to go to the city  
and cannot find the way1 so it is with  
these men2 all their life and labor is a
 burden to them1 and yet they accomplish
 nothing4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,vow of      
,baptism and ,other ,vows  ,,xviii4 ,in 
this place1 then1 belongs the question  
whether baptism and the vow which we    
there make to ,god1 is something more or
 something greater than the vows of     
chastity1 of the priesthood1 of the     
clergy1 since baptism is common to all  
,christians1 and it is thought that the 
clergy have taken a special and a higher
 vow4 ,i answer3 ,from what has been    
said1 this is an easy question to       
answer4 ,for in baptism we all make one 
and the same vow1 viz41 to slay sin and 
to become holy through the work and     
grace of ,god1 to ,whom we yield and    
offer ourselves1 as clay to the potter  

#ac and in this no one is better than   
another4 ,but for a life in accordance  
with baptism1 i4 e41 for slaying sin1   
there can be no one method and no       
special estate in life4 ,therefore ,i   
have said#ad that each man must prove   
himself1 that he may know in what estate
 he may best slay sin and put a check   
upon his nature4 ,it is true1 then1 that
 there is no vow higher1 better1 or     
greater than the vow of baptism4 ,what  
more can we promise than to drive out   
an1 to die1 to hate this life1 and to   
become holy8  ,over and above this vow1 
a man may1 indeed1 bind himself to some 
special estate1 if it seems to him to be
 suitable and helpful for the completion
 of his baptism4 ,it is just as though  
two men went to the same city1 and the  
one went by the foot-path1 the other by 
the high-way1 according as each thought 
best4 ,so he who binds himself to the   
estate of matrimony1 walks in the toils 
and sufferings which belong to that     
estate and lays upon himself its        

burdens1 in order that he may grow used 
to pleasure and sorrow1 avoid sin1 and  
prepare himself for death better than he
 could do outside of that estate4 ,but  
he who seeks more suffering1 and by much
 exercise would speedily prepare himself
 for death and soon attain the work of  
baptism1 let him bind himself to        
chastity1 or the spiritual order2 for   
the spiritual estate1#ae if it is as it 
ought to be1 should be full of torment  
and suffering1 in order that he who     
belongs to it may have more exercise in 
the work of his baptism than the man who
 is in the estate of matrimony1 and     
through such torment quickly grow used  
to welcome death with joy1 and so attain
 the purpose of his baptism4 ,now above 
this estate there is another and a      
higher1 that which rules in the         
spiritual order1 viz41 the estate of    
bishop1 priest1 etc4 ,and these men     
should be well practised in sufferings  
and works1 and ready at every hour for  
death1 not only for their own sake1 but 

for the sake of those who are their     
subjects4  ,yet in all these estates the
 standard1 of which we spoke above1     
should never be forgotten1 viz41 that a 
man should so exercise himself only to  
the end that sin may be driven out1 and 
should not be guided by the number or   
the greatness of works4 ,but1 alas how  
we have forgotten our baptism and what  
it means1 and what vows we made there1  
and that we are to walk in its works and
 attain its purpose6 ,so1 too1 we have  
forgotten about the ways to that goal1  
and about the estates1 and do not know  
to what end these estates were          
instituted1 and how we are in them to   
keep at the fulfilling of our baptism4  
,they have been made a gorgeous show1   
and little more remains of them than    
worldly display1 as ,isaiah says1 ,thy  
silver is become dross1 thy wine mixed  
with water4 ,isa4 #a3bb ,on this may    
,god have mercy6 ,amen4  ,sidenote3 ,the
 ,joy of ,baptism  ,,xix4 ,if1 then1 the
 holy sacrament of baptism is a thing so

 great1 so gracious and full of comfort1
 we should pay earnest heed to thank    
,god for it ceaselessly1 joyfully1 and  
from the heart1 and to give ,him praise 
and honor4 ,for ,i fear that by our     
thanklessness we have deserved our      
blindness and become unworthy to behold 
such grace1 though the whole world was1 
and still is1 full of baptism and the   
grace of ,god4 ,but we have been led    
astray in our own anxious works1        
afterwards in indulgences and such like 
false comforts1 and have thought that we
 are not to trust ,god until we are     
righteous and have made satisfaction for
 our sin1 as though we would buy ,his   
grace from ,him or pay ,him for it4 ,in 
truth1 he who does not see in ,god's    
grace how it bears with him as a sinner1
 and will make him blessed1 and who     
looks forward only to ,god's judgment1  
that man will never be joyful in ,god1  
and can neither love nor praise ,him4   
,but if we hear and firmly believe that 
,he receives us sinners in the covenant 

of baptism1 spares us1 and makes us pure
 from day to day1 then our heart must be
 joyful1 and love and praise ,god4 ,so  
,he says in the ,prophet1 ,i will spare 
them1 as a man spareth his own son4     
,mal4 #c3ag ,wherefore it is needful    
that we give thanks to the ,blessed     
,majesty1 ,who shows ,himself so        
gracious and merciful toward us poor    
condemned worms1 and magnify and        
acknowledge ,his work4  ,sidenote3 ,the 
,danger of ,false ,confidence  ,,xx4 ,at
 the same time1 however1 we must have a 
care that no false security creeps in   
and says to itself3 ,baptism is so      
gracious and so great a thing that ,god 
will not count our sins against us1 and 
as soon as we turn again from sin1      
everything is right1 by virtue of       
baptism2 meanwhile1 therefore1 ,i will  
live and do my own will1 and afterwards1
 or when about to die1 will remember my 
baptism and remind ,god of ,his         
covenant1 and then fulfil the work and  
purpose of my baptism4  ,baptism is1    

indeed1 so great a thing that if you    
turn again from sins and appeal to the  
covenant of baptism1 your sins are      
forgiven4 ,only see to it1 if you thus  
wickedly and wantonly sin1 presuming on 
,god's grace1 that the judgment does not
 lay hold upon you and anticipate your  
turning back2 and beware lest1 even if  
you then desired to believe or to trust 
in your baptism1 your trial be1 by      
,god's decree1 so great that your faith 
is not able to stand4 ,if they scarcely 
remain who do do sin or who fall because
 of sheer weakness1 where shall your    
wickedness remain1 which has tempted and
 mocked ,god's grace8 #a ,pet4 #d3ah    
,let us1 therefore1 walk with           
carefulness and fear1 that with a firm  
faith we may hold fast the riches of    
,god's grace1 and joyfully give thanks  
to ,his mercy forever and ever4 ,amen4  
,eph4 #e3ae  ,,footnotes  #a ,literally1
 lifted or raised out of baptism2 in    
common usage simply baptised4 ,cf4 aus  
der ,taufe beben1 to stand sponsor4  #b 

,see above1 p4#ef1 note #a4  #c ,luther 
habitually quoted the ,vulgate and      
quoted from memory2 hence the many      
variations from the familiar test of    
,scripture4  #d ,see above1 p4 #eh4  #e 
,see above1 p4 #eg4  #f ,see above1 p4  
#eg4  #g ,good works prescribed as      
penances upon confession to the priest4 
#h ,literally1 lifted up out of it4 ,see
 above1 p4 #eg1 note #a4  #i ,see above1
 p4#eh4  #aj ,luther here refers to his 
,treatise on the ,sacrament of ,penance1
 which was published just before the    
present treatise on baptism1 in #aeai4  
,see ,weimar ,ed41 ,,ii1 pp4 #gji ff and
 p4 #gbd4  #aa ,the power to forgive and
 retain sin1 belonging1 according to    
,roman teaching1 to the priest1 and     
normally exercised in the sacrament of  
penance4  #ab ,cf4 ,fourteen of         
,consolation1 ,part ,,ii1 ch4 ,,ii2     
below1 pp4 #adf ff4  #ac ,see above1 p4 
#ei4  #ad ,see above1 p4 #fg4  #ae ,the 
spiritual estate or spiritual order     
includes all those who have deserted the

 world and worldly pursuits for the     
religious life4 ,it includes monks and  
friars and nuns1 as well as priests1    
etc4   ,a ,,discussion ,,of ,,confession
 7,,confitendi ,,ratio7 #aebj  ,the     
,confitendi ,ratio is the culmination of
 a series of tracts published by ,luther
 after the memorable ,october #cast1    
#aeag1 and before his final breach with 
,rome4#a ,in them is clearly traceable  
the progress that he was making in      
dealing with the practical problems     
offered by the confessional1 and which  
had started the mighty conflict in which
 he was engaged4 ,they open to us an    
insight into his own conscientious      
efforts during the period1 when1 as a   
penitent1 he was himself endeavoring to 
meet every requirement which the ,church
 imposed1 ,in order to secure the       
assurance of the forgiveness of sins1 as
 well as to present the questions which 
as a father confessor and spiritual     
adviser he asked those who were under   
his pastoral care4 ,first of all1 we    

find1 therefore1 tables of duties and   
sins1 reminding us of the lists of      
cardinal sins and cardinal virtues in   
which ,roman ,catholic books abound4    
,the main effort here is to promote the 
most searching self-examination and the 
most complete enumeration of the details
 of sins1 since1 from the ,medieval     
standpoint1 the completeness of the     
absolution is proportioned to the       
exhaustiveness of the confession4       
,although the first of these briefer    
tracts closes with its note of warning  
that the value of the confession is not 
to be estimated by the enumeration of   
details1 but that it rests solely in the
 resort that is had to the ,grace of    
,god and the word of ,his promise1 the  
transition from the one mode of thought 
to the other is very apparent4  ,in the 
,kurze ,untetweisung wie man beichten   
soll of #aeai1 of which this is a ,latin
 re-elaboration1 and1 therefore1        
intended more for the educated man than 
as a popular presentation1 he has       

advanced so far as to warn against the  
attempt to make an exhaustive           
enumeration of sins4 ,he advises that   
the confession be made in the most      
general terms1 covering sins both known 
and unknown4 ,if one would confess all  
mortal sins1 it may be done in the      
following words2 ',yea1 my whole life1  
and all that ,i do1 act1 speak1 and     
think1 is such as to be deadly and      
condemnable4' ,for if one regard himself
 as being without mortal sin1 this is of
 all mortal sins the most mortal4 #b    
,according to this maturer view1 the    
purpose of the most searching           
self-examination is to exhibit the utter
 impossibility of ever fathoming the    
depth of corruption that lies beneath   
the surface4 ,the reader of the         
,tessaradecas will recall ,luther's     
statement there1 that it is of ,god's   
great mercy that man is able to see but 
a very small portion of the sin within  
him1 for were he to see it in its full  
extent1 he would perish at the sight4   

,the physician need not count every     
pustule on the body to diagnose the     
disease as small-pox4 ,a glance is      
enough to determine the case4 ,the sins 
that are discovered are the symptoms of 
the one radical sin that lies beneath   
them all4#c ,the cry is no longer ,mea  
peccata1 mea peccata1 as though these   
recognized sins were the exception to a 
life otherwise without a flaw1 but      
rather1 overwhelmed with confusion1 the 
penitent finds in himself nothing but   
sin1 except for what he has by ,god's   
grace alone4 ,most clearly does ,luther 
enforce this in his exposition of the   
,fifty-first ,psalm1 of #aeca1 a        
treatise we most earnestly commend to   
those who desire fuller information     
concerning ,luther's doctrine of sin1   
and his conception of the value of      
confession and absolution4 ,he shows    
that it is not by committing a          
particular sin that we become sinners1  
but that the sin is committed because   
our nature is still sinful1 and that the

 poisonous tree has grown from roots    
deeply imbedded in the soil4 ,we are    
sinners not because particular acts of  
sin have been devised and carried to    
completion1 but before the acts are     
committed we are sinners2 otherwise such
 fruits would not have been borne4 ,a   
bad tree can grow from nothing but a bad
 root4#d  ,in his ,sermon on ,confession
 and the ,sacrament of #aebd1 he        
discourages habits of morbid            
self-introspection1 and exposes the     
perplexities produced by the extractions
 of the confessional in constantly      
sinking the probe deeper and deeper into
 the heart of the already crushed and   
quivering penitent4 ,he shows how one   
need not look far to find enough to     
prompt the confession of utter          
helplessness and the casting of self    
unreservedly upon ,god's mercy4 ,bring  
to the confession only those sins that  
occur to thee1 and say3 ,i am so frail  
and fallen that ,i need consolation and 
good counsel4 ,for the confession should

 be brief4444,no one1 therefore1 should 
be troubled1 even though he have        
forgotten his sins4 ,if they be         
forgotten1 they are none the less       
forgiven4 ,for what ,god considers1 is  
not how thou hast confessed1 but ,his   
,word and how thou hast believed4 #e    
,in this is made prominent the radical  
difference between the ,roman ,catholic 
and the ,lutheran conception of         
confession4 ,in the former1 it is a part
 of penance1 the second of the three    
elements of contrition1 confession1 and 
satisfaction1 an absolute condition of  
the forgiveness of every sin4 ,in the   
,roman confessional1 sins are treated   
atomistically4 ,some are forgiven1 while
 others are still to be forgiven4 ,every
 sin stands by itself1 and requires     
separate treatment4 ,no unconfessed sin 
is forgiven4 ,to be forgiven1 a sin must
 be known and lamented1 and confessed in
 all its details and circumstances to   
the priest1 who1 as a spiritual judge1  
proportions the amount of the           

satisfaction to be rendered by the      
penitent to the degree of guilt of the  
offence1 as judged from the facts before
 him4 ,thus the debt has to be painfully
 and punctiliously worked off1 sin by   
sin1 as in the financial world a note   
may be extinguished by successive       
payments1 dollar by dollar4 ,everything1
 therefore1 is made to depend upon the  
fulness and completeness of the         
confession4 ,it becomes a work1 on      
account of which one is forgiven4 ,the  
absolution becomes simply the stamp of  
approval that is placed upon the        
confession4  ,the ,lutheran conception  
is centered upon the person of the      
sinner1 rather than on his sins4 ,it is 
the person who is forgiven his sins4    
,where the person is forgiven but one   
sin1 all his sins are forgiven2 where   
the least sin is retained1 all sins are 
retained1 and none forgiven1 for there  
is no condemnation to them that are in  
,christ ,jesus 7,rom4 #h3a74 ,the value 
of the confession lies not in the       

confession itself1 but in that1 through 
this confession1 we turn to ,christ and 
the word of ,his promise4#f  ,in        
,luther's opinion1 there are three      
species of confession4#g ,one to ,god1  
in one's own heart1 which is of absolute
 necessity1 and which the true believer 
is always making2 a second to our       
neighbor1 when we have done him a wrong1
 which is also of divine command2 and1 a
 third to a brother1 wherein we receive 
from the mouth of that brother the word 
of consolation sent from ,god4 #h ,this 
last species1 the verbum solatii ex ore 
fratris1 while not commanded in ,holy   
,scripture1 is commended because of the 
great value which it has for those who  
fed the need of consolation1 and the    
instruction for which it affords the    
opportunity4 ,it is only by the         
individualizing of the confession that  
the comfort to be derived by the        
individualizing of the promise can be   
obtained4 ,hence1 as the ,augsburg      
,confession declares 7,article ,,xi473  

,private i4 e41 personal confession is  
retained because of the absolution4#i   
,not that1 without the absolution1 there
 is not forgiveness1 but that1 through  
it1 the one absolved rejoices all the   
more in the possession of that which he 
possessed even before the absolution1   
and goes forth from it strengthened to  
meet temptation because of the new      
assurance that he has of ,god's love4   
,this form of confession1 therefore1    
instead of being a condition of         
forgiveness1 as is our inner confession 
to ,god1 is a privilege of the justified
 man1 who1 before he has made such      
confession1 has been forgiven1 and whose
 sins that lie still concealed from his 
knowledge are just as truly forgiven as 
those over which he grieves4  ,the      
confession1 therefore1 being entirely   
voluntary and a privilege1 penitents are
 not to be tormented with the ocean of  
distinctions hitherto urged1 such1 e4g41
 as those between mortal and venial     
sins1 whereof he says that there is no  

doctor so learned as to draw accurately 
the distinction2#aj and between the     
inner impulses that may arise without   
the least consent of the will resulting 
from than1 and those to which the will1 
in varying measure1 may actually        
consent4 ,on the contrary1 it is not    
well to look too deeply into the abyss4 
,when ,peter began to count the waves1  
he was lost2 when he looked away from   
them to ,jesus1 he was saved4 ,thus1    
while the good purpose to amend the life
 must be insisted upon as an            
indispensable accompaniment of every    
sincere confession1 tender consciences  
may search within for such purpose1 and 
be distressed because they cannot find  
satisfactory evidence of its presence4  
,how excellent then the advice of this  
experienced pastor1 that those thus     
troubled should pray for this purpose   
which they cannot detect2 for no one can
 actually pray for such purpose without1
 in the prayer1 having the very object  
he is seeking4  ,so also he rules out of

 the sphere of the confession the       
violation of matters of purely          
ecclesiastical regulation4 ,nothing is  
to be regarded a sin except that which  
is a violation of one of the ,ten       
,commandments4 ,to make that a sin which
 ,god's law does not make sin1 is only  
the next step to ecclesiastical         
regulations to the level of divine      
commands1 we lower divine commands to   
the level of ecclesiastical regulations4
 ,even ,private ,confession1 therefore1 
useful as it is1 when properly          
understood and practised1 since it rests
 after all upon ecclesiastical rule1 is 
so little to be urged as a matter of    
necessity that ,luther here defends the 
suggestion of ,gerson1 that occasionally
 one should go to the ,lord's ,supper   
without having made confession1 in order
 thereby to testify that it is in ,god's
 mercy and ,his promise that we trust1  
rather than in the value of any         
particular outward observance4  ,the    
treatment of ,reserved ,cases1 with     

which this tract ends1 shows the        
moderation and caution with which       
,luther is moving1 but1 at the same     
time1 how the new wine is working in the
 old bottles1 which soon must break4    
,the principle of the reservation of    
cases he discusses in his ,address to   
the ,german ,nobility4#aa ,it is        
critical also in ,augsburg ,confession1 
,article ,,xxviii1 #b1 #da2 ,apology of 
the ,augsburg ,confession1 ,english     
,translation1 pp4 #aha1 #bab4 ,the      
,roman ,catholic dogma is officially    
presented in the ,decrees of ,trent1    
,session ,,xiv1 ,chapter #g1ab viz41    
that certain more atrocious and more    
heinous crimes be absolved not by all   
priests1 but only by the highest        
priests4 ,thus the power is centralized 
in the pope1 and is delegated for       
exercise in ordinary cases to each      
particular parish-priest within the     
limits by which he is circumscribed1 but
 no farther4#ac ,the contrast is between
 delegated and reserved rights4 ,the    

,protestant principle is that all the   
power of the ,church is in the ,word of 
,god which it administers2 that wherever
 all the ,word is1 there also is all the
 power of the ,church2 and hence that1  
according to divine tight1 all pastors  
have equal authority4 ,for this reason1 
,luther here declares that in regard to 
secret sins1 i4 e41 those known only to 
,god and the penitent1 no reservation   
whatever is to be admitted4 ,but there  
is still a distinction which he is ready
 to concede4 ,it has to do with public  
offences where scandal has been given4  
,as the more flagrant and more heinous  
crimes1 ,if public1 have to do with a   
wider circle than the members of a      
particular parish1 the reparation for   
the offence should be as extensive as   
the scandal which it has created4 ,in   
the ,apology1 ,melanchthon claims that  
such reservation should be limited to   
the ecclesiastical penalties to be      
inflicted1 but that it had not been     
,intended to comprise also the guilt    

involved2 it was a reservatio poenae1   
but not a reservatio culpae4#ad ,luther 
suggests the same here1 but with more   
than usual caution4  ,in the same spirit
 as in his ,treatise on ,baptism1 he    
protests against the numerous vows1 the 
binding force of which was a constant   
subject of treatment in pastoral dealing
 with souls4 ,the multiplication of vows
 had caused a depredation of the one    
all-embracing vow of baptism4           
,nevertheless the pope's right to give a
 dispensation he regards as limited     
entirely to such matters as those       
concerning which ,god's ,word has given 
no command4 ,with matters which concern 
only the relation of the individual to  
,god1 the ,pope's authority is of no    
avail4  ,literature4--,chemnitz1        
,martin1 ,examin ,concilii ,tridentini1 
#aegh 7,preuss edition71 #dda-def4      
,steitz1 ,g4 ,e41 ,die ,privatbeichte   
und ,privatabsolution d4 luth4 ,kirche  
aus d4 ,quellen des ,,xvi4 ,jahrh41     
#ahed4 ,pfeisterrer1 ,g4 ,f4 ,luthers   

,lehre von der ,beichte1 #aheg4         
,klieftoth1 ,th4 ,lit4 ,abhandlungen1   
#b3 ,die ,beichte und ,absolution1      
#ahef4 ,fischer1 ,e41 ,zur ,geschichte  
der evangelischen ,beichte1 #b vols41   
#aijb-aijc4 ,rietschel1 ,g41 ,lehrbuch  
der ,liturgik1 vol #b1 particularly     
secs4 #dd1 #de1 ,luthers ,affassung der 
,beichte and ,luthers ,auffassung von   
der ,absolution4 ,koestlin1 ,julius1    
,luther's ,theology 7,english           
,translation71 ,i3#ceg1 #cfj1 #djj4 ,see
 also ,smalcald ,articles1 ,book of     
,concord 7,english ,translation71 #cbf1 
#hii4      ,henry ,e4 ,jacobs4          
,mount ,airy1 ,philadelphia4            
,,footnotes  #a #a4 ,decem ,praecepta   
,wittebergenai praedicata populo1 #aeah1
 ,erl4 ,ed41 op4 ex4 lat41 ,i1 #bah4 ,a 
series of sermons entering into almost  
minute analyses of sins4  #b4 ,die zehen
 ,gebote ,gottes mit einer kurzen       
,auslegung ihre ,erfllung und           
,uebertretung1 ,weimar ,ed41 ,i1 #bdg   
ff2 ,erl4 ,ed41 ,,xxxvi1 #ade-aed4      

,reduces contents of the sermons to a   
few pages4 ,a brief handbook for use in 
the confessional first printed in       
tabular form1 giving a very condensed   
exposition of each commandment1 followed
 by a catalogue of sins prohibited and  
virtues enjoined4 ,written a month      
before the publication of the ,theses1  
and published the next year4  #c4       
,instructio pro confessione peccatorum  
abbrevianda secundum decalogum4 ,latin  
form of the above1 published shortly    
after the original4 ,erl4 ,ed41 op4 ex4 
lat41 ,,xii1 #bbi-bcj4  #d4 ,kurze      
,unterweisung wie man beichten soll4    
,weimar ,ed41 ,,ii1 #eg ff42 ,erl4 ,ed41
 ,,xxi1 #bde-bec prepared by request of 
,spalatin1 first in ,latin1 and then    
translated1 ,kstlin thinks by ,spalatin1
 into ,german4 ,published #aeah4        
,contains eight introductory            
propositions1 followed by lists of sins 
against each commandment4  #e4          
,confitendi ,ratio1 published in #aebj1 
a re-elaboration by ,luther of the      

preceding ,german treatise4 ,weimar     
,ed41 ,,vi1 #aei-afi2 ,erl4 ,ed41 ,,iv1 
#aeb-agj2 ,st4 ,louis ,ed41 ,,xix1      
#ghf-hjf4  #b ,ja1 mein ganzes ,leben1  
und alles1 das ich thu1 handel1 red und 
gedenk1 ist also gethan1 das es todlich 
und vordammlich ist4 ,these are almost  
the words of the public confessional    
prayer in the ,kirchenbuch of the       
,general ,council of the ,lutheran      
,church in ,america3 ,also dans alle    
meine ,natur und ,wesenstrflich und     
verdammlich ist4  #c ,erl4 ,ed41 op4    
var4 arg41 ,,iv1 #hi aq4 ,si enim suum  
malum sentiret1 infernum sentiret1 nam  
infernum in se ipso habet4 ,see this    
volume1 p4 #aae;f4  #d ,erl4 ,ed41 op4  
ex4 lat41 ,,xix1 #a-aed4  #e ,erl4 ,ed4 
7#b;d ed471 ,,xi1 #agc4  #f ,see the    
opening paragraph of this treatise4  #g 
,erl4 ,ed41 ,,xi1 #aff1 ,,xxix1         
#ceb-cei4 ,cf4 with this1 the still     
fuller treatment by ,chemnitz1 ,examin  
,concilii ,tridentini 7,preuss edition71
 #dda-dec4  #h ,babylonian ,captivity1  

,erl4 ,ed41 op4 var4 arg41 ,v1 #hb4  #i 
,cf4 ,augsburg ,confession1 ,art4 ,,xxv2
 ,apology in ,book of ,concord1 ,english
 ,translation1 pp4 #acc1 #agc1 #ahe1    
#ahh1 #aif2 ,smalcald ,articles1        
#ccj-cci2 ,small ,catechism1 #cga4  #aj 
,sermon vom ,sacrament der ,busse1 ,erl4
 ,ed41 ,,xx1 #aij4 ,for definition of   
mortal and venial1 see ,introduction to 
,,xcv ,theses1 above1 p4 #ai4  #aa ,see 
,vol4 ,,ii4 of this edition4  #ab       
,deninger1 ,enchridion ,symbolorum1 soc4
 #ghb2 ,sceaff's ,creeds of             
,christendom4  #ac ,as though the ,word 
of ,god cannot forgive sins1 except     
where power derived from the ,pope      
assist it4 ,chemnitz1 ,examen ,concilii 
,tridentini 7,preuss ed471 p4 #def4  #ad
 ,apology1 p4 #bab2 ,there is a         
reservation of canonical punishments2   
there is not a reservation of guilt     
before ,god in those who are truly      
converted4   ,a ,,discussion ,,of       
,,confession  7,,confitendi ,,ratio7    
#aebj   ,,first  ,sidenote3 ,need of    

,faith  ,in this our age1 the           
consciences of almost all have been led 
astray by human doctrines into a false  
trust in their own righteousness and    
their own works1 and knowledge about    
faith and trust in ,god has almost      
ceased4 ,therefore1 for him who is about
 to go to confession1 it is before all  
things necessary that he should not     
place his trust in his                  
confession--either the confession which 
he is about to make or the confession   
which he has made--but that1 with       
complete fulness of faith1 he put his   
trust only in the most gracious promise 
of ,god2 to wit1 he must be altogether  
certain that ,he1 ,who has promised     
pardon to the man who shall confess his 
sins1 will most faithfully fulfil ,his  
promise4 ,for we are to glory1 not      
because we confess1 but because ,he has 
promised pardon to those who do confess2
 that is1 not because of the worthiness 
or sufficiency of our confession 7for   
there is no such worthiness or          

sufficiency71 but because of the truth  
and certitude of ,his promise1 as says  
the xxiv4 ,psalm3 ,for ,thy ,name's     
sake1 ,o ,lord1 pardon mine iniquity4   
,ps4 #be3ce ,it does not say1 for my    
sake1 or for my worthiness' sake1 or for
 my name's sake1 but for ,thy ,name's   
sake4 ,so it is evident that the work of
 confession is nothing else than an     
occasion by which ,god is called to the 
fulfilment of ,his own promise1 or by   
which we are trained to believe that we 
shall without doubt obtain the promise4 
,it is just as if we were to say3 ,not  
unto us1 ,o ,lord1 but unto ,thy ,name  
give glory1 ,ps4 #aae3a and rejoice1 not
 because we have blessed ,thee1 but     
because ,thou hast blessed us1 as ,thou 
sayest by ,ezekiel4 ,ezek4 #bj3dd ,let  
this be the manner of our confession1   
that he who glories may glory in the    
,lord1 and may not commend himself1 but 
may glorify the grace of ,god2 and it   
shall come to pass that confession and  
majesty shall be the work of ,god4 #a   

,psalm cxi ,ps4 #aaa3c4  ,,second       
,sidenote3 ,god's ,promises  ,but ,god1 
for the glory of ,his grace and mercy1  
has promised pardon4 ,and this can be   
proved from ,scripture4 ,first from     
,psalm xxxii1 ,i said1 ,i will confess  
my transgressions unto the ,lord1 and   
,thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin4 
,ps4 #cb3e ,then from ,,ii4 ,samuel xii1
 from which this ,psalm is taken4 ,david
 first said1 ,i have sinned against the 
,lord1 and ,nathan straightway said1    
,the ,lord also hath put away thy sin2  
thou shalt not die4 #b ,sam4 #ab3ac     
,again1 from ,jeremiah xviii1 ,if that  
nation turn away from their evil1 ,i    
will repent of the evil that ,i thought 
to do4 ,jer4 #ah3h ,once more from ,i4  
,john i1 ,if we confess our sins1 ,he is
 faithful and just to forgive us our    
sins1 and to cleanse us from all        
unrighteousness4 #a ,john #a3i ,the true
 definition of the righteous man is     
found in ,proverbs xviii1 ,the righteous
 man is his own first accuser1 #b       

,prov4#ah3ag that is to say1 he is      
righteous because he accuses himself4   
,the verse goes on to say1 ,his neighbor
 7i4 e41 ,christ7 cometh and searcheth  
him1 that is1 ,he seeketh him1 and      
suffereth him not to perish2 ,he will   
even find him and bring him back from   
the depths of hell4 ,hence ,joshua vii4 
also calls the confessing of sin the    
glorifying of ,god1 saying to ,achan1   
,my son1 give glory to ,god1 and        
confess1 and tell me what thou hast     
done4 ,josh4 #g3ai ,st4 ,jerome comments
 on this passage1 ,confession of sin is 
praise of ,god4 ,no wonder6 ,for he who 
confesses his own sins speaks truth2 but
 ,god is truth2 therefore he also       
confesses ,god4 ,thus ,manasseh1 ,king  
of ,judah1 says in his most beautiful   
,prayer1#c which is most excellently    
suited for one who goes to confession1  
,but ,thou1 ,lord1 according to ,thy    
goodness hast promised repentance for   
the remission of sins1 etc4 ,prayer of  
,manasseh1 #g ,truly1 according to ,thy 

goodness ,thou hast promised1 for our   
confession is nothing unless the promise
 of ,god is sure1 and it is altogether  
of ,his divine goodness that ,he has    
promised remission1 which could not be  
obtained by any righteousness1 unless   
,he had given the promise4 ,thus faith  
in that promise is the first and supreme
 necessity for one who is about to go to
 confession1 lest1 perchance1 he may    
presumptuously think that by his own    
diligence1 his own memory1 his own      
strength1 he is provoking ,god to       
forgive his sins4 ,nay1 rather it is    
,god ,himself ,who1 with ready          
forgiveness1 will anticipate his        
confession1 and allure and provoke him1 
by the goodness of ,his sweet promise1  
to accept remission and to make         
confession4  ,,third  ,sidenote3 ,the   
,purpose of a ,better ,life--,its       
,necessity  ,before a man confesses to  
the priest1 who is the vicar1 he ought  
first to confess to ,god1 ,who is the   
,principal4 ,but he should regard this  

matter seriously1 since nothing escapes 
and nothing deceives the eye of ,god4   
,wherefore he ought here1 without       
pretence1 to ponder his purpose to lead 
a better life and his hatred of sin4    
,for there is scarcely anything which   
deceives more penitents than that subtle
 and profound dissimulation by which    
they oftentime pretend1 even to         
themselves1 a violent hatred of sin and 
a purpose to lead a better life4 ,the   
unhappy outcome proves their            
insincerity1 for after confession they  
quickly return to their natural bent1   
and1 as though relieved of the great    
burden of confession1 they live again at
 ease1 careless and unmindful of their  
purpose2 by which one fact they can be  
convicted of their sad pretending4      
,wherefore a man ought in this matter to
 be altogether frank1 and to speak of   
himself within himself just as he feels 
himself moved to speak1 just as he could
 wish to speak if there were do         
punishment1 no ,god1 no commandment1 and

 just as he would speak in the ear of   
some familiar friend1 to whom he would  
not be ashamed to reveal everything     
about himself4 ,as he could wish to     
speak quite freely to such a one about  
his faults1 so let him speak to ,god1   
,who loves us far more than we love     
ourselves4  ,for if there is any one who
 does not find himself seriously        
inclined toward a good life1 ,i know not
 whether it is safe for him to make     
confession4 ,this ,i do know1 that it   
were better for him to stay away from   
confession4 ,for in this matter he need 
not care for the commandment of the     
,church1 whether it excommunicate him or
 inflict some lesser punishment4 ,it is 
better for him not to listen to the     
,church1 than1 at his own peril1 to come
 to ,god with a false heart4 ,in the    
latter case he sins against ,god1 in the
 former case only against the ,church2  
if1 indeed1 he sin at all in such a case
 by not listening to the ,church1 seeing
 that the ,church has no right to       

command anything in which there is peril
 to the soul1 and a case of this kind is
 always excepted from the commandments  
of the ,church4 ,for whatever the       
,church commands1 she commands for ,god 
and for the soul's salvation1 presuming 
that a man is capable of receiving her  
commandment and able to fulfil it4 ,if  
this presumption falls1 the precept does
 not hold1 since nothing can be decreed 
contrary to the commandments of ,god1   
which bind the conscience4  ,sidenote3  
,the purpose of a ,better ,life--,its   
,difficulty  ,it is certainly to be     
feared that many come to confession out 
of fear of the commandment of the       
,church1 who in their hearts are still  
pleased with their former evil life4    
,if1 however1 a man is entangled in     
these difficulties1 fearing to stay away
 from confession1 and yet perceiving 7if
 the truth were told7 that he lacks the 
disposition toward a better life1 let   
him lay hold of the one thing that      
remains1 and hear the counsel of the    

,prophet1 ,pour out your heart before   
,him2 ,ps4 #fb3h and let him abase      
himself1 and openly confess to ,god the 
whole evil of his heart1 and pray for   
and desire a good purpose4 ,who1 indeed1
 is so proud as to think he does not    
need this counsel8 ,there is no one     
whose good purpose is as great as it    
ought to be4 ,let a man1 therefore1     
fearlessly seek from ,god what he knows 
he cannot find in himself1 until the    
thought of a better life begin seriously
 and truly to please him1 and his own   
life to displease him4 ,for the         
doctrines about the forming of a good   
purpose1 which have been handed down to 
us and are everywhere taught1 are not to
 be understood in the sense that a man  
should of himself form and work out this
 good purpose4 ,such an understanding is
 death and perdition2 as one says1      
,there is death in the pot1 ,o man of   
,god4 #b ,kings #d3dj ,and yet very many
 are grievously tormented by this idea1 
because they are taught to strive after 

the impossible4 ,but in very despair1   
and pouring out his heart before ,god1 a
 man should say1 ,lord ,god1 ,i have not
 what ,i ought to have1 and cannot do   
what ,i ought to do4 ,give what ,thou   
commandest1 and command what ,thou wilt4
 ,for thus ,st4 ,augustine prays in his 
,confessions4 #d  ,,fifth  ,sidenote3   
,the ,purpose of a ,better ,life--,its  
,nature  ,but what has been said about a
 good purpose1 ,i wish to have          
understood with caution4 ,for a good    
purpose ought to be twofold4 ,first1 a  
purpose with regard to open1 mortal     
sins1 such as adultery1 homicide1       
fornication1 theft1 robbery1 usury1     
slander1 etc4 ,the purpose to avoid     
these sins belongs properly to          
sacramental ,confession1 and to         
confession before ,god it belongs at any
 moment after the sins have been        
committed2 according to the word of     
,ecclesiasticus1 ,my son1 hast thou     
sinned8 ,do so no more1 but ask pardon  
for thy former sins1 ,ecclus4 #ba3a and 

again1 ,make no tarrying to turn to the 
,lord4 ,ecclus4 #e3h ,in the second     
place1 however1 as regards all the sins 
they call venial 7of which more below71 
it is entirely vain to labor after the  
forming of a good purpose1 because if   
one rightly considers himself1 he will  
find such a purpose altogether          
impossible1 if he wishes henceforth to  
live in the flesh2 since 7as ,augustine 
says7 this life cannot be lived without 
such sins as unnecessary and thoughtless
 laughter1 language1 imaginations1      
sights1 sounds1 etc4 ,as regards such   
things it is uncertain whether they are 
sins1 or temptations by which merit is  
increased4 ,and yet it is marvelous how 
a patent is vexed and worried in these  
matters by the present wordy manner of  
confessing4 ,a purpose ought to be      
certain1 and directed toward things     
which are certain and which can be      
shunned in common living1 like the      
aforesaid open1 mortal sins4  ,,sixth   
,sidenote3 ,hidden ,sins--,are ,they to 

be ,confessed8  ,whether the hidden sins
 of the heart1 which are known only to  
,god and the man who commits them1      
belong to sacramental confession or not1
 is more than ,i can say4 ,i should     
prefer to say that they do not4 ,for the
 need of confessing these sins can in no
 way be proved1 either by reason or by  
,scripture1 and ,i have often suspected 
that it was all an invention of         
avaricious or curious or tyrannical     
prelates1 who took this way of bringing 
the people of ,christ to fear them4     
,this is1 in my opinion1 laying hands on
 the judgment of ,god and is a violation
 of the rights of ,god1 especially if   
men are forced to it4#e  ,here comes in 
that whole sea of laws and impossible   
questions about cases of sin1 #f etc41  
since it is impossible for a man to know
 when he has in his heart committed the 
mortal sins of pride1 lust1 or envy4    
,nay1 how can the priest know this1 when
 he is set in judgment upon mortal sins 
alone8 ,can he know another's heart who 

does not thoroughly know his own8 ,hence
 it comes that many people confess many 
things1 not knowing whether they are    
sins or not2 and to this they are driven
 by that sentence of ,gregory1 ,a good  
mind will confess guilt even where there
 is no guilt4 ,they i4 e41 the priests  
wish that what is offered to ,god shall 
be offered to themselves--so immense is 
the arrogance of priests and pontiffs1  
and so haughty the pride of the         
,pharisees--and they do not see1        
meanwhile1 that if this offering were   
made to man1 the whole of life would be 
nothing else than confession1 and that  
even this confession would have to be   
confessed in another confession by the  
man who fears guilt where there is no   
guilt1 since even good works are not    
without guilt1 and ,job is afraid of all
 his works4 ,job #i3bh  ,,seventh       
,sidenote3 ,hidden ,sins--,what ,hidden 
,sins ,should be ,confessed8  ,let some 
one else1 then1 explain this4 ,i am     
content with this1 that not all the sins

 of the heart are to be confessed4 ,but 
if some are to be confessed1 ,i say that
 it is only those which a man clearly   
knows that he has purposed in his heart 
against the commandments of ,god2#g not1
 therefore1 mere thoughts about a virgin
 or a woman1 nor1 on the other hand1 the
 thoughts of a woman about a youth1 nor 
the affections or ardor of lust1 that is
 to say1 the inclinations of the one sex
 toward the other1 however unseemly1    
nor1 ,i would add1 even passions of this
 sort2 for these thoughts are frequently
 passions inspired by the flesh1 the    
world1 or the devil1 which the soul is  
compelled unwillingly to bear1 sometimes
 for a long while1 even for a whole day1
 or a week2 as the apostle ,paul        
confesses of his thorn in the flesh4 #b 
,cor4 #ab3g  ,the consequence of all    
this is that a purpose to avoid these   
things is impossible and vain and       
deceitful1 for the inclinations and     
desires of the sexes for one another do 
not cease so long as occasion is given  

them1 and the devil is not quiet1 and   
out whole nature is sin4 ,but those who 
wish to be without sin and who believe  
that man is sound and whole1 erect these
 crosses for us that we may not cease to
 confess 7even to the priest7 what      
things soever tickle us never so little4
 ,therefore1 if these hidden things of  
the heart ought to be confessed at all1 
only those things should be confessed   
which involve full consent to the deed2 
and such things happen very rarely or   
never to those who wish to lead pious   
lives1 even though they are constantly  
harassed by desires and passions4       
,,eight  ,sidenote3 ,mortal and ,venial 
,sins  ,at this place we should also    
speak of that race of audacious         
theologians who are born to the end that
 the true fear of ,god may be           
extinguished in human hearts1 and that  
they may smite the whole world with     
false terrors4 ,it might seem that      
,christ was speaking of them when he    
told of terrors from heaven4 ,luke      

#ba3aa ,vulg4 ,these are the men who    
have undertaken to distinguish for us   
between mortal and venial sin4 ,when men
 have heard that a certain sin is       
venial1 they are careless and wholly    
leave off fearing ,god1 as if ,he       
counted a venial sin for naught2 again1 
if they have heard that the consent of  
the heart is a mortal sin1 and if they  
have failed to listen to the precepts of
 the ,church1 or have committed some    
other trifling offence1 there is no     
place in their hearts for ,christ1      
because of the confusion made by the    
roaring sea of a troubled conscience4   
,against these teachers it should be    
known that a man ought to give up in    
despair the idea that he can ever       
confess all his mortal sins1 and that   
the doctrine which is contained in the  
,decretals#h and is current in the      
,church1 to wit1 that every ,christian  
should once in a year make confession of
 all his sins 7so the words run71 is    
either a devilish and most murderous    

doctrine1 or else is sorely in need of a
 loose interpretation4  ,not all sins1  
,i say1 either mortal or venial1 are to 
be confessed1 but it should be known    
that after a man has used all diligence 
in confessing1 he has yet confessed only
 the smaller part of his sins4 ,how do  
we know this8 ,because the ,scripture   
says1 ,cleanse ,thou me from hidden     
sins1 ,o ,lord4 ,ps4 #ai3ab ,these      
hidden sins ,god alone knows4 ,and again
 it says1 ,create in me a clean heart1  
,o ,god4 ,ps4 #ea3aj ,even this holy    
prophet confesses that his heart is     
unclean4 ,and all the holy ,church      
prays1 ,thy will be done2 ,matt4 #f3aj  
and thus confesses that she does not do 
the will of ,god1 and is herself a      
sinner4  ,sidenote3 ,should ,all ,mortal
 ,sins be ,confessed8  ,furthermore1 we 
are so far from being able to know or   
confess all the mortal sins that even   
our good works are damnable and mortal1 
if ,god were to judge with strictness1  
and not to receive them with forgiving  

mercy4 ,if1 therefore1 all mortal sins  
are to be confessed1 it can be done in a
 brief word1 by saying at once1 ,behold1
 all that ,i am1 my life1 all that ,i do
 and say1 is such that it is mortal and 
damnable2 according to what is written  
in the cxliii4 ,psalm1 ,enter not into  
judgment with ,thy servant1 for in ,thy 
sight shall no flesh living be justified
 ,ps4 #adc3b2 and in the ,epistle to the
 ,romans1 ,chapter vii1 ,but ,i am      
carnal1 sold under sin2 ,i know that in 
my flesh dwelleth no good thing2 the    
evil that ,i would not1 that ,i do1 etc4
 ,rom4 #g3ad1 #ah1 #ai  ,but of all     
mortal sins1 this is the most mortal1   
not to believe that we are hateful in   
the sight of ,god because of damnable   
and mortal sin4 ,to such madness these  
theologians1 with this rule of theirs1  
strive zealously and perniciously to    
drag the consciences of men1 by teaching
 that venial sins are to be             
distinguished from mortal sins1 and that
 according to their own fashion4 ,for we

 read in ,augustine1 ,cyprian1 and other
 ,fathers that those things which are   
bound and loosed are not mortal sins1   
but criminal offences1 i4 e41 those acts
 of which men can be accused and        
convicted4  ,therefore1 by the term all 
sins in the ,decretal we should         
understand those things of which a man  
is accused1 either by others or by his  
own conscience4 ,by conscience ,i mean a
 right conscience1 not a conscience     
seared and deformed by human traditions1
 but a conscience which is expert in the
 commandments of ,god1 and which knows  
that much more is to be left solely to  
the goodness of ,god than is to be      
committed to its own diligence4  ,but   
what if the devil1 when a man is dying1 
raises the obstacle of sins which have  
not been confessed1 as we read in many  
of the stories8#i ,i answer4 ,let these 
sins go long with those of which it is  
said1 ,who can understand his faults8   
,ps4 #ai3ab and with those others of    
which it is written1 ,enter not into    

judgment with ,thy servant4 ,ps4 #adc3b 
,whatever stories have been made up     
contrary to these sayings1 have either  
been invented under some devilish       
delusion1 or are not rightly understood4
 ,it is enough that thou hast had the   
will to confess all things1 if thou     
hadst known them or hadst been able4    
,god wills that ,his mercy be glorified4
 ,but how8 ,in our righteousness8 ,nay1 
in our sins and miseries4 ,the          
,scriptures should be esteemed more     
highly than any stories4  ,,ninth       
,sidenote3 ,distinction between ,sins   
,by thus getting down to the thing      
itself1#aj the penitent1 of whom ,i have
 so often spoken1 does away entirely    
with that riot of distinctions2 to wit1 
whether he has committed sin by fear    
humbling him to evil1 or by love        
inflaming him to evil2 what sins he has 
committed against the three theological 
virtues of faith1 hope1 and charity2    
what sins against the four cardinal     
virtues2 what sins by the five senses2  

what of the seven mortal sins1 what     
against the seven sacraments1 what      
against the seven gifts of the ,holy    
,spirit1 what against the eight         
beatitudes1 what of the nine peccata    
aliena1 what against the twelve         
,articles of ,faith1 what of the silent 
sins1 what of the sins crying to heaven2
 or whether he has sinned by or against 
anything else4#aa ,that hateful and     
wearisome catalogue of distinctions is  
altogether useless1 nay1 it is          
altogether harmful4 ,some have added to 
these evils a most troublesome business 
of circumstances4  ,by all this they    
have produced two results4 ,first1 the  
penitent makes so much of these trifles 
that he is not able really to give heed 
to the thing of chief importance1       
namely1 the desire for a better life4   
,he is compelled to tax his memory with 
such a mass of details1 and so to fill  
his heart with the business of rightly  
expressing his cares and anxieties1     
while seeking out forgotten sins or a   

way of confessing them1 that he entirely
 loses the present pangs of conscience1 
and the whole profit and salutary effect
 of confession4 ,when he is absolved1   
therefore1 he rejoices not so much      
because he is absolved1 as because he   
has freed himself once for all from the 
wretched worry of confession2 for what  
he has been seeking has been not the    
absolution1 but rather the end of the   
laborious nuisance of confessing4 ,thus1
 while we sleep secure1 everything is   
upset again4 ,in the second place1 such 
penitents weary the confessor1 stealing 
his time1 and standing in the way of    
other penitents4  ,sidenote3 ,the       
,commandments a ,guide to ,confession   
,we ought1 therefore1 to look briefly at
 the ,commandments of ,god1 in which1 if
 they are rightly understood1 all sins  
are1 without doubt1 contained4#ab ,and  
not even all of these are to be         
considered1 but the last two            
,commandments are to be excluded        
entirely from confession4 ,confession   

should be brief1 and should be a        
confession chiefly of those sins which  
cause pain at the time of confession1   
and1 as they say1 move to confession4   
,for the sacrament of confession was    
instituted for the quieting1 not for the
 disturbing1 of the conscience4  ,for   
example1 as regards the ,commandment1   
,thou shalt not commit adultery1 let the
 penitent quickly say in what manner he 
has given place to lust1 either in act  
or word1 or by consent1 just as though  
he were describing himself entirely1    
with all his limbs and senses1 in that  
,commandment4 ,why1 then1 should he     
uselessly bring in the five senses1 the 
mortal sins1 and the rest of that ocean 
of distinctions8 ,so in the case of the 
,commandment1 ,thou shalt not kill4 ,let
 him quickly say by what kind of wrath  
he has sinned1 whether by hatred1       
slander or cursing1 or by the act of    
murder itself4 ,and so with the rest2 as
 ,i have tried to show in my            
,preceptorium and my writings on the    

,decalogue4#ac  ,let it not disturb     
anyone that in the ,decretals on        
,penance and in the ,,iv4 ,book of the  
,sentences#ad this matter is differently
 treated4 ,for they all are full of     
human inventions2 and no wonder6 ,they  
have taken everything they say out of a 
certain apocryphal and unlearned book   
called ,de vera et falsa poenitentia1#ae
 which is widely circulated1 and        
ascribed1 by a lying title1 to ,st4     
,augustine4  ,,tenth  ,sidenote3        
,commandments of ,god and of ,man  ,in  
making confession diligence should be   
used to distinguish with great care     
between sins committed against the      
,commandments of ,god and sins committed
 against the statutes of men4 ,i say    
this because of the mad opinion1 which  
is now prevalent1 that sins which are   
committed against the decretals of the  
popes are to be noted with wondrous     
care1 but sins committed against ,god1  
with little or none4  ,let me give you  
some illustrations3  ,you will find     

priests and monks who are horrified1 as 
at some prodigy1 if they stammer1 or    
repeat even a syllable in the ,canon of 
the ,mass1#af though this may be a      
natural defect of the tongue1 or an     
accident1 and is not a sin4 ,again1     
there is no priest who does not confess 
that he was distracted1 or failed to    
read his ,preparatoria1 or other        
old-womanish trifles of the kind4 ,there
 was one who1 even when he was at the   
altar celebrating1 called a priest three
 times and confessed that something had 
happened4 ,indeed1 ,i have seen these   
endless jests of the devil taken by many
 so seriously that they almost lost     
their minds4 ,and yet the fact that they
 cherished hatred or envy in their      
hearts1 that they had cursed before or  
after ,mass1 that they had intentionally
 lied or slandered1 all this moved them 
not at all4 ,whence this perversity8    
,from the traditions of men who turn    
from the truth1 ,tit4 #a3ad as the      
,apostle says4 ,because we have         

neglected to offer ,god a confession of 
true sins1 ,he has given us up to our   
reprobate sense1 ,rom4 #a3bd so that we 
delude ourselves with fictitious sins   
and deprive ourselves of the benefit of 
the sacrament1#ag and the more we seem  
to seek it1 the more this is true4      
,sidenote3 ,they ,tyranny of ,ordinances
  ,of this stuff are those who make the 
neglect of the canonical hours#ah an    
almost irremissible sin1 while they     
easily remit fornication1 which is      
against the commandments of ,god1 or the
 neglect of duty toward our neighbor4   
,these are they who so approve of that  
dream or story about ,st4 ,severinus#ai 
that they think they cannot read their  
,hours in advance1 or afterward make    
them up without sin1 even if they have  
been hindered at the proper time by the 
most just cause1 such as ministering to 
the necessities of a neighbor1 which is 
of six hundred times more merit than    
their worthless and all but damnable    
prayers4 ,so far do they go in their    

failure to observe that the commandment 
of ,god1 in the service of one's        
neighbor1 should be preferred to the    
commandment of men1 in the thoughtless  
mumbling of the words of the ,hours4 ,to
 this class too belong those who think  
it a crime to speak or to call a boy    
during the ,canon of the ,mass even in  
case of the greatest necessity or       
danger4 ,finally1 these men make the    
fasting of nature one thing1 and the    
fasting of the ,church another thing1   
and if one has thoughtlessly swallowed  
some drops of liquid1 or has taken some 
medicine1 they exclude him utterly from 
the sacrament1 and make it a sin1 even  
the very greatest sin4 ,i wonder whence 
these men have the authority to set up  
such laws as these and to trouble       
consciences with sins of their own      
invention4 ,by these illustrations      
other1 similar cases may be judged4  ,of
 the laity1 one confesses that he has   
tasted sweets1 another that he has      
listened to jests1 smelted perfumes1    

touched things that were soft4  ,let us 
come to greater things6 ,the common     
people are persuaded that to eat butter 
or eggs on fast-days is heretical2 so   
cruelly do the laws of men rave in the  
,church of ,god6 ,and we unconcernedly  
profit by this superstition of the      
people1 nay1 by this tyranny of ours1   
caring nothing that the commandments of 
,god are taken in jest1 so long as men  
tremble and turn pale at our laws4 ,no  
one calls an adulterer a heretic2       
fornication is a light sin2 schisms and 
discords1 inspired1 preserved and       
increased by the authority and in the   
name of the ,church1 are merits2 but to 
eat meat on ,friday is the sum of all   
heresies4 ,thus we teach the people of  
,christ1 and permit them to be taught6  
,but ,i am disgusted1 wearied1 shamed1  
distressed at the endless chaos of      
superstitions which has been inflicted  
upon this most salutary sacrament of    
confession by the ignorance of true     
theology1 which has been its own tyrant 

ever since the time that men have been  
making its laws4  ,,eleventh  ,sidenote3
 ,communion ,without ,confession  ,i    
advise1 therefore1 as ,john ,gerson#bj  
used to advise1 that a man shall now and
 then go to the altar or to the         
,sacrament with a scruple of conscience1
 that is1 without confession1 even if he
 has been immoderate in drinking1       
talking1 or sleeping1 or has done       
something else that is wrong1 or has not
 prayed a single one of the ,hours4     
,would you know why this advice is      
given8 ,listen6 ,it is in order that a  
man may learn to trust more in the mercy
 of ,god than in his own confession or  
in his own diligence4 ,for enough cannot
 be done toward shaking that accursed   
trust in our own works4 ,it should be   
done for this reason1 too1 that if a man
 is assailed by some necessity1 whether 
temptation or death1 and those hidden   
sins begin to appear which he has never 
been able to see or to confess1 then he 
may have1 ready and prepared1 a practice

 of trusting in the mercy which ,god    
offers to the unworthy2 according to the
 word1 ,his heart is prepared to trust  
in the ,lord4 #ba ,ps4 #eg3g ,how shall 
a man hope1 in the face of the sudden   
inroads of such a great mass of sins1 if
 he has not learned in this life1 while 
there was time1 to hope in the ,lord    
against the smallest1 nay1 against even 
an imagined sin8 ,if you say1 ,what if  
this were despising the sacrament and   
tempting ,god8 ,i answer1 ,it will not  
be tempting ,god if it is done for the  
glory of ,god2 that is1 if you do it1   
not because you despise ,god's sacrament
 nor because you want to tempt ,him     
7since you are ready to make the fullest
 confession71 but only in order that you
 may accustom a troubled conscience to  
trust in ,god and not to tremble at the 
rustling of every falling leaf4 ,do not 
doubt that everything pleases ,god which
 is done to the end that you may have   
trust in ,him1 since it is all ,his     
glory that we trust with our whole heart

 in ,his mercy4  ,i do not wish1        
however1 that a man should always go to 
the altar without confession2 but ,i say
 that it should be done sometimes1 and  
then only for the arousing of trust in  
,god and the destroying of trust in our 
own act of confession4 ,for a man will  
hardly go to mass without guilt1 if he  
thinks his forgiveness sure because he  
has confessed1 rather than because ,god 
is merciful2 nay1 this is altogether an 
impiety4 ,the summa summarum#bb is1     
,blessed are all they that put their    
trust in the ,lord4 ,ps4 #b3ab ,when you
 hear this word1 in the ,lord1 know that
 he is unblessed who puts his trust in  
anything whatsoever that is not the     
,lord ,himself4 ,and such a man those   
artists of confession make2 for what has
 the art of confession done except to   
destroy the art and practice of         
confiding1 until at last we have learned
 to confess a great deal1 to confide not
 at all4  ,,twelfth  ,sidenote3         
,reserved ,cases--,no ,hidden ,sins can 

be ,reserved  ,in the matter of reserved
 cases1#bc many are troubled4 ,for my   
own part1 because ,i know that the laws 
of men to be subject to mercy1 and be   
applied with mildness rather than with  
severity1 ,i follow the custom and      
advice of those who think that in hidden
 sins no case is to be reserved1 and    
therefore all penitents are to be       
absolved whose sins are hidden1 as are  
the sins of the flesh1 that is to say1  
every form of lust1 the procuring of    
abortion1 and the like4 ,for it should  
not be presumed that any pope would be  
willing1 in matters of hidden sin1 to   
set so many snares and dangers for men's
 souls4 ,but when a sin has been public1
 an open reserved case1 it should be    
left entirely to the authorities of the 
,church1 no matter whether they are just
 or unjust4 ,in such case1 however1 the 
confessor may so moderate the power of  
the keys#bd as not to let the penitent  
depart without absolution1 for those    
sins at least which he knows to be not  

reserved4 ,just now1 to be sure1 ,i am  
in doubt1 and have not yet found a place
 for the proper discussion of it1       
whether any sin can be reserved1 or ever
 is reserved1 so far as the remission of
 guilt#be is concerned2 that the penalty
 can be reserved is not doubted2 but of 
this let others judge4 ,but even in the 
remission of the penalty1 neither the   
confessor nor the penitent should be too
 much troubled by scruples4 ,the penalty
 ,i have especially in mind is          
excommunication1 or any other censure of
 the ,church--what they call their      
lightnings and thunders4 ,since         
excommunication is only penalty and not 
guilt1 and can be laid upon the innocent
 and allowed to remain upon the man who 
has returned to his senses1 and1        
furthermore1 since it is sometimes      
necessary to put off satisfaction1      
because of the length of the journey    
required or because of poverty2         
therefore the penitent who is           
excommunicated or under censure should  

be absolved from all his sins1 if he    
seeks absolution1 and be dismissed to   
the higher authorities to be loosed from
 excommunication and to make            
satisfaction4 ,thus he should be        
absolved in the judgment of ,god and of 
conscience from guilt and sins1 and sent
 to the judgment of the ,church to be   
freed from the penalty4 ,this is what is
 meant when it is said that the desire  
to make satisfaction#bf suffices for the
 absolving of a sinner4  ,,last         
,sidenote3 ,vows  ,the subject of vows  
should also have consideration1 for it  
is almost the greatest question involved
 in this whole matter1 and gives rise to
 much more confusion than does the      
reservation of cases1 though this1 too1 
rules its ,babylon with great tyranny4  
,if one would wish to speak freely on   
this subject1 the land would not be able
 to bear all his words1 ,amos #g3aj as  
the impious ,amaziah says of ,amos4     
,sidenote3 ,their ,abuse  ,the first and
 best plan would be for the pontiffs and

 preachers to dissuade and deter the    
people from their proneness to the      
making of vows1 to show them how the    
visiting of the ,holy ,land1 ,rome1     
,compostella1#bg and other holy places1 
as well as zeal in fastings1 prayers1   
and works chosen by themselves1 are     
nothing when compared with the works    
commanded by ,god and the vows which we 
have taken in baptism4#bh ,these vows   
every one can keep in his own home by   
doing his duty toward his neighbors1 his
 wife1 his children1 his servants1 his  
masters1 and thereby gain incomparably  
greater merit than he can find by       
fulfilling vows to do works chosen by   
himself and not commanded by ,god4 ,the 
foolish opinion of the common people and
 the ostentation of the ,bulls#bi have  
brought it to pass that these vows of   
pilgrimages1 fastings1 prayers1 and     
other works of the kind far outweigh in 
importance the works of ,god's ,law1    
although we never have sufficient       
strength to do these last works4 ,for my

 part1 ,i could wish that there should  
not henceforth be any vows among        
,christian people except those which we 
take in baptism1 and this1 indeed1 seems
 formerly to have been the case2 and ,i 
would wish all to understand what is    
required of them1 namely1 that they be  
obedient to the commandments of ,god4   
,for the vows of baptism seem to have   
been altogether cheapened by the too    
great practice1 parade1 dispensation1   
and redemption of these other vows4 ,let
 us put all our strength to the task1 ,i
 say1 and we shall find that we have    
vowed in baptism more than we are ever  
able to perform4  ,some vows1 including 
oaths1 are made to men1 others to ,god4 
,those made to men are admitted to be   
binding1 so far and so long as he may   
desire1 to whom the vow is made4        
,accordingly1 it should be known that1  
as ,gerson correctly thinks1 the oaths  
and vows usually taken in the           
,universities or to worldly lords#cj    
ought not to be so rigorously regarded  

that every violation of them should be  
regarded as the breaking of a vow or an 
act of perjury4 ,it is more just not to 
consider vows of this kind broken unless
 they are violated out of contempt and  
obstinate malice4 ,it is otherwise in   
things that are vowed to ,god4          
,sidenote3 ,vows ,made to ,god  ,in vows
 made to ,god1 ,i see dispensation      
granted by the pontiffs1 but ,i shall   
never be persuaded that he is safe to   
whom such a dispensation is granted4    
,for such a vow is of divine law1 and no
 pontiff1 either mediate or supreme1 has
 any more authority in this matter than 
any ,christian brother1 though ,i know  
that certain of the ,decretals and the  
,glosses on the ,decretals venture many 
statements about it which ,i do not     
believe4  ,this1 however1 ,i would      
readily believe1 that a vow of chastity 
given before puberty1 neither holds nor 
binds1 because he who made the vow was  
ignorant of what he was promising1 since
 he had not yet felt the thorn of the   

flesh4 #b ,cor4 #ab3g ,it is my pious   
opinion that such a vow is counted by   
,god as foolish and void1 and that the  
fathers of the monasteries should be    
forbidden by a general edict of the     
,church to receive a man before his     
twentieth1 or at least his eighteenth1  
year1 and girls before their fifteenth  
or sixteenth1 if we are really concerned
 about the care of souls4  ,sidenote3   
,commutation of ,vows  ,it is also a    
great piece of boldness1 in commuting or
 remitting vows1 to impose what they    
call a better work4 ,in the eyes of ,god
 there is no difference in works1 and   
,he judges works not according to their 
number or greatness1 but according to   
the disposition of the doer2 moreover1  
the ,lord is the weigher of spirits1    
,rom4 #h3bg as the ,scripture says1 and 
,he often prefers the manual labor of   
the poor artisan to the fasting and     
prayer of the priest1 of which we find  
an illustration in ,st4 ,anthony and the
 shoemaker of ,alexandria4#ca ,since    

these things are so1 who shall be so    
bold and presumptuous as to commute a   
vow into some better work8 ,but these   
things will have to be spoken of        
elsewhere1 for here we have undertaken  
to speak of confession only as it       
concerns the ,commandments of ,god1 for 
the quieting and composing of           
consciences which are troubled by       
scruples4  ,sidenote3 ,abuses of        
,penance  ,i shall add but one thing4   
,there are many who set perilous snares 
for married folk1 especially in case of 
incest2 and when any one 7for these     
things can happen1 nay1 alas6 they do   
happen7 has defiled the sister of his   
wife1 or his mother-in-law1 or one      
related to him in any degree of         
consanguinity1 they at once deprive him 
of the right to pay the debt of         
matrimony1 and nevertheless they suffer 
him not1 nay1 they forbid him1 to desert
 his wife's bed4 ,what monstrous thing  
is this8 ,what new remedy for sin8 ,what
 sort of satisfaction for sin8 ,does it 

not show how these tyrants make laws for
 other men's infirmity and indulge their
 own8 ,show me the law-giver1 however   
penitent and chaste1 who would allow    
such a law to be made for himself4 ,they
 put dry wood on the fire and say1 ,do  
not burn2 they put a man in a woman's   
arms and forbid him to touch her or know
 her2 and they do this on their own     
authority and without the command of    
,god4 ,what madness6 ,my advice is that 
the confessor beware of tyrannical      
decrees or laws1 and confidently        
sentence a sinner to some other penance1
 or totally abstain from punishing1     
leaving free to him the right of        
matrimony which has been given him not  
by man1 but by ,god4 ,for no angel in   
heaven1 still less any man on earth1 has
 the power to enjoin this penance1 which
 is the burning occasion of continual   
sin4 ,wherefore they are not to be      
heeded who wish such things to be done1 
and the penitent is to be freed from    
this scruple and peril4  ,but who may   

recount all the tyrannies with which the
 troubled consciences of penitent and   
confessing ,christians are daily        
disturbed1 by means of death-bringing   
constitutions and customs1 administered 
by silly manikins1 who only know how to 
bind and place on the shoulders of men  
burdens grievous and heavy to be borne1 
which they themselves are not willing to
 move with a finger8 ,matt4 #bc3d ,so   
this most salutary sacrament of penance 
has become nothing else than a mere     
tyranny of the great1 then a disease1   
and a means to the increase of sins4    
,thus in the end it signifies one thing 
and works another thing for miserable   
sinners1 because priestlings1 impious   
and unlearned in the law of the ,lord1  
administer the ,church of ,god1 which   
they have filled with their laws and    
their dreams4  ,here follows1 in the    
original1 a paraphrase of the apocryphal
 ,prayer of ,manasseh4  ,,footnotes  #a 
,luther quotes from the ,vulgate and    
frequently from memory1 a fact which    

should always be remembered in comparing
 his quotations from the text of        
,scripture4  #b ,vulgate1 ,justus prior 
est accusator4  #c ,the apocryphal      
,prayer of ,manasseh was included by    
,luther as an appendix to this treatise4
  #d ,augustine ,conf41 ,x1 #bi4  #e i4 
e41 ,forced to confess hidden sins4  #f 
,the so-called science of casuistry1 by 
which the moral value of an act is      
determined and the exact degree of guilt
 attaching to a given sin is estinated4 
#g ,cf4 ,small ,catechism1 ,of          
,confession1 ,ques4 ,what sins ought we 
to confess8  #h ,the decrees of the     
,popes collected in the ,canon ,law4    
,the decretal here referred to is ,c4   
,omnis ,utriusque1 ,x4 de poententiis et
 remissionibus4  #i ,anecdotes          
illustrating the doctrines of the       
,church were favorite contents of the   
sermons in ,luther's day4 ,various      
collections of these edifying legends   
are still extant4 ,cf4 p4 #bbd1 and     
note4  #aj i4 e41 ,by thinking of the   

nature of confession4  #aa ,the reader  
of this minute classification of sins1  
which could be duplicated out of almost 
any manual of casuistry1 may judge for  
himself whether ,luther was correct in  
calling it a riot of distinctions4  #ab 
,luther steadily maintained that the    
,ten ,commandments were a complete guide
 to holy living and that every possible 
sin his prohibited somewhere in the     
,decalogue4 ,see1 beside the various    
smaller treatises 7,kurze ,unterweisung 
wie man beichten soll 7#aeah71 ,kurze   
,form des zehn ,gobte 7#aebj71 etc471   
the large ,discourse on ,good ,works1   
below1 pp4 #ahd ff4  #ac ,the writings  
mentioned are found in the ,weimar ,ed41
 ,vol ,i1 pp4 #bej ff1 #beh ff1 #cih ff4
 ,see above1 p4 #ge1 note #a4  #ad ,the 
,sentences of ,peter the ,lombard was   
the standard text-book of ,medieval     
theology4  #ae ,on ,true and ,false     
,penitence1 now universally admitted not
 to have been written by ,st4           
,augustine1 but passing under his name  

till after the ,reformation4  #af ,that 
part of the liturgy of the ,mass in     
which the miraculous transformation of  
the elements into the ,body and ,blood  
of ,christ is believed to take place4   
#ag i4 e41 ,of the sacrament of         
confession4  #ah ,the fixed hours of    
daily prayer observed in the            
monasteries1 afterward applied to the   
liturgy for these services1 viz41 the   
,breviary4 ,the daily reading of this   
breviary at the appointed hours is      
required of all clergy4  #ai ,an        
,italian saint1 d4 #dhb1 noted for the  
strictness and severity of his ascetic  
practices4  #bj ,professor of the       
,university of ,paris2 one of the most  
popular and famous of the later         
,scholastics4 ,he died #adbi4  #ba      
,vulgate1 ,cor ejus paratus est4  #bb   
,we would say1 the whole thing in a     
nutshell4  #bc i4 e41 ,sins for which   
the confessor was not allowed to grant  
absolution without reference to some    
higher ,church authority1 to whose      

absolution they were reserved4 ,see     
,introduction1 p4 #gi4  #bd ,the power  
to bind and loose 7,matt4 #af3ai71 i4   
e41 to forgive and to retain sins 7,john
 #bj3bc74  #be ,the ,roman ,church      
distinguished between the guilt and the 
penalty of sin4 ,it was thought possible
 to forgive the former and retain the   
latter4 ,submission to the penalty is   
satisfaction4 ,see ,introduction to     
,,xcv4 ,theses1 p4 #ai4  #bf ,votum     
satisfactionis4 ,it was and is the      
teaching of the ,roman ,church that1    
where the actual reception of any       
sacrament is impossible1 the earnest    
desire to receive it suffices for       
salvation4 ,the desire is known as the  
votum sacramenti4  #bg ,in ,spain4 ,the 
shrine of ,st4 ,james at that place was 
a famous resort for pilgrims4 ,cf4      
below1 p4 #aia1 and note4  #bh ,see the 
,treatise on the ,sacrament of ,baptism1
 above1 pp4 #fh ff4  #bi ,luther        
doubtless refers to the decrees of the  
popes by which special rewards were     

attached to worship at certain shrines4 
#cj ,the oath of office and the oath of 
allegiance4  #ca ,the story is repeated 
by ,melanchthon in the ,apology of the  
,augsburg ,confession1 ,ch4 ,,xiii1     
,art4 xxvii1 #ch 7,book of ,concord1    
,eng4 ,trans41 p4 #bhh74 ,the ,alexander
 ,coriarius of text is misleading4      
,,the ,,fourteen ,,of ,,consolation     
,,for ,,such ,,as ,,labor ,,and ,,are   
,,heavy ,,laden  7,,tessaradecas        
,,consolatoria7  #aebj   ,,introduction 
#a4 ,when ,luther's ,elector1 ,frederick
 the ,wise 7#adhf-aebe71 returned to his
 residence at ,torgau1 after            
participating in the election of        
,emperor ,charles ,v1 at                
,frankfort-on-the-,main1 in the summer  
of #aeai1 he was stricken with a serious
 illness1 from which there seemed little
 hope of his recovery ,concerned for his
 noble patron1 and urged by ,dr4 ,george
 ,spalatin1 his friend at court1 to     
prepare a spiritual consolation for the 
,elector1 ,luther wrote ,the ,fourteen  

of ,consolation1 one of his finest and  
tenderest devotional writings1 and1 in  
conception and execution1 one of the    
most original of all his works4  ,its   
composition falls within the months of  
,august and ,september of the year      
#aeai4 ,on ,august #bith1 the ,day of   
the ,beheading of ,st4 ,john ,baptist1  
we find him writing in ,part ,i1 chapter
 vi3 ,does not the example of ,st4 ,john
 ,baptist1 whom we commemorate on this  
day as beheaded by ,herod1 shame and    
amaze us all8 ,on ,september #bb;d1 he  
sends the completed manuscript 7in      
,latin7 to ,spalatin1 requesting him to 
make a free translation of it into      
,german and present it to the ,elector4 
,by the end of ,november ,spalatin had  
completed his task 7one marvels at the  
leisureliness of this1 in view of the   
serious condition of the ,elector2 or   
was the manuscript translated and       
administered piecemeal to the noble     
patient871 and early in ,december he    
returned the original1 doubtless        

together with his own translation1 to   
,luther1 who had requested its return1  
in order to comfort himself therewith4  
,the work was1 therefore1 in the        
strictest sense1 a private writing1 and 
not in the least intended for           
publication4#a ,but the importunities of
 those who had seen it1 particularly of 
,spalatin1 prevailed1 and on ,december  
#ahth ,luther writes to the latter that 
the ,tessaradecas1 in both ,latin and   
,german1 is in the hands of the printer4
 ,on ,february #hth1 #aebj1 he sends    
,spalatin a printed copy of the ,latin1 
and six days later1 one of the ,german  
edition4 ,the latter contained a        
dedicatory letter to the ,elector1      
which1 however1 by an oversight of the  
printer1 and owing to ,luther's absence 
at the time1 was omitted in the ,latin  
edition4  ,in #aece1 fifteen years after
 its first appearance in print1 ,luther 
issued his ,tessaradecas in a new and   
final edition1 adding a brief prefatory 
note4 ,he no longer holds many of his   

former views1 and there is much in his  
little book that he has outgrown and    
might now correct4 ,but with            
characteristic unconcern1 he lets it all
 stand1 and even restores many passages 
that had been corrupted or omitted to   
their original form4 ,it is a revised   
edition1 with the errors1 as it were1   
underscored4 ,it is to be chiefly an    
historical record1 to show the world how
 far he has progressed since its first  
writing 7#a ,tim4 #d3ae71 a mile-post on
 the road of his inner development4#b   
,and more than this--and here one       
fancies he can see the sardonic smile on
 the battle-scarred face--it is to      
furnish his enemies with weapons against
 himself2 he desires to show a favor to 
the hunters of contradictions in his    
works1 that they may have whereon to    
exercise their malice4  #b4 ,the plan of
 the work is in the highest degree      
original and artificial4 ,the title1    
,tessaradecas consolatoria1 which we    
have rendered ,the ,fourteen of         

,consolation1 #c is explained by ,luther
 in the dedicatory epistle to the       
,elector1 pp4 #aaj ff4 ,the ,fourteen   
were the fourteen patron saints of      
medieval devotion1 called the ,defenders
 from all evils 7defendores1            
auxiliatores74 ,whence the cult arose is
 not altogether certain4 ,it is said to 
have become popular in ,germany since   
the vision of a ,franconian shepherd1 in
 #addf1 to whom there appeared1 in the  
fields1 the ,christ-child surrounded by 
the fourteen saints4 ,the               
,vierzehnheiligenkirche at              
,staffelstein1 a famous shrine for      
pilgrims1 marks the spot4 ,the names of 
the ,fourteen1 each of whom was a       
defender against some particular disease
 or danger1 are as follows3 ,achatius   
7,acacius71 ,aegidius1 ,barbara 7cf4    
,st4 ,barbara's cress71 ,blasius 7the   
defender of those afflicted with throat 
diseases71 ,catharine 7cf4 ,st4         
,catharine's flower71 ,christopher 7cf4 
,st4 ,christopher's herb71 ,cyriacus1   

,dionysius1 ,erasmus 7,italian3 ,san    
,elmo2 cf4 ,st4 ,elmo's fire71          
,eustachius1 ,george the ,martyr 7cf4   
,st4 ,george's herb71 ,margaret1        
,pantaleon1 and ,vitus 7cf4 ,st4        
,vitus's dance74 ,luther's ,sermons on  
the ,first ,commandment 7#aeaf7 may be  
compared lot references to some of these
 saints and to many others4  ,as over   
against these saints1 ,luther also      
invents fourteen defenders or           
comforters1 and arranges them in this   
writing in the form of an altar tablet2 
but his is not a tablet such as those   
found in the churches1 representing the 
fourteen defenders1 but it is a         
spiritual tablet or painting1 to uplift 
and strengthen the pious heart of the   
,elector1 and of all others who are     
weary and heavy laden4 ,the first       
division1 or panel1 of this figurative  
altar-piece contains the images or      
paintings of seven evils 7maia72 the    
second1 those of seven blessings 7bona74
 ,the contemplation of the evils will   

comfort the weary and heavy laden by    
showing them how small their evil is in 
comparison with the evil that they have 
within themselves1 namely1 their sin2   
with the evils they have suffered in the
 past1 and will have to suffer in the   
future2 with the evils which others1    
their friends and foes1 suffer2 and1    
above all1 with those which ,christ     
suffered on the cross4 ,similarly1 the  
contemplation of the blessings will help
 them to forget their present           
sufferings2 for they are as nothing     
compared with the blessing within them1 
namely1 their faith2 the blessings they 
enjoyed in the past1 and those that     
await them in the future1 as well as    
those which arc enjoyed by their friends
 and foes1 and1 finally1 the highest    
blessing of all1 which is ,jesus        
,christ1 risen and glorified4  ,we can  
only conjecture as to the origin of this
 unique conception of ,luther's4 ,of    
course1 the evils and blessings came to 
him from the passage in ,ecclesiasticus 

#aa3bf4d ,the order and arrangement may 
follow some contemporary altar-picture  
of the ,fourteen ,saints4 ,there was a  
famous altar-painting of the ,fourteen1 
by ,lucas ,cranach1 in ,st ,mary's at   
,torgau1 the residence of the ,elector4 
,the fact is suggestive4#e  #c4 ,the    
,tessaradecas was favorably received by 
the ,elector1 was highly praised by     
,spalatin1 who urged its publication1   
and must have been dear to ,luther's own
 heart1 since he desired the return of  
his manuscript for his own comfort4 ,the
 little work soon became very popular1  
and passed through numerous editions1   
both in ,latin and in ,german4 ,during  
the first two years five ,latin editions
 were printed1 and up to #aebe seven    
,german editions4 ,a translation was    
published in the ,netherlands in #aeba1 
and one in ,england in #aegh4 ,erasmus  
commended it to ,bishop ,christopher of 
,basle1 in #aebc2 ,i am sending your    
,highness ,luther's book of the fourteen
 pictures1 which has won great          

approbation even from those who oppose  
his doctrine at every point4 ,mathesius1
 ,luther's pupil and biographer1 judged 
that there had never before been such   
words of comfort written in the ,german 
language4 ,the ,franciscan ,lemmens     
speaks of the beautiful and ,catholic   
thoughts in it4  #d4 ,our translation is
 made from the ,latin text1 as found in 
the ,weimar edition of ,luther's works1 
volume vi1 with continual reference to  
the ,german text1 as given in the       
,berlin edition4 ,we regret our         
inability to obtain a copy of the old   
,english translation 7,a right          
comfortable ,treatise conteining sundrye
 pointes of consolation for them that   
labour and are laden4444,englished by   
,w4 ,gace4 ,t4 ,vautrollier1 ,london1   
#aegh1 sec4 ed4 #aehj71 although the    
form of the title would seem to indicate
 that it was made from ,spalatin's      
translation1 and not from the           
original4#f  ,the many ,scripture       
quotations1 all naturally from the      

,latin ,vulgate1 and most of them freely
 quoted from memory1 and sometimes      
targumed and woven into the texture of  
the treatise1 are rendered by us1 unless
 the sense should thereby be affected1  
in the words of the ,authorised         
,version4 ,important or interesting     
variations are indicated in the         
foot-notes4  #e4 ,the ,tesseradecas     
deserves to be more widely known and    
used4 ,its value is more than merely    
that of an historical document1         
representing a transition stage in      
,luther's reformatory views4 ,it gives  
us1 besides this1 a deep insight into   
the living piety of the man1 his great  
heart so full of the peace of ,god that 
passeth all understanding4 ,when we     
remember that this little work was      
composed in the midst of a very tempest 
of other writings1 chiefly polemical    
7e4g41 the savage onslaughts on ,emser71
 it will appear akin to the little book 
of ,ruth1 lying so peacefully between   
the war-like books of ,judges and ,first

 ,samuel4 ,at the ,leipzig ,disputation1
 earlier in the same year1 ,luther was  
seen to hold a bouquet of flowers in his
 hand1 and to smell of it when the      
battle waxed hot4 ,the ,tessaradecas is 
such a bunch of flowers4 ,its chief     
glory1 however1 that of a devotional    
classic1 has been somewhat dimmed by    
,luther himself1 who with the           
carelessness of genius refused to revise
 his outworn views in it2 and yet1      
despite its relics of medivalism1       
particularly by reason of its firm      
evangelical foundation1 its scriptural  
warp and woof1 its fervent piety1 and   
its fresh and original treatment1 it is 
not less entitled to a high place in the
 devotional and ascetic literature of   
the ,church than the much better known  
,imitatio ,christi4 ,in this sense it is
 herewith offered anew to the ,english  
reader1 with the hope that the diligent 
reading and contemplation of these      
'images' may minister some slight       
comfort4  #f4 ,literature4--7#a7 ,the   

literary and historical introductions to
 the ,tessaradecas in the ,weimar1      
,erlangen1 and ,berlin editions4 7#b7   
,kstlin-,kawerau1 ,martin ,luther1 sein 
,leben und seine ,schriften4 #eth ed41  
#aijc1 vol4 ,i1 pp4 #bhj1 #bha4 7#c7 ,h4
 ,beck1 ,die ,erbauungslit4 der evang4  
,kirche ,deutschlands1 #ahhc4 7#d7 ,on  
the fourteen ,defenders see articles in 
,wetzer und ,welte and the ,catholic    
,encyclopaedia1 and especially the      
article ,nothelfer1 by ,zckler1 in      
,,pre#c1 where also see further         
literature4  ,a4 ,t4 ,w4 ,steinhaeuser  
,allentown1 ,,pa4   ,,footnotes  #a ,cf4
 the first sentence of the ,prefatory   
,note1 p4 #aji of this volume2 also the 
dedicatory epistle of the ,treatise on  
,good ,works1 p4 #ahd4  #b ,we have     
noted a few of the more glaring relics  
of medivalism in the footnotes2 the     
attentive reader will discover and      
dispose of others for himself4  #c ,the 
title furnishes peculiar difficulties to
 the translator4 ,cole has simply       

transliterated it1 ,the ,consolatory    
,terradecad4 ,spalatin paraphrased it   
,ein trostlichs ,buchlein1 etc4 ,the    
,berlin ,edition renders it1 ,vierzehn  
,trostmittel1 etc4  #d ,see p4 #aac4  #e
 ,did the comment of ,bernard of        
,clairvaux1 on ,romans #h3ah1 perhaps   
contribute its quota to the general     
conception8 ,the sufferings of this     
present time are not worthy to be       
compared with the past guilt1 which is  
forgiven 7remittitur72 with the present 
grace of consolation1 which is given    
7immittitur72 with the future glory1    
which is promised 7promittitur74  #f ,an
 ,english translation1 with some        
omissions that ,luther himself did not  
care to make is found in ,henry ,cole's 
,select ,works of ,martin ,luther1 vol4 
,,ii1 ,london1 #ahbd4   ,,the ,,fourteen
 ,,of ,,consolation  7,,tessaradecas    
,,consolatoria7  #aebj   ,,prefatory    
,,note#a  ,this book was written1 early 
in my career1 for that most excellent   
prince1 ,frederick1 ,duke of ,saxony1   

when he was stricken with a dangerous   
illness2 but many desired that it be    
printed4 ,after passing through various 
editions it has now become so sadly     
corrupted and mutilated that many       
passages are missing1 whose original    
form ,i myself have clean forgot4       
,however1 ,i have restored the sense of 
them1 as well as ,i was able1 taking    
care to set down only such views as ,i  
held when the work was first written4 ,i
 did not care to revise them now1 as ,i 
might well do4 ,for it is my purpose in 
this book to put forth a public record  
of my progress1#b and also to show a    
kindness to the ,contradictionists1 #c  
that they may have whereon to exercise  
their malice4 ,for me it is enough if ,i
 please my ,lord ,christ and ,his       
saints2 that ,i am hated of the devil   
and his scales1 #d ,i rejoice with all  
my heart1 and give thanks to ,god4      
,,dedicatory ,,epistle#e  ,to the ,most 
,illustrious ,prince and ,lord1         
,frederick1 ,duke of ,saxony1           

,arch-,marshal and ,elector ,of the     
,holy ,roman ,empire1 ,landgrave of     
,t,huringia1 ,margrave of ,meissen1 his 
most gracious ,lord4  ,our ,lord and    
,saviour ,jesus hath left us a          
commandment1 which concerns all         
,christians alike1--that we should      
render the duties of humanity1 or 7as   
the ,scriptures call them7 the works of 
mercy1 ,luke #f3cf to such as are       
afflicted and under calamity2 ,matt4    
#be3cd ff4 that we should visit the     
sick1 endeavor to set free the          
prisoners1 and perform other like acts  
of kindness to our neighbor1 whereby the
 evils of this present time may in some 
measure be lightened4 ,and of this      
command our ,lord ,jesus ,christ hath   
,himself given us the brightest example1
 in that1 out of infinite love to the   
race of men4 ,he descended out of the   
bosom of the ,father into our misery and
 prison-cell1 that is1 our flesh and    
life so full of ills1 and took upon ,him
 the penalty of our sins1 in order that 

we might be saved2 as ,he saith in      
,isaiah xliii1 ,thou hast made ,me to   
serve with thy sins1 and wearied ,me    
with thine iniquities4 ,isa4 #dc3bd     
,whoever is not moved by so bright an   
example1 and driven by the authority of 
the divine command1 to show forth such  
works of mercy1 he will deservedly hear1
 in the last judgment1 the voice of the 
angry ,judge saying3 ,depart from me1   
thou cursed1 into everlasting fire6 ,for
 ,i was sick1 and thou didst not visit  
,me2 but1 basely ungrateful for the many
 blessings ,i bestowed on thee and on   
all the world1 thou wouldest not so much
 as lift a finger to succor thy         
brethren1 nay ,me1 ,christ1 thy ,god and
 ,saviour1 in thy brethren4 ,matt4      
#be3da  ,since1 then1 most noble        
,prince1 ,i perceive that your ,lordship
 has been smitten with a dangerous      
malady1 and that ,christ has thus fallen
 sick in you1 ,i have counted it my duty
 to visit your ,lordship with a little  
writing of mine4 ,for ,i cannot pretend 

to be deaf to the voice of ,christ      
crying to me out of your ,lordship's    
flesh and blood1 ,behold1 here am ,i    
sick4 ,for such ills as sickness and the
 like are endured1 not by us            
,christians1 but by ,christ ,himself1   
our ,lord and ,saviour1 in ,whom we     
live4 ,even as ,he plainly testifies in 
the ,gospel1 ,whatsoever ye have done   
unto one of the least of these ,my      
brethren1 ye have done it unto ,me4     
,matt4 #be3dj ,and while we should visit
 and console all who are afflicted with 
sickness1 yet we owe this duty specially
 to those who are of the household of   
faith4 ,for ,paul clearly distinguishes 
between strangers and those of the      
household1 or those who are bound to us 
by intimate ties1 ,galatians vi4 ,gal4  
#f3aj  ,but ,i have yet other reasons   
for performing this my duty4 ,for ,i    
consider that1 as one of your           
,lordship's subjects1 ,i must needs     
share in your ,lordship's illness1      
together with the remainder of your many

 subjects1 and suffer with you as a     
member with the ,head1 on which all our 
fortunes1 our safety1 and our happiness 
depend4 ,for we recognize in your       
,lordship another ,naaman #b ,kings1    
#e3a1 by whom ,god is now giving        
deliverance to ,germany1 as in times    
past ,he gave deliverance to ,syria4    
,wherefore the whole ,roman ,empire     
turns its eyes to your ,lordship alone1 
and venerates and receives you as the   
,father of the ,fatherland1 and the     
bright ornament and protector of the    
whole ,empire1 but of the ,german nation
 in particular4#f  ,nor are we bound    
only to console your ,lordship as much  
as in us lies1 and to make your present 
sorrow our own1 but much more to pray   
,god for your health and safety2 which  
,i trust your ,lordship's subjects are  
doing with all diligence and devotion4  
,but as for me1 whom your ,lordship's   
many and signal benefactions have made  
your debtor above all others1 ,i count  
it my duty to express my gratitude by   

rendering you some special service4 ,but
 now1 by reason of my poverty both of   
mind and fortune1 it is not possible for
 me to offer anything of value2         
therefore ,i gladly welcomed the        
suggestion of ,doctor ,george ,spalatin1
 one of your ,lordship's court          
chaplains1 that ,i should prepare a kind
 of spiritual consolation and present it
 to your ,lordship1 to whom1 he said1 it
 would be most acceptable4 ,being       
unwilling to reject this friendly       
counsel1 ,i have put together the       
following fourteen chapters1 after the  
fashion of an altar tablet1 and have    
called them1 ,the ,fourteen4 #g ,they   
are to take the place of the fourteen   
saints whom our superstition has        
invented and called1 ,the ,defenders    
against all evil4 #h ,but this is a     
tablet not of silver1 but of a spiritual
 sort2 nor is it intended to adorn the  
walls of a church1 but to uplift and    
strengthen a pious heart4 ,i trust it   
will stand your ,lordship in good stead 

in your present condition4 ,it consists 
of two divisions2 the former containing 
the images of seven evils1 in the       
contemplation of which your present     
troubles will grow light2 the latter    
presenting the images of seven          
blessings1 brought together for the same
 purpose4  ,may it please your ,lordship
 graciously to accept this little work  
of mine1 and to make such use of it that
 the diligent reading and contemplation 
of these images may minister some small 
comfort4  ,your ,lordship's humble      
servant1      ,martin ,luther1 ,doctor4 
,,preface  ,the ,apostle ,paul1 treating
 in ,romans xv4 of the consolations of  
,christians1 writes1 ,whatsoever things 
were written aforetime were written for 
our learning1 that we through patience  
and comfort of the scriptures might have
 hope4 ,rom4 #ae3d ,in these words he   
plainly teaches that our consolations   
are to be drawn from the ,holy          
,scriptures4 ,now the ,holy ,scriptures 
administer comfort after a twofold      

fashion1 by presenting to our view      
blessings and evils1 most wholesomely   
intermingled2 as the wise ,preacher     
saith1 ,in the day of evil be mindful of
 the good1 and in the day of good be    
mindful of the evil4 ,ecclus4 #aa3bf    
,for the ,holy ,spirit knows that a     
thing has only such meaning and value   
for a man as he assigns to it in his    
thoughts2 for what he holds common and  
of no value will move him but little1   
either to pleasure when he obtains it1  
or to grief when he loses it4 ,therefore
 ,he endeavors with all ,his might to   
draw us away from thinking about things 
and from being moved by them2 and when  
,he has effected this1 then all things  
whatsoever are alike to us4 ,now this   
drawing away is best accomplished by    
means of the ,word1 ,whereby our        
thoughts are turned from the thing that 
moves us at the present moment to that  
which either is absent or does not at   
the moment move us4 ,therefore it is    
true that we shall attain to this state 

of mind only through the comfort of the 
,scriptures1 which call us1 in the day  
of evil1 to the contemplation of good   
things1 either present or to come1 and1 
in the day of good1 to the contemplation
 of evil things4  ,but let us1 for our  
better understanding of these two series
 of pictures or images1 divide each of  
them into seven parts4 ,the first series
 will treat of the evils1 and we shall  
consider 7#a7 the evil within us1 7#b7  
the evil before us1 7#c7 the evil behind
 us1 7#d7 the evil on our left hand1    
7#e7 the evil on our right hand1 7#f7   
the evil beneath us1 and 7#g7 the evil  
above us4#i  ,,chapter ,i  ,,the ,,first
 ,,image  ,,the ,,evil ,,within ,,us    
,this is most certain and true--we may  
believe it or not--that no suffering in 
a man's experience1 be it never so      
severe1 can be the greatest of the evils
 that are within him4 ,so many more and 
far greater evils are there within him  
than any that he feels4 ,and if he were 
to feel those evils1 he would feel the  

pains of hell2 for he holds a hell      
within himself4 ,do you ask how this can
 be8 ,the ,prophet says1 ,all men are   
liars ,ps4 #aaf3aa and again1 ,every man
 at his best state is altogether vanity4
 ,ps4 #ci3f ,but to be a liar and       
vanity1 is to be without truth and      
reality2 and to be without truth and    
reality1 is to be without ,god and to be
 nothing2 and this is to be in hell and 
damned4 ,therefore1 when ,god in ,his   
mercy chastens us1 ,he reveals to us and
 lays upon us only the lighter evils2   
for if ,he were to lead us to the full  
knowledge of our evil1 we should        
straightway perish4 ,yet even this ,he  
has given some to taste1 and of them it 
is written1 ,he bringeth down to hell1  
and bringeth up4 #a ,sam4 #b3f          
,therefore they say well who call our   
bodily sufferings the monitors of the   
evil within4 ,and the ,apostle1 in      
,hebrews xii1 calls them ,god's fatherly
 chastenings1 when he says1 ,he         
scourgeth every son whom ,he receiveth4 

,heb4 #ab3f ,and ,he does this1 in order
 by such scourgings and lesser evils to 
drive out those great evils1 that we may
 never need to feel them2 as it is      
written1 ,foolishness is bound in the   
heart of a child2 but the rod of        
correction shall drive it far from him4 
,prov4 #cc3ae ,do not loving parents    
grieve more for their sons when they    
turn out thieves and evil-doers than    
when they receive a wound8 ,nay1 they   
themselves beat them until the blood    
flows1 to keep them from becoming       
evil-doers4#aj  ,what is it1 then1 that 
prevents us from feeling this our true  
evil8 ,it is1 as ,i have said1 so       
ordered by ,god1 that we may not perish 
on seeing the evils hidden in the depths
 of our hearts4 ,for ,god keeps them    
hidden1 and would have us discern them  
only by faith1 when ,he points them out 
to us by means of the evil that we feel4
 ,therefore1 ,in the day of evil be     
mindful of the good4 ,ecclus4 #aa3bf    
,behold1 how great a good it is1 not to 

know the whole of our evil6 ,be mindful 
of this good1 and the evil that you feel
 will press you less cruelly4 ,again1   
,in the day of good be mindful of the   
evil4 ,that is to say4 ,whilst you do   
not feel your true evil1 be grateful for
 this respite2 then will the evil that  
you feel sit lightly upon you4 ,it is   
clear1 then1 that in this life a man's  
freedom from pain is always greater than
 his pain4 ,not that his whole evil is  
not present with him1 but he does not   
think about it and is not moved by it1  
through the goodness of ,god1 ,who keeps
 it hidden4  ,how furiously do those men
 rage against themselves1 to whom their 
true evil has been revealed6 ,how they  
count as nothing whatever sufferings    
life may bring1 if only they might not  
feel the hell within6 ,even so would    
every one do1 who felt or truly believed
 in the evil within him4 ,gladly would  
he call down all external evils on his  
head1 and count them mere child's play2 
nay1 he would never be more sorrowful   

than when he had no evils to bear1 after
 the manner of certain of the saints1   
such as ,david in ,psalm vi4 ,ps4 #f    
,therefore1 this is our first image of  
consolation1 that a man should say to   
himself3 ,not yet1 ,o man1 dost thou    
feel thine evil4 ,rejoice and give      
thanks that thou dost not need to feel  
it6 ,and so the lesser evil grows light 
by comparison with the greatest evil4   
,that is what others mean when they say1
 ,i have deserved far worse things1 yea1
 hell itself--a thing easy to say1 but  
horrible to contemplate4  ,and this     
evil1 though never so deeply hidden1 yet
 puts forth fruits that are plainly     
enough perceived4 ,these are the dread  
and uncertainty of a trembling          
conscience1 when faith is assailed1 and 
a man is not sure1 or doubts1 whether he
 have a gracious ,god4 ,and this fruit  
is bitter in proportion to the weakness 
of one's faith4 ,nay1 when rightly      
considered1 this weakness alone1 being  
spiritual1 far outweighs every weakness 

of the body1 and renders it1 in         
comparison1 light as a feather4         
,moreover1 to the evils within us belong
 all those tragic experiences described 
by the ,preacher1 when he refers again  
and again to vanity and vexation of     
spirit4 ,eccl4 #a3b1 #ad ,how many of   
our plans come to naught6 ,how oft our  
hopes are deceived6 ,how many things    
that are not to our liking must we see  
and bear6 ,and the very things that fall
 out according to our wish fall out also
 against our wish6 ,so that there is    
nothing perfect and complete4 ,finally1 
all these things are so much greater1   
the higher one rises in rank and        
station2#aa for such a one will of      
necessity be driven about by far more   
and greater billows1 floods1 and        
tempests1 than others who labor in a    
like case4 ,as it is truly said in      
,psalm ciii1#ab ,in the sea of this     
world there are things creeping         
innumerable1 both small and great       
beasts1 ,ps4 #ajd3be that is1 an        

infinite number of trials4 ,and ,job1   
for this reason1 calls the life of man a
 trial4 #ac  ,these evils do not1       
indeed1 cease to be evils because they  
are less sharply felt by us2 but we have
 grown accustomed to them from having   
them constantly with us1 and through the
 goodness of ,god our thoughts and      
feelings concerning them have become    
blunted4 ,that is why they move us the  
more deeply when we do feel them now and
 then1 since we have not learned through
 familiarity to despise them4 ,so true  
is it1 therefore1 that we feel scarce a 
thousandth part of our evils1 and also  
that we estimate them and feel them or  
do not feel them1 not as they are in    
themselves1 but only as they exist in   
our thoughts and feelings4#ad  ,,chapter
 ,,ii  ,,the ,,second ,,image  ,,the    
,,future ,,evil1 ,,or ,,the ,,evil      
,,before ,,us  ,it will tend in no small
 degree to lighten any present evil if a
 man turn his mind to the evils to come4
 ,these are so many1 so diverse1 and so 

great1 that out of them has arisen one  
of the strongest emotions of the soul2  
namely1 fear4 ,for fear has been defined
 by some as the emotion caused by coming
 evil4 ,even as the ,apostle says in    
,romans xi1 ,be not highminded1 but     
fear4 ,rom4 #aa3cj ,this evil is all the
 greater because of our uncertainty in  
what form and with what force it may    
come2 so that there goes a popular      
saying1 ,no age is proof against the    
itch1 although this is but a little     
children's disease4 ,even so1 no man is 
safe from the evils that befall any     
other2 for what one has suffered another
 may suffer also4 ,here belong all the  
tragic histories of the ages1 and all   
the lamentations of the world4 ,here    
belong the more than three hundred      
diseases--which some have observed--with
 which the human body may be vexed4 ,and
 if there be so many diseases1 how great
 will be the number of other misfortunes
 that may befall our possessions1 our   
friends1 and even our mind itself1 that 

target of all evils1 and trysting-place 
of sorrow and every ill6  ,and these    
evils increase in power and intensity as
 a man rises to higher rank and         
dignity2#ae in which estate he must     
needs dread every moment the coming of  
poverty1 disgrace1 and every indignity1 
which may indeed swiftly overtake him1  
for they all hang by but a slender      
thread1 not unlike the sword which the  
tyrant ,dionysius suspended above the   
head of the guest at his table4  ,and if
 none of these evils befall us1 we      
should count it our gain1 and no small  
comfort in the evil that does befall us2
 so that we should feel constrained to  
say with ,jeremiah1 ,it is of the       
,lord's mercies that we are not         
consumed4 ,lam4 #c3bb f4 ,for when none 
of them befall us1 it is because they   
have been kept from us by the right hand
 of the ,most ,high that compasses us   
about with such mighty power 7as we see 
in ,job7 that ,satan and all evils can  
but gnash their teeth in helpless rage4 

,job #a3aj ,from this we see how sweetly
 we ought to love our ,lord1 whenever   
any evil comes upon us4 ,for our most   
loving ,father would by that one evil   
have us see how many evils threaten us  
and would fall on us1 if ,he did not    
,himself stand in the way1 as though ,he
 said1 ,satan and the host of evils have
 desired to have thee1 to sift thee as  
wheat2 ,luke3#bb3ca but ,i have marked  
out bounds for the sea1 and have said1  
,hitherto shaft thou come1 and here     
shall thy proud waves be stayed ,job    
#ch3aj1 as ,he saith in ,job xxxviii4   
,and1 granted that perchance1 if ,god   
please1 none of these things will come  
upon you2 nevertheless1 that which is   
known as the greatest of terrors1 death1
 is certain to come1 and nothing is less
 certain than the hour of its coming4   
,truly1 this is so great an evil that   
there are many who would rather live on 
amid all the above-named evils than to  
die once and have them ended4 ,with this
 one thing the ,scriptures1 which hold  

all others in contempt1 associate fear1 
saying1 ,remember thy end1 and thou     
shalt never do amiss4 ,ecclus4 #g3dj    
,behold1 how many meditations1 how many 
books1 how many rules and remedies have 
been brought together1 in order1 by     
calling to men's minds this one evil1 to
 keep them from sin1 to render the world
 contemptible1 to lighten suffering1 to 
comfort the afflicted1--all by a        
comparison with this great and terrible1
 and yet so inevitable1 evil of death4  
,this evil even the saints dreaded1 and 
,christ submitted to it with trembling  
and bloody sweat4 ,luke #bb3dd ,so that 
the divine ,mercy hath been nowhere more
 concerned to comfort our little faith  
than in the matter of this evil1 as we  
shall see below4#af  ,but all these     
things are common to all men1 even as   
the blessings of salvation under these  
evils are common to all4 ,for           
,christians1 however1 there is another  
and a particular reason for dreading the
 evils to come1 which easily surpasses  

all the evils that have been mentioned4 
,it is that which the ,apostle portrays 
in ,i4 ,corinthians x1 when he says1 ,he
 that standeth1 let him take heed lest  
he fall4 #a ,cor4 #ai3ab ,so unstable is
 our footing1 and so powerful our foe1  
armed with our own strength 7that is1   
the weapons of our flesh and all our    
evil lusts71 attended by the countless  
armies of the world1 its delights and   
pleasures on the right hand1 its        
hardships and the plots of wicked men on
 the left1 and1 besides all this1 master
 himself of the art of doing us harm1   
seducing us1 and bringing us down to    
destruction by a thousand different     
ways4 ,such is our life that we are not 
safe for one moment in our good         
intentions4 ,cyprian1 who in his ,de    
,mortalitate#ag touches on many of these
 matters1 teaches that death is to be   
desired as a swift means of escape from 
these evils4 ,and truly1 wherever there 
have been high-hearted men1 who brought 
their minds steadily to bear on these   

infinite perils of hell1 we find them1  
with contempt of life and death 7that   
is1 all the aforesaid evils71 desiring  
to die1 that so they might be delivered 
at one and the same time from this evil 
of the sins in which they now are 7of   
which we spoke in the previous chapter71
 and of the sins into which they might  
fall 7of which we are treating now74    
,and these are1 indeed1 two most weighty
 reasons why we should not only desire  
death1 but also despise all evils1 to   
say nothing of lightly bearing a single 
evil2 if the ,lord grant us to be moved 
thereby4 ,for it is ,god's gift that we 
are moved thereby4 ,for what true       
,christian will not even desire to die1 
and much more to bear sickness1 seeing  
that1 so long as he lives and is in     
health1 he is in sin1 and is constantly 
prone to fall1 yea1 is falling every    
day1 into more sins2 and is thus        
constantly thwarting the most loving    
will of his most loving ,father6 ,to    
such a heat of indignation was ,st4     

,paul moved1 in ,romans vii1 when after 
complaining that he did not the good    
that he would1 but the evil that he     
would not1 ,rom4 #g3ai he cried out1 ,o 
wretched man that ,i am6 who shall      
deliver me the body of this death8 ,the 
grace of ,god1 #ah he answers1 through  
,jesus ,christ4  ,that man loves ,god   
his ,father but little1 who does not    
prefer the evil of dying to this evil of
 sinning4 ,for ,god has appointed death1
 that this evil might come to an end1   
and that death might be the minister of 
life and righteousness1 of which more   
below4#ai  ,,chapter ,,iii  ,,the       
,,third ,,image  ,,the ,,past ,,evil1   
,,or ,,the ,,evil ,,behind ,,us  ,in    
this image1 above all others1 the sweet 
mercy of ,god our ,father shines forth1 
able to comfort us in every distress4   
,for never does a man feel the hand of  
,god more closely upon him than when he 
calls to mind the years of his past     
life4 ,st4 ,augustine says3 ,if a man   
were set before the choice either of    

dying or of living his past life over1  
it is certain that he would choose to   
die1 seeing the many perils and evils   
which he had so hardly escaped4 ,this is
 a very true saying1 if it be rightly   
pondered4  ,here a man may see how often
 he has done and suffered many things1  
without any exertion or care of his own1
 nay1 without and against his wish2 of  
which things he took so little thought  
before they came to pass1 or while they 
were taking place1 that1 only after all 
was over1 he found himself compelled to 
exclaim in great surprise3 ,whence have 
all these things come to me1 when ,i    
never gave them a thought1 or when ,i   
thought of something very different8 ,so
 that the proverb is true1 ,man         
proposeth1 but ,god disposeth2 ,prov4   
#af3i that is1 ,god turns things about1 
and brings to pass something far        
different from that which man proposes4 
,therefore1 from this consideration     
alone1 it is impossible for us to deny  
that our life and all our actions are   

under the direction1 not of our own     
prudence1 but of the wonderful power1   
wisdom1 and goodness of ,god4 ,here we  
see how often ,god was with us when we  
knew it not1 and with what truth ,peter 
has said1 ,he careth for us all4 #a     
,peter #e3g  ,therefore1 even if there  
were no books or tracts1 yet our very   
life itself1 brought through so many    
evils and dangers1 if we will but       
consider it1 abundantly commends to us  
the ever present and most tender        
goodness of ,god1 which1 far above all  
that we purposed or perceived1 carried  
us as it were in its bosom4 ,as ,moses  
says in ,deuteronomy xxxii1 ,the ,lord  
kept him as the apple of ,his eye1 and  
led him about1 and bore him on ,his     
shoulders4 ,deut4 #cb3aj ff4#bj  ,hence 
arose those exhortations in the         
,psalter3 ,i remember the days of old2  
,i meditate on all ,thy works2 ,i muse  
on the work of ,thy hands4 ,ps4 #adc3e  
,surely ,i will remember ,thy wonders of
 old4 ,ps4 #gg3aa ,again1 ,i remembered 

,thy judgments of old1 ,o ,lord1 and    
have comforted myself1 ,ps4 #aai3eb     
,these exhortations and the like are    
intended to teach us that1 if ,god was  
with us when we thought it not1 or when 
,he seemed not to be with us1 we should 
not doubt that ,he is always with us1   
even when ,he appears to be far from us4
 ,for ,he ,who1 in so many necessities1 
has sustained us without our aid1 will  
not forsake us in our smaller need1 even
 though ,he seem to be forsaking us4 ,as
 ,he saith in ,isaiah1 ,for a small     
moment have ,i forsaken thee2 but with  
great mercies will ,i gather thee4 ,isa4
 #ed3g  ,moreover1 who had the care of  
us so many a night1 while we slept8 ,who
 cared for us when we were at work1 or  
at play1 or engaged in all those        
countless things wherein we had no care 
for ourselves8 ,indeed1 how much of our 
time is there in which we have the care 
of ourselves8 ,even the miser1 careful  
as he is to gain riches1 must perforce  
put by his care in the midst of all his 

getting and gaining4 ,and so we see     
that1 whether we will or no1 all our    
care falls back on ,god alone1 and we   
are scarcely ever left to care for      
ourselves4 ,still1 ,god does now and    
again leave us to care for ourselves1 in
 order to bring home to us ,his         
goodness1 and to teach us how great the 
difference between ,his care and ours4  
,hence1 ,he suffers us now and then to  
be assailed by some slight malady or    
other ill1 dissembling ,his care for us 
7for ,he never ceases to care71 and yet 
at the same time preventing the many    
evils that threaten us on every side    
from bursting in upon us all together4  
,hereby ,he tries us as ,his            
well-beloved children1 to see whether we
 will not trust ,his care1 which extends
 through all our past life1 and learn   
how vain and powerless a thing is any   
care of ours4 ,how little1 indeed1 do we
 or can we do for ourselves1 throughout 
our life1 when we are not able to stop a
 small pain in one of our limbs1 even   

for the shortest space of time8#ba      
,why1 then1 are we so anxious in the    
matter of a single danger or evil1 and  
do not rather leave our care to ,him8   
,for our whole life bears witness to the
 many evils from which ,he has delivered
 us1 without our doing4 ,to know this1  
is indeed to know the works of ,god1 to 
meditate on ,his works1 ,ps4 #adc3e1    
#aai3eb and by the remembrance of them  
to comfort ourselves in our adversities4
 ,but they that know this not come under
 that other word in ,psalm xxvii1       
,because they regard not the works of   
the ,lord1 nor the operations of ,his   
hand1 ,he shall destroy them1 and not   
build them up4 ,ps4 #bh3e ,for those men
 are ungrateful toward ,god for all ,his
 care over them during their whole life1
 who will not1 for one small moment1    
commit their care to ,him4  ,,chapter   
,,iv  ,,the ,,fourth ,,image  ,,the     
,,infernal ,,evil1 ,,or ,,the ,,evil    
,,beneath ,,us  ,hitherto we have seen1 
in all the evils that we endure1 naught 

but the goodness of ,god1 which is so   
great and so near that of all the       
countless evils with which we are       
surrounded in this life1 and in which we
 are shut up as in a prison1 but a very 
few are permitted to approach us1 and   
these never for long together4 ,so that1
 when we are oppressed by any present   
evil1 it is only to remind us of some   
great gain with which ,god is honoring  
us1 in that ,he does not suffer us to be
 overwhelmed by the multitude of evils  
with which we are surrounded4 ,for what 
wonder that a man1 at whom an infinite  
number of blows is aimed1 should be     
touched by one now and then6 ,nay1 it is
 a mercy not to be struck by all2 it is 
a miracle to be struck by but a few4    
,the first1 then1 of the evils beneath  
us is death1 and the other is hell4  ,if
 we will but consider the deaths1 so    
diverse and so terrible1 with which     
other sinners are punished1 we shall    
soon see how great a gain is ours in    
that we suffer far less than we have    

deserved4 ,how many men are hanged1     
strangled1 drowned or beheaded1 who     
perchance committed less sins than we6  
,and their death and misery are held up 
to us by ,christ as in a mirror1 in     
which we may behold what we have        
deserved4 ,for it is said in ,luke xiii1
 when they told ,him of the ,galileans1 
whose blood ,pilate had mingled with    
their sacrifices1 that ,he replied3     
,suppose ye that these ,galileans were  
sinners above all the ,galileans1       
because they suffered these things8 ,i  
tell you1 ,nay3 but1 except ye repent1  
ye shall all likewise perish4 ,or those 
eighteen1 upon whom the tower in ,siloam
 fell1 and slew them1 think ye that they
 were sinners above all men that dwelt  
in ,jerusalem8 ,i tell you4 ,nay3 but1  
except ye repent1 ye shall all likewise 
perish4 ,luke #ac3a ff4 ,for we need not
 expect that we1 who have committed the 
same or even graver sins1 shall escape  
with a lighter punishment4 ,nor will the
 justice and truth of ,god1 which hath  

decreed to render to every man according
 to his deeds1 be turned for our sake   
into injustice and a lie1 unless we     
hasten to make satisfaction by at least 
bearing our trifling evil with          
patience4#bb  ,and how many thousands   
are there in hell and everlasting       
damnation1 who have not committed the   
thousandth part of our sins6 ,how many  
virgins1 youths1 and those whom we call 
innocents1 are there6 ,how many monks1  
priests1 and married pairs6 ,these      
seemed all their life long to be serving
 ,god1 and1 it may be for a single      
lapse1 are now being punished for ever4 
,for1 it may not be denied1 the justice 
of ,god is the same in the case of every
 sin1 whatever it may be1 and hates and 
punishes all sin alike1 it matters not  
in whom it is found4 ,do we not then see
 here the inestimable mercy of ,god1    
,who hath not condemned us1 though we   
have so many times deserved             
condemnation8 ,pray1 what are all the   
sufferings life can bring1 compared to  

eternal punishment1 which they indeed   
justly endure on account of one sin1    
while we go free and unpunished for our 
many sins1 which ,god hath covered6 ,ps4
 #cb3a ,that we take no thought of these
 benefits of ,god1 or but lightly esteem
 them1 that is ingratitude1 and the     
hardening of our unbelieving heart4     
,moreover1 we must include here the many
 infidels1 ,gentiles1 ,jews1 and        
infants1 who1 if to them had been       
granted the advantages that we enjoy1   
would not now be in hell1 but rather in 
heaven1 and who would have sinned far   
less than we4 ,for this mirror also does
 ,christ set before us1 when ,he says in
 ,matthew xi3 ,woe unto thee1 ,chorazin6
 woe unto thee1 ,bethsaida6 for if the  
mighty works1 which were done in you1   
had been done in ,tyre and ,sidon1 they 
would have repented long ago in         
sackcloth and ashes4 ,but ,i say unto   
you1 ,it shall be more tolerable for    
,tyre and ,sidon at the day of judgment1
 than for you4 ,and thou1 ,capernaum1   

which art exalted unto heaven1 shalt be 
brought down to hell3 for if the mighty 
works1 which have been done in thee1 had
 been done in ,sodom1 it would have     
remained to this day4 ,but ,i say unto  
you4 ,that it shall be more tolerable   
for the land of ,sodom in the day of    
judgment1 than for thee4 ,matt4 #aa3ba  
ff4 ,we see1 therefore1 what praise and 
love we owe to our good ,lord1 in any   
evil whatsoever of this life2 for it is 
but a tiny drop of the evils which we   
have deserved1 and which ,job compares  
to the sea1 and to the sand by the      
seashore4 ,job #f3c  ,,chapter ,v  ,,the
 ,,fifth ,,image  ,,the ,,evil ,,on     
,,our ,,left ,,hand  ,here we must set  
before our eyes the whole multitude of  
our adversaries and wicked men1 and     
consider1 first1 how many evils they    
would have inflicted on our bodies1 our 
property1 our good name1 and on our     
souls1 but could not1 being prevented by
 the providence of ,god4 ,indeed1 the   
higher one's station and the wider one's

 sway1#bc the more is he exposed to the 
intrigues1 slanders1 plots1 and         
stratagems of his enemies4 ,in all this 
we may mark and feel the very present   
hand of ,god1 and need not wonder if we 
be touched now and then by one of these 
evils4  ,again1 let us consider the     
evils which these men themselves endure2
 not that we may exult over them1 but   
that we may feel pity for them4 ,for    
they1 too1 are exposed to all these same
 evils1 in common with ourselves2 as may
 be seen in the preceding times4 ,only1 
they are in a worse plight than we1     
because they stand outside our          
fellowship1#bd both as to body and soul4
 ,for the evil that we endure is as     
nothing compared to their evil estate2  
for they are in sin and unbelief1 under 
the wrath of ,god1 and under the        
dominion of the devil1 wretched slaves  
to ungodliness and sin1 so that1 if the 
whole world were to heap curses on their
 heads1 it could wish them no worse     
things4 ,if we rightly consider this1 we

 shall see how much more highly favored 
we are of ,god1 in that we may bear our 
slight bodily ill in faith1 in the      
kingdom of ,christ1 and in the service  
of ,god2 and1 indeed1 are scarce able to
 feel it1 being so rich in those high   
blessings4 ,nay1 this wretchedness of   
theirs must so sorely trouble a pious   
,christian heart as to make its own     
troubles seem delights beside them4     
,thus ,st4 ,paul exhorts in ,philippians
 ii1 ,look not every man on his own     
things1 but every man also on the things
 of others4 ,let this mind be in you1   
which was also in ,christ ,jesus3 ,who1 
being in the form of ,god1 took upon    
,him the form of a servant1 etc4 ,phil4 
#b3d ff4 ,that is to say1 ,out of       
fervent love ,he took our form upon     
,himself1 bearing ,himself amidst our   
evils as though they were ,his own1 and 
so completely forgetting ,himself and   
all ,his goods1 and humbling ,himself1  
that ,he was found in all things to be  
made in the likeness of men1 counting   

nothing human foreign to ,himself1 and  
wholly giving ,himself over to our      
evils4  ,animated with this love1 and   
moved by this example1 the saints are   
wont to pray for wicked men1 even their 
enemies1 ,luke #f3bg f4 and to do all   
things for them after the example of    
,christ2 and forgetting their own       
injuries and rights1 to take thought    
only how they may rescue them from their
 evils1 with which they are far more    
cruelly tormented than with any evils of
 the body4 ,even as ,st4 ,peter writes  
of ,lot1 that he dwelt among them who   
from day to day vexed the just soul with
 unjust works4 #b ,peter #b3h  ,you see1
 then1 how deep an abyss of evils is    
here discovered1 and how great an       
opportunity for showing mercy and       
compassion1 as well as for overlooking  
our own trifling ills1 if the love of   
,god dwell in us2 since that which ,god 
permits us to suffer is as nothing to   
that which those others endure4 ,but the
 reason why these things affect us so   

little is1 because the eye of our heart 
is not clear enough to see how great is 
the squalor and wretchedness of a man   
lying in sin2 that is1 separated from   
,god1 and in the possession of the      
devil4 ,for who is there so hard of     
heart that he must not sicken at the    
spectacle of those miserable forms lying
 at our church doors and in our streets1
 their faces disputed1 and all their    
members hideously consumed with         
putrifying sores2 so that the mind is   
horror-struck at the thought and the    
senses recoil from the sight6 ,and what 
does ,god intend1 through these         
lamentable specimens of our flesh and   
brotherhood1 but to open the eyes of our
 mind1 that we may see in how much more 
dreadful a guise the soul of the sinner 
shows forth its disease and decay1 even 
though he himself go in purple and gold1
 and tie among lilies and roses1 as a   
very child of paradise6 ,yet how many   
sinners are there to one of those       
wretched creatures8 ,when these evils on

 the part of our neighbors1 so great    
both in number and degree1 are          
disregarded by us1 it follows that our  
one evil1 be it never so trifling1 will 
appear as the sole evil1 and the        
greatest of all4  ,but even in respect  
of bodily evils1 the wicked are of      
necessity in a worse plight than we4    
,for what sweet and pure joy can be     
theirs1 so long as their conscience can 
find no peace8 ,or can there be a more  
terrible evil than the unrest of a      
gnawing conscience8 ,isaiah says1 ,the  
wicked are like the troubled sea1 when  
it cannot rest1 whose waters cast up    
mire and dirt4 ,there is no peace1 saith
 my ,god1 to the wicked4 ,isaiah #eg3bj 
f4 ,this also1 in ,deuteronomy xxviii1  
applies to them3 ,the ,lord shall give  
thee a trembling heart1 and failing of  
eyes1 and sorrow of mind3 and thy life  
shall hang in doubt before thee2 and    
thou shalt fear day and night1 and shalt
 have none assurance of thy life2 in the
 morning thou shalt say1 ,would ,god it 

were even6 and at even thou shalt say1  
,would ,god it were morning6 for the    
fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt
 fear1 and for the sight of thine eyes  
which thou shalt see4 ,deut4 #bh3fe ff4 
,in a word1 if one regarded all the     
evils of the wicked in the right spirit1
 whether they be those of his friends or
 his foes1 he would not only seem to be 
suffering nothing at all1 but he would  
also1 with ,moses and the ,apostle      
,paul1 ,ex4 #cb3cb1 ,rom4 #i3c be filled
 with an hearty desire to die for them1 
if it might be1 and to be blotted out of
 the book of life1 as it is written in  
,romans ix1 that thereby they might be  
set free4 ,with such zeal and burning   
was ,christ's heart kindled1 when ,he   
died for us and descended into bell1    
leaving us an example that we also      
should be so regardful of the evils of  
others1 and forgetful of our own1 nay1  
rather covetous of evils of our own4    
,,chapter ,,vi  ,,the ,,sixth ,,image   
,,the ,,evil ,,on ,,our ,,right ,,hand  

,on out right hand are our friends1 in  
the contemplation of whose evils out own
 will grow light1 as ,st4 ,peter        
teaches1 ,i4 ,peter v1 ,resist the      
devil1 steadfast in the faith1 knowing  
that the same afflictions are           
accomplished in your brethren that are  
in the world4 #a ,pet4 #e3i ,thus also  
does the ,church entreat in her prayers1
 that provoked by the example of the    
saints1 we may imitate the virtue of    
their sufferings2 and thus she sings1   
,what torments all the ,saints endured1 
,that they might win the martyr's palm6 
,from such words and hymns of the       
,church we learn that the feasts of the 
saints1 their memorials1 churches1      
altars1 names1 and images1 are observed 
and multiplied to the end that we should
 be moved by their example to bear the  
same evils which they also bore4 ,and   
unless this be the manner of our        
observance1 it is impossible that the   
worship of saints should be free from   
superstition4 ,even as there are many   

who observe all these things in order to
 escape the evil which the saints teach 
us should be borne1 and thus to become  
unlike those whose feasts they keep for 
the sake of becoming like them4  ,but   
the finest treatment of this portion of 
our consolation is given by the         
,apostle1 when he says1 in ,hebrews xii3
 ,ye have not yet resisted unto blood1  
striving against sin4 ,and ye have      
forgotten the exhortation which speaketh
 unto you as unto children1 ,my son1    
demise not thou the chastening of the   
,lord1 nor faint when thou art rebuked  
of ,him2 for whom the ,lord loveth ,he  
chasteneth1 and scourgeth every son whom
 ,he receiveth4 ,if ye endure           
chastening1 ,god dealeth with you as    
with sons2 for what son is he whom the  
father chasteneth not8 ,but if ye be    
without chastisement1 whereof all are   
partakers1 then are ye bastards1 and not
 sons4 ,furthermore we have had fathers 
of our flesh which corrected us1 and we 
gave them reverence2 shall we not much  

rather be in subjection unto the ,father
 of spirits1 and live8 ,for they verily 
for a few days chastened us after their 
good pleasure2 but ,he for our profit1  
that we might be partakers of ,his      
holiness4 ,now no chastening for the    
present seemeth to be joyous1 but       
grievous2 nevertheless afterward it     
yieldeth the peaceable fruit of         
righteousness unto them which are       
exercised thereby4 ,heb4 #ab3d ff4 ,who 
must not be terrified at these words of 
,paul1 in which he plainly states that  
they who are without the chastisement of
 ,god are not the sons of ,god6 ,again1 
what greater strengthening and what     
better comfort can there be than to hear
 that they who are chastened are beloved
 of the ,lord1 that they are sons of    
,god1 that they have part in the        
communion of saints1 that they are not  
alone in their sufferings6 ,so forceful 
an exhortation must make chastisement a 
thing to be loved4  ,nor is there here  
any room for the excuse that some have  

lighter1 others heavier1 evils to bear4 
,for to every one is given his          
temptation according to measure1 and    
never beyond his strength4 ,as it is    
written in ,psalm lxxix1 ,thou shalt    
feed us with the bread of tears1 and    
give us for our drink tears in          
measure2#be ,ps4 #hj3e and as ,paul     
says1 ,god is faithful1 who will not    
suffer you to be tempted above that ye  
are able2 but will with the temptation  
also make a way to escape1 that ye may  
be able to bear it4 #a ,cor4 #aj3ac     
,where there is1 therefore1 a greater   
evil1 there is also more of divine help1
 and an easier way to escape2 so that   
the unequal distribution of sufferings  
appears to be greater than it actually  
is4 ,does not the example of ,st4 ,john 
,baptist1 whom we commemorate on this   
day#bf as beheaded by ,herod1 shame and 
amaze us all6--that so great a man1 than
 whom there was none greater born of    
woman1 ,matt4 #aa3aa the special friend 
of the ,bridegroom1 ,john #c3bi the     

forerunner of ,christ1 and more than all
 the prophets1 ,matt4 #aa3i should have 
been put to death1 not indeed after a   
public trial1 nor on a feigned charge   
7as it was with ,christ71 nor yet for   
the sake of the people2 but in a        
dungeon1 and for the sake of a          
dancing-girl1 daughter of an adulteress6
 ,matt4 #ad3c-aa ,this one ,saint's     
ignominious death1 and his life so      
vilely and shamelessly given over into  
the hands of his sworn and adulterous   
enemy1 must make ail our evil light4    
,where was ,god then1 that ,he could    
look on such things8 ,where was ,christ1
 ,who1 hearing of it1 was altogether    
silent8 ,he perished as if unknown to   
,god1 and men1 and every creature4      
,compared with such a death1 what       
sufferings have we to boast of2 nay1    
what sufferings of which we must not    
even be ashamed8 ,and where shall we    
appear1 if we are unwilling to endure   
any suffering1 when such a man endured  
so shameful a death1 and so undeserved1 

and his body1 after death1 was given up 
to the insults of his enemies6 #a ,pet4 
#d3ah ,behold1 ,he saith in ,jeremiah1  
behold1 they whose judgment was not to  
drink of the cup have assuredly drunken3
 and art thou he that shall altogether  
go unpunished8 thou shalt not go        
unpunished1 but thou shalt surely drink 
of it4 ,jer4 #di3ab  ,therefore1 that   
hermit1 who was used to fall ill every  
year1 did well to weep and lament1 when 
for one whole year he found himself in  
sound health1 because1 he said1 ,god had
 forsaken him and withdrawn ,his grace  
from him4 ,so necessary and so salutary 
is the ,lord's chastening for all       
,christians4  ,we see1 then1 that all   
our sufferings are as nothing1 when we  
consider the nails1 dungeons1 irons1    
faggots1 wild beasts1 and all the       
endless tortures of the saints2 nay1    
when we ponder the afflictions of men   
now living1 who endure in this life the 
most grievous persecutions of the devil4
 ,for there is no lack of men who are   

suffering more sharp and bitter pains   
than we1 in soul as well as in body4    
,but now some will say1 ,this is my     
complaint1 that my suffering cannot be  
compared with the sufferings of the     
saints2 because ,i am a sinner1 and not 
worthy to be compared with them4 ,they1 
indeed1 suffered because of their       
innocence1 but ,i suffer because of my  
sins4 ,it is no wonder1 then1 that they 
so blithely bore all4 ,that is a very   
stupid saying4 ,if you suffer because of
 your sins1 then you ought to rejoice   
that your sins are being purged away4   
,and1 besides1 were not the saints1 too1
 sinners8 ,but do you fear that you are 
like ,herod1 and the thief on ,christ's 
left hand8 ,you are not1 if you have    
patience4 ,for what was it that         
distinguished the thief on the left hand
 from him on the right but the patience 
of the one and the impatience of the    
other8 ,if you are a sinner1 well2 the  
thief1 too1 was a sinner2 but by his    
patience he merited the glorious reward 

of righteousness and holiness4 ,go1 and 
do thou likewise4 ,luke #aj3cg ,for you 
can suffer nothing except it be either  
on account of your sins or on account of
 your righteousness2 and both kinds of  
suffering sanctify and save1 if you will
 but love them4 ,and so there is no     
excuse left4 ,in short1 just as soon as 
you have confessed that you are         
suffering on account of your sins1 you  
are righteous and holy1 even as the     
thief on the right hand4 ,for the       
confession of sins1 because it is the   
truth1#bg justifies and sanctifies1 and 
so1 in the very moment of this          
confession1 you are suffering no longer 
on account of your sins1 but on account 
of your innocence4 ,for the righteous   
man always suffers innocently4 ,but you 
are made righteous by the confession of 
your merited sufferings and of your     
sins4 ,and so your sufferings may truly 
and worthily be compared with the       
sufferings of the saints1 even as your  
confession may truly and worthily be    

compared with the confession of the     
saints4 ,for one is the truth of all1   
one the confession of all sins1 one the 
suffering of all evils1 and one the true
 communion of saints in all and through 
all4#bh  ,,chapter ,,vii  ,,the         
,,seventh ,,image  ,,the ,,supernal     
,,evil1 ,,or ,,the ,,evil ,,above ,,us  
,finally1 let us lift up our hearts1 and
 ascend with the ,bride into the        
mountain of myrrh4 ,song of ,sol4 #d3f  
,this is ,jesus ,christ the ,crucified1 
,head of all saints1 and ,prince of all 
sufferers2 of ,whom many have written   
many things1 and all all things1 as it  
is meet4#bi ,his memory is commended to 
the ,bride1 when it is said1 ,set ,me as
 a seal upon thine heart1 as a seal upon
 thine arm4 ,song of ,sol4 #h3f ,the    
blood of this ,lamb1 signed upon the    
threshold1 wards off the destroying     
angel4 ,ex4 #ab3g1 #ac ,by ,him is the  
,bride praised1 because the hair of her 
head is as the king's purple2 ,song of  
,sol4 #g3e that is1 her meditation glows

 red with the remembrance of the        
,passion of ,christ4 ,this is that tree 
which ,moses was commanded to cast into 
the waters of ,marah 7that is1 the      
bitterness of suffering71 and they were 
made sweet4 ,ex4 #ae3bc ff4 ,there is   
nothing that this ,passion cannot       
sweeten1 not even death itself2 as the  
,bride saith1 ,his lips are lilies1     
dropping sweet-smelling myrrh4 ,song of 
,so4 #e3ac ,what resemblance is there   
between lips and lilies1 since lips are 
red and lilies white8 ,but she says this
 in a mystery1 signifying that the words
 of ,christ are most fair and pure1 and 
that there is in them naught of         
blood-red bitterness or guile2          
nevertheless1 in them ,he drops precious
 and chosen myrrh1 that is1 the         
bitterness of death4 ,these most pure   
lips and sweet have power to make the   
bitterest death sweet and fair and      
bright and dear1--death that1 like      
precious myrrh1 removes at once all of  
sin's corruption4  ,how does this come  

to pass8 ,when1 forsooth1 you hear that 
,jesus ,christ1 ,god's ,son1 hath1 by   
,his most holy touch1 consecrated and   
hallowed all sufferings1 even death     
itself1 hath blessed the curse1         
glorified shame1 and enriched poverty1  
so that death has been made a door to   
life1 curse a fount of blessing1 and    
shame the mother of glory3 how can you  
then be so hard and ungrateful as not to
 long for and to love all manner of     
sufferings1 now that they have been     
touched by ,christ's most pure and holy 
flesh and blood1 and made unto you holy1
 harmless1 wholesome1 blessed1 and full 
of joy8  ,for if ,christ1 by the touch  
of ,his most innocent flesh1 has        
hallowed all waters unto baptism1 yea1  
and every creature besides2 how much    
more has ,he1 by the same contact of    
,his most innocent flesh and blood1     
hallowed every form of death1 all       
suffering and loss1 every curse and     
shame1 unto the baptism of the ,spirit1 
or the baptism of blood6#cj ,even as ,he

 saith of this same baptism of ,his     
,passion1 in ,luke xii1 ,i have a       
baptism to be baptised with2 and how am 
,i straitened until it be accomplished6 
,luke #ab3ej ,behold1 how ,he is        
straitened1 how ,he pants and thirsts1  
to sanctify suffering and death1 and    
make them things to be loved6 ,for ,he  
sees how we stand in fear of suffering4 
,he marks how we tremble and shrink from
 death4 ,and so1 like a godly pastor or 
faithful physician1 ,he hastens to set  
bounds to this our evil1 and is         
impatient to die and by ,his contact to 
commend suffering and death unto us4 ,so
 that the death of a ,christian is      
henceforth to be regarded as the brazen 
serpent of ,moses1 ,num4 #ba3h which    
indeed hath in all things the appearance
 of a serpent1 yet is quite without     
life1 without motion1 without venom1    
without sting4 ,even so the righteous   
seem1 in the sight of the unwise1 to    
die2 but they are in peace4 ,we resemble
 them that die1 nor is the outward      

appearance of our dying unlike that of  
others2 but the thing itself is         
different1 because for us death is dead4
 ,in like manner all our sufferings are 
like the sufferings of other men2 but it
 is only in the appearance4 ,in reality 
our sufferings are the beginning of our 
freedom from suffering1 as our death is 
the beginning of our life4 ,this is that
 which ,christ saith in ,john viii1 ,if 
a man keep my saying he shall never see 
death4 ,john #h3ea ,how shall he not see
 it8 ,because when he dies1 he begins to
 live1 and so he cannot see death for   
the life that he sees4 ,for here the    
night shines as the day2 ,ps4 #aci3ab   
since the life that breaks upon him is  
brighter far than departing death4      
,these things are assured to all who    
believe in ,christ1 to the unbelieving  
they are not4  ,therefore1 if you kiss1 
caress1 and embrace1 as most sweet      
relics1#ca consecrated by ,his touch1   
the robe of ,christ1 the vessels1       
waterpots1 and what things soever ,he   

touched and used2 why will you not the  
rather caress1 embrace1 and kiss the    
pains and evils of this world1 disgrace 
and death1 which ,he not only hallowed  
by ,his touch1 but sprinkled and blessed
 with ,his most holy blood1 yea1        
embraced with willing heart1 and great  
constraining love8#cb ,the more1 since  
in these there are for you far greater  
merits1 rewards1 and blessings than in  
those relics2 for in them there is      
offered to you the victory over death1  
and hell1 and all sins1 but in those    
relics nothing at all4 ,o could we but  
see the heart of ,christ1 when1 hanging 
on the ,cross1 ,he was so eager to slay 
death1 and hold it up to our contempt6  
,with what grace and ardor ,he embraced 
death and pain for us timid ones1 who   
shrink from them6 ,how willingly ,he    
first drinks this cup for us sick ones1 
that we may not dread to drink it after 
,him6 ,for we see that naught of evil   
befell ,him1 but only good1 in ,his     
resurrection4 ,could we see this1 then  

doubtless that precious myrrh1 dropping 
from ,christ's lips1 and commended by   
,his words1 would grow most sweet and   
pleasant unto us1 even as the beauty and
 fragrance of lilies4 ,thus saith also  
,st4 ,peter1 ,i4 ,peter iv1 ,forasmuch  
as ,christ hath suffered for us in the  
flesh1 arm yourselves likewise with the 
same mind4 #a ,pet4 #d3a ,and ,st4      
,paul1 ,hebrews xii1 ,consider ,him that
 endured such contradiction of sinners  
against ,himself1 lest ye be wearied and
 faint in your minds4 ,heb4 #ab3c  ,if  
we have learned1 in the foregoing       
images1 beneath us and above us1 to bear
 our evils with patience1 surely in this
 last1 lifted above and out of          
ourselves1 caught up unto ,christ1 and  
made superior to all evils1 we ought not
 only to bear with them1 but to love    
them1 desire them1 and seek them out4   
,whoever is yet far from this state of  
mind1 for him the ,passion of ,christ   
has little value2 as it is with those   
who use the sign and arms of ,christ#cc 

to ward off evils and death1 that so    
they may neither suffer pain nor endure 
death1 which is altogether contrary to  
the cross and death of ,christ4 ,hence1 
in this image1 whatever evils we may    
have to bear must be swallowed up and   
consumed1 so that they shall not only   
cause us no pain1 but even delight us2  
if indeed this image find its way into  
our heart1 and fix itself in the inmost 
affections of our mind4  ,,part ,,ii    
,the second part also consists of seven 
images1 answering to the first2 the     
first representing the internal         
blessing1 the second the future         
blessing1 the third the past blessing1  
the fourth the infernal blessing1 the   
fifth the blessing on the left hand1 the
 sixth the blessing on the right hand1  
and the seventh the supernal blessing4  
,,chapter ,i  ,,the ,,first ,,image     
,,the ,,blessing ,,within ,,us  ,who can
 recount only those blessings which     
every one hath in his own person8 ,how  
great are1 first1 the gifts and         

endowments of the body2 such as beauty1 
strength1 health1 and the lively play of
 the senses6 ,to these there comes1 in  
the case of the male1 a greater nobility
 of sex1 that fits him for the doing of 
many things both in public and in       
private life1 and for many splendid     
achievements1 to which woman is a       
stranger4 ,and if1 by the grace of ,god1
 you enjoy these excellent gifts for    
ten1 twenty1 or thirty years1 and in all
 this time endure suffering for a few   
days now and then1 what great matter is 
that8 ,there is a proverb among knaves1 
,es ist umb ein bose stund zuthun1 and1 
,ein gutt stund ist eyner posen         
werdt4#cd ,what shall be said of us1 who
 have seen so many good hours1 yet are  
not willing to endure evil for a single 
hour6 ,we see1 therefore1 how many      
blessings ,god showers upon us1 and how 
few evils barely touch us4 ,this is true
 at least of the most of us4  ,but not  
content with these blessings1 our       
gracious ,god adds to them riches and an

 abundance of all things2 if not in the 
case of all1 certainly in the case of   
many1 and of those especially who are   
too frail to bear the evil4 ,for as ,i  
said before1#ce when ,he grants fewer   
bodily gifts and possessions1 ,he gives 
greater mental gifts2 so that all things
 may be equal1 and ,he the just ,judge  
of all4 ,for a cheerful mind is a       
greater comfort than much riches4       
,moreover1 to some ,he grants offspring1
 and1 as men say1 the highest pleasure1 
influence1 rank1 honor1 fame1 glory1    
favor1 and the like4 ,and if these be   
enjoyed for a long or even for a short  
season1 they will soon teach men how    
they ought to conduct themselves under  
some small evil4  ,but more excellent   
than all these are the blessings of the 
mind2 such as reason1 knowledge1        
judgment1 eloquence1 prudence4 ,and1    
here again1 ,god tempers the justice of 
,his dealing1 so that when ,he bestows  
more of these gifts on some men4 ,he    
does not therefore prefer them to       

others1 since on these again ,he confers
 greater peace and cheerfulness of mind4
 ,in all these things we should         
gratefully mark the bountiful hand of   
,god1 and take comfort in our infirmity4
 ,for we should feel no surprise if     
among so many and great blessings there 
be some intermingling of bitterness2    
since even for epicures no meat is      
savory without salt1 nor scarce any dish
 palatable that has not a certain bitter
 savor1 either native or produced by    
seasoning4 ,so intolerable is a         
continual and unrelieved sweetness1 that
 it has been truly said1 ,every pleasure
 too long continued begets disgust2 and 
again1 ,pleasure itself turns at length 
to loathing4 ,that is to say1 this life 
is incapable of enjoying only good      
things without a tempering of evil1     
because of the too great abundance of   
good things1 has arisen also this       
proverb1 ,it needs sturdy bones to bear 
good days2 which proverb ,i have often  
pondered and much admired for its       

excellent true sense1 namely1 that the  
wishes of men are contrary to one       
another2 they seek none but good days1  
and1 when these arrive1 are less able to
 bear them than evil days4  ,what1 then1
 would ,god have us here lay to heart   
but this1 that the cross is held in     
honor even among the enemies of the     
cross6 ,for all things must needs be    
tempered and sanctified with the relics 
of the cross1 lest they decay2 even as  
the meat must be seasoned with salt1    
that it may not breed worms4 ,and why   
will we not gladly accept this tempering
 which ,god sends1 and which1 if ,he did
 not send it1 our own life1 weakened    
with pleasures and blessings1 would of  
itself demand8 ,hence we see with what  
truth the ,book of ,wisdom says of ,god1
 ,he#cf reacheth from end to end        
mightily1 and ordereth all things       
sweetly4 ,wid4 #h3a ,and if we examine  
these blessings1 the truth of ,moses'   
words1 in ,deuteronomy xxxii1 will      
become plain1 ,he bore him on ,his      

shoulders1 ,he led him about1 and kept  
him as the apple of ,his eye4 ,deut4    
#cb3aj ,with these words we may stop the
 mouths of those ungrateful praters who 
hold that there is in this life more of 
evil than of good4 ,for there is no lack
 of good things and endless sweet       
blessings1 but they are lacking who ate 
of the same mind with him who said1 ,the
 earth is full of the mercy of the ,lord
 ,ps4 #cc3e2 and again1 ,the earth is   
full of ,his praise ,hab4 #c3c2 and in  
,psalm ciii1 ,the earth is full of ,thy 
riches ,ps4 #ajd3bd2 ,thou1 ,lord1 hast 
made me glad through ,thy work1 ,ps4    
#ib3d ,hence we sing every day in the   
,mass2 #cg ,heaven and earth are full of
 ,thy glory4 ,isa4 #f3c ,why do we sing 
this8 ,because there are many blessings 
for which ,god may be praised1 but it is
 done only by those who see the fulness 
of them4 ,even as we said concerning the
 evils of the first image1#ch that a    
man's evils are only so great as he in  
his thoughts acknowledges them to be1 so

 it is also with the blessings4 ,though 
they crowd upon us from every side1 yet 
they are only so great as we acknowledge
 them to be4 ,for all things that ,god  
made are very good1 ,gen4 #a3ca but they
 are not acknowledged as very good by   
all4 ,such were they of whom it is said 
in ,psalm lxxvii1#ci ,they despised the 
pleasant land4 ,ps4 #ajf3bd  ,the most  
beautiful and instructive example of    
this image is furnished by ,job1 who    
when he had lost all said4 ,shall we    
receive good at the hand of ,god1 and   
shall we not receive evil8 ,job #b3aj   
,truly1 that is a golden saying1 and a  
mighty comfort in temptation4 ,for ,job 
not only suffered1 but was tempted to   
impatience by his wife1 who said to him1
 ,dost thou still retain thine          
integrity8 curse ,god1 and die4 ,job    
#b3i ,as who should say1 ,it is plain   
that he is not ,god who is thus         
forsaking thee4 ,why1 then1 dost thou   
trust in him1 and not rather1 renouncing
 him1 and thus cursing him1 acknowledge 

thyself a mortal man1 for whom naught   
remains after this life8 ,these things  
and the like are suggested to each one  
of us by his wife 7i4 e41 his carnal    
mind#dj7 in time of temptation2 for the 
carnal mind#dj savoreth not the things  
that be of ,god4 ,matt4 #af3ac  ,but    
these are all bodily blessings1 and     
common to all men4 ,a ,christian has    
other and far better blessings within1  
namely1 faith in ,christ2 of which it is
 said in ,psalm xliv1 ,the king's       
daughter is all glorious within2 her    
clothing is of wrought gold4 ,ps4 #de3ad
 f4 ,for1 as we said concerning the evil
 of the first image1#da that no evil in 
a man can be so great as to be the worst
 of the evils within him2 so too the    
greatest of the blessings which are in  
the ,christian1 he himself is unable to 
see4 ,could he perceive it1 he would    
forthwith be in heaven2 since the       
kingdom of heaven1 as ,christ says1 is  
within us4 ,luke #ag3ba ,for to have    
faith is to have the ,word and truth of 

,god2 and to have the ,word of ,god is  
to have ,god ,himself1 the ,maker of    
all4 ,if these blessings1 in all their  
fulness1 were discovered to the soul1   
straightway it would be released from   
the body1 for the exceeding abundance of
 sweet pleasure4 ,wherefore1 of a truth1
 all the other blessings which we have  
mentioned are but as the monitors of    
those blessings which we have within1   
and which ,god would by than commend    
unto us4 ,for this life of ours could   
not endure to have than revealed1 but   
,god mercifully keeps them hidden1 until
 they have reached their full measure4  
,even so loving parents give their      
children foolish little toys1 in order  
thereby to lead them on to look for     
better things4  ,nevertheless1 these    
blessings show themselves at times1 and 
break out of doors1 when the happy      
conscience rejoices in its trust to     
,godward1 is fain to speak of ,him1     
hears ,his ,word with pleasure1 and is  
quick to serve ,him1 to do good and     

suffer evil4 ,all these are the evidence
 of that infinite and incomparable      
blessing hidden within1 which sends     
forth such little drops and tiny rills4 
,still1 it is sometimes more fully      
revealed to contemplative souls1 who    
then are rapt away thereby1 and know not
 where they are2 as is confessed by ,st4
 ,augustine and his mother1#db and by   
many others4  ,,chapter ,,ii  ,,the     
,,second ,,image  ,,the ,,future        
,,blessing1 ,,or ,,the ,,blessing       
,,before ,,us  ,those who are not       
,christians will find small comfort1    
amid their evils1 in the contemplation  
of future blessings2 since for them all 
these things are uncertain4 ,although   
much ado is made here by that famous    
emotion called hope1 by which we call on
 each other1 in words of human comfort1 
to look for better times1 and           
continually plan greater things for the 
uncertain future1 yet are always        
deceived4 ,even as ,christ teaches      
concerning the man in the ,gospel1 ,luke

 xii1 who said to his soul1 ,i will pull
 down my barns1 and build greater2 and  
will say to my soul1 ,soul1 thou hast   
much goods laid up for many years2 take 
thine ease1 eat1 drink1 and be merry4   
,but ,god said unto him1 ,thou fool1    
this night thy soul shall be required of
 thee2 and then whose shall those things
 be which thou hast provided8 ,so is he 
that layeth up treasure for himself1 and
 is not rich toward ,god4 ,luke #ab3ah  
ff4  ,nevertheless1 ,god has not so     
utterly forsaken the sons of men that   
,he will not grant them some measure of 
comfort in this hope of the passing of  
evil and the coming of good things4     
,though they are uncertain of the       
future1 yet they hope with certain hope1
 and hereby they are meanwhile buoyed   
up1 lest falling into the further evil  
of despair1 they should break down under
 their present evil1 and do some worse  
thing4#dc ,hence1 even this sort of hope
 is the gift of ,god2 not that ,he would
 have them lean on it1 but that ,he     

would turn their attention to that firm 
hope1 which is in ,him alone4 ,for ,he  
is so long-suffering that ,he leadeth   
them to repentance1 as it is said in    
,romans ii1 and suffers none to be      
straightway deceived by this deceitful  
hope1 if haply they may return to the   
heart1 #dd and come to the true hope4   
,but ,christians have1 beside this      
twofold blessing1#de the very greatest  
future blessings certainly awaiting     
them2 yet only through death and        
suffering4 ,although they1 too1 rejoice 
in that common and uncertain hope that  
the evil of the present will come to an 
end1 and that its opposite1 the         
blessing1 will increase2 still1 that is 
not their chief concern1 but rather     
this1 that their own particular blessing
 should increase1 which is the truth as 
it is in ,christ1 in which they grow    
from day to day1 and for which they both
 live and hope4 ,but beside this they   
have1 as ,i have said1 the two greatest 
future blessings in their death4 ,the   

first1 in that through death the whole  
tragedy of this world's ills is brought 
to a close2 as it is written1 ,precious 
in the sight of the ,lord is the death  
of ,his saints2 ,ps4 #aaf3ae and again1 
,i will lay me down in peace and sleep2 
,ps4 #d3h and ,though the righteous be  
prevented with death1 yet shall he be at
 rest4 ,wisd4 #d3g ,but to the ungodly  
death is the beginning of evils2 as it  
is said1 ,the death of the wicked is    
very evil1 ,ps4 #cd3ba and1 ,evil shall 
catch the unjust man unto destruction4  
#df ,ps4 #adj3aa ,even so ,lazarus1 who 
received his evil things in his         
lifetime1 is comforted1 while the rich  
glutton is tormented1 because he        
received his good things here4 ,luke    
#af3be ,so that it is always well with  
the ,christian1 whether he die or live2 
so blessed a thing is it to be a        
,christian and to believe in ,christ4   
,wherefore ,paul says1 ,to me to live is
 ,christ1 and to die is gain1 ,phil4    
#a3ba and1 in ,romans xiv1 ,whether we  

live1 we live unto the ,lord2 and       
whether we die1 we die unto the ,lord2  
whether we live therefore1 or die1 we   
are the ,lord's4 ,rom4 #ad3h f4 ,this   
security ,christ hath won for us by ,his
 death and rising again1 that ,he might 
be ,lord of both the living and dead1   
able to keep us safe in life and in     
death2 as ,psalm xxii4 saith1 ,though ,i
 walk through the valley of the shadow  
of death1 ,i will fear no evil1 for     
,thou art with me4 ,ps4 #bc3d ,if this  
gain of death move us but little1 it is 
proof that our faith in ,christ is      
feeble1 and does not prize highly enough
 the reward and gain of a blessed death1
 or does not yet believe that death is a
 blessing2 because the old man is still 
too much alive in us1 and the wisdom of 
the flesh too strong4 ,we should1       
therefore1 endeavor to attain to the    
knowledge and the love of this blessing 
of death4 ,it is a great thing that     
death1 which is to others the greatest  
of evils1 is made to us the greatest    

gain4 ,and unless ,christ had obtained  
this for us1 what bad ,he done that was 
worthy of the great price ,he paid1     
namely1 ,his own self8 ,it is indeed a  
divine work that ,he wrought1 and none  
need wonder1 therefore1 that ,he made   
the evil of death to be something that  
is very good4 ,gen4 #a3ca  ,death1 then1
 to believers is already dead1 and hath 
nothing terrible behind its grinning    
mask4 ,like unto a slain serpent1 it    
hath indeed its former terrifying       
appearance1 but it is only the          
appearance2 in truth it is a dead evil1 
and harmless enough4 ,nay1 as ,god      
commanded ,moses to lift up a serpent of
 brass1 at sight of which the living    
serpents perished1 ,num4 #ba3h f4 even  
so our death dies in the believing      
contemplation of the death of ,christ1  
and now hath but the outward appearance 
of death4 ,with such fine similitudes   
the mercy of ,god prefigures to us1 in  
our infirmity1 this truth1 that though  
death would not be taken away1 ,he yet  

has reduced its power to a mere shadow4 
,matt4 #i3bd ,for this reason it is     
called in the ,scriptures a sleep rather
 than death4 #a ,thess4 #d3ac ff4  ,the 
other blessing of death is this1 that it
 not only concludes the pains and evils 
of this life1 but 7which is more        
excellent7 makes an end of sins and     
vices4 ,and this renders death far more 
desirable to believing souls1 as ,i have
 said above1#dg than the former         
blessing2 since the evils of the soul1  
which are its sins1 are beyond          
comparison worse evils than those of the
 body4 ,this alone1 did we but know it1 
should make death most desirable4 ,but  
if it does not1 it is a sign that we    
neither feel nor hate our sin as we     
should4 ,for this our life is so full of
 perils--sin1 like a serpent1 besetting 
us on every side--and it is impossible  
for us to live without sinning2 but     
fairest death delivers us from these    
perils1 and cuts our sin clean away from
 us4 ,therefore1 the praise of the just 

man1 in ,wisdom iv1 concludes on this   
wise3 ,he pleased ,god1 and was taken   
away1 and was beloved of ,him3 so that  
living among sinners he was translated4 
,yea1 speedily was he taken away1 lest  
that wickedness should alter his        
understanding1 or deceit beguile his    
soul4 ,for the bewitching of naughtiness
 doth obscure things that are honest2   
and the wandering of concupiscence doth 
undermine the simple mind 7,o how       
constantly true is this674 ,he1 being   
made perfect in a short time1 fulfilled 
a long time2 for his soul pleased the   
,lord3 therefore hasted ,he to take him 
away from the wicked4 ,wisd4 #d3aj-ad   
,thus1 by the mercy of ,god1 death1     
which was to man the punishment for his 
sin1 is made unto the ,christian the end
 of sin1 and the beginning of life and  
righteousness4 ,wherefore1 he that loves
 life and righteousness must not hate1  
but love sin1 their minister and        
workshop2 else he will never attain to  
either life or righteousness4 ,but he   

that is not able to do this1 let him    
pray ,god to enable him4 ,for to this   
end are we taught to pray1 ,thy will be 
done1 ,matt4 #f3aj because we cannot do 
it of ourselves1 since through fear of  
death we love death and sin rather than 
life and righteousness4 ,and that ,god  
appointed death for the putting to death
 of sin1 may be gathered also from the  
fact that ,he imposed death upon ,adam  
immediately after his sin2 and that     
before ,he drove him out of paradise2 in
 order to show us that death should     
bring us no evil1 but every blessing1   
since it was imposed in paradise1 as a  
penance and satisfaction4#dh ,for it is 
true that1 through the envy of the      
devil1 death altered into the world2    
,wisd4 #b3bd but it is of the ,lord's   
surpassing goodness that1 after having  
thus entered in1 it is not permitted to 
harm us very much1 but is taken captive 
from the very beginning1 and set to be  
the punishment and death of sin4  ,this 
,he signified when1 after having in ,his

 commandment foretold the death of      
,adam1 ,gen4 #b3ag ,he did not afterward
 hold ,his peace1 but imposed death     
anew1 and tempered the severity of ,his 
commandment1 nay4 ,he did not so much as
 mention death with a single syllable1  
but said only1 ,dust thou art1 and unto 
dust shalt thou return ,gen4 #c3ai2 and1
 ,until thou return unto the ground1    
from whence thou wast taken--as if ,he  
then so bitterly hated death that ,he   
would not deign to call it by its name1 
according to the word1 ,wrath is in ,his
 indignation2 and life in ,his good     
will4 #di ,ps4 #cj3e ,thus ,he seemed to
 say that1 unless death had been        
necessary to the abolishing of sin1 ,he 
would not have been willing to know it  
nor to name it1 much less to impose it4 
,and so1 against sin1 which wrought     
death1 the zeal of ,god arms none other 
than this very death again2 so that you 
may here see exemplified the poet's     
line1#ej      ,by his own art the artist
 perisheth4  ,even so sin is destroyed  

by its own fruit1 and is slain by the   
death which it brought forth2#ea as a   
viper is slain by its own offering4     
,this is a brave spectacle1 to see how  
death is destroyed1 not by another's    
work1 but by its own2 is stabbed with   
its own weapon1 and1 like ,goliath1 is  
beheaded with its own sword4 #a ,sam4   
#ag3ea ,for ,goliath also was a type of 
sin1 a giant terrible to all save the   
young lad ,david--that is ,christ1--who 
single-handed laid him low1 and having  
cut off his head with his own sword1    
said afterward that there was no better 
sword than the sword of ,goliath 7,i4   
,samuel xxi74 #a ,sam4 #ba3i            
,therefore1 if we meditate on these joys
 of the power ,christ1 and these gifts  
of ,his grace1 how can any small evil   
distress us1 the while we see such      
blessings in this great evil that is to 
come6  ,,chapter ,,iii  ,,the ,,third   
,,image  ,,the ,,past ,,blessing1 ,,or  
,,the ,,blessing ,,behind ,,us  ,the    
consideration of this image is not      

difficult1 in view of its counterpart1  
of the past evils2#eb we would1 however1
 aid him who undertakes it4 ,here ,st4  
,augustine shows himself an excellent   
master1 in his ,confessions1 in which he
 gives a beautiful rehearsal of the     
benefits of ,god toward him from his    
mother's womb4#eb ,the same is done in  
that fine ,psalm cxxxvii1 ',lord1 ,thou 
hast searched me1 ,ps4 #aci3b where the 
,psalmist1 marveled among other things  
at the goodness of ,god toward him1     
says1 ,thou understandest my thoughts   
afar off1 ,thou compassest my path and  
my lying down4 ,which is as though he   
said1 ,whatever ,i have thought or done1
 whatever ,i shall achieve and possess1 
,i see now that it is not the result of 
my industry1 but was ordered long ago by
 ,thy care4 ,and there is no speech in  
my tongue4#ed ,where is it then8 ,in    
,thy power4  ,we learn this from our own
 experience4 ,for if we reflect on our  
past life1 is it not a wonder that we   
thought1 desired1 did and said that     

which we were not able to foresee8 ,how 
far different our course would have     
been1 had we been left to our own free  
will6 ,now only do we understand it1 and
 see how constantly ,god's present care 
and providence were over us1 so that we 
could neither think nor speak nor will  
anything except as ,he gave us leave4   
,as it is said in ,wisdom vii1 ,in ,his 
hands are both we and our words2 ,wisd4 
#g3af and by ,paul1 ,who worketh all in 
all4 #a ,cor4 #ab3f ,ought not we1      
insensate and hard of heart1 to bang our
 heads in shame1 when we learn from our 
own experience how our ,lord hath cared 
for us unto this hour1 and given us     
every blessing8 ,and yet we cannot      
commit our care to ,him in a small      
present evil1 and act as if ,he had     
forsaken us1 or ever could forsake us6  
,not so the ,psalmist1 in ,psalm xxxix1 
,i am poor and needy2 yet the ,lord     
thinketh on me4 ,ps4 #dj3ag ,on which   
,st4 ,augustine has this comment3 ,let  
,him care for thee1 ,who made thee4 ,he 

,who cared for thee before thou wast1   
how shall ,he not care for thee now thou
 art that which ,he willed thee to be8  
#ee ,but we divide the kingdom with     
,god2 to ,him we grant 7and even that   
but grudgingly7 that ,he hath made us1  
but to ourselves we arrogate the care   
over ourselves2 as though ,he had made  
us1 and then straightway departed1 and  
left the government of ourselves in our 
own hands4  ,but if our wisdom and      
foresight blind us to the care that ,god
 hath over us1 because perchance many   
things have fallen out according to our 
plans1 let us turn again1 with ,psalm   
cxxxviii1 and look in upon ourselves4   
,my substance was not hid from ,thee    
when ,i was made in secret--that is1    
,thou didst behold and didst fashion my 
bones in my mother's womb1 when as yet  
,i was not1 and my mother knew not what 
was forming in her2--and my substance   
was curiously wrought in the lowest     
parts of the earth--that is1 even the   
form and fashion of my body in the      

secret chambers of the womb were not    
hidden from ,thee1 for ,thou wast       
fashioning it4 ,what does the ,psalmist 
intend with such words but to show us by
 this marvelous illustration how ,god   
hath always been caring for us without  
our help6 ,for who can boast that he    
took any part in his formation in the   
womb8 ,who gave to our mother that      
loving care wherewith she fed and       
fondled and caressed us1 and performed  
all those duties of motherhood1 when we 
had as yet no consciousness of our life1
 and when we should neither know nor    
remember these things1 but that1 seeing 
the same things done to others1 we      
believe that they were done to us also8 
,for they were performed on us as though
 we had been asleep1 nay dead1 or rather
 not yet born1 so far as our knowledge  
of them is concerned4  ,thus we see how 
the divine mercies and consolations bear
 us up1 without our doing4 ,and still we
 doubt1 or even despair1 that ,he is    
caring for us to-day4 ,if this          

experience does not instruct and move   
one1 ,i know not what will4 ,for we have
 it brought home to us again and again1 
in every little child we meet2 so that  
so many examples proposed to our        
foolishness and hardness of heart may   
well fill us with deep shame1 if we     
doubt that the slightest blessing or    
evil can come to us without the         
particular care of ,god4 ,thus ,st      
,peter says1 ,casting all your care upon
 ,him1 because ,he careth for you4 #a   
,pet4 #e3g ,and ,psalm xxxvi1 ,cast thy 
burden upon the ,lord1 and ,he will     
sustain thee4 ,ps4 #cg3e ,and ,st4      
,augustine1 in the ,confessions1#ef     
addresses his soul on this wise3 ,why   
dost thou stand upon thyself1 and dost  
not stand8 ,cast thyself on ,him2 for   
,he will not withdraw ,his hand and let 
thee fall4 ,again1 we read in ,i4 ,peter
 iv1 ,wherefore let them that suffer    
according to the will of ,god1 commit   
the keeping of their souls to ,him in   
well doing1 as unto a faithful ,creator4

 #a ,pet4 #d3aj  ,o could a man attain  
unto such a knowledge of his ,god1 how  
safely1 how quietly1 how joyfully1 would
 he fare6 ,he would in truth have ,god  
on his side1 knowing this of a          
certainty1 that all his fortunes1       
whatever they might be1 had come to him1
 and still were coming1 under the       
guidance of ,his most sweet will4 ,the  
word of ,peter stands firm1 ,he careth  
for you4 #a ,pet4 #e3g ,what sweeter    
sound than this word can we hear6       
,therefore1 he says1 ,cast all your care
 upon ,him4 ,if we do this not1 but     
rather take our care upon ourselves1    
what is this but to seek to binder the  
care of ,god1 and1 besides1 to make our 
life a life of sorrow and labor1        
troubled with many fears and cares and  
much unrest6 ,and all to no avail2 for  
we accomplish nothing good thereby1 but1
 as the ,preacher saith1 it is vanity of
 vanities1 and vexation of spirit4      
,eccl4 #a3b1ad ,indeed1 that whole book 
treats of this experience1 as written by

 one who for himself made trial of many 
things1 and found them all only         
weariness1 vanity and vexation of       
spirit1 so that he concludes it is a    
gilt of ,god that a man may eat and     
drink and live joyfully with his wife1  
i4 e41 when he passes his days without  
anxiety1 and commits his care to ,god4  
,therefore1 we ought to have no other   
care for ourselves than this1 namely1   
not to care for ourselves1 and rob ,god 
of ,his care for us4  ,whatever remains 
to be said1 will easily be gathered from
 the corresponding image of evils1 as ,i
 have said1#eg and from the             
contemplation of one's past life4       
,,chapter ,,iv  ,,the ,,fourth ,,image  
,,the ,,infernal ,,blessing1 ,,or ,,the 
,,blessing ,,beneath ,,us  ,thus far we 
have considered the blessings which are 
ours1 and are found within ourselves2   
let us now turn to those blessings that 
are without us1 and are found in others4
 ,the first of these is found in those  
who are beneath us1 that is1 the dead   

and damned4 ,do you wonder what kind of 
blessing can be discovered in the dead  
and damned8 ,but the power of the divine
 goodness is everywhere so great that it
 grants us to descry blessings in the   
very greatest evils4 ,comparing1 then1  
these poor wretches1 first of all1 with 
ourselves1 we see how unspeakable is our
 gain2 as may be gathered from the      
corresponding image of evils4#eh ,for   
great as are the evils of death and hell
 that we see in them1 so great certainly
 are the gains that we behold in        
ourselves4 ,these things are not to be  
lightly passed over1 for they forcibly  
commend to us the magnificent mercy of  
,god4 ,and we run the danger1 if we     
lightly esteem them1 of being found     
ungrateful1 and of being condemned      
together with these men1 and even more  
cruelly tormented4 ,therefore1 when we  
perceive how they suffer and wail aloud1
 we ought so much the more to rejoice in
 the goodness of ,god toward us2        
according to ,isaiah lxv3 ,behold1 my   

servants shall eat1 but ye shall be     
hungry2 behold1 my servants shall drink1
 but ye shall be thirsty2 behold1 my    
servants shall rejoice1 but ye shall be 
ashamed2 behold1 my servants shall sing 
for joy of heart1 but ye shall cry for  
sorrow of heart2 and shall howl for     
vexation of spirit4 ,and ye shall leave 
your name for a curse unto my chosen4   
,isa4 #fe3ac ff4 ,in short1 as ,i have  
said1#ei the examples of those who die  
in their sins and are damned are        
profitable unto us for admonition and   
instruction1 as ,st4 ,gregory also      
observes in his ,dialogues2#fj so that  
,happy are they who caution gain        
,from that that which caused another's  
pain4  ,this blessing1 indeed1 affects  
us but little1 because it is so common  
and well known2 nevertheless1 it is to  
be ranked among the very highest        
blessings1 and is comforted of no slight
 value by those who have an             
understanding heart2 and many are the   
passages of ,scripture that bear upon   

it1 those1 namely1 which treat of the   
wrath1 the judgments1 and the           
threatenings of ,god4 ,these most       
wholesome teachings are confirmed to us 
by the examples of those wretched men2  
and their examples only then have their 
effect on us1 when we enter into the    
feelings of them that endure such       
things1 and put ourselves as it were in 
their very place4 ,then will they move  
and admonish us to praise the goodness  
of ,god1 ,who has preserved us from     
those evils4  ,but let us also compare  
them with ,god1 that we may see the     
divine justice in their case4 ,although 
this is a difficult task1 yet it must be
 essayed4 ,now1 since ,god is a just    
,judge1 we must love and laud ,his      
justice1 and thus rejoice in our ,god1  
even when ,he miserably destroys the    
wicked1 in body and soul2 for in all    
this ,his high1 unspeakable justice     
shines forth4 ,and so even hell1 no less
 than heaven1 is full of ,god and the   
highest good4 ,for the justice of ,god  

is ,god ,himself2 and ,god is the       
highest good4 ,therefore1 even as ,his  
mercy1 so must ,his justice or judgment 
be loved1 praised1 and glorified above  
all things4 ,in this sense ,david says1 
,the righteous shall rejoice when he    
seeth the vengeance2 he shall wash his  
feet in the blood of the wicked4 ,ps4   
#eh3aj ,it was for this reason that the 
,lord forbade ,samuel to mourn any      
longer for ,saul 7,i4 ,samuel xvi71     
saying1 ,how long wilt thou mourn for   
,saul1 seeing ,i have rejected him from 
reigning over ,israel8 #a ,sam4 #af3a   
,as who should say1 ,does ,my will so   
sorely displease thee1 that thou        
preferrest the will of man to ,me8 ,in  
short1 this is the voice of praise and  
joy resounding through the whole        
,psalter1--that the ,lord is the judge  
of the widow1 and a father of the       
fatherless2 that ,he will maintain the  
cause of the afflicted1 and the right of
 the poor2 that ,his enemies all be     
confounded1 and the ungodly shall       

perish2 ,ps4 #fh3e1 #adi3ab and many    
similar sayings4 ,should any one be     
inclined1 in foolish pity1 to feel      
compassion for that bloody generation1  
that killeth the prophets1 yea1 the ,son
 of ,god ,himself1 and for the company  
of wicked men1 he will be found         
rejoicing in their iniquity1 and        
approving their deeds4 ,such a one      
deserves to perish in like manner with  
them whose sins he would condone1 and   
will hear the word1 ,thou lovest thine  
enemies1 and hatest thy friends4 #b     
,sam4 #ai3f ,for thus ,joab said unto   
,david1 when he grieved too sorely over 
his impious and murderous son4          
,therefore1 in this image1 we ought to  
rejoice in the piety of all the saints1 
and in the justice of ,god which justly 
punishes the persecutors of their piety1
 that ,he may deliver ,his elect out of 
their hands4 ,and so you may see no     
small blessings1 but the very greatest1 
shining forth in the dead and damned2   
even the avenging of the injuries of the

 saints1 and of your own as well1 if you
 be righteous with them4 ,what wonder1  
then1 if ,god1 by means of your present 
evil1 should take vengeance also on your
 enemy1 that is1 the sin in your body6  
,you ought the rather to rejoice in this
 work of the high justice of ,god1      
which1 even without your prayer1 is thus
 slaying and destroying your fiercest   
foe1 namely1 the sin that is within you4
 ,but1 should you feel pity for it1 you 
will be found a friend of sin1 and an   
enemy to the justice that worketh in    
you4 ,of this beware2 lest it be said   
also to you1 ,thou lovest thine enemies1
 and hatest thy friends4 ,therefore1 as 
you ought joyfully to consent to the    
justice of ,god when it rages against   
your sin1 you should do even the same   
when it rages against sinners1 those    
enemies of all men and of ,god4 ,you    
see1 then1 that in the greatest evils   
may be found the greatest blessings1 and
 that we are able to rejoice in these   
evils1 not on account of the evils      

themselves1 but on account of the       
supreme goodness of the justice of ,god 
our ,avenger4  ,,chapter ,v  ,,the      
,,fifth ,,image  ,,the ,,blessing ,,on  
,,our ,,left ,,hand  ,here are our      
adversaries who are yet in this life2   
for in the foregoing image we considered
 those who are already damned and given 
over to devils4 ,these we must regard   
with other feelings1 and find in them a 
twofold blessing4 ,the first is this1   
that they abound in temporal goods1 so  
that even the prophets were well nigh   
moved to envy thereby2 as we read in    
,psalm lxii1 ,but as for me1 my feet    
were almost gone2 my steps had well nigh
 slipped4 ,for ,i was envious at the    
foolish1 when ,i saw the prosperity of  
the wicked ,ps4 #gc3b f42 and again1    
,behold1 these are the ungodly1 who     
prosper in the world2 they increase in  
riches4 ,ps4 #gc3ab ,and ,jeremiah says1
 ,righteous art ,thou1 ,o ,lord1 when ,i
 plead with ,thee3 yet let me talk with 
,thee of ,thy judgments3 wherefore doth 

the way of the wicked prosper8          
,wherefore are all they happy that deal 
very treacherously8 ,jer4 #ab3a ,why    
does ,he lavish and waste so many       
blessings upon them except to comfort us
 thereby1 and make us to know how good  
,he is to such as are of a clean heart8 
as it is said in that same ,psalm lxxii4
 ,if ,he is so good to the wicked1 how  
good will ,he not be to the good8 ,ps4  
#gc3a ,except that ,he does not vex the 
wicked with any evil1 yet afflicts the  
good with many evils1 in order that they
 may acknowledge ,his goodness to them  
not only in the present blessings1 but  
even in those that are hidden and yet to
 come1 and that they may say1 with the  
same ,psalmist1 ,but it is good for me  
to draw near to ,god2 ,i have put my    
trust in the ,lord ,god4 ,ps4 #gc3bh    
,which is as though he said4 ,even      
though ,i suffer certain things1 from   
which ,i see that those men are free1   
nevertheless ,i trust that ,god is far  
more good to me than ,he is to them4    

,thus the blessings which we see the    
wicked enjoy become to us an incentive  
to hope for those blessings which are   
not seen1 and to despise the evils which
 we suffer4 ,even as ,christ1 in        
,matthew vi1 bids us behold the foul of 
the air and the lilies of the field1    
saying1 ,wherefore if ,god so clothe the
 grass1 which to-day is1 and to-morrow  
is cast into the oven1 shall ,he not    
much more clothe you1 ,o ye of little   
faith8 ,matt4 #f3bf ff4 ,hence1 by this 
comparison of the blessings in which the
 wicked abound with the evils that we   
suffer1 our faith is exercised1 and our 
consolation is placed in ,god alone1    
which is the only holy consolation4 ,so 
doth ,he make all things work together  
for good unto ,his saints4 ,rom4 #h3bh  
,the other blessing1 which is more      
marvelous1 is this1 that the evils of   
our adversaries become blessings to us1 
under the providence of ,god4 ,for      
though their sins are a stumbling-block 
to the weak1 to such as are strong they 

are an exercise of virtue1 and an       
opportunity for conflict and the        
amassing of greater merit4#fa ,for1     
,blessed is the man that endureth       
temptation1 for when he is tried1 he    
shall receive the crown of life4 ,jas4  
#a3ab ,what greater temptation can there
 be than a host of evil examples8 ,for  
this reason1 indeed1 the world is called
 one of the enemies of ,god's saints1   
because with its allurements and ungodly
 works it incites1 provokes1 and entices
 us from the way of ,god to its own way4
 ,as we read in ,genesis vi1 ,the sons  
of ,god saw the daughters of men1 that  
they were fair1 and they were made      
flesh4 ,gen4 #f3b1c ,and in ,numbers    
xxv1 ,the people of ,israel began to    
commit whoredom with the daughters of   
,moab4 ,num4 #be3a ,so it is good for us
 to be always oppressed with some       
trouble or other1 that we may not1 in   
our weakness1 stumble at the offences of
 the world1 and fall into sin4 ,thus    
,lot is praised by ,peter1 in ,,ii4     

,peter ii41 because he suffered many    
things because of the evil example of   
the people of ,sodom1 so that he made   
progress thereby in his righteousness4  
#b ,pet4 #b3h ,it must needs be that    
these offences come1 which furnish us an
 occasion for conflict and for victory2 
but woe unto the world because of       
offences6 ,matt4 #ah3g ,but if ,god     
procures us such great blessings in the 
sins of others1 should we not with our  
whole heart believe that ,he will work1 
us much greater blessings in our own    
troubles2 even though our flesh and     
blood judge it to be otherwise6  ,nor   
does the world confer a smaller blessing
 on us from another side of its evils2  
namely1 its adversities4 ,for1 when it  
is unable to swallow us up with its     
allurements1 and through its offences to
 make us one with itself1 it endeavors  
through sufferings to drive us out1 and 
through pains to cast us forth2 always  
laying snares for us by the example of  
its sins1 or else visiting its fury upon

 us through the torment of its pains4   
,this is indeed that fabled monster1    
,chimaera1#fb with the head of a maiden1
 seductive1 the body of a lion1 cruel1  
and the tail of a serpent1 deadly4 ,for 
the end of the world1 both of its       
pleasures and its tyranny1 is poison and
 death everlasting4 ,hence1 even as ,god
 grants us to find our blessings in the 
sins of the world1 so also its          
persecutions1 that they may not remain  
fruitless and in vain1 are appointed    
unto us to increase our blessings2 so   
that the very things that work us harm  
are turned to our profit4 ,as ,st4      
,augustine says1 concerning the         
innocents slain by ,herod1 ,never could 
he have done them so much good with his 
favor as he did with his hatred4 ,and   
,st4 ,agatha1#fc the blessed martyr1    
went to prison as to a banquet chamber2 
for1 said she1 except thou cause my body
 to be well broken by thy executioners1 
my soul will not be able to enter       
paradise1 bearing the victor's palm2    

even as a grain of wheat1 except it be  
stript of its husk1 and well beaten on  
the threshing-floor1 is not gathered    
into the barn4  ,but why waste words    
here1 when we see the whole of the      
,scriptures1 the writings and sayings of
 all the ,fathers1 and the lives and    
acts of all the saints1 agreeing        
together in this matter2 namely1 that   
they who bring the most harm upon       
believers are their greatest            
benefactors1 if only we bear with them  
in the right spirit4 ,as ,st4 ,peter    
says1 ,and who is he that will harm you1
 if ye be followers of that which is    
good8 #a ,pet4 #c3ac ,and ,psalm        
lxxxviii1 ,the enemy shall not exact    
upon him2 nor the son of wickedness     
afflict him4 ,ps4 #hi3bb ,how is it that
 he shall not harm us1 seeing that      
oftentimes he even kills us8 ,because1  
forsooth1 in harming us he is working us
 the very greatest gain4 ,rom4 #h3cf    
,thus we find ourselves every way       
dwelling in the midst of blessings1 if  

we are wise1 and yet1 at the same time1 
also in the midst of evils4 ,so         
wondrously are all things tempered      
together under the rule of the goodness 
of ,god4  ,,chapter ,,vi  ,,the ,,sixth 
,,image  ,,the ,,blessing ,,on ,,our    
,,right ,,hand  ,this is the ,church of 
the saints1 the new creation of ,god1   
our brethren and our friends1 in whom we
 see naught but blessing1 naught but    
consolation2 not1 indeed1 always with   
the eyes of the flesh 7to which they    
would appear to belong rather under the 
corresponding image of evils71#fd but   
with the eyes of the spirit             
,nevertheless1 we must not disregard    
even those blessings of theirs which may
 be seen1 but rather learn from them how
 ,god would comfort us4 ,for even the   
,psalmist did not venture1 in ,psalm    
lxxii1 to condemn all those who amass   
riches in this world1 but said1 ,if ,i  
say1 ,i will speak thus2 behold1 ,i     
should offend against the generation of 
,thy children4 ,ps4 #gc3ae ,that is to  

say1 ,if ,i should call all men wicked  
who possess riches1 health1 and honor1  
,i should be condemning even ,thy       
saints1 of whom there are many such4    
,paul also instructs ,timothy to charge 
them that are rich in this world1 that  
they be not high minded2#a ,tim4 #f3ag  
but he does not forbid them to be rich4 
,and ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob were  
rich men1 as the ,scriptures record4    
,daniel1 also1 and his companions were  
raised to honor even in ,babylon4 ,dan4 
#b3dh f4 ,moreover many of the kings of 
,judah were saintly men4 ,it is with    
regard to such persons that the         
,psalmist says1 ,if ,i say1 ,i will     
speak thus2 behold1 ,i should offend    
against the generation of ,thy children4
 ,ps4 #gc3ae ,god gives1 even to ,his   
people1 an abundance of these blessings1
 for their own comfort1 and the comfort 
of others4 ,still1 these things are not 
their proper blessings1 but only shadows
 and emblems of their true blessings1   
which consist in faith1 hope1 love1 and 

other gifts and graces1 which love      
communicates to all4  ,this is the      
communion of saints1 in which we glory4 
,and whose heart will not be lifted up1 
even in the midst of great evils1 when  
he believes that which is indeed the    
very truth2 namely1 that the blessings  
of all the saints are his blessings1 and
 that his evil is also theirs6 ,for this
 is the sweet and pleasant picture which
 the ,apostle ,paul depicts1 in         
,galatians vi1 ,bear ye one another's   
burdens1 and so fulfil the law of       
,christ4 ,gal4 #f3ba ,is it not a       
blessing to be in such a company in     
which1 whether one member suffer1 all   
the members suffer with it2 or one      
member be honored1 all the members      
rejoice with it8 #a ,cor4 #ab3bf as it  
is said in ,i4 ,corinthians vi#fe4      
,therefore1 when ,i suffer1 ,i suffer   
not alone1 but ,christ and all          
,christians suffer with me2 as ,he      
saith1 ,he that toucheth you1 toucheth  
the apple of ,my eye4 ,zach4 #b3h ,even 

so others bear my burden1 and their     
strength becomes my own4 ,the ,church's 
faith supports my fearfulness1 the      
chastity of others bears the temptations
 of my flesh1 the fastings of others are
 my gain1 the prayer of another pleads  
for me4 ,in short1 such care have the   
members one for another1 that the comely
 parts cover1 serve1 and honor the      
uncomely2 as it is beautifully set forth
 in ,i4 ,corinthians vi4#fe others as   
though they were my own2 and they are   
truly my own when ,i find joy and       
pleasure therein4 ,let me1 then1 be base
 and vile2 yet they whom ,i love and    
admire are fair and beautiful4 ,and by  
my love ,i make not only their          
blessings1 but their very selves my own2
 so that by their honor my shame is made
 honorable1 by their abundance my       
poverty is filled1 by their merits my   
sins are healed4 ,who1 then1 could      
despair in his sins8 ,who would not     
rejoice in his pains8 ,for it is not he 
that bears his sins and pains2 or if he 

does bear them1 he bears them not alone1
 but is assisted by so many holy sons of
 ,god1 yea1 even by ,christ ,himself4   
,so great a thing is the communion of   
saints1 and the ,church of ,christ4#ff  
,if any one does not believe this1 he is
 an infidel1 and has denied ,christ and 
the ,church4 ,for even if it should not 
be perceived yet it is true2 but who    
could fail to perceive it8 ,for why is  
it that you do not sink in despair1 or  
grow impatient8 ,is it your strength8   
,nay3 it is the communion of saints4    
,otherwise you could not bear even a    
venial sin1#fg nor endure a word of man 
against you4 ,so close to you are       
,christ and the ,church4 ,it is this    
that we confess in the ,creed1 ,i       
believe in the ,holy ,ghost2 the holy   
,catholic#fh ,church4 ,what is it to    
believe in the holy ,church but to      
believe in the communion of saints4 ,but
 what things have the saints in common8 
,blessings1 forsooth1 and evils2 all    
things belong to all2 as the ,sacrament 

of the ,altar signifies1 in the bread   
and wine1 where we are all said by the  
,apostle to be one body1 one bread1 one 
cup4#fia ,cor4 #aj3ag ,for who can hurt 
any part of the body without hurting the
 whole body8 ,what pain can we feel in  
the tip of the toe that is not felt in  
the whole body8 ,or what honor can be   
shown to the feet in which the whole    
body will not rejoice8 ,but we are one  
body4 ,whatever another suffers1 that ,i
 suffer and bear2 whatever good befalls 
him1 befalls me4 ,so ,christ says that  
whatsoever is done unto one of the least
 of ,his brethren1 is done unto ,him4   
,if a man partake of the smallest       
fragment of the bread of the altar1 is  
he not said to have partaken of the     
bread8 ,if he despise one crumb of it1  
is he not said to have despised the     
bread8  ,when we1 therefore1 feel pain1 
when we suffer1 when we die1 let us turn
 hither our eyes1#gj and firmly believe 
and be sure that it is not we1 or we    
alone1 but that ,christ and the ,church 

are in pain1 are suffering1 are dying   
with us4 ,for ,christ would not have us 
go alone into the valley of death1 from 
which all men shrink in fear2 but we set
 out upon the way of pain and death     
attended by the whole ,church1 and the  
,church bears the brunt of it all4      
,therefore1 we can with truth apply to  
ourselves the words of ,elisha1 which he
 spake to his timid servant1 ,fear not3 
for they that be with us a remote than  
they that be with them4 ,and ,elisha    
prayed1 and said1 ,lord1 ,i pray thee1  
open his eyes that he may see4 ,and the 
,lord opened the eyes of the young man2 
and he saw3 and1 behold1 the mountain   
was full of horses and chariots of fire 
round about ,elisha4 #b ,kings #f3af f4 
,this one thing remains for us also2    
namely1 to pray that our eyes may be    
opened 7,i mean the eyes of our faith71 
that we may see the ,church round about 
us4 ,then there will be nothing for us  
to fear2 as it is said also in ,psalm   
cxxiv1 ,mountains are round about it3 so

 the ,lord is round about ,his people   
from henceforth now and for ever4 ,ps4  
#abe3bga  ,,chapter ,,vii  ,,the        
,,seventh ,,image  ,,the ,,supernal     
,,blessing1 ,,or ,,the ,,blessing       
,,above ,,us  ,i do not now speak of the
 eternal blessings of ,heaven1 which the
 blessed enjoy in the perfect vision of 
,god2 or father1 ,i do speak of them in 
faith1 and in so far as they some within
 our comprehension4 ,for this seventh   
image is ,jesus ,christ1 the ,king of   
glory1 rising from the dead2 even as1 in
 ,his ,passion and death4 ,he formed the
 seventh image of evils4#gb ,here there 
is nothing at all of evil2 for ,christ1 
being risen from the dead1 dieth no     
more2 death hath no more dominion over  
him4 ,rom4 #f3i ,here is that furnace of
 love and fire of ,god in ,zion2 ,isa4  
#ca3i as ,isaiah saith4 ,for ,christ is 
not only born unto us1 but ,he is also  
given unto us4 ,isa4 #i3f ,therefore1   
,his resurrection1 and all that ,he     
wrought by it1 are mine1 and1 as the    

,apostle exults in exuberant joy1 how   
hath #gc ,he not also1 with ,him1 given 
us all things8 ,but what is it that ,he 
hath wrought by ,his resurrection8 ,why1
 ,he hath destroyed sin and brought     
righteousness to light1 abolished death 
and restored life1 conquered hell and   
bestowed on us everlasting glory4 ,these
 are such inestimably precious blessings
 that the mind of man dare scarce       
believe that they have become ours2 as  
it was with ,jacob1 in ,genesis xlv1    
who1 when he heard that his son ,joseph 
was ruler in ,egypt1 was like one       
awakened out of deep slumber1 and       
believed them not1 until1 after telling 
him all the words of ,joseph1 they      
showed him the wagons that ,joseph had  
sent4 ,gen #de3bf ff4 ,so difficult1    
indeed1 would it be for us to believe   
that in ,christ such great blessings    
have been conferred on us unworthy      
creatures1 did ,he not teach us to      
believe it1 with many words1 and by the 
evidence of our own experience2 even as 

,he manifested ,himself to ,his         
disciples#gd in divers appearances4     
,acts #a3c ,such are our ,joseph's      
wagons4 ,this is indeed a most godly    
wagon1 that ,he is made unto us of ,god 
righteousness1 and sanctification1 and  
redemption1 and wisdom2 #a ,cor4 #a3cj  
as the ,apostle saith in ,i4            
,corinthians i4 ,for1 ,i am a sinner2   
yet am ,i drawn in ,his righteousness1  
which is given me4 ,i am unclean2 but   
,his holiness is my sanctification1 in  
which ,i pleasurably tide4 ,i am an     
ignorant fool2 but ,his wisdom carries  
me forward4 ,i have deserved            
condemnation2 but ,i am set free by ,his
 redemption1 a wagon in which ,i sit    
secure4 ,so that a ,christian1 if he but
 believe it1 may boast of the merits of 
,christ and all ,his blessings1 even as 
if he had won them all himself4 ,so     
truly are they his own1 that he may even
 dare to look boldly forward to the     
judgment of ,god1 unbearable though it  
be4 ,so great a thing is faith1 such    

blessings does it bring us1 such        
glorious sons of ,god does it make us4  
,for we cannot be sons without          
inheriting our ,father's goods4 ,let the
 ,christian say1 then1 with full        
confidence3 ,o death1 where is thy      
victory8 ,o death1 where is thy sting8  
,the sting of death is sin2 and the     
strength of sin is the law4 ,but thanks 
be to ,god1#ge which giveth us the      
victory through our ,lord ,jesus        
,christ4 #a ,cor4 #ae3ee ff4 ,that is to
 say1 the law makes us sinners1 and sin 
makes us guilty of death4 ,who hath     
conquered these twain8 ,was it our      
righteousness1 or our life8 ,nay3 it was
 ,jesus ,christ1 rising from the dead1  
condemning sin and death1 bestowing on  
us ,his merits1 and holding ,his hand   
over us4 ,and now it is well with us1 we
 keep the law1 and vanquish sin and     
death4 ,for all which be honor1 praise1 
and thanksgiving unto our ,god for ever 
and ever4 ,amen4  ,this1 then1 is the   
highest image of all1 in which we are   

lifted up1 not only above our evils1 but
 above our blessings as well1 and are   
set down amid strange blessings1 brought
 together by another's labor2 whereas we
 formerly lay among evils1 heaped up by 
another's sin1#gf and added to by our   
own4 ,we are set down1 ,i say1 in       
,christ's righteousness1 with which ,he 
,himself is righteous2 because we cling 
to that righteousness by which ,he is   
well pleasing to ,god1 intercedes for us
 as our ,mediator1 and gives ,himself   
wholly to be our own1 as our            
,high-,priest and ,protector4           
,therefore1 as it is impossible that    
,christ1 with ,his righteousness1 should
 not please ,god1 so it is impossible   
that we should not please ,him4 ,hence  
it comes that a ,christian is almighty1 
lord of all1#gg having all things1 and  
doing all things1 wholly without sin4   
,and even if he have sins1 they can in  
no wise harm him1 but are forgiven for  
the sake of the inexhaustible           
righteousness of ,christ that swalloweth

 up all sins1 on which our faith relies1
 firmly trusting that ,he is such a     
,christ unto us as we have described4   
,but if any one does not believe this1  
he hears the tale with deaf ears1#gh and
 does not know ,christ1 and understands 
neither what blessings ,he hath nor how 
they may be enjoyed4  ,therefore1 if we 
considered it aright and with attentive 
hearts1 this image alone would suffice  
to fill us with so great comfort that we
 should not only not grieve over our    
evils1 ,rom4 #e3c but even glory in our 
tribulations1 nay1 scarcely feel them1  
for the joy that we have in ,christ4 ,in
 which glorying may ,christ ,himself    
instruct us1 our ,lord and ,god1 blessed
 for evermore4 ,amen4 ,rom4 #i3e        
,,epilogue  ,with these prattlings of   
mine1 ,most ,illustrious ,prince1 in    
token of my willingness to serve your   
,lordship to the best of my poor        
ability1 ,i commend myself to your      
,illustrious ,lordship1 being ready to  
bring a worthier offering1 if ever my   

mental powers shall equal my desires4   
,for ,i shall always remain a debtor to 
every neighbor of mine1 but most of all 
to your ,lordship1 whom may our ,lord   
,jesus ,christ1 in ,his merciful        
kindness1 long preserve to us1 and at   
last by a blessed death take home to    
,himself4 ,amen4  ,your ,most           
,illustrious ,lordship's                
,intercessor1         ,brother ,martin  
,luther1             ,augustinian at    
,wittenberg4  ,,footnotes  #a ,written  
by ,luther for the last edition of      
#aece4  #b ,compare to the ,preface to  
the ,complete ,works 7#aede71 page #aa  
of this volume4  #c ,antilogistae2 the  
hunters of contradictions and           
inconsistencies in ,luther's writings1  
such as ,john ,faber1 who published1 in 
#aecj1 his ,antilogiarum ,mart4 ,lutheri
 ,babylonia4 ,compare also reference in 
preceding note4  #d ,as over against    
,christ and the saints in ,his train1   
the devil and his followers are         
represented here1 as frequently in      

,luther1 under the figure of a dragon   
with a scaly tail4  #e ,omitted1 through
 on oversight1 from the ,latin editio   
princeps4 ,see ,introduction1 p4 #aje4  
#f ,on the political influence of       
,frederick1 as a factor in the ,german  
,reformation1 see ,hermelink1           
,reformation und ,gegenreformation      
7,krger's ,handbuch der                 
,kirchengeschicte1 #c4 ,teil71 p4 #fg4  
#g ,tessaradecas4  #h ,see              
,introduction1 pp4 #ajf f4  #i ,in the  
body of the work ,luther places 7#f7    
between 7#c7 and 7#d74  #aj ,a          
reminiscence of ,luther's childhood8    
#aa ,luther has particular reference to 
the ,elector's high rank4  #ab ,luther  
follows the ,vulgate numbering of the   
,psalms1 which differs from the ,hebrew 
7and the ,english and ,german74 ,as far 
as ,ps4 #h both agree2 but the ,vulgate 
7following the ,greek version7 counts   
,ps4 #i and #aj as one1 thus dropping   
behind one in the numbering4 ,but it    
divides ,ps4 #adg into two2 vv4 #a-aa   

being counted as ,ps4 #adf1 and vv4     
#ab-bj as ,ps4 #adg2 and so both        
versions agree again from ,ps4 #adh to  
#aej4  #ac ,job calls it a warfare      
7militia74  #ad ,luther harks back to   
his discussion of this point in the     
,preface1 p4 #aac4  #ae ,particular     
reference to the ,elector4  #af ,see pp4
 #adg ff4  #ag ,cypr4 de mortal4 c4 ,v4 
#ah ,vulgate reading4  #ai ,see pp4 #adi
 f4  #bj ,from the ,vulgate4  #ba       
,luther is probably thinking of his own 
experience1 when1 near ,erfurt1 he came 
near bleeding to death from an injury to
 his ankle4 ,see ,kstlin-,kawerau1      
,martin ,luther1 ,i1 #dd4  #bb ,luther  
no longer held this view of satisfaction
 in #aece4 ,see also pp4 #aej and #afa4 
#bc ,luther is thinking here            
specifically of the ,elector4  #bd ,he  
means the communion of saints4 ,see next
 chapter4  #be ,according to the        
,vulgate 7,douay ,version74  #bf ,august
 #bith4 ,see ,introduction1 p4 #aje4    
#bg ,cf4 ,a ,discussion of ,confession1 

above1 p4 #hb4  #bh ,luther might have  
considerably revised this whole         
paragraph4  #bi ,this seems to refer to 
the writers of the ,holy ,scriptures4   
#cj ,a reference to the threefold       
baptism1 commonly accepted1 viz41 7#a7  
fluminia1 7#b7 flaminis1 7#c7 sanguinis2
 that is1 7#a7 the ,sacrament of        
baptism1 7#b7 the baptism of the        
,spirit1 or repentance1 7#c7 the baptism
 of blood1 or martyrdom4 ,cf4 ,,pre#c1  
,,xix1 #dad4  #ca ,frederick the ,wise  
was a pious collector of relics1 having 
#ejje of them in the ,castle ,church at 
,wittenberg4 ,they had something to do  
with ,luther's choice of ,october #cast 
as the date of the posting of the ,,xcv 
,theses4 ,see ,introduction to the      
,theses1 p4 #af of this volume1 note #a4
  #cb ,cf4 ,letter to ,george ,leiffer1 
#ae ,april1 #aeaf4 ,see ,m4 ,a4 ,cueriz1
 ,the ,letters of ,m4 ,luther1 p4 #g4   
#cc i4 e41 ,the sign of the cross4  #cd 
,as much as1 ,we are in for a bad hour1 
and1 ,a good hour is worth a bad hour4  

#ce ,see p4 #acd4  #cf ,in this passage 
,wisdom is the subject4  #cg ,in the    
,sanctus4  #ch ,see p4 #aah4  #ci       
,luther quotes a verse from ,ps4 #ajf1  
which sums up the contents of ,ps4 #gh4 
#dj ,luther uses sensualitas the first  
time1 and sensus the second4  #da ,see  
p4#aae4  #db ,the ,confessions of ,st4  
,augustine1 ,book ,,ix1 chapter #a4  #dc
 ,luther is probably thinking of the sin
 of suicide4  #dd ,from the ,vulgate    
7,douay ,version74  #de ,namely1 the    
hope of the passing evil and the coming 
of good things4 ,see above4  #df ,the   
last two passages read thus in the      
,vulgate4  #dg ,see p4 #abb4  #dh ,cf4  
p4 #abg1 note4  #di ,thus the ,vulgate4 
#ej ,ovid1 ,ars amat41 ,i1 #fef4  #ea   
,cf4 ,treatise on ,baptism1 above1 p4   
#ff4  #eb ,see pp4 #abc ff4  #ec ,the   
,confessions of ,st4 ,augustine1 ,book  
,i1 chap4 vi4  #ed ,thus the ,vulgate4  
#ee ,comm4 in ,ps4 xxxix1 ,no4 #bg4  #ef
 ,book ,,viii1 chap4 xi4  #eg ,see p4   
#aeb4  #eh ,see pp4 #abf ff4  #ei ,see  

pp4 #abf ff4  #fj ,gregor4 dialogorum   
libri iv1 containing number of examples 
of the terrible end of the wicked4  #fa 
,one of the passages ,luther did not    
care to correct4 ,compare p4 #abg1 note4
  #fb ,luther here unites the           
mythological figures of chimaera and    
alren4  #fc ,an ,italian saint whose    
festival is observed on ,february #eth1 
whose worship flourishes especially in  
,south ,italy and ,sicily1 and whose    
historical existence is doubtful4  #fd  
,see pp4 #acc ff4  #fe ,luther has      
mistaken the chapter4  #ff ,for the     
various interpretations of the communion
 of the saints among medival            
theologians1 ,see ,reinh4 ,seeberg1     
,lehrbuch der ,dogmengeschichte1 #ast   
ed41 vol4 ii1 p4#abg1 note4 ,luther in  
the ,sermon von dem hochwrdigen         
,sacrament des heiligen wahren          
,leichnams ,christi 7#aeai71 still      
accepts the phrase as meaning the       
participation in the ,sacrament1 and    
through it the participation in the     

spiritual possessions of ,christ and    
,his saints4 ,in our treatise1 it is    
taken as the definition of the holy     
,catholic ,church1 in the sense of a    
communion with the saints4 ,in ,the     
,papacy at ,rome 7later in the same     
year71 it becomes the communion or      
community 7consisting of saints1 or     
believers2 as a ,gemeinde oder          
,sammlung4 ,compare the classical       
passage in the ,large ,catechism        
7#aebi73 nicht ,gemenschaft1 sondern    
,gemeine4  #fg ,see ,a ,discussion of   
,confession1 above1 p4 #hh4  #fh        
,changed to ,christian in the           
,catechisms 7#aebi71 although the ,latin
 translations retain catholocism4  #fi  
,the ,apostle does not say1 one cup4    
#gj ,the translation here follows the   
reading of the ,jena ,ed4 7huc feratur  
intuitus71 as against that of the       
,weimar and ,erl4 ,edd4 7huc foratur    
intutus74  #ga ,thus the ,vulgate4  #gb 
,see pp4 #acg ff4  #gc ,vulgate4  #gd   
,namely1 after ,his resurrection4  #ge  

,compare the different form of this     
verse on p4 #aab4  #gf ,he means the sin
 of ,adam4  #gg ,the germ of ,the       
,liberty of a ,christian ,man 7#aebj74  
#gh ,cf4 ,terence's surdo narrare       
fabulam4 ,heauton41 #bbb4   ,a          
,,treatise ,,on ,,good ,,works1         
,,together ,,with ,,the ,,letter ,,of   
,,dedication  #aebj   ,,introduction    
#a4 ,the ,occasion of the               
,work4--,luther did not impose himself  
as a reformer upon the ,church4 ,in the 
course of a conscientious performance of
 the duties of his office1 to which he  
had been regularly and divinely called1 
and without any urging on his part1 he  
attained to this position by inward     
necessity4 ,in #aeae he received his    
appointment as the standing substitute  
for the sickly city pastor1 ,simon      
,heinse1 from the city council of       
,wittenberg4 ,before this time he was   
obliged to preach only occasionally in  
the convent1 apart from his activity as 
teacher in the ,university and convent4 

,through this appointment he was in duty
 bound1 by divine and human right1 to   
lead and direct the congregation at     
,wittenberg on the true way to life1 and
 it would have been a denial of the     
knowledge of salvation which ,god had   
led him to acquire1 by way of ardent    
inner struggles1 if he had led the      
congregation on any other way than the  
one ,god had revealed to him in ,his    
,word4 ,he could not deny before the    
congregation which had been intrusted to
 his care1 what up to this time he had  
taught with ever increasing clearness in
 his lectures at the ,university--for in
 the lectures on the ,psalms1 which he  
began to deliver in #aeac1 he declares  
his conviction that faith alone         
justifies1 as can be seen from the      
complete manuscript1 published since    
#ahhe1 and with still greater clearness 
from his ,commentary on the ,epistle to 
the ,romans 7#aeae-aeaf71 which is      
accessible since #aijh2 nor what he had 
urged as spiritual adviser of his       

convent brethren when in deep           
distress--compare the charming letter to
 ,georg ,spenlein1 dated ,april #h1     
#aeaf1a  ,luther's first literary works 
to ,appear in print were also occasioned
 by the work of his calling and of his  
office in the ,wittenberg congregation4 
,he had no other object in view than to 
edify his congregation and to lead it to
 ,christ when1 in #aeag1 he published   
his first independent work1 the         
,explanation of the ,seven ,penitential 
,psalms4 ,on ,oct #ca of the same year  
he published his #ie ,theses against    
,indulgences4 ,these were indeed        
intended as controversial theses for    
theologians1 but at the same time it is 
well known that ,luther was moved by his
 duty toward his congregation to declare
 his position in this matter and to put 
in issue the whole question as to the   
right and wrong of indulgences by means 
of his theses4 ,his sermon ,of          
,indulgences and ,grace1 occasioned by  
,tetzel's attack and delivered in the   

latter part of ,march1 #aeae1 as well as
 his sermon ,of ,penitence1 delivered   
about the same time1 were also intended 
for his congregation4 ,before his       
congregation 7,sept41 #aeaf-;,feb41     
#aeag7 he delivered the ,sermons on the 
,ten ,commandments1 which were published
 in #aeah1 and the ,sermons on the      
,lord's ,prayer1 which were also        
published in #aeah by ,agricola4 ,though
 ,luther in the same year published a   
series of controversial writings1 which 
were occasioned by attacks from outside 
sources1 viz41 the ,resolutiones        
disputationis de virtute indulgentiarum1
 the ,asterisci adversus obeliscos ,joh4
 ,eccii1 and the ,ad dialogum ,silv4    
,prieriatis responsio1 still he never   
was diverted by this necessary rebuttal 
from his paramount duty1 the edification
 of the congregation4 ,the autumn of the
 year #aeah1 when he was confronted with
 ,cajetan1 as well as the whole year of 
#aeai1 when he held his disputations    
with ,eck1 etc1 were replete with       

disquietude and pressing labors2 still  
,luther served his congregation with a  
whole series of writings during this    
time1 and only regretted that he was not
 entirely at its disposal4 ,of such     
writings we mention3 ,explanation of the
 ,lord's ,prayer for the simple ,laity  
7an elaboration of the sermons of       
#aeag72 ,brief ,explanation of the ,ten 
,commandments2 ,instruction concerning  
certain ,articles1 which might be       
ascribed and imputed to him by his      
adversaries2 ,brief ,instruction how to 
,confess2 ,of ,meditation on the ,sacred
 ,passion of ,christ2 ,of ,twofold      
,righteousness2 ,of the ,matrimonial    
,estate2 ,brief ,form to understand and 
to pray the ,lord's ,prayer2            
,explanation of the ,lord's ,prayer vor 
sich und hinter sich2 ,of ,prayer and   
,processions in ,rogation ,week2 ,of    
,usury2 ,of the ,sacrament of           
,penitence2 ,of ,preparation for ,death2
 ,of the ,sacrament of ,baptism2 ,of the
 ,sacrament of the ,sacred ,body2 ,of   

,excommunication4 ,with but few         
exceptions these writings all speared in
 print in the year #aeai1 and again it  
was the congregation which ,luther      
sought primarily to serve4 ,if the      
bounds of his congregation spread ever  
wider beyond ,wittenberg1 so that his   
writings found a surprisingly ready     
sale1 even afar1 that was not ,luther's 
fault4 ,even the ,tessaradecas          
consolatoria1#b written in #aeai and    
printed in #aecj1 a book of consolation1
 which was originally intended for the  
sick ,elector of ,saxony1 was written by
 him only upon solicitation from outside
 sources4  ,to this circle of writings  
the treatise ,of ,good ,works also      
belongs4 ,though the incentive for its  
composition came from ,george ,spalatin1
 court-preacher to the ,elector1 who    
reminded ,luther of a promise he had    
given1 still ,luther was willing to     
undertake it only when he recalled that 
in a previous sermon to his congregation
 he occasionally had made a similar     

promise to deliver a sermon on good     
works2#c and when ,luther actually      
commenced the composition he had nothing
 else in view but the preparation of a  
sermon for his congregation on this     
important topic4  ,but while the work   
was in progress the material so         
accumulated that it far outgrew the     
bounds of a sermon for his congregation4
 ,on ,march #be4 he wrote to ,spatatin  
that it would become a whole booklet    
instead of a sermon2 on ,may #e4 he     
again emphasizes the growth of the      
material2 on ,may #ac4 he speaks of its 
completion at an early date1 and on     
,june #h4 he could send ,melanchthon a  
printed copy4 ,it was entitled3 ,von den
 gutenwerckenn3 ,d4 ,m4 ,l4             
,vuittenherg4 ,on the last page it bore 
the printer's mark3 ,getruck zu         
,wittenberg bey dem iungen ,melchior    
,lotther4 ,im ,tausent funfhundert vnud 
zweynitzsgen ,jar4 ,it filled not less  
than #eh leaves1 quarto4 ,in spite of   
its volume1 however1 the intention of   

the book for the congregation remained1 
now however1 not only for the narrow    
circle of the ,wittenberg congregation1 
but for the ,christian layman in        
general4 ,in the dedicatory preface     
,luther lays the greatest stress upon   
this1 for he writes3 ,though ,i know of 
a great many1 and must hear it daily1   
who think lightly of my poverty and say 
that ,i write only small ,sexternlein   
7tracts of small volume7 and ,german    
sermons for the untaught laity1 ,i will 
not permit that to move me4 ,would to   
,god that during my life ,i had served  
but one layman for his betterment with  
all my powers2 it would be sufficient   
for me1 ,i would thank ,god and suffer  
all my books to perish                  
thereafter444,most willingly ,i will    
leave the honor of greater things to    
others1 and not at all will ,i be       
ashamed of preaching and writing ,german
 to the untaught laity4  ,since ,luther 
had dedicated the afore-mentioned       
,tessaradecas conolatoria to the        

reigning ,prince1#d he now1 probably on 
,spalatin's recommendation1 dedicated   
the ,treatise on ,good ,works to his    
brother ,john1 who afterward1 in #aebe1 
succeeded ,frederick in the ,electorate4
 ,there was probably good reason for    
dedicating the book to a member of the  
reigning house4 ,princes have reason to 
take a special interest in the fact that
 preaching on good works should occur   
within their realm1 for the safety and  
sane development of their kingdom depend
 hugely upon the cultivation of morality
 on the part of their subjects4 ,time   
and again the papal church had commended
 herself to princes and statesmen by her
 emphatic teaching of good works4       
,luther1 on the other hand1 had been    
accused--like the ,apostle ,paul before 
him 7,rom4 #c3ca7--that the zealous     
performance of good works had abated1   
that the bonds of discipline had        
slackened and that1 as a necessary      
consequence1 lawlessness and shameless  
immorality were being promoted by his   

doctrine of justification by faith      
alone4 ,before #aeag the rumor had      
already spread that ,luther intended to 
do away with good works4 ,duke ,george  
of ,saxony had received no good         
impression from a sermon ,luther had    
delivered at ,dresden1 because he feared
 the consequences which ,luther's       
doctrine of justification by faith alone
 might have upon the morals of the      
masses4 ,under these circumstances it   
would not have been surprising if a     
member of the ,electoral house should   
harbor like scruples1 especially since  
the full comprehension of ,luther's     
preaching on good works depended on an  
evangelical understanding of faith1 as  
deep as was ,luther's own4 ,the ,middle 
,ages had differentiated between fides  
informis1 a formless faith1 and fides   
formata or informata1 a formed or ornate
 faith4 ,the former was held to be a    
knowledge without any life or effect1   
the latter to be identical with love1   
for1 as they said1 love which proves    

itself and is effective in good works   
must be added to the formless faith1 as 
its complement and its content1 well    
pleasing to ,god4 ,in ,luther's time    
every one who was seriously interested  
in religious questions was reared under 
the influence of these ideas4#e  ,now1  
since ,luther had opposed the doctrine  
of justification by love and its good   
works1 he was in danger of being        
misunderstood by strangers1 as though he
 held the bare knowledge and assent to  
be sufficient for justification1 and    
such preaching would indeed have led to 
frivolity and disorderly conduct4 ,but  
even apart from the question whether or 
not the brother of the ,elector was     
disturbed by such scruples1 ,luther must
 have welcomed the opportunity1 when the
 summons came to him1 to dedicate his   
book ,of ,good ,works to a member of the
 ,electoral house4 ,at any rate the book
 could serve to acquaint him with the   
thoughts of his much-abused pastor and  
professor at ,wittenberg1 for never     

before had ,luther expressed himself on 
the important question of good works in 
such a fundamental1 thorough and        
profound way4  #b4 ,contents of the     
,work4--,a perusal of the contents shows
 that the book1 in the course of its    
production1 attained a greater length   
than was originally intended4 ,to this  
fact it must be attributed that a new   
numeration of sections begins with the  
argument on the ,third ,commandment1 and
 is repeated at every ,commandment      
thereafter1 while before this the       
sections were consecutively numbered4   
,but in spite of this1 the plan of the  
whole is clear and lucid4 ,evidently the
 whole treatise is divided into two     
parts3 the first comprising sections    
#a-ag1 while the second comprises all   
the following sections4 ,the first1     
being fundamental1 is the more important
 part4 ,luther well knew of the charges 
made against him that faith is so highly
 elevated and works are rejected by him2
 but he knew1 too1 that neither silver1 

gold and precious stone1 nor any other  
precious thing had experienced so much  
augmentation and diminution as had good 
works which should all have but one     
simple goodness1 or they are nothing but
 color1 glitter and deception4 ,but     
especially was he aware of the fact that
 the ,church was urging nothing but the 
so-called self-elected works1 such as   
running to the convent1 singing1        
reading1 playing the organ1 saying the  
mass1 praying matins1 vespers1 and other
 hours1 founding and ornamenting        
churches1 altars1 convents1 gathering   
chimes1 jewels1 vestments1 gems and     
treasures1 going to ,rome and to the    
saints1 curtsying and bowing the knees1 
praying the rosary and the psalter1     
etc41 and that she designated these     
alone as truly good works1 while she    
represented the faithful performance of 
the duties of one's calling as a        
morality of a lower order4 ,for these   
reasons it is ,luther's highest object  
in this treatise to make it perfectly   

clear what is the essence of good works4
 ,whenever the essence of good works has
 been understood1 then the accusations  
against him will quickly collapse4  ,in 
the fundamental part he therefore       
argues2 ,truly good works are not       
self-elected works of monastic or any   
other holiness1 but such only as ,god   
has commanded and as are comprehended   
within the bounds one's particular      
calling1 and all works1 let the name be 
what it may1 become good only when they 
flow from faith1 the first1 greatest1   
and noble of good works4 7,john #f3ai47 
,in this connection the essence of      
faith1 that only source of all truly    
good works1 must of course be rightly   
understood4 ,it is the sure confidence  
in ,god1 that all my doing is           
well-pleasing to him2 it is trust in    
,his mercy even though ,he appear angry 
and puts sufferings and adversities upon
 us2 it is the assurance of the divine  
good will even though ,god should       
reprove the conscience with sin1 death  

and hell1 and deny it all grace and     
mercy1 as though ,he would condemn and  
show ,his wrath eternally4 ,where such  
faith lives in the heart1 there the     
works are good even though they were as 
insignificant as the picking up of a    
straw2 but where it is wanting1 there   
are only such works as heathen1 ,jew and
 ,turk may have and do4 ,where such     
faith possesses the man1 he needs no    
teacher in good works1 as little as does
 the husband or the wife1 who only look 
for love and favor from one another1 nor
 need any instruction therein how they  
are to stand toward each other1 what    
they are to do1 to leave undone1 to say1
 to leave unsaid1 to think4  ,this      
faith1 ,luther continues1 is the true   
fulfilment of the ,first ,commandment1  
apart from which there is no work that  
could do justice to this ,commandment4  
,with this sentence he combines1 on the 
one hand1 the whole argument of faith1  
as the best and noblest of good works1  
with his opening proposition 7there are 

no good works besides those commanded of
 ,god71 and1 on the other hand1 he      
prepares the way for the following      
argument1 wherein he proposes to exhibit
 the good works according to the ,ten   
,commandments4 ,for the ,first          
,commandment does not forbid this and   
that1 nor does it require this and that2
 it forbids but one thing1 unbelief2 it 
requires but one thing1 faith1 that     
confidence in ,god's good will at all   
times4 ,without this faith the best     
works are as nothing1 and if man would  
think that by them he could be          
well-pleasing to ,god1 he would be      
lowering ,god to the level of a broker  
or a laborer who will not dispense his  
grace and kindness gratis4  ,this       
understanding of faith and good works1  
so ,luther now addresses his opponents1 
should in fairness be kept in view by   
those who accuse him of declaiming      
against good works1 and they should     
learn from it1 that though he has       
preached against good works1 it was     

against such as are falsely so called   
and as contribute toward the confusion  
of consciences1 because they are        
self-elected1 do not flow from faith1   
and are done with the pretension of     
doing works well-pleasing to ,god4      
,this brings us to the end of the       
fundamental part of the treatise4 ,it   
was not ,luther's intention1 however1 to
 speak only on the essence of good works
 and their fundamental relation to      
faith2 he would show1 too1 how the best 
work1 faith1 must prove itself in every 
way a living faith1 according to the    
other commandments4 ,luther does not    
proceed to this part1 however1 until in 
the fundamental part he has said with   
emphasis1 that the believer1 the        
spiritual man1 needs no such instruction
 7#a4 ,timothy #a3i71 but that he of his
 own accord and at all times does good  
works as his faith1 his confidence1     
teaches him4 ,only because we do not all
 have such faith1 or are unmindful of   
it1 does such instruction become        

necessary4  ,nor does he proceed until  
he has repeated his oft repeated words  
concerning the relation of faith to good
 works to the relation of the ,first to 
the other ,commandments4 ,from the fact1
 that according to the ,first           
,commandment1 we acquire a pure heart   
and confidence toward ,god1 he derives  
the good work of the ,second            
,commandment1 namely1 to praise ,god1 to
 acknowledge ,his grace1 to render all  
honor to ,him alone4 ,from the same     
source he derives the good work of the  
,third ,commandment1 namely1 to observe 
divine services with prayer and the     
hearing of preaching1 to incline the    
imagination of our hearts toward ,god's 
benefits1 and1 to that end1 to mortify  
and overcome the flesh4 ,from the same  
source he derives the works of the      
,second ,table4  ,the argument on the   
,third and ,fourth ,commandments claims 
nearly one-half of the entire treatise4 
,among the good works which1 according  
to the ,third ,commandment1 should be an

 exercise and proof of faith1 ,luther   
especially mentions the proper hearing  
of mass and of preaching1 common prayer1
 bodily discipline and the mortification
 of the flesh1 and he joins the former  
and the latter by an important          
fundamental discussion of the ,new      
,testament conception of ,sabbath rest4 
,luther discusses the ,fourth           
,commandment as fully as the ,third4    
,the exercise of faith1 according to    
this ,commandment1 consists in the      
faithful performance of the duties of   
children toward their parents1 of       
parents toward their children1 and of   
subordinates toward their superiors in  
the ecclesiastical as well as in the    
common civil sphere4 ,the various duties
 issue from the various callings1 for   
faithful performance of the duties of   
one's calling1 with the help of ,god and
 for ,god's sake1 is the true good work4
  ,as he now proceeds to speak of the   
spiritual powers1 the government of the 
,church1 he frankly reveals their faults

 and demands a reform of the present    
rulers4 ,honor and obedience in all     
things should be rendered unto the      
,church1 the spiritual mother1 as it is 
due to natural parents1 unless it be    
contrary to the first ,three            
,commandments4 ,but as matters stand now
 the spiritual magistrates neglect their
 peculiar work1 namely1 the fostering of
 godliness and discipline1 like a mother
 who runs away from her children and    
follows a lover1 and instead they       
undertake strange and evil works1 like  
parents whose commands are contrary to  
,god4 ,in this case members of the      
,church must do as godly children do    
whose parents have become mad and       
insane4 ,kings1 princes1 the nobility1  
municipalities and communities must     
begin of their own accord and put a     
check to these conditions1 so that the  
bishops and the clergy1 who are now too 
timid1 may be induced to follow4 ,but   
even the civil magistrates must also    
suffer reforms to be enacted in their   

particular spheres2 especially are they 
called on to do away with the rude      
gluttony and drunkenness1 luxury in     
clothing1 the usurious sale of rents and
 the common brothels4 ,this1 by divine  
and human right1 is a part of their     
enjoined works according to the ,fourth 
,commandment4  ,luther1 at last1 briefly
 treats of the ,second ,table of the    
,commandments1 but in speaking of the   
works of these ,commandments he never   
forgets to point out their relation to  
faith1 thus holding fast this           
fundamental thought of the book to the  
end4 ,faith which does not doubt that   
,god is gracious1 he says1 will find it 
an easy matter to be graciously and     
favorably minded toward one's neighbor  
and to overcome all angry and wrathful  
desires4 ,in this faith in ,god the     
,spirit will teach us to avoid unchaste 
thoughts and thus to keep the ,sixth    
,commandment4 ,when the heart trusts in 
the divine favor1 it cannot seek after  
the temporal goods of others1 nor cleave

 to money1 but according to the ,seventh
 ,commandment1 will use it with cheerful
 liberality for the benefit of the      
neighbor4 ,where such confidence is     
present there is also a courageous1     
strong and intrepid heart1 which will at
 all times defend the truth1 as the     
,eighth ,commandment demands1 whether   
neck or coat be at stake1 whether it be 
against pope or kings4 ,where such faith
 is present there is also strife against
 the evil lust1 as forbidden in the     
,ninth and ,tenth ,commandments1 and    
that even unto death4  #c4 ,the         
,importance of the ,work4--,inquiring   
now into the importance of the book1 we 
note that ,luther's impression evidently
 was perfectly correct1 when he wrote to
 ,spalatin1 long before its             
completion--as early as ,march          
#ae4--that he believed it to be better  
than anything he had heretofore written4
 ,his book1 indeed1 surpasses all his   
previous ,german writings in volume1 as 
well as all his ,latin and ,german ones 

in clearness1 richness and the          
fundamental importance of its content4  
,in comparison with the prevalent urging
 of self-elected works of monkish       
holiness1 which had arisen from a       
complete misunderstanding of the        
so-called evangelical counsels 7comp4   
esp4 ,matthew #ai3af-bb7 and which were 
at that time accepted as self-evident   
and zealously urged by the whole church1
 ,luther's argument must have appeared  
to all thoughtful and earnest souls as a
 revelation1 when he so clearly         
amplified the proposition that only     
those works are to be regarded as good  
works which ,god has commanded1 and that
 therefore1 not the abandoning of one's 
earthly calling1 but the faithful       
keeping of the ,ten ,commandments in the
 course of one's calling1 is the work   
which ,god requires of us4 ,over against
 the wide-spread opinion1 as though the 
will of ,god as declared in the ,ten    
,commandments referred only to the      
outward work always especially          

mentioned1 ,luther's argument must have 
called to mind the explanation of the   
,law1 which the ,lord had given in the  
,sermon on the ,mount1 when he taught   
men to recognize only the extreme point 
and manifestation of a whole trend of   
thought in the work prohibited by the   
text1 and when he directed ,christians  
not to rest in the keeping of the       
literal requirement of each             
,commandment1 but from this point of    
vantage to inquire into the whole depth 
and breadth of ,god's will--positively  
and negatively--and to do ,his will in  
its full extent as the heart has        
perceived it4 ,though this thought may  
have been occasionally expressed in the 
expositions of the ,ten ,commandments   
which appeared at the dawn of the       
,reformation1 still it had never before 
been so clearly recognized as the only  
correct principle1 much less had it been
 so energetically carried out from      
beginning to end1 as is done in this    
treatise4 ,over against the deep-rooted 

view that the works of love must bestow 
upon faith its form1 its content and its
 worth before ,god1 it must have        
appeared as the dawn of a new era       
7,galatians #c3ac-ce7 when ,luther in   
this treatise declared1 and with        
victorious certainty carried out the    
thought1 that it is true faith which    
invests the works1 even the best and    
greatest of works1 with their content   
and worth before ,god4  ,this           
preposition1 which ,luther here         
amplifies more clearly than ever before1
 demanded nothing less than a breach    
with the whole of prevalent religious   
views1 and at that time must have been  
perceived as the discovery of a new     
world1 though it was no more than a     
return to the dear teaching of the ,new 
,testament ,scriptures concerning the   
way of salvation4 ,this1 too1 accounts  
for the fact that in this writing the   
accusation is more impressively repelled
 than before1 that the doctrine of      
justification by faith lone resulted in 

moral laxity1 and that1 on the other    
hand1 the fundamental and radical       
importance of righteousness by faith for
 the whole moral life is revealed in    
such a heart-refreshing manner4         
,luther's appeal in this treatise to    
kings1 princes1 the nobility1           
municipalities and communities1 to      
declare against the misuse of spiritual 
powers and to abolish various abuses in 
civil life1 marks this treatise as a    
forerunner of the great ,reformation    
writings1 which appeared in the same    
year 7#aebj71 while1 on the other hand1 
his espousal of the rights of the poor  
man--to be met with here for the first  
time--shows that the ,monk of           
,wittenberg1 coming from the narrow     
limits of the convent1 had an intimate  
and sympathetic knowledge of the social 
needs of his time4 ,thus he proved by   
his own example that to take a stand in 
the center of the ,gospel does not      
narrow the vision nor harden the heart1 
but rather produces courage in the truth

 and sympathy for all manner of misery4 
,luther's contemporaries at once        
recognized the great importance of the  
treatise1 for within the period of seven
 months it passed through eight         
editions2 these were followed by six    
more editions between the years of #aeba
 and #aebe2 in #aeba it was translation 
into ,latin1 and in this form passed    
through three editions up to the year   
#aebe2 and all this in spite of the fact
 that in those years the so-called three
 great ,reformation writings of #aebj   
were casting all else into the shadow4  
,melanchthon1 in a contemporaneous      
letter to ,john ,hess1 called it        
,luther's best book4 ,john ,mathesius1  
the well-known pastor at ,joachimsthal  
and ,luther's biographer1 acknowledged  
that he had learned the rudiments of    
,christianity from it4  ,even to-day    
this book has its peculiar mission to   
the ,church4 ,the seeking after         
self-elected works1 the indifference    
regarding the works commanded of ,god1  

the foolish opinion1 that the path of   
works leads to ,god's grace end         
good-will1 are even to-day widely       
prevalent within the kingdom of ,god4   
,to all this ,luther's treatise answers3
 ,be diligent in the works of your      
earthly calling as commanded of ,god1   
but only after having first             
strengthened1 by the consideration of   
,god's mercy1 the faith within you1     
which is the only source of all truly   
good works and well-pleasing to ,god4   
,m4 ,reu4  ,wartburg ,seminary1         
,dubuque1 ,iowa4  ,,footnotes  #a       
7,enders1 ,luther's ,briefwechsel1 ,i1  
p4 #bi47 ,luther here writers3 ,learn   
,christ1 dear ,brother1 learn ,christ   
crucified2 learn to sing unto him and1  
despairing of self1 to say3 ,thou1 ,lord
 ,jesus art my righteousness1 ,i1       
however1 am ,thy sin4 ,thou has taken   
unto ,thyself what was mine1 and has    
given me what is ,thine4 ,in this faith1
 receive the erring brethren1 make their
 sins your own1 and if you have anything

 good1 let it be theirs4  #b ,above1 pp4
 #ajc-aga4  #c ,on ,feb4 #bd1 ,luther   
answered ,spalatin3 ,die sermone bonorum
 operum nibil memini2 sed et tot jam    
edidi1 ut periculum sit1 ne emtores     
tandem fatigam2 but on ,feb4 #bf1 he    
wrote again3 ,memoria mihi rediit de    
operibus bonis sermone tractandis1 in   
concione scilicet id promisi2 dabo      
operam1 ut fiat4 7,de ,weite1 ,luther's 
,briefe1 ,i1 p4 #dai1 #dba1 #dcj ff47   
#d ,see ,dedicatory ,letter1 above1 p4  
#ajg4  #e ,we mention but one of many   
testimonies4 ,john ,dietenberger in his 
book1 ,der leye4 ,obe der gelaub allein 
selig mache1 printed in ,strassburg     
#aebc1 says on leaf ,b#bf3 ,faith is a  
gift of ,god1 which may appear bare or  
ornate2 still it remains but one faith1 
which1 however1 has another effect when 
ornate than when bare4 ,ornate faith    
makes man a child of grace1 an heir of  
the kingdom of heaven and justified4    
,bare faith1 however1 does not separate 
man from devils1 helps not to the       

kingdom of heaven1 and leads to no      
justification4   ,a ,,treatise ,,on     
,,good ,,works  #aebj   ,,dedication    
,,jesus#a  ,to the ,illustrious1        
,high-born ,prince and ,lord1 ,john1    
,duke of ,saxony1 ,landgrave of         
,thuringia1 ,margrave of ,meissen1 my   
gracious ,lord and ,patron4             
,illustrious1 ,high-born ,prince1       
gracious ,lord6 ,my humble duty and my  
feeble prayer for your ,grace always    
remembered6  ,for a long time1 gracious 
,prince and ,lord1 ,i have wished to    
show my humble respect and duty toward  
your princely ,grace1 by the exhibition 
of some such spiritual wares as are at  
my disposal2 but ,i have always         
considered my powers too feeble to      
undertake anything worthy of being      
offered to your princely ,grace4        
,since1 however1 my most gracious ,lord 
,frederick1 ,duke of ,saxony1 ,elector  
and ,vicar of the ,holy ,roman ,empire1 
your ,grace's brother1 has not despised1
 but graciously accepted my slight      

book1#b dedicated to his electoral      
,grace1 and now published--though such  
was not my intention--,i have taken     
courage from his gracious example and   
ventured to think that the princely     
spirit1 like the princely blood1 may be 
the same in both of you1 especially in  
gracious kindness and good will4 ,i have
 hoped that your princely ,grace        
likewise would not despise this my      
humble offering which ,i have felt more 
need of publishing than any other of my 
sermons or tracts4 ,for the greatest of 
all questions has been raised1 the      
question of ,good ,works1 in which is   
practised immeasurably more trickery and
 deception than in anything else1 and in
 which the simple-minded man is so      
easily misled that our ,lord ,christ has
 commanded us to watch carefully for the
 sheep's clothing under which the wolves
 hide themselves4 ,matt4 #g3ae  ,neither
 silver1 gold1 precious stones1 nor any 
rare thing has such manifold alloys and 
flaws as have good works1 which ought to

 have a single simple goodness1 and     
without it are mere color1 show and     
deceit4  ,and although ,i know and daily
 hear many people1 who think slightingly
 of my poverty1 and say that ,i write   
only little pamphlets#c and ,german     
sermons for the unlearned laity1 this   
shall not disturb me4 ,would to ,god ,i 
had in all my life1 with all the ability
 ,i have1 helped one layman to be       
better6 ,i would be satisfied1 thank    
,god1 and be quite willing then to let  
all my little books perish4  ,whether   
the making of many great books is an art
 and a benefit to the ,church1 ,i leave 
others to judge4 ,but ,i believe that if
 ,i were minded to make great books     
according to their art1 ,i could1 with  
,god's help1 do it more readily perhaps 
than they could prepare a little        
discourse after my fashion4 ,if         
accomplishment were as easy as          
persecution1 ,christ would long since   
have been cast out of heaven again1 and 
,god's throne itself overturned4        

,although we cannot all be writers1 we  
all want to be critics4  ,i will most   
gladly leave to any one else the honor  
of greater things1 and not be at all    
ashamed to preach and to write in       
,german for the unlearned laymen4       
,although ,i too have little skill in   
it1 ,i believe that if we had hitherto  
done1 and should henceforth do more of  
it1 ,christendom would have reaped no   
small advantage1 and have been more     
benefited by this than by the great1    
deep books and quaestiones#d1 which are 
used only in the schools1 among the     
learned4  ,then1 too1 ,i have never     
forced or begged any one to hear me1 or 
to read my sermons4 ,i have freely      
ministered in the ,church of that which 
,god has given me and which ,i owe the  
,church4 ,whoever likes it not1 may hear
 and read what others have to say4 ,and 
if they are not willing to be my        
debtors1 it matters little4 ,for me it  
is enough1 and even more than too much1 
that some laymen condescend to read what

 ,i say4 ,even though there were nothing
 else to urge me1 it should be more than
 sufficient that ,i have learned that   
your princely ,grace is pleased with    
such ,german books and is eager to      
receive instruction in ,good ,works and 
the ,faith1 with which instruction it   
was my duty1 humbly and with all        
diligence to serve you4  ,therefore1 in 
dutiful humility ,i pray that your      
princely ,grace may accept this offering
 of mine with a gracious mind1 until1 if
 ,god grant me time1 ,i prepare a       
,german exposition of the ,faith in its 
entirety4 ,for at this time ,i have     
wished to show how in all good works we 
should practice and make use of faith1  
and let faith be the chief work4 ,if    
,god permit1 ,i will treat at another   
time of the ,faith#e itself--how we are 
daily to pray or recite it4  ,i humbly  
commend myself herewith to your princely
 ,grace1      ,your ,princely ,grace's  
,humble ,chaplain1             ,dr4     
,martin ,luther4  ,from ,wittenberg1    

,march #cith1 ,a4,d4 #aebj4  ,,the      
,,treatise  ,sidenote3 ,faith and the   
,commandments  ,i4 ,we ought first to   
know that there are no good works except
 those which ,god has commanded1 even as
 there is no sin except that which ,god 
has forbidden4 ,therefore whoever wishes
 to know and to do good works needs     
nothing else than to know ,god's        
commandments4 ,thus ,christ says1       
,matthew xix1 ,if thou wilt enter into  
life1 keep the commandments4 ,matt4     
#ai3ag ,and when the young man asks     
,him1 ,matthew xix1 what he shall do    
that he may inherit eternal life1       
,christ sets before him naught else but 
the ,ten ,commandments4 ,matt4 #ai3ah f4
 ,accordingly1 we must learn how to     
distinguish among good works from the   
,commandments of ,god1 and not from the 
appearance1 the magnitude1 or the number
 of the works themselves1 nor from the  
judgment of men or of human law or      
custom1 as we see has been done and     
still is done1 because we are blind and 

despise the divine ,commandments4       
,sidenote3 ,faith the ,best ,work  ,,ii4
 ,the first and highest1 the most       
precious of all good works is faith in  
,christ1 as ,he says1 ,john vi4 ,when   
the ,jews asked ,him3 ,what shall we do 
that we may work the works of ,god8 ,he 
answered3 ,this is the work of ,god1    
that ye believe on ,him ,whom ,he hath  
sent4 ,john #f3bh f4 ,when we hear or   
preach this word1 we hasten over it and 
deem it a very little thing and easy to 
do1 whereas we ought here to pause a    
long time and to ponder it well4 ,for in
 this work#f all good works must be done
 and receive from it the inflow of their
 goodness1 like a loan4 ,this we must   
put bluntly1 that men may understand it4
  ,we find many who pray1 fast1         
establish endowments1 do this or that1  
lead a good life before men1 and yet if 
you should ask them whether they are    
sure that what they do pleases ,god1    
they say1 ,no2 they do not know1 or they
 doubt4 ,and there are some very learned

 men1 who mislead them1 and say that it 
is not necessary to be sure of this2 and
 yet on the other hand1 these same men  
do nothing else but teach good works4   
,now all these works are done outside of
 faith1 therefore they are nothing and  
altogether dead4 ,for as their          
conscience stands toward ,god and as it 
believes1 so also are the works which   
grow out of it4 ,now they have no faith1
 no good conscience toward ,god1        
therefore the works lack their head1 and
 all their life and goodness is nothing4
 ,hence it comes that when ,i exalt     
faith and reject such works done without
 faith1 they accuse me of forbidding    
good works1 when in truth ,i am trying  
hard to teach real good works of faith4 
,sidenote3 ,all ,works done in ,faith   
are ,good  ,,iii4 ,if you ask further1  
whether they count it also a good work  
when they work at their trade1 walk1    
stand1 eat1 drink1 sleep1 and do all    
kinds of works for the nourishment of   
the body or for the common welfare1 and 

whether they believe that ,god takes    
pleasure in them because of such works1 
you will find that they say1 ,no2 and   
they define good works so narrowly that 
they are made to consist only of praying
 in church1 fasting1 and almsgiving4    
,other works they consider to be in     
vain1 and think that ,god cares nothing 
for them4 ,so through their damnable    
unbelief they curtail and lessen the    
service of ,god1 ,who is served by all  
things whatsoever that are done1 spoken 
or thought in faith4  ,so teaches       
,ecclesiastes ix3 ,go thy way with joy1 
eat and drink1 and know that ,god       
accepteth thy works4 ,let thy garments  
be always white2 and let thy head lack  
no ointment4 ,live joyfully with the    
wife whom thou lovest all the days of   
the life of thy vanity4 ,eccles4 #i3g   
,let thy garments be always white1 that 
is1 let all our works be good1 whatever 
they may be1 without any distinction4   
,and they are white when ,i am certain  
and believe that they please ,god4 ,then

 shall the head of my soul never lack   
the ointment of a joyful conscience4    
,so ,christ says1 ,john viii3 ,i do     
always those things that please ,him4   
,john #h3bi ,and ,st4 ,john says1 ,i4   
,john iii3 ,hereby we know that we are  
of the truth1 if we can comfort our     
hearts before ,him and have a good      
confidence4 ,and if our heart condemns  
or frets us1 ,god is greater than our   
heart1 and we have confidence1 that     
whatsoever we ask1 we shall receive of  
,him1 because we keep ,his              
,commandments1 and do those things that 
are pleasing in ,his sight4 #a ,john #c1
 #ai ff4 ,again3 ,whosoever is born of  
,god1 that is1 whoever believes and     
trusts ,god1 doth not commit sin1 and   
cannot sin4 #a ,john #c1 #i ,again1     
,psalm xxxiv3 ,none of them that trust  
in ,him shall do sin4 ,ps4 #cd3bb ,and  
in ,psalm ii3 ,blessed are all they that
 put their trust in ,him4 ,ps4 #b3ab ,if
 this be true1 then all that they do    
must be good1 or the evil that they do  

must be quickly forgiven4 ,behold1 then1
 why ,i exalt faith so greatly1 draw all
 works into it1 and reject all works    
which do not flow from it4  ,sidenote3  
,faith the ,test of ,good ,works  ,,iv4 
,now every one can note and tell for    
himself when he does what is good or    
what is not good2 for if he finds his   
heart confident that it pleases ,god1   
the work is good1 even if it were so    
small a thing as picking up a straw4 ,if
 confidence is absent1 or if he doubts1 
the work is not good1 although it should
 raise all the dead and the man should  
give himself to be burned4 #a ,cor4     
#ac3c ,this is the teaching of ,st4     
,paul1 ,romans xiv3 ,whatsoever is not  
done of or in faith is sin4 ,rom4 #ad3bc
 ,faith1 as the chief work1 and no other
 work1 has given us the name of         
believers on ,christ4 ,for all other    
works a heathen1 a ,jew1 a ,turk1 a     
sinner1 may also do2 but to trust firmly
 that he pleases ,god1 is possible only 
for a ,christian who is enlightened and 

strengthened by grace4  ,that these     
words seem strange1 and that some call  
me a heretic because of them1 is due to 
the fact that men have followed blind   
reason and heathen ways1 have set faith 
not above1 but beside other virtues1 and
 have given it a work of its own1 apart 
from all works of the other virtues2    
although faith alone makes all other    
works good1 acceptable and worthy1 in   
that it trusts ,god and does not doubt  
that for it all things that a man does  
are well done4 ,indeed1 they have not   
let faith remain a work1 but have made a
 habitus#g of it1 ,john #f3bi as they   
say1 although ,scripture gives the name 
of a good1 divine work to no work except
 to faith alone4 ,therefore it is no    
wonder that they have become blind and  
leaders of the blind4 ,matt4 #ae3ad ,and
 this faith brings with it at once love1
 peace1 joy and hope4 ,for ,god gives   
,his ,spirit at once to him who trusts  
,him1 as ,st4 ,paul says to the         
,galatians3 ,you received the ,spirit   

not became of your good works1 but when 
you believed the ,word of ,god4 ,gal4   
#c3b  ,sidenote3 ,faith makes all ,works
 ,equal  ,v4 ,in this faith all works   
become equal1 and one is like the other2
 all distinctions between works fall    
away1 whether they be great1 small1     
short1 long1 few or many4 ,for the works
 are acceptable not for their own sake1 
but because of the faith which alone is1
 works and lives in each and every work 
without distinction1 however numerous   
and various they are1 just as all the   
members of the body live1 work and have 
their name from the head1 and without   
the head no member can live1 work and   
have a name4  ,from which it further    
follows that a ,christian who lives in  
this faith has no need of a teacher of  
good works1 but whatever he finds to do 
he does1 and all is well done2 as       
,samuel said to ,saul3 ,the ,spirit of  
the ,lord will come upon thee1 and thou 
shalt be turned into another man2 then  
do thou as occasion serves thee2 for    

,god is with thee4 #a ,sam4 #aj3f ,so   
also we read of ,st4 ,anna1 ,samuel's   
mother3 ,when she believed the priest   
,eli who promised her ,god's grace1 she 
went home in joy and peace1 and from    
that time no more turned hither and     
thither1 #a ,sam4 #a3ag f4 that is1     
whatever occurred1 it was all one to    
her4 ,st4 ,paul also says3 ,where the   
,spirit of ,christ is1 there all is     
free4 ,rom4 #h3b ,for faith does not    
permit itself to be bound to any work #a
 ,cor4 #c3ag1 nor does it allow any work
 to be taken from it1 but1 as the ,first
 ,psalm says ,he bringeth forth his     
fruit in his season1 ,ps4 #a3c that is1 
as as a matter of course4  ,sidenote3   
,an ,analogy  ,,vi4 ,this we may see in 
a common human example4 ,when a man and 
a woman love and are pleased with each  
other1 and thoroughly believe in their  
love1 who teaches them how they are to  
behave1 what they are to do1 leave      
undone1 say1 not say1 think8 ,confidence
 alone teaches them all this1 and more4 

,they make no difference in works3 they 
do the great1 the long1 the much1 as    
gladly as the small1 the short1 the     
little1 and vice versa2 and that too    
with joyful1 peaceful1 confident hearts1
 and each is a free companion of the    
other4 ,but where there is a doubt1     
search is made for what is best2 then a 
distinction of works is imagined whereby
 a man may win favor2 and yet he goes   
about it with a heavy heart1 and great  
disrelish2 he is1 as it were1 taken     
captive1 more than half in despair1 and 
often makes a fool of himself4          
,sidenote3 ,the ,first ,stage of ,faith3
 ,works  ,so a ,christian who lives in  
this confidence toward ,god1 knows all  
things1 can do all things1 undertakes   
all things that are to be done1 and does
 everything cheerfully and freely2 not  
that he may gather many merits and good 
works1 but because it is a pleasure for 
him to please ,god thereby1 and he      
serves ,god purely for nothing1 content 
that his service pleases ,god4 ,on the  

other hand1 he who is not at one with   
,god1 or doubts1 hunts and worries in   
what way he may do enough and with many 
works move ,god4 ,he runs to ,st4 ,james
 of ,compostella1#h to ,rome1 to        
,jerusalem1 hither and yon1 prays ,st4  
,bridget's prayer#i and the rest1 fasts 
on this day and on that1 makes          
confession here1 and makes confession   
there1 questions this man and that1 and 
yet finds no peace4 ,he does all this   
with great effort1 despair and disrelish
 of heart1 so that the ,scriptures      
rightly call such works in ,hebrew ,aven
 amal ,ps4 #ij3aj1 that is1 labor and   
travail4 ,and even then they are not    
good works1 and are all lost4 ,many have
 been crazed thereby2 their fear has    
brought them into all manner of misery4 
,of these it is written1 ,wisdom of     
,solomon v3 ,we have wearied ourselves  
in the wrong way2 and have gone through 
deserts1 where there lay no way2 but as 
for the way of the ,lord1 we have not   
known it1 and the sun of righteousness  

rose not upon us4 ,wisd4 #e3f f4        
,sidenote3 ,the ,second ,stage of       
,faith3 ,sufferings  ,,vii4 ,in these   
works faith is still slight and weak2   
let us ask further1 whether they believe
 that they are well-pleasing to ,god    
when they suffer in body1 property1     
honor1 friends1 or whatever they have1  
and believe that ,god of ,his mercy     
appoints their sufferings and           
difficulties for them1 whether they be  
small or great4 ,this is real strength1 
to trust in ,god when to all our senses 
and reason ,he appears to be angry2 and 
to have greater confidence in ,him than 
we feel4 ,here ,he is hidden1 as the    
bride says in the ,song of ,songs3      
,behold he standeth behind our wall1 he 
looketh forth at the windows ,song #b3i2
 that is1 ,he stands hidden among the   
sufferings1 which would separate us from
 ,him like a wall1 yea1 like a wall of  
stone1 and yet ,he looks upon me and    
does not leave me1 for ,he is standing  
and is ready graciously to help1 and    

through the window of dim faith ,he     
permits ,himself to be seen4 ,and       
,jeremiah says in ,lamentations1 ,he    
casts casts off men1 but ,he does it not
 willingly4 ,lam4 #c3cb  ,this faith    
they do not know at all1 and give up1   
thinking that ,god has forsaken them and
 is become their enemy2 they even lay   
the blame of their ills on men and      
devils1 and have no confidence at all in
 ,god4 ,for this reason1 too1 their     
suffering is always an offence and      
harmful to them1 and yet they go and do 
some good works1 as they think1 and are 
not aware of their unbelief4 ,but they  
who in such suffering trust ,god and    
retain a good1 firm confidence in ,him1 
and believe that ,he is pleased with    
them1 these see in their sufferings and 
afflictions nothing but precious merits 
and the rarest possessions1 the value of
 which no one can estimate4 ,for faith  
and confidence make precious before ,god
 all that which others think most       
shameful1 so that it is written even of 

death in ,psalm cxvi1 ,precious in the  
sight of the ,lord is the death of ,his 
saints4 ,ps4 #aaf3ac ,and just as the   
confident and faith are better1 higher  
and stronger at this stage than in the  
first stage1 so and to the same degree  
do the sufferings which are borne in    
this faith excel all works of faith4    
,therefore between such works and       
sufferings there is an immeasurable     
difference and the sufferings are       
infinitely better4  ,sidenote3 ,the     
,highest ,stage of ,faith3 ,torments of 
,conscience  ,,viii4 ,beyond all this is
 the highest stage of faith1 when ,god  
punishes the conscience not only with   
temporal sufferings1 but with death1    
hell1 and sin1 and refuses grace and    
mercy1 as though it were ,his will to   
condemn and to be angry eternally4 ,this
 few men experience1 but ,david cries   
out in ,psalm vi1 ,o ,lord1 rebuke me   
not in ,thine anger4 ,ps4 #f3a ,to      
believe at such times that ,god1 in ,his
 mercy1 is pleased with us1 is the      

highest work that can be done by and in 
the creature2#aj but of this the        
work-righteous and doers of good works  
know nothing at all4 ,for how could they
 here look for good things and grace    
from ,god1 as long as they are not      
certain in their works1 and doubt even  
on the lowest step of faith4  ,sidenote3
 ,the ,works ,rejected  ,in this way ,i 
have1 as ,i said1 always praised faith1 
and rejected all works which are done   
without such faith1 in order thereby to 
lead men from the false1 pretentious1   
,pharisaic1 unbelieving good works1 with
 which all monastic houses1 churches1   
homes1 low and higher classes are       
overfilled1 and lead them to the true1  
genuine1 thoroughly good1 believing     
works4 ,in this no one opposes me except
 the unclean beasts1 which do not divide
 the hoof1 ,lev4 #aa3d as the ,law of   
,moses decrees2 who will suffer no      
distinction among good works1 but go    
lumbering along3 if only they pray1     
fast1 establish endowments1 go to       

confession1 and do enough1 everything   
shall be good1 although in all this they
 have had no faith in ,god's grace and  
approval4 ,indeed1 they consider the    
works best of all1 when they have done  
many1 great and long works without any  
such confidence1 and they look for good 
only after the works are done2 and so   
they build their confidence not on      
divine favor1 but on the works they have
 done1 that is1 on sand and water1 from 
which they must at last take a cruel    
fall1 as ,christ says1 ,matthew vii4    
,matt4 #g3af ,this good-will and favor1 
on which our confidence rests1 was      
proclaimed by the angels from heaven1   
when they sang on ,christmas night3     
,gloria in excel sis ,deo1 ,glory to    
,god in the highest1 peace to earth1    
gracious favor to man4 ,luke #b3adaa    
,sidenote3 ,the ,first ,commandment     
,sidenote3 ,its ,work is ,faith  ,,ix4  
,now this is the work of the ,first     
,commandment1 which commands3 ,thou     
shalt have no other gods1 went which    

means3 ,since ,i alone am ,god1 thou    
shalt place all thy confidence1 trust   
and faith on ,me alone1 and on no one   
have a god1 if you call him ,god only   
with your lips1 or worship him with the 
knees or bodily gestures2 but if you    
trust ,him with the heart1 and look to  
,him for all good1 grace and favor1     
whether in works or sufferings1 in life 
or death1 in joy or sorrow2 as the ,lord
 ,christ says to the heathen woman1     
,john iv3 ,i say unto thee1 they that   
worship ,god must worship ,him in spirit
 and in truth4 ,john #d3bd ,and this    
faith1 faithfulness1 confidence deep in 
the heart1 is the true fulfilling of the
 ,first ,commandment2 without this there
 is no other work that is able to       
satisfy this ,commandment4 ,and as this 
,commandment is the very first1 highest 
and best1 from which all the others     
proceed1 in which they exist1 and by    
which they are directed and measured1 so
 also its work1 that is1 the faith or   
confidence in ,god's favor at all times1

 is the very first1 highest and best1   
from which all others must proceed1     
exist1 remain1 be directed and measured4
 ,compared with this1 other works are   
just as if the other ,commandments were 
without the ,first1 and there were no   
,god4 ,therefore ,st4 ,augustine well   
says that the works of the ,first       
,commandment are faith1 hope and love4  
,as ,i said above1#ab such faith and    
confidence bring love and hope with     
them4 ,nay1 if we see it aright1 love is
 the first1 or comes at the same instant
 with faith4 ,for ,i could not trust    
,god1 if ,i did not think that ,he      
wished to be favorable and to love me1  
which leads me1 in turn1 to love ,him   
and to trust ,him heartily and to look  
to ,him for all good things4  ,sidenote3
 ,all ,works ,without ,faith are        
,idolatry  ,x4 ,now you see for yourself
 that all those who do not at at all    
times trust ,god and do not in all their
 works or sufferings1 life and death1   
trust in ,his favor1 grace and          

good-will1 but seek ,his favor in other 
things or in themselves1 do not keep    
this ,commandment1 and practise real    
idolatry1 even if they were to do the   
works of all the other ,commandments1   
and in addition had all the prayers1    
fasting1 obedience1 patience1 chastity1 
and innocence of all the saints         
combined4 ,for the chief work is not    
present1 without which all the others   
are nothing but mere sham1 show and     
pretence1 with nothing back of them2    
against which ,christ warns us1 ,matthew
 vii3 ,beware of false prophets1 which  
come to you in sheep's clothing4 ,matt4 
#g3ae ,such are all who wish with their 
many good works1 as they say1 to make   
,god favorable to themselves1 and to buy
 ,god's grace from ,him1 as if ,he were 
a huckster or a day-laborer1 unwilling  
to give ,his grace and favor for        
nothing4 ,these are the most perverse   
people on earth1 who will hardly or     
never be converted to the right way4    
,such too are all who in adversity run  

hither and thither1 and look for counsel
 and help everywhere except from ,god1  
from ,whom they are most urgently       
commanded to seek it2 whom the ,prophet 
,isaiah reproves thus1 ,isaiah ix3 ,the 
mad people turneth not to ,him that     
smiteth them ,isa4 #i3ac2 that is1 ,god 
smote them and sent them sufferings and 
all kinds of adversity1 that they should
 run to ,him and trust ,him4 ,but they  
run away from ,him to men1 now to       
,egypt1 now to ,assyria1 perchance also 
to the devil2 and of such idolatry much 
is written in the same ,prophet and in  
the ,books of the ,kings4 ,this is also 
the way of all holy hypocrites when they
 are in trouble3 they do not run to     
,god1 but flee from ,him1 and only think
 of how they may get rid of their       
trouble through their own efforts or    
through human help1 and yet they        
consider themselves and let others      
consider them pious people4  ,sidenote3 
,faith ,must ,do all ,works  ,,xi4 ,this
 is what ,st4 ,paul means in many       

places1 where he ascribes so much to    
faith1 that he says3 ,justus ex fide sua
 vivit1 the righteous man draws his life
 out of his faith1 ,rom4 #a3ag and faith
 is that because of which he is counted 
righteous before ,god4 ,if righteousness
 consists of faith1 it is clear that    
faith fulfils all commandments and makes
 all works righteous1 since no one is   
justified except he keep all the        
commands of ,god4 ,again1 the works can 
justify no one before ,god without      
faith4 ,so utterly and roundly does the 
,apostle reject works and praise faith1 
that some have taken offence at his     
words and say3 ,well1 then1 we will do  
no more good works1 ,rom4 #c3h although 
he condemns such men as erring and      
foolish4  ,so men still do4 ,when we    
reject the great1 pretentious works of  
our time1 which are done entirely       
without faith1 they say3 ,men are only  
to believe and not to do anything good4 
,for nowadays they say that the works of
 the ,first ,commandment are singing1   

reading1 organ-playing1 reading the     
mass1 saying matins and vespers and the 
other hours1 the founding and decorating
 of churches1 altars1 and monastic      
houses1 the gathering of bells1 jewels1 
garments1 trinkets and treasures1       
running to ,rome and to the saints4     
,further1 when we are dressed up and    
bow1 kneel1 pray the rosary and the     
,psalter1 and all this not before an    
idol1 but before the holy cross of ,god 
or the pictures of ,his saints3 this we 
call honoring and worshiping ,god1 and1 
according to the ,first ,commandment1   
having no other gods2 although these    
things usurers1 adulterers and all      
manner of sinners can do too1 and do    
them daily4  ,of course1 if these things
 are done with such faith that we       
believe that they please ,god1 then they
 are praiseworthy1 not because of their 
virtue1 but because of such faith1 for  
which all works are of equal value1 as  
has been said4#ac ,but if we doubt or do
 not believe that ,god is gracious to us

 and is pleased with us1 or if we       
presumptuously expect to please ,him    
only through and after our works1 then  
it is all pure deception1 outwardly     
honoring ,god1 but inwardly setting up  
self as a false god4 ,this is the reason
 why ,i have so often spoken against the
 display1 magnificence and multitude of 
such works and have rejected them1      
because it is as clear as day that they 
are not only done in doubt or without   
faith1 but there is not one in a        
thousand who does not set his confidence
 upon the works1 expecting by them to   
win ,god's favor and anticipate ,his    
grace2 and so they make a fair#ad of    
them1 a thing which ,god cannot endure1 
since ,he has promised ,his grace       
freely1 and wills that we begin by      
trusting that grace1 and in it perform  
all works1 whatever they may be4        
,sidenote3 ,works and ,faith ,contrasted
  ,,xii4 ,note for yourself1 then1 how  
far apart these two are3 keeping the    
,first ,commandment with outward works  

only1 and keeping it with inward trust4 
,for this last makes true1 living       
children of ,god1 the other only makes  
worse idolatry and the most mischievous 
hypocrites on earth1 who with their     
apparent righteousness lead unnumbered  
people into their way1 and yet allow    
them to be without faith1 so that they  
are miserably misled1 and are caught in 
the pitiable babbling and mummery4 ,of  
such ,christ says1 ,matthew xxiv3       
,beware1 if any man shall say unto you1 
,lo1 here is ,christ1 or there ,matt4   
#bd3bc2 and ,john iv3 ,i say unto thee1 
the hour ,cometh1 when ye shall neither 
in this mountain nor yet at ,jerusalem  
worship ,god1 for the ,father seeketh   
spiritual worshipers4 ,john #d3ba f4    
,these and similar passages have moved  
me and ought to move everyone to reject 
the great display of bulls1 seals1      
flags1 indulgences1 by which the poor   
folk are led to build churches1 to give1
 to endow1 to pray1 and yet faith is not
 mentioned1 and is even suppressed4 ,for

 since faith knows no distinction among 
works1 such exaltation and urging of one
 work above another cannot exist beside 
faith4 ,for faith desires to be the only
 service of ,god1 and will grant this   
name and honor to no other work1 except 
in so far as faith imparts it1 as it    
does when the work is done in faith and 
by faith4 ,this perversion is indicated 
in the ,old ,testament1 when the ,jews  
left the ,temple and sacrificed at other
 places1 in the green parks and on the  
mountains4 ,isa4 #fe3c1 #ff3ag ,this is 
what these men also do3 they are zealous
 to do all works1 but this chief work of
 faith they regard not at all4          
,sidenote3 ,the ,abundance of ,works    
,included in ,faith  ,,xiii4 ,where now 
are they who ask1 what works are good2  
what they shall do2 how they shall be   
religious8 ,yes1 and where are they who 
say that when we preach of faith1 we    
shall neither teach nor do works8 ,does 
not this ,first ,commandment give us    
more work to do than any man can do8 ,if

 a man were a thousand men1 or all men1 
or all creatures1 this ,commandment     
would yet ask enough of him1 and more   
than enough1 since he is commanded to   
live and walk at all times in faith and 
confidence toward ,god1 to place such   
faith in no one else1 and so to have    
only one1 the true ,god1 and none other4
  ,now1 since the being and nature of   
man cannot for an instant be without    
doing or not doing something1 enduring  
or running away from something 7for1 as 
we see1 life never rests71 let him who  
will be pious and filled with good      
works1 begin and in all his life and    
works at all times exercise himself in  
this faith2 let him learn to do and to  
leave undone all things in such         
continual faith2 then will he find how  
much work he has to do1 and how         
completely all things are included in   
faith2 how he dare never grow idle1     
because his very idling must be the     
exercise and work of faith4 ,in brief1  
nothing can be in or about us and       

nothing can happen to us but that it    
must be good and meritorious1 if we     
believe 7as we ought7 that all things   
please ,god4 ,so says ,st4 ,paul3 ,dear 
brethren1 all that ye do1 whether ye eat
 or drink1 do all in the ,name of ,jesus
 ,christ1 our ,lord4 #a ,cor4 #aj3ca    
,now it cannot be done in this ,name    
except it be done in this faith4        
,likewise1 ,romans viii3 ,we know that  
all things work together for good to the
 saints of ,god4 ,rom4 #h3bf            
,therefore1 when some say that good     
works are forbidden when we preach faith
 alone1 it is as if ,i said to a sick   
man3 ,if you had health1 you would have 
the use of all your limbs2 but without  
health1 the works of all your limbs are 
nothing2 and he wanted to infer that ,i 
had forbidden the works of all his      
limbs2 whereas1 on the contrary1 ,i     
meant that he must first have health1   
which will work all the works of all the
 members4 ,so faith also must be in all 
works the master-workman and captain1 or

 they are nothing at all4  ,sidenote3   
,why ,laws are ,given  ,,xiv4 ,you might
 say3 ,why then do we have so many laws 
of the ,church and of the ,state1 and   
many ceremonies of churches1 monastic   
houses1 holy places1 which urge and     
tempt men to good works1 if faith does  
all things through the ,first           
,commandment8 ,i answer2 ,simply because
 we do not all have faith or do not heed
 it4 ,if every man had faith1 we would  
need no more laws1 but every one would  
of himself at all times do good works1  
as his confidence in ,god teaches him4  
,sidenote3 ,four ,kinds of ,men  ,but   
now there are four kinds of men3 the    
first1 just mentioned1 who need no law1 
of whom ,st4 ,paul says1 ,i4 ,timothy   
,the law is not made for a righteous    
man1 #a ,tim4 #a3i that is1 for the     
believer1 but believers of themselves do
 what they know and can do1 only because
 they finally trust that ,god's favor   
and grace rests upon them in all things4
 ,the second class want to abuse this   

freedom1 put a false confidence in it1  
and grow lazy2 of whom ,st4 ,peter says1
 ,i4 ,peter ii1 ,ye shall live as free  
men1 but not using your liberty for a   
cloak of maliciousness1 #a ,pet4 #b3af  
as if he said3 ,the freedom of faith    
does not permit sins1 nor will it cover 
them1 but it sets us free to do all     
manner of good works and to endure all  
things as they happen to us1 so that a  
man is not bound only to one work or to 
a few4 ,so also ,st4 ,paul1 ,galatians  
v3 ,use not your liberty for an occasion
 to the flesh4 ,gal4 #e3ac ,such men    
must be urged by laws and hemmed in by  
teaching and exhortation4 ,the third    
class are wicked men1 always ready for  
sins2 these must be constrained by      
spiritual and temporal laws1 like wild  
horses and dogs1 and where this does not
 help1 they must be put to death by the 
worldly sword1 as ,st4 ,paul says1      
,romans xiii3 ,the worldly ruler bears  
the sword1 and serves ,god with it1 not 
as a terror to the good1 but to the     

evil4 ,rom4 #ac3c f4 ,the fourth class1 
who are still lusty1 and childish in    
their understanding of faith and of the 
spiritual life1 must be coaxed like     
young children and tempted with         
external1 definite and prescribed       
decorations1 with reading1 praying1     
fasting1 singing1 adorning of churches1 
organ-playing1 and such other things as 
are commanded and observed in monastic  
houses and churches1 until they also    
learn to know the faith4 ,although there
 is great danger here1 when the rulers1 
as is now1 alas6 the case1 busy         
themselves with and insist upon such    
ceremonies and external works as if they
 were the true works1 and neglect faith1
 which they ought always to teach along 
with these works1 just as a mother gives
 her child other food along with the    
milk1 until the child can eat the strong
 food by itself4  ,sidenote3 ,charity   
,endures ,unnecessary ,works  ,,xv4     
,since1 then1 we are not all alike1 we  
must tolerate such people1 share their  

observances and burdens1 and not despise
 them1 but teach them the true way of   
faith4 ,so ,st4 ,paul teaches1 ,romans  
xiv3 ,him that is weak in the faith     
receive ye1 to teach him4 ,rom4 #ad3a   
,and so he did himself1 ,i4 ,corinthians
 ix3 ,to them that are under the law1 ,i
 became as under the law1 although ,i   
was not under the law4 #a ,cor4 #i3bj   
,and ,christ1 ,matthew xvii1 when ,he   
was asked to pay tribute1 which ,he was 
not obligated to pay1 argues with ,st4  
,peter1 whether the children of kings   
must give tribute1 or only other people4
 ,st4 ,peter answers2 ,only other       
people4 ,christ said3 ,then are the     
children of kings free2 notwithstanding1
 lest we should offend them1 go thou to 
the sea1 and cast an hook1 and take up  
the fish that first ,cometh up2 and in  
his mouth thou shalt find apiece of     
money2 take that and give it for me and 
thee4 ,matt4 #ag3be  ,here we see that  
all works and things are free to a      
,christian through his faith2 and yet1  

because the others do not yet believe1  
he observes and bears with them what he 
is not obligated to do4 ,but this he    
does freely1 for he is certain that this
 is pleasing to ,god1 and he does it    
willingly1 accepts it as any other free 
work which comes to his hand without his
 choice1 because he desires and seeks no
 more than that he may in his faith do  
works to please ,god4#ae  ,but since in 
this discourse we have undertaken to    
teach what righteous and good works are1
 and are now speaking of the highest    
work1 it is clear that we do not speak  
of the second1 third and fourth classes 
of men1 but of the first1 into whose    
likeness all the others are to grow1 and
 until they do so the first class must  
endure and instruct them4 ,therefore we 
must not despise1 as if they were       
hopeless1 these men of weak faith1 who  
would gladly do right and learn1 and yet
 cannot understand because of the       
ceremonies to which they cling2 we must 
rather blame their ignorant1 blind      

teachers1 who have never taught them the
 faith1 and have led them so deeply into
 works4 ,they must be gently and        
gradually led back again to faith1 as a 
sick man is treated1 and must be allowed
 for a time1 for their conscience sake1 
to cling to some works and do them as   
necessary to salvation1 so long as they 
rightly grasp the faith2 lest if we try 
to tear them out so suddenly1 their weak
 consciences be quite shattered and     
confused1 and retain neither faith nor  
works4 ,but the hardheaded1 who1        
hardened in their works1 have no heed to
 what is said of faith1 and fight       
against it1 these we must1 as ,christ   
did and taught1 let go their way1 that  
the blind may lead the blind4           
,sidenote3 ,the ,contradiction of ,faith
 and ,daily ,sins  ,,xvi4 ,but you say3 
,how can ,i trust surely that all my    
works are pleasing to ,god1 when at     
times ,i fall1 and talk1 eat1 drink and 
sleep too much1 or otherwise transgress1
 as ,i cannot help doing8 ,answer3 ,this

 question shows that you still regard   
faith as a work among other works1 and  
do not set it above all works4 ,for it  
is the highest work for this very       
reason1 because it remains and blots out
 these daily sins by not doubting that  
,god is so kind to you as to wink at    
such daily transgression and weakness4  
,aye1 even if a deadly sin should occur 
7which1 however1 never or rarely happens
 to those who live in faith and trust   
toward ,god71 yet faith rises again and 
does not doubt that ,sin is already     
gone2 as it is written ,i4 ,john ii3 ,my
 little children1 these things ,i write 
unto you1 that ye sin not4 ,and if any  
man sin1 we have an ,advocate with ,god 
the ,father1 ,jesus ,christ1 ,who is the
 propitiation of all our sins4 #a ,john 
#b3a ,and ,wisdom xv3 ,for if we sin1 we
 are ,thine1 knowing ,thy power4 ,wis4  
#ae3b ,and ,proverbs xxiv3 ,for a just  
man falleth seven times1 and riseth up  
again4 ,prov4 #bd3af ,yes1 this         
confidence and faith must be so high and

 strong that the man knows that all his 
life and works are nothing but damnable 
sins before ,god's judgment1 as it is   
written1 ,psalm cxliii3 ,in thy sight no
 man living be justified ,ps4 #adc3b2   
and he must entirely despair of his     
works1 believing that they cannot be    
good except through this faith1 which   
looks for no judgment1 but only for pure
 grace1 favor1 kindness and mercy1 like 
,david1 ,psalm xxvi3 ,thy loving        
kindness is ever before mine eyes1 and  
,i have trusted in ,thy truth ,ps4      
#bf3c2 ,psalm iv3 ,the light of ,thy    
countenance is lift up upon us 7that is1
 the knowledge of ,thy grace through    
faith71 and thereby hast ,thou put      
gladness in my heart ,ps4 #d3g2 for as  
faith trusts1 so it receives4  ,see1    
thus are works forgiven1 are without    
guilt and are good1 not by their own    
nature1 but by the mercy and grace of   
,god because of the faith which trusts  
on the mercy of ,god4 ,therefore we must
 fear because of the works1 but comfort 

ourselves because of the grace of ,god1 
as it is written1 ,psalm cxlvii3 ,the   
,lord taketh pleasure in them that fear 
,him1 in those that hope in ,his mercy4 
,ps4 #adg3aa ,so we pray with perfect   
confidence3 ,our ,father1 and yet       
petition3 ,forgive us our trespasses2 we
 are children and yet sinners2 are      
acceptable and yet do not do enough2 and
 all this is the work of faith1 firmly  
grounded in ,god's grace4  ,sidenote3   
,the ,source of ,faith  ,,xvii4 ,but if 
you ask1 where the faith and the        
confidence can be found and whence they 
come1 this it is certainly most         
necessary to know4 ,first3 ,without     
doubt faith does not come from your     
works or merit1 but alone from ,jesus   
,christ1 and is freely promised and     
given2 as ,st4 ,paid writes1 ,romans v3 
,god commendeth ,his love to us as      
exceeding sweet and kindly1 in that1    
while we were yet sinners1 ,christ died 
for us ,rom4 #e3h2 as if he said3 ,ought
 not this give us a strong unconquerable

 confidence1 that before we prayed or   
cared for it1 yes1 while we still       
continually walked in sins1 ,christ dies
 for our sin8 ,st4 ,paul concludes2 ,if 
while we were yet sinners ,christ died  
for us1 how much more then1 being       
justified by ,his blood1 shall we be    
saved from wrath through ,him2 and if1  
when we were enemies1 we were reconciled
 to ,god by the death of ,his ,son1 much
 more1 being reconciled1 shall we be    
saved by ,his life4  ,lo6 thus must thou
 form ,christ within thyself and see how
 in ,him ,god holds before thee and     
offers thee ,his mercy without any      
previous merits of thine own1 and from  
such a view of ,his grace must thou draw
 faith and confidence of the forgiveness
 of all thy sins4 ,faith1 therefore1    
does not begin with works1 neither do   
they create it1 but it must spring up   
and flow from the blood1 wounds and     
death of ,christ1 if thou see in these  
that ,god is so kindly affectioned      
toward thee that ,he gives even ,his    

,son for thee1 then thy heart also must 
in its turn grow sweet and kindly       
affectioned toward ,god1 and so thy     
confidence must grow out of pure        
good-will and love--,god's love toward  
thee and thine toward ,god4 ,we never   
read that the ,holy ,spirit was given to
 any one when he did works1 but always  
what men have heard the ,gospel of      
,christ and the mercy of ,god4 ,from    
this same ,word and from no other source
 must faith still come1 even in our day 
and always4 ,for ,christ is the rock out
 of which men suck oil and honey1 as    
,moses says1 ,deuteronomy xxxii4 ,deut4 
#cb3ac  ,sidenote3 ,the ,second         
,commandment  ,,xvii4 ,so far we have   
treated of the first work and of the    
,first ,commandment1 but very briefly1  
plainly and hastily1 for very much might
 be said of it4 ,we will now trace the  
works farther through the following     
,commandments4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,second 
,commandment  ,the second work1 next to 
faith1 is the work of the ,second       

,commandment1 that we shall honor ,god's
 ,name and not take it in vain4 ,this1  
like all the other works1 cannot be done
 without faith2 and if it is done       
without faith1 it is all sham and show4 
,after faith we can do no greater work  
than to praise1 preach1 sing and in     
every way exalt and magnify ,god's      
glory1 honor and ,name4  ,and although  
,i have said above1#af and it is true1  
that there is no difference in works    
where faith is and does the work1 yet   
this is true only when they are compared
 with faith and its works4 ,measured by 
one another there is a difference1 and  
one is higher than the other4 ,just as  
in the body the members do not differ   
when compared with health1 and health   
works in the one as much as in the      
other2 yet the works of the members are 
different1 and one is higher1 nobler1   
more useful than the other ,rom4 #ab3d1 
#a ,cor4 #ab2 so1 here also1 to praise  
,god's glory and ,name is better than   
the works of the other ,commandments    

which follow2 and yet it must be done in
 the same faith as all the others4  ,but
 ,i know well that this work is lightly 
esteemed1 and has indeed become unknown4
 ,therefore we must examine it further1 
and will say no more about the necessity
 of doing it in the faith and confidence
 that it pleases ,god4 ,indeed there is 
no work in which confidence and faith   
are so much experienced and felt as in  
honoring ,god's ,name2 and it greatly   
helps to strengthen and increase faith1 
although all works also help to do this1
 as ,st4 ,peter says1 ,,ii4 ,peter i3   
,wherefore the rather1 brethren1 give   
diligence through good works to make    
your calling and election sure4         
,sidenote3 ,its ,positive ,works  ,,xix4
 ,the ,first ,commandment forbids us to 
have other gods1 and thereby commands   
that we have a ,god1 the true ,god1 by a
 firm faith1 trust1 confidence1 hope and
 love1 which are the only works whereby 
a man can have1 honor and keep a ,god2  
for by no other work can one find or    

lose ,god except by faith or unbelief1  
by trusting or doubting2 of the other   
works none reaches quite to ,god4 ,so   
also in the ,second ,commandment we are 
forbidden to use ,his ,name in vain4    
,yet this is not to be enough1 but we   
are thereby also commanded to honor1    
call upon1 glorify1 preach and praise   
,his ,name4 ,and indeed it is impossible
 that ,god's ,name should not be        
dishonored where it is not rightly      
honored4 ,for although it be honored    
with the lips1 bending of the knees1    
kissing and other postures1 if this is  
not done in the heart by faith1 in      
confident trust in ,god's grace1 it is  
nothing else than an evidence and badge 
of hypocrisy4  ,see now1 how many kinds 
of good works a man can do under this   
,commandment at all times and never be  
without the good works of this          
,commandment1 if he will2 so that he    
truly need not make a long pilgrimage or
 seek holy places4 ,for1 tell me1 what  
moment can pass in which we do not      

without ceasing receive ,god's          
blessings1 or1 on the other hand1 suffer
 adversity8 ,but what else are ,god's   
blessings and adversities than a        
constant urging and stirring up to      
praise1 honor1 and bless ,god1 and to   
call upon ,his ,name8 ,now if you had   
nothing else at all to do1 would you not
 have enough to do with this            
,commandment alone1 that you without    
ceasing bless1 sing1 praise and honor   
,god's ,name8 ,and for what other       
purpose have tongue1 voice1 language and
 mouth been created8 ,as ,psalm li4     
says3 ,lord1 open ,thou my lips1 and my 
mouth shall show forth ,thy praise4 ,ps4
 #ea3ae ,again3 ,my tongue shall sing   
aloud of ,thy mercy4 ,ps4 #ea3ad  ,what 
work is there in heaven except that of  
this ,second ,commandment8 ,as it is    
written in ,psalm lxxxiv3 ,blessed are  
they that dwell in ,thy house3 they will
 be for ever praising ,thee4 ,ps4 #hd3d 
,so also ,david says in ,psalm xxxiv3   
,god's praise shall be continually in my

 mouth4 ,ps4 #cd3a ,and ,st4 ,paul1 ,i4 
,corinthians x3 ,whether therefore ye   
eat or drink1 or whatsoever ye do1 do   
all to the glory of ,god4 #a ,cor4      
#aj3ca ,also ,colossians iii3           
,whatsoever ye do in word or deed1 do   
all in the ,name of the ,lord ,jesus1   
giving thanks to ,god and the ,father4  
,col4 #c3ag ,if we were to observe this 
work1 we would have a heaven here on    
earth and always have enough to do1 as  
have the saints in heaven4  ,sidenote3  
,the ,praise of ,god  ,,xx4 ,on this is 
based the wonderful and righteous       
judgment of ,god1 that at times a poor  
man1 in whom no one can see many great  
works1 in the privacy of his home       
joyfully praises ,god when he fares     
well1 or with entire confidence calls   
upon ,him when he fares ill1 and thereby
 does a greater and more acceptable work
 than another1 who fasts much1 prays    
much1 endows churches1 makes            
pilgrimages1 and burdens himself with   
great deeds in this place and in that4  

,such a fool opens wide his mouth1 looks
 for great works to do1 and is so       
blinded that he does not at all notice  
this greatest work1 and praising ,god is
 in his eyes a very small matter        
compared with the great idea he has     
formed of the works of his own devising1
 in which he perhaps praises himself    
more than ,god1 or takes more pleasure  
in them than he does in ,god2 and thus  
with his good works he storms against   
the ,second ,commandment and its works4 
,of all this we have an illustration in 
the case of the ,pharisee and the       
,publican in the ,gospel4 ,luke #ah3aj  
f4 ,for the sinner calls upon ,god in   
his sins1 and praises ,him1 and so has  
hit upon the two highest ,commandments1 
faith and ,god's honor4 ,the hypocrite  
misses both and struts about with other 
good works by which he praises himself  
and not ,god1 and puts his trust in     
himself more than in ,god4 ,therefore he
 is justly rejected and the other       
chosen4  ,the reason of all this is that

 the higher and better the works are1   
the less show they make2 and that every 
one thinks they are easy1 because it is 
evident that no one pretends to praise  
,god's ,name and honor so much as the   
very men who never do it and with their 
show of doing it1 while the heart is    
without faith1 cause the precious work  
to be despised4 ,so that the ,apostle   
,st4 ,paul dare say boldly1 ,romans ii1 
that they blaspheme ,god's ,name who    
make their boast of ,god's ,law4 ,rom4  
#b3bc ,for to name the ,name of ,god and
 to write ,his honor on paper and on the
 walls is an easy matter2 but genuinely 
to praise and bless ,him in ,his good   
deeds and confidently to call upon ,him 
in all adversities1 these are truly the 
most rare1 highest works1 next to faith1
 so that if we were to see how few of   
them there are in ,christendom1 we might
 despair for very sorrow4 ,and yet there
 is a constant increase of high1 pretty1
 shining works of men's devising1 or of 
works which look like these true works1 

but at bottom are all without faith and 
without faithfulness2 in short1 there is
 nothing good back of them4 ,thus also  
,isaiah xlviii4 rebukes the people of   
,israel3 ,hear ye this1 ye which are    
called by the name of ,israel1 which    
swear by the ,name of the ,lord1 and    
make mention of the ,god of ,israel     
neither in truth1 nor in righteousness  
,is4 #dh3a2 that is1 they did it not in 
the true faith and confidence1 which is 
the real truth and righteousness1 but   
trusted in themselves1 their works and  
powers1 and yet called upon ,god's ,name
 and praised ,him1 two things which do  
not fit together4  ,,xxi4 ,the first    
work of this ,commandment then is1 to   
praise ,god in all ,his benefits1 which 
are innumerable1 so that such praise and
 thanksgiving ought also of right never 
to cease or end4 ,for who can praise    
,him perfectly for the gift of natural  
life1 not to mention all other temporal 
and eternal blessings8 ,and so through  
this one part of the ,commandment man is

 overwhelmed with good and precious     
works2 if he do these in true faith1 he 
has indeed not lived in vain4 ,and in   
this matter none sin so much as the most
 resplendent saints1 who are pleased    
with themselves and like to praise      
themselves or to hear themselves        
praised1 honored and glorified before   
men4  ,sidenote3 ,avoiding the ,praise  
of ,self  ,therefore the second work of 
this ,commandment is1 to be on one's    
guard1 to flee from and to avoid all    
temporal honor and praise1 and never to 
seek a name for oneself1 or fame and a  
great reputation1 that every one sing of
 him and tell of him2 which is an       
exceedingly dangerous sin1 and yet the  
most common of all1 and1 alas6 little   
regarded4 ,every one wants to be of     
importance and not to be the least1     
however small he may be2 so deeply is   
nature sunk in the evil of its own      
conceit and in its self-confidence      
contrary to these two first             
,commandments4  ,now the world regards  

this terrible vice as the highest       
virtue1 and this makes it exceedingly   
dangerous for those who do not          
understand and have not had experience  
of ,god's ,commandments and the         
histories of the ,holy ,scriptures1 to  
read or hear the heathen books and      
histories4 ,for all heathen books are   
poisoned through and through with this  
striving after praise and honor2 in them
 men are taught by blind reason that    
they were not nor could be men of power 
and worth1 who are not moved by praise  
and honor2 but those are counted the    
best1 who disregard body and life1      
friend and property and everything in   
the effort to win praise and honor4 ,all
 the holy ,fathers have complained of   
this vice and with one mind conclude    
that it is the very last vice to be     
overcome1 ,st1 ,augustine says3 ,all    
other vices are practised in evil works2
 only honor and self-satisfaction are   
practised in and by means of good works4
  ,therefore if a man had nothing else  

to do except this second work of this   
,commandment1 he would yet have to work 
all his life-time in order to fight this
 vice and drive it out1 so common1 so   
subtle1 so quick and insidious is it4   
,now we all pass by this good work and  
exercise ourselves in many other lesser 
good works1 nay1 through other good     
works we overthrow this and forget it   
entirely4 ,so the holy ,name of ,god1   
which alone should be honored1 is taken 
in vain and dishonored through our own  
cursed name1 self-approval and          
honor-seeking4 ,and this sin is more    
grievous before ,god than murder and    
adultery2 but its wickedness is not so  
clearly seen as that of murder1 because 
of its subtilty1 for it is not          
accomplished in the coarse flesh1 but in
 the spirit4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,seeking  
of ,honor as a ,motive for ,good        
,,xxii4 ,some think it is good for young
 people that they be enticed by         
reputation and honor1 and again by shame
 and dishonor1 and so be induced to do  

good4 ,for there are many who do the    
good and leave the evil undone out of   
fear of shame and love of honor1 and so 
do what they would otherwise by no means
 do or leave undone4 ,these ,i leave to 
their opinion4 ,but at present we are   
seeking how true good works are to be   
done1 and they who are inclined to do   
them surely do not need to be driven by 
the fear of shame and the love of honor2
 they have1 and are to have a higher and
 far nobler incentive1 namely1 ,god's   
commandment1 ,god's fear1 ,god's        
approval1 and their faith and love      
toward ,god4 ,they who have not1 or     
regard not this motive1 and let shame   
and honor drive them1 these also have   
their reward1 ,matt4 #f3b as the ,lord  
says1 ,matthew vi2 and as the motive1 so
 is also the work and the reward3 none  
of them is good1 except only in the eyes
 of the world4  ,now ,i hold that a     
young person could be more easily       
trained and incited by ,god's fear and  
commandments than by any other means4   

,yet where these do not help1 we must   
ensure that they do the good and leave  
the evil for the sake of shame and of   
honor1 just as we must also endure      
wicked men or the imperfect1 of whom we 
spoke above2 nor can we do more than    
tell them that their works are not      
satisfactory and right before ,god1 and 
so leave them until they learn to do    
right for the sake of ,god's            
commandments also4 ,just as young       
children are induced to pray1 fast1     
learn1 etc41 by gifts and promises of   
the parents1 even though it would not be
 good to treat them so all their lives1 
so that they never learn to do good in  
the fear of ,god3 far worse1 if they    
become accustomed to do good for the    
sake of praise and honor4  ,sidenote3   
,the ,need and the ,danger of a ,good   
,name  ,,xxiii4 ,but this is true1 that 
we must none the less have a good name  
and honor1 and every one ought so to    
live that nothing evil can be said of   
him1 and that he give offence to no one1

 as ,st4 ,paul says1 ,romans xii3 ,we   
are to be zealous to do good1 not only  
before ,god1 but also before all men4   
,rom4 #ab3ag ,and ,,ii4 ,corinthians iv3
 ,we walk so honestly that no man knows 
anything against us4 #b ,cor4 #d3b ,but 
there must be great diligence and care1 
lest such honor and good name puff up   
the heart1 and the heart find pleasure  
in them4 ,here the saying of ,solomon   
holds3 ,as the fire in the furnace      
proveth the gold1 so man is proved by   
the mouth of him that praises him4      
,prov4 #bg3ba ,few and most spiritual   
men must they be1 who1 when honored and 
praised1 remain indifferent and         
unchanged1 so that they do not care for 
it1 nor feel pride and pleasure in it1  
but remain entirely free1 ascribe all   
their honor and fame to ,god1 offering  
it to ,him alone1 and using it only to  
the glory of ,god1 to the edification of
 their neighbors1 and in no way to their
 own benefit or advantage2 so that a man
 trust not in his own honor1 nor exalt  

himself above the most incapable1       
demised man on earth1 but acknowledge   
himself a servant of ,god1 ,who has     
given him the honor in order that with  
it he may serve ,god and his neighbor1  
just as if ,he had commanded him to     
distribute some gulden#ag to the poor   
for ,his sake4 ,so ,he says1 ,matthew v3
 ,your light shall shine before men1 so 
that they may see your good works and   
glorify your ,father ,who is in heaven4 
,matt4 #e3af ,he does not say1 they     
shall praise you1 but your works shall  
only serve them to edification1 that    
through them they may praise ,god in you
 and in themselves4 ,this is the correct
 use of ,god's ,name and honor1 when    
,god is thereby praised through the     
edification of others4 ,and if men want 
to praise us and not ,god in us1 we are 
not to endure it1 but with all our      
powers forbid it and flee from it as    
from the most grievous sin and robbery  
of divine honor4  ,sidenote3 ,the       
,profitableness of ,dishonor  ,,xxiv4   

,hence it comes that ,god frequently    
permits a man to fall into or remain in 
grievous sin1 in order that he may be   
put to shame in his own eyes and in the 
eyes of all men1 who otherwise could not
 have kept himself from this great vice 
of vain honor and fame1 if he had       
remained constant in his great gifts and
 virtues2 so ,god must ward off this sin
 by means of other grievous sins1 that  
,his ,name alone may be honored2 and    
thus one sin becomes the other's        
medicine1 because of our perverse       
wickedness1 which not only does the     
evil1 but also misuses all that is good4
  ,now see how much a man has to do1 if 
he would do good works1 which always are
 at hand in great number1 and with which
 he is surrounded on all sides2 but1    
alas6 because of his blindness1 he      
passes them by and seeks and runs after 
others of his own devising and pleasure1
 against which no man can sufficiently  
speak and no man can sufficiently guard4
 ,with this all the prophets had to     

contend1 and for this reason they were  
all slain1 only because they rejected   
such self-devised works and preached    
only ,god's commandments1 as one of them
 says1 ,jeremiah vii3 ,thus saith the   
,god of ,israel unto you3 ,take your    
burnt-offerings unto all your sacrifices
 and eat your burnt-offerings and you   
yourselves2 for concerning these things 
,i have commanded nothing1 but this     
thing commanded ,i you3 ,obey ,my voice 
7that is1 not what seems right and good 
to you1 but what ,i bid you71 and walk  
in the way that ,i have commanded you4  
,jer4 #g3ba ,and ,deuteronomy xii3 ,thou
 shalt not do whatsoever is right in    
thine own eyes1 but what thy ,god has   
commanded thee4 ,deut #ab3h1 #cb  ,these
 and numberless like passages of        
,scripture are spoken to tear man not   
only from sins1 but also from the works 
which seem to men to be good and right1 
and to turn men1 with a single mind1 to 
the simple meaning of ,god's commandment
 only1 that they shall diligently       

observe this only and always1 as it is  
written1 ,exodus xiii3 ,these           
commandments shall be for a sign unto   
thee upon thine hand1 and for a memorial
 between thine eyes4 ,ex4 #ac3i ,and    
,psalm i3 ,a godly man meditates in     
,god's ,law day and night4 ,ps4 #a3b    
,for we have more than enough and too   
much to do1 if we are to satisfy only   
,god's commandments4 ,he has given us   
such commandments that if we understand 
them aright1 we dare not for a moment be
 idle1 and might easily forget all other
 works4 ,but the evil spirit1 who never 
rests1 when he cannot lead us to the    
left into evil works1 fights on our     
right through self-devised works that   
seem good1 but against which ,god has   
commanded1 ,deuteronomy xxviii1 and     
,joshua xxiii1 ,ye shall not go aside   
from ,my commandments to the right hand 
or to the left4 ,deut #bh3ad1 ,josh4    
#bc3f  ,sidenote3 ,calling on ,god's    
,name  ,,xxv4 ,the third work of this   
,commandment is to call upon ,god's     

,name in every need4 ,for this ,god     
regards as keeping ,his ,name holy and  
greatly honoring it1 if we name and call
 upon it in adversity and need4 ,and    
this is really why ,he sends us so much 
trouble1 suffering1 adversity and even  
death1 and lets us live in many wicked1 
sinful affections1 that ,he may thereby 
urge man and give him much reason to run
 to ,him1 to cry aloud to ,him1 to call 
upon ,his holy ,name1 and thus to fulfil
 this work of the ,second ,commandment1 
as ,he says in ,psalm l3 ,call upon ,me 
in the day of trouble2 ,i will deliver  
you and thou shalt glorify ,me2 for ,i  
desire the sacrifice of praise4 ,ps4    
#ej3ae ,and this is the way whereby thou
 canst come unto salvation2 for through 
such works man perceives and learns what
 ,god's ,name is1 how powerful it is to 
help all who call upon it2 and ,thereby 
confidence and faith grow mightily1 and 
these are the fulfilling of the first   
and highest ,commandment4 ,this is the  
experience of ,david1 ,psalm liv3 ,thou 

hast delivered me out of all trouble1   
therefore will ,i praise ,thy ,name and 
confess that it is lovely and sweet4    
,ps4 #ed3g ,and ,psalm xci says1        
,because he hath set his hope upon ,me1 
therefore will ,i deliver him3 ,i will  
help him1 because he hath known ,my     
,name4 ,ps4 #ia3ad  ,sidenote3 ,in      
,prosperity  ,lo6 what man is there on  
earth1 who would not all his life long  
have enough to do with this work8 ,for  
who lives an hour without trials8 ,i    
will not mention the trials of          
adversity1 which are innumerable4 ,for  
this is the most in dangerous trial of  
all1 when there is no trial and         
everything is and goes well2 for then a 
man is tempted to forget ,god1 to become
 too bold and to misuse the times of    
prosperity4 ,yea1 here he has ten times 
more need to call upon ,god's ,name than
 when in adversity4 ,since it is        
written1 ,psalm xci1 ,a thousand shall  
fail on the left hand and ten thousand  
on the right hand4 ,ps4 #ia3g  ,so too  

we see in broad day1 in all men's daily 
experience1 that more heinous sins and  
vice occur when there is peace1 when all
 things are cheap and there are good    
times1 than when war1 pestilence1       
sicknesses and all manner of misfortune 
burden us2 so that ,moses also fears for
 his people1 lest they forsake ,god's   
commandment for no other reason than    
because they are too full1 too well     
provided for and have too much peace1 as
 he says1 ,deuteronomy xxxii3 ,my people
 is waxed rich1 full and fat2 therefore 
has it forsaken its ,god4 ,deut4 #cb3ae 
,wherefore also ,god let many of its    
enemies remain and would not drive them 
out1 in order that they should not have 
peace and must exercise themselves in   
the keeping of ,god's commandments1 as  
it is written1 ,judges iii ,judges #c3a 
ff44 ,so ,he deals with us also1 when   
sends us all kinds of misfortune3 so    
exceedingly careful is ,he of us1 that  
,he may teach us and drive us to honor  
and call upon ,his ,name1 to gain       

confidence and faith toward ,him1 and so
 to fulfil the first two ,commandments4 
,sidenote3 ,the ,error of ,calling on   
,other ,names  ,,xxvi4 ,here foolish men
 run into danger1 and especially the    
work-righteous saints1 and those who    
want to be more than others2 they teach 
men to make the sign of the cross2 one  
arms himself with letters1 another runs 
to the fortune-tellers2 one seeks this1 
another that1 if only they may thereby  
escape misfortune and be secure4 ,it is 
beyond telling what a devilish          
allurement attaches to this trifling    
with sorcery1 conjuring and             
superstition1 all of which is done only 
that men may not need ,god's ,name and  
put no trust in it4 ,here great dishonor
 is done the ,name of ,god and the first
 two ,commandments1 in that men look to 
the devil1 men or creatures for that    
which should be sought and found in ,god
 alone1 through naught but a pure faith 
and confidence1 and a cheerful          
meditation of and calling upon ,his holy

 ,name4  ,now examine this closely for  
yourself and see whether this is not a  
gross1 mad perversion3 the devil1 men   
and creatures they must believe1 and    
trust to them for the best2 without such
 faith and confidence nothing holds or  
helps4 ,how shall the good and faithful 
,god reward us for not believing and    
trusting ,him as much or more than man  
and the devil1 although ,he not only    
promises help and sure assistance1 but  
also commands us confidently to look for
 it1 and gives and urges all manner of  
reasons why we should place such faith  
and confidence in ,him8 ,is it not      
lamentable and pitiable that the devil  
or man1 who commands nothing and does   
not urge1 but only promises1 is set     
above ,god1 ,who promises1 urges and    
commands2 and that more is thought of   
them than of ,god ,himself8 ,we ought   
truly to be ashamed of ourselves and    
learn from the example of those who     
trust the devil or men4 ,for if the     
devil1 who is a wicked1 lying spirit1   

keeps faith with all those who ally     
themselves with him1 how much more will 
not the most gracious1 all-truthful ,god
 keep faith1 if a man trusts ,him8 ,nay1
 is it not rather ,he alone ,who will   
keep faith8 ,a rich man trusts and      
relies upon his money and possessions1  
and they help him2 and we are not       
willing to trust and rely upon the      
living ,god1 that ,he is willing and    
able to help us8 ,we say3 ,gold makes   
bold2 and it is true1 as ,baruch iii4   
says1 ,gold is a thing wherein men      
trust4 ,bar4 #c3ag ,but far greater is  
the courage which the highest eternal   
,good gives1 wherein trust1 not men1 but
 only ,god's children4  ,sidenote3      
,motives for ,calling on ,god's ,name   
,,xxvii4 ,even if none of these         
adversities constrain us to call upon   
,god's ,name and to trust ,him1 yet were
 an alone more than sufficient to train 
and to urge us on in this work4 ,for sin
 has hemmed us in with three strong1    
mighty armies4 ,the first is our own    

flesh1 the second the world1 the third  
the evil spirit1 by which three we are  
without ceasing oppressed and troubled2 
whereby ,god gives us occasion to do    
good works without ceasing1 namely1 to  
fight with these enemies and sins4 ,the 
flesh seeks pleasure and peace1 the     
world seeks riches1 favor1 power and    
honor1 the evil spirit seeks pride1     
glory1 that a man be well thought of1   
and other men be despised4  ,and these  
three are all so powerful that each one 
of them is alone sufficient to fight a  
man1 and yet there is no way we can     
overcome them1 except only by calling   
upon the holy ,name of ,god in a firm   
faith1 as ,solomon says1 ,proverbs      
xviii3 ,the ,name of the ,lord is a     
strong tower2 the righteous runneth into
 it1 and is set aloft4 ,prov4 #ah3aj    
,and ,david1 ,psalm cxvi3 ,i will drink 
the cup of salvation1 and call upon the 
,name of the ,lord4 ,ps4 #aaf3ac ,again1
 ,psalm xviii3 ,i will call upon the    
,lord with praise3 so shall ,i be saved 

from all mine enemies4 ,ps4 #ah3c ,these
 works and the power of ,god's ,name    
have become unknown to us1 because we   
are not accustomed to it1 and have never
 seriously fought with sins1 and have   
not needed ,his ,name1 because we are   
trained only in our self-devised works1 
which we were able to do with our own   
powers4  ,sidenote3 ,other ,works of the
 ,second ,commandment  ,,xxviii4        
,further works of this ,commandment are3
 that we shall not swear1 curse1 lie1   
deceive and conjure with the holy ,name 
of ,god1 and otherwise misuse it2 which 
are very simple matters and well known  
to every one1 being the sins which have 
been almost exclusively preached and    
proclaimed under this ,commandment4     
,these also include1 that we shall      
prevent others from making sinful use of
 ,god's ,name by lying1 swearing1       
deceiving1 cursing1 conjuring1 and      
otherwise4 ,herein again much occasion  
is given for doing good and warding off 
evil4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,greatest ,work  

of the ,second ,commandment3 ,preaching 
,but the greatest and most difficult    
work of this ,commandment is to protect 
the holy ,name of ,god against all who  
misuse it in a spiritual manner1 and to 
proclaim it to all men4 ,for it is not  
enough that ,i1 for myself and in       
myself1 praise and call upon ,god's     
,name in prosperity and adversity4 ,i   
must step forth and for the sake of     
,god's honor and ,name bring upon myself
 the enmity of all men1 as ,christ said 
to ,his disciples3 ,ye shall be hated of
 all men for ,my ,name's sake4 ,here we 
must provoke to anger father1 mother1   
and the best of friends4 ,here we most  
strive against spiritual and temporal   
powers1 and be accused of disobedience4 
,here we must stir up against us the    
rich1 learned1 holy1 and all that is of 
repute in the world4 ,and although this 
is especially the duty of those who are 
commanded to preach ,god's ,word1 yet   
every ,christian is also obligated to do
 so when time and place demand4 ,for we 

must for the holy ,name of ,god risk and
 give up all that we have and can do1   
and show by our deeds that we love ,god 
and ,his ,name1 ,his honor and ,his     
praise above all things1 and trust ,him 
above all things1 and expect good from  
,him2 thereby confessing that we regard 
,him as the highest good1 for the sake  
of which we let go and give up all other
 goods4  ,sidenote3 ,against ,wrong     
,,xxix4 ,here we must first of all      
resist all wrong1 where truth or        
righteousness suffers violence or need1 
and dare make no distinction of persons1
 as some do1 who fight most actively and
 busily against the wrong which is done 
to the rich1 the powerful1 and their own
 friends2 but when it is done to the    
poor1 or the demised or their own enemy1
 they are quiet and patient4 ,these see 
the ,name and the honor of ,god not as  
it is1 but through a painted glass1 and 
measure truth or righteousness according
 to the persons1 and do not consider    
their deceiving eye1 which looks more on

 the person than on the thing4 ,these   
are hypocrites within and have only the 
appearance of defending the truth4 ,for 
they well know that there is no danger  
when one helps the rich1 the powerful1  
the learned and one's own friends1 and  
can in turn enjoy their protection and  
be honored by them4  ,thus it is very   
easy to fight against the wrong which is
 done to popes1 kings1 princes1 bishops 
and other big-wigs4#ah ,here each wants 
to be the most pious1 where there is no 
great need4 ,o how sly is here the      
deceitful ,adam with his demand2 how    
finely does he cover his greed of profit
 with the name of truth and             
righteousness and ,god's honor6 ,but    
when something happens to a poor and    
insignificant man1 there the deceitful  
eye does not find much profit1 but      
cannot help seeing the disfavor of the  
powerful2 therefore he lets the poor man
 remain unhelped4 ,and who could tell   
the extent of this vice in ,christendom8
 ,god says in the lxxxii4 ,psalm1 ,how  

long will ye judge unjustly1 and accept 
the persons of the wicked8 ,judge the   
matter of the poor and fatherless1      
demand justice for the poor and needy2  
deliver the poor and rid the forsaken   
out of the hand of the wicked4 ,ps4     
#hb3b ff4 ,but it is not done1 and      
therefore the text continues3 ,they know
 not1 neither will they understand2 they
 walk on in darkness2 ,ps4 #hb3e that   
is1 the truth they do not see1 but they 
stop at the reputation of the great1    
however unrighteous they are2 and do not
 consider the poor1 however righteous   
they are4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,sin of      
,silence  ,,xxx4 ,see1 here would be    
many good works4 ,for the greater       
portion of the powerful1 rich and       
friends do injustice and oppress the    
poor1 the lowly1 and their own          
opponents2 and the greater the men1 the 
worse the deeds2 and where we cannot by 
force prevent it and help the truth1 we 
should at least confess it1 and do what 
we can with words1 not take the part of 

the unrighteous1 not approve them1 but  
speak the truth boldly4  ,what would it 
help a man if he did all manner of good1
 made pilgrimages to ,rome and to all   
holy places1 acquired all indulgences1  
built all churches and endowed houses1  
if he were found guilty of sin against  
the ,name and honor of ,god1 not        
speaking of them and neglecting them1   
and regarding his possessions1 honor1   
favor and friends more than the truth   
7which is ,god's ,name and honor78 ,or  
who is he1 before whose door and into   
whose house such good works do not daily
 come1 so that he would have no need to 
travel far or to ask after good works8  
,and if we consider the life of men1 how
 in every place men act so very rashly  
and lightly in this respect1 we must cry
 out with the prophet1 ,omnis homo      
mendax1 ,all men are liars1 lie and     
deceive ,ps4 #aaf3aa2 for the real good 
works they neglect1 and adorn and paint 
themselves with the most insignificant1 
and want to be pious1 to mount to heaven

 in peaceful security4  ,but if you     
should say3 ,why does not ,god do it    
alone and ,himself1 since ,he can and   
knows how to help each one8 ,yes1 ,he   
can do it2 but ,he does not want to do  
it alone2 ,he wants us to work with     
,him1 and does us the honor to want to  
work ,his work with us and through us4  
,and if we are not wilting to accept    
such honor1 ,he will1 after all1 perform
 the work alone1 and help the poor2 and 
those who were unwilling to help ,him   
and have despised the great honor of    
doing ,his work1 ,he will condemn with  
the unrighteous1 because they have made 
common cause with the unrighteous4 ,just
 as ,he alone is blessed1 but ,he wants 
to do us the honor and not be alone in  
,his blessedness1 but have us to be     
blessed with ,him4 ,and if ,he were to  
do it alone1 ,his ,commandments would be
 given us in vain1 because no one would 
have occasion to exercise himself in the
 great works of these ,commandments1 and
 no one would test himself to see       

whether he regards ,god and ,his ,name  
as the highest good1 and for ,his sake  
risks everything4  ,sidenote3 ,against  
,spiritual ,wickedness  ,,xxxi4 ,it also
 belongs to this work to resist all     
false1 seductive1 erroneous1 heretical  
doctrines1 every misuse of spiritual    
power4 ,now this is much higher1 for    
these use the holy ,name of ,god itself 
to fight against the ,name of ,god4 ,for
 this reason it seems a great thing and 
a dangerous to resist them1 because they
 assert that he who resists them resists
 ,god and all ,his saints1 in whose     
place they sit and whose power they use1
 saying that ,christ said of them1 ,he  
that heareth you1 heareth ,me1 and he   
that despiseth you1 despiseth ,me4 ,luke
 #aj3f ,on which words they lean        
heavily1 become insolent and bold to    
say1 to do1 and to leave undone what    
they please2 put to the ban1 accurse1   
rob1 murder1 and practise all their     
wickedness1 in whatever way they please 
and can invent1 without any hindrance4  

,now ,christ did not mean that we should
 listen to them in everything they might
 say and do1 but only then when they    
present to us ,his ,word1 the ,gospel1  
not their word1 ,his work1 and not their
 work4 ,how else could we know whether  
their lies and sins were to be avoided8 
,there must be some rule1 to what extent
 we are to hear and to follow them1 and 
this rule cannot be given by them1 but  
must be established by ,god over them1  
that it may serve us as a guide1 as we  
shall hear in the ,fourth ,commandment4 
,it must be1 indeed1 that even in the   
spiritual estate the greater part preach
 false doctrine and misuse spiritual    
power1 so that thus occasion may be     
given us to do the works of this        
,commandment1 and that we be tried1 to  
see what we are willing to do and to    
leave undone against such blasphemers   
for the sake of ,god's honor4  ,oh1 if  
we were ,god-fearing in this matter1 how
 often would the knaves of officiales#ai
 have to decree their papal and         

episcopal ban in vain6 ,how weak the    
,roman thunderbolts would become6 ,how  
often would many a one have to hold his 
tongue1 to whom the world must now give 
ear6 ,how few preachers would be found  
in ,christendom6 ,but it has gotten the 
upper hand3 whatever they assert and in 
whatever way1 that must be right4 ,here 
no one fights for ,god's ,name and      
honor1 and ,i hold that no greater or   
more frequent sin is done in external   
works than under this head4 ,it is a    
matter so high that few understand it1  
and1 besides1 adorned with ,god's ,name 
and power1 dangerous to touch4 ,but the 
prophets of old were masters in this2   
also the apostles1 especially ,st4      
,paul1 who did not allow it to trouble  
them whether the highest or the lowest  
priest had said it1 or had done it in   
,god's ,name or in his own4 ,they looked
 on the works and words1 and held them  
up to ,god's ,commandment1 no matter    
whether big ,john or little ,nick said  
it1 or whether they had done it in      

,god's ,name or in man's4 ,and for this 
they had to die1 and of such dying there
 would be much more to say in our time1 
for things are much worse now4 ,but     
,christ and ,st4 ,peter and ,paul must  
cover all this with their holy names1 so
 that no more infamous cover for infamy 
has been found on earth than the most   
holy and most blessed ,name of ,jesus   
,christ6  ,one might shudder to be      
alive1 simply because of the misuse and 
blasphemy of the holy ,name of ,god2    
through which1 if it shall last much    
longer1 we will1 as ,i fear1 openly     
worship the devil as a god2 so          
completely do the spiritual authorities 
and the learned lack all understanding  
in these things4 ,it is high time that  
we pray ,god earnestly that ,he hallow  
,his ,name4 ,but it will cost blood1 and
 they who enjoy the inheritance of the  
holy martyrs and are won with their     
blood1 must again make martyrs4 ,of this
 more another time4#bj  ,sidenote3 ,the 
,third ,commandment  ,i4#ba ,we have now

 seen how many good works there are in  
the ,second ,commandment1 which however 
are not good in themselves1 unless they 
are done in faith and in the assurance  
of divine favor2 and how much we must   
do1 if we take heed to this ,commandment
 alone1 and how we1 alas6 busy ourselves
 much with other works1 which have no   
agreement at all with it4 ,now follows  
the ,third ,commandment3 ,thou shalt    
hallow the day of rest4 #bb ,in the     
,first ,commandment is prescribed our   
heart's attitude toward ,god in         
thoughts1 in the ,second1 that of our   
mouth in words1 in this ,third is       
prescribed our attitude toward ,god in  
works2 and it is the first and right    
table of ,moses1 on which these three   
,commandments are written1 and they     
govern man on the right side1 namely1 in
 the things which concern ,god1 and in  
which ,god has to do with man and man   
with ,god1 without the mediation of any 
creature4  ,sidenote3 ,worship  ,the    
first works of this ,commandment are    

plain and outward1 which we commonly    
call worship1#bc such as going to mass1 
praying1 and hearing a sermon on holy   
days4 ,so understood there are very few 
works in this ,commandment2 and these1  
if they are not done in assurance of and
 with faith in ,god's favor1 are        
nothing1 as was said above4 ,hence it   
would also be a good thing if there were
 fewer saint's days1 since in our times 
the works done on them are for the      
greater part worse than those of the    
work days1 what with loafing1 gluttony1 
and drunkenness1 gambling and other evil
 deeds2 and then1 the mass and the      
sermon are listened to without          
edification1 the prayer is spoken       
without faith4 ,it almost happens that  
men think it is sufficient that we look 
on at the mass with our eyes1 hear the  
preaching with our ears1 and say the    
prayers with our mouths4 ,it is all so  
formal and superficial6 ,we do not think
 that we might receive something out of 
the mass into our hearts1 learn and     

remember something out of the preaching1
 seek1 desire and expect something in   
our prayer4 ,although in this matter the
 bishops and priests1 or they to whom   
the work of preaching is entrusted1 are 
most at fault1 because they do not      
preach the ,gospel1 and do not teach the
 people how they ought to look on at    
mass1 hear preaching and pray4          
,therefore1 we will briefly explain     
these three works4  ,sidenote3 ,the     
,mass  ,,ii4 ,in the mass it is         
necessary that we attend with our hearts
 also2 and we do attend1 when we        
exercise faith in our hearts4 ,here we  
must repeat the words of ,christ1 when  
,he institutes the mass and says1 ,take 
and eat1 this is ,my ,body1 which is    
given for you ,matt4 #bf3bf ff41 ,luke  
#bb3ai ff42 in like manner over the cup1
 ,take and drink ye all of it3 this is a
 new1 everlasting ,testament in ,my     
,blood1 which is shed for you and for   
many for the remission of sins4 ,this   
shall ye do1 as oft as ye do it1 in     

remembrance of ,me4 #a ,cor4 #aa3bc ff4 
,in these words ,christ has made for    
,himself a memorial or anniversary1#bd  
to be daily observed in all             
,christendom1 and has added to it a     
glorious1 rich1 great testament1 in     
which no interest1 money or temporal    
possessions are bequeathed and          
distributed1 but the forgiveness of all 
sins1 grace and mercy into eternal life1
 that all who come to this memorial     
shall have the same testament2 and then 
,he died1 whereby this testament has    
become permanent and irrevocable4 ,in   
proof and evidence of which1 instead of 
letter and seal1 ,he has left with us   
,his own ,body and ,blood under the     
bread and wine4#be  ,here there is need 
that a man practise the first works of  
this ,commandment right well1 that he   
doubt not that what ,christ has said is 
true1 and consider the testament sure1  
so that he make not ,christ a liar4 ,for
 if you are present at mass and do not  
consider nor believe that here ,christ  

through ,his testament has bequeathed   
and given you forgiveness of all your   
sins1 what else is it1 than as if you   
said3 ,i do not know or do not believe  
that it is true that forgiveness of my  
sins is here bequeathed and given me8   
,oh1 how many masses there are in the   
world at present6 but how few who hear  
them with such faith and benefit6 ,most 
grievously is ,god provoked to anger    
thereby4 ,for this reason also no one   
shall or can reap any benefit form the  
mass except he be in trouble of soul and
 long for divine mercy1 and desire to be
 rid of his sins2 or1 if he have an evil
 intention1 he must be changed during   
the mass1 and come to have a desire for 
this testament4 ,for this reason in     
olden times no open sinner was allowed  
to be present at the mass4  ,when this  
faith is rightly present1 the heart must
 be made joyful by the testament1 and   
grow warm and melt in ,god's love4 ,then
 will follow praise and thanksgiving    
with a pure heart1 from which the mass  

is called in ,greek ,eucharista1 that   
is1 thanksgiving1 because we praise and 
thank ,god for this comforting1 rich1   
blessed testament1 just as he gives     
thanks1 praises and is joyful1 to whom a
 good friend has presented a thousand   
and more gulden4 ,although ,christ often
 fares like those who make several      
persons rich by their testament1 and    
these persons never think of them1 nor  
praise or thank them4 ,so our masses at 
present are merely celebrated1 without  
our knowing why or wherefore1 and       
consequently we neither give thanks nor 
love nor praise1 remain parched and     
hard1 and have enough with our little   
prayer4 ,of this more another time4     
,sidenote3 ,the ,sermon  ,,iii4 ,the    
sermon ought to be nothing else than the
 proclamation of this testament4 ,but   
who can hear it if no one preaches it8  
,rom4 #aj3ad ,now1 they who ought to    
preach it1 themselves do not know it4   
,this is why the sermons ramble off into
 other unprofitable stories1#bf and thus

 ,christ is forgotten1 while we fare    
like the man in ,,ii4 ,kings vii3 we see
 our riches but do not enjoy them4 #b   
,kings #g3ai ,of which the ,preacher    
also says1 ,this is a great evil1 when  
,god giveth a man riches1 and giveth him
 not power to enjoy them4 ,eccles4 #f3b 
,so we look on at unnumbered masses and 
do not know whether the mass be a       
testament1 or what it be1 just as if it 
were any other common good work by      
itself4 ,o ,god1 how exceeding blind we 
are6 ,but where this is rightly         
preached1 it is necessary that it be    
diligently heard1 grasped1 retained1    
often thought of1 and that the faith be 
thus strengthened against all the       
temptation of sin1 whether past1 or     
present1 or to come4  ,lo6 this is the  
only ceremony or practice which ,christ 
has instituted1 in which ,his           
,christians shall assemble1 exercise    
themselves and keep it with one accord2 
and this ,he did not make to be a mere  
work like other ceremonies1 but placed  

into it a rich1 exceeding great         
treasure1 to be offered and bestowed    
upon all who believe on it4  ,this      
preaching should induce sinners to      
grieve over their sins1 and should      
kindle in them a longing for the        
treasure4 ,it must1 therefore1 be a     
grievous sin not to hear the ,gospel1   
and to despise such a treasure and so   
rich a feast to which we are bidden2 but
 a much greater sin to preach the       
,gospel1 and to let so many people who  
would gladly hear it perish1 since      
,christ has so strictly commanded that  
the ,gospel and this testament be       
preached1 that ,he does not wish even   
the mass to be celebrated1 unless the   
,gospel be preached1 as ,he says3 ,as   
oft as ye do this1 remember me2 that is1
 as ,st4 ,paul says1 ,ye shall preach of
 ,his death4 #a ,cor4 #aa3bf ,for this  
reason it is dreadful and horrible in   
our times to be a bishop1 pastor and    
preacher2 for no one any longer knows   
this testament1 to say nothing of their 

preaching it1 although this is their    
highest and only duty and obligation4   
,how heavily must they give account for 
so many souls who must perish because of
 this lack in preaching4  ,sidenote3    
,prayer  ,,iv4 ,we should pray1 not as  
the custom is1 counting many pages or   
beads1 but fixing our mind upon some    
pressing need1 desire it with all       
earnestness1 and exercise faith and     
confidence toward ,god in the matter1 in
 such wise that we do not doubt that we 
shall be heard4 ,so ,st ,bernard#bg     
instructs his brethren and says3 ,dear  
brethren1 you shall by no means despise 
your prayer1 as if it were in vain1 for 
,i tell you of a truth that1 before you 
have uttered the words1 the prayer is   
already recorded in heaven2 and you     
shall confidently expect from ,god one  
of two things3 either that your prayer  
will be granted1 or that1 if it will not
 be granted1 the granting of it would   
not be good for you4  ,prayer is1       
therefore1 a special exercise of faith1 

and faith makes the prayer so acceptable
 that either it will surely be granted1 
or something better than we ask will be 
given in its stead4 ,so also says ,st4  
,james3 ,let him who asketh of ,god not 
waver in faith2 for if he wavers1 let   
not that man think that he shall receive
 any thing of the ,lord4 ,jas4 #a3f f4  
,this is a clear statement1 which says  
directly3 he who does not trust1        
receives nothing1 neither that which he 
asks1 nor anything better4  ,and to call
 forth such faith1 ,christ ,himself has 
said1 ,mark xi3 ,therefore ,i say unto  
you4 ,what things soever ye desire1 when
 ye pray1 believe that ye receive them1 
and ye shall surely have them4 ,mark    
#aa3bd ,and ,luke xi3 ,ask1 and it shall
 be given you2 seek1 and ye shall find2 
knock1 and it shall be opened unto you2 
for every one that asketh receiveth2 and
 he that seeketh findeth2 and to him    
that knocketh it shall be opened4 ,or   
what father is there of you1 who1 if his
 son shall ask bread1 will he give him a

 stone8 or if he ask a fish1 will he    
give him a serpent8 or if he ask an egg1
 will he give him a scorpion8 ,but if   
you know how to give good gifts to your 
children1 and you yourselves are not    
naturally good1 how much more shall your
 ,father which is in heaven give a good 
spirit to all them that ask ,him6 ,luke 
#aa3i ff4  ,sidenote3 ,mistaken ,prayer 
,v4 ,who is so hard and stone-like1 that
 such mighty words ought not to move him
 to pray with all confidence joyfully   
and gladly8 ,but how many prayers must  
be reformed1 if we are to pray aright   
according to these words6 ,now1 indeed1 
all churches and monastic houses are    
full of praying and singing1 but how    
does it happen that so little           
improvement and benefit result from it1 
and things daily grow worse8 ,the reason
 is none other than that which ,st4     
,james indicates when he says3 ,you ask 
much and receive not1 because ye ask    
amiss4 ,jas4 #d3c ,for where this faith 
and confidence is not in the prayer1 the

 prayer is dead1 and nothing more than a
 grievous labor and work4 ,if anything  
is given for it1 it is none the less    
only temporal benefit without any       
blessing and help for the soul2 nay1 to 
the great injury and blinding of souls1 
so that they go their way1 babbling much
 with their mouths1 regardless of       
whether they receive1 or desire1 or     
trust2 and in this unbelief1 the state  
of mind most opposed to the exercise of 
faith and to the nature of prayer1 they 
remain hardened4  ,from this it follows 
that one who prays aright never doubts  
that his prayer is surely acceptable and
 heard1 although the very thing for     
which he prays be not given him4 ,for we
 are to lay our need before ,god in     
prayer1 but not prescribe to ,him a     
measure1 number1 time or place2 but if  
,he wills to give it to us better or in 
another way than we think1 we are to    
leave it to ,him2 for frequently we do  
not know what we pray1 as ,st4 ,paul    
says1 ,romans viii ,rom4 #h3bf2 and ,god

 works and gives above all that we      
understand1 as he says1 ,ephesians iii  
,eph4 #c3bj1 so that there be no doubt  
that the prayer is acceptable and heard1
 and we yet leave to ,god the time1     
place1 measure and limit2 ,he will      
surely do what is right4 ,they are the  
true worshipers1 who worship ,god in    
spirit and in truth4 ,john #d3bd ,for   
they who believe not that they will be  
heard1 sin upon the left hand against   
this ,commandment1 and go far astray    
with their unbelief4 ,but they who set a
 limit for ,him1 sin upon the other     
side1 and come too close with their     
tempting of ,god4 ,so ,he has forbidden 
both1 that we should err from ,his      
,commandment neither to the left nor to 
the right ,deut #f3af1 #bh3ad1 that is1 
neither with unbelief nor with tempting1
 but with simple faith remain on the    
straight road1 trusting ,him1 and yet   
setting ,him no bounds4  ,sidenote3     
,weak ,faith no ,reason for not ,praying
  ,,vi4 ,thus we see that this          

,commandment1 like the ,second1 is to be
 nothing else than a doing and keeping  
of the ,first ,commandment1 that is1 of 
faith1 trust1 confidence1 hope and love 
to ,god1 so that in all the             
,commandments the ,first may be the     
captain1 and faith the chief work and   
the life of all other works1 without    
which1 as was said1 they cannot be good4
  ,but if you say3 ,what if ,i cannot   
believe that my prayer is heard and     
accepted8 ,i answer3 ,for this very     
reason faith1 prayer and all other good 
works are commanded1 that you shall know
 what you can and what you cannot do4   
,and when you find that you cannot so   
believe and do1 then you are humbly to  
confess it to ,god1 and so begin with a 
weak spark of faith and daily strengthen
 it more and more by exercising it in   
all your living and doing4 ,for as      
touching infirmity of faith 7that is1 of
 the ,first and highest ,commandment71  
there is no one on earth who does not   
have his good share of it4 ,for even the

 holy ,apostles in the ,gospel1 and     
especially ,st4 ,peter1 were weak in    
faith1 so that they also prayed ,christ 
and said3 ,lord1 increase our faith     
,luke #ag3e2 and ,he very frequently    
rebukes them because they have so little
 faith ,matt4 #ad3cj4  ,therefore you   
shall not despair1 nor give up1 even if 
you find that you do not believe as     
firmly as you ought and wish1 in your   
prayer or in other works4 ,nay1 you     
shall thank ,god with all your heart    
that ,he thus reveals to you your       
weakness1 through which ,he daily       
teaches and admonishes you how much you 
need to exercise yourself and daily     
strengthen yourself in faith4 ,for how  
many do you see who habitually pray1    
sing1 read1 work and seem to be great   
saints1 and yet never get so far as to  
know where they stand in respect of the 
chief work1 faith2 and so in their      
blindness they lead astray themselves   
and others2 think they are very well    
off1 and so unknowingly build on the    

sand of their works without any faith1  
not on ,god's mercy and promise through 
a firm1 pure faith4  ,therefore1 however
 long we live1 we shall always have our 
hands full to remain1 with all our works
 and sufferings1 pupils of the ,first   
,commandment and of faith1 and not to   
cease to learn4 ,no one knows what a    
great thing it is to trust ,god alone1  
except he who attempts it with his      
works4  ,sidenote3 ,prayer ,without     
,ceasing  ,,vii4 ,again3 if no other    
work were commanded1 would not prayer   
alone suffice to exercise the whole life
 of man in faith8 ,for this work the    
spiritual estate has been specially     
established1 as indeed in olden times   
some ,fathers prayed day and night4     
,nay1 there is no ,christian who does   
not have time to pray without ceasing4  
,but ,i mean the spiritual praying1 that
 is3 no one is so heavily burdened with 
his labor1 but that if he will he can1  
while working1 speak with ,god in his   
heart1 lay before ,him his need and that

 of other men1 ask for help1 make       
petition1 and in all this exercise and  
strengthen his faith4  ,this is what the
 ,lord means1 ,luke xviii1 when ,he     
says1 ,men ought always to pray1 and    
never cease1 ,luke #ah3a although in    
,matthew vi4 ,he forbids the use of much
 speaking and long prayers1 because of  
which ,he rebukes the hypocrites2 not   
because the lengthy prayer of the lips  
is evil1 but because it is not that true
 prayer which can be made at all times1 
and without the inner prayer of faith is
 nothing4 ,for we must also practise the
 outward prayer in its proper time1     
especially in the mass1 as this         
,commandment requires1 and wherever it  
is helpful to the inner prayer and      
faith1 whether in the house or in the   
field1 in this work or in that2 of which
 we have no time now to speak more4 ,for
 this belongs to the ,lord's ,prayer1 in
 which all petitions and spoken prayer  
are summed up in brief words4           
,sidenote3 ,prayer is ,work  ,,viii4    

,where now are they who desire to know  
and to do good works8 ,let them         
undertake prayer alone1 and lightly     
exercise themselves in faith1 and they  
will find that it is true1 as the holy  
,fathers have said1 that there is no    
work like prayer4 ,mumbling with the    
mouth is easy1 or at least considered   
easy1 but with earnestness of heart to  
follow the words in deep devotion1 that 
is1 with desire and faith1 so that one  
earnestly desires what the words say1   
and not to doubt that it will be heard3 
that is a great deed in ,god's eyes4    
,here the evil spirit hinders men with  
all his powers4 ,oh1 how often will he  
here prevent the desire to pray1 not    
allow us to find time and place1 nay1   
often also raise doubts1 whether a man  
is worthy to ask anything of such a     
,majesty as ,god is1 and so confuse us  
that a man himself does not know whether
 it is really true that he prays or not2
 whether it is possible that his prayer 
is acceptable1 and other such strange   

thoughts4 ,for the evil spirit knows    
well how powerful one man's truly       
believing prayer is1 and how it hurts   
him1 and how it benefits all men4       
,therefore he does not willingly let it 
happen4  ,when so tempted1 a man must   
indeed be wise1 and not doubt that he   
and his prayer are1 indeed1 unworthy    
before such infinite ,majesty2 in no    
wise dare he trust his worthiness1 or   
because of his unworthiness grow faint2 
but he must heed ,god's command and cast
 this up to ,him1 and hold it before the
 devil1 and say3 ,because of my         
worthiness ,i do nothing1 because of my 
unworthiness ,i cease from nothing4 ,i  
pray and work only because ,god of ,his 
pure mercy has promised to hear and to  
be gracious to all unworthy men1 and not
 only promised it1 but ,he has also most
 sternly1 on pain of ,his everlasting   
displeasure and wrath1 commanded us to  
pray1 to trust and to receive4 ,if it   
has not been too much for that high     
,majesty so solemnly and highly to      

obligate ,his unworthy worms to pray1 to
 trust1 and to receive from ,him1 how   
shall it be too much for me to take such
 command upon myself with all joy2      
however worthy or unworthy ,i may be8   
,thus we must drive out the devil's     
suggestion with ,god's command4 ,thus   
will he cease1 and in no other way      
whatever4  ,sidenote3 ,what ,men ,shall 
,pray ,for  ,,ix4 ,but what are the     
things which we must bring before       
,almighty ,god in prayer and            
lamentation1 to exercise faith thereby8 
,answer3 ,first1 every man's own        
besetting need and trouble1 of which    
,david says1 ,psalm xxxii3 ,thou art my 
refuge in all trouble which compasseth  
me about2 ,thou art my comfort1 to      
preserve me from all evil which         
surrounds me4 ,ps4 #cb3g likewise1      
,psalm cxlii3 ,i cried unto the ,lord   
with my voice2 with my voice unto the   
,lord did ,i make my supplication4 ,i   
poured out my complaint before ,him2 ,i 
showed before ,him my trouble4 ,ps4     

#adb3b ,in the mass a ,christian shall  
keep in mind the short-comings or       
excesses he feels1 and pour out all     
these freely before ,god with weeping   
and groaning1 as woefully as he can1 as 
to his faithful ,father1 who is ready to
 help him4 ,and if you do not know or   
recognise your need1 or have no trouble1
 then you shall know that you are in the
 worst possible plight4 ,for this is the
 greatest trouble1 that you find        
yourself so hardened1 hard-hearted and  
insensible that no trouble moves you4   
,there is no better mirror in which to  
see your need than simply the ,ten      
,commandments1 in which you will find   
what you lack and what you should seek4 
,if1 therefore1 you find in yourself a  
weak faith1 small hope and little love  
toward ,god2 and that you do not praise 
and honor ,god1 but love your own honor 
and fame1 think much of the favor of    
men1 do not gladly hear mass and sermon1
 are indolent in prayer1 in which things
 every one has faults1 then you shall   

think more of these faults than of all  
bodily harm to goods1 honor and life1   
and believe that they are worse than    
death and all mortal sickness4 ,these   
you shall earnestly before ,god1 lament 
and ask for help1 and with all          
confidence expect help1 and believe that
 you are heard and shall obtain help and
 mercy4  ,then go forward into the      
,second ,table of the ,commandments1 and
 see how disobedient you have been and  
still are toward father and mother and  
all in authority2 how you sin against   
your neighbor with anger1 hatred and    
evil words2 how you are tempted to      
unchastity1 covetousness and injustice  
in word and deed against your neighbor2 
and you will doubtless find that you are
 full of all need and misery1 and have  
reason enough to weep even drops of     
blood1 if you could4#bh  ,sidenote3     
,prayer for ,holiness1 not ,because of  
,holiness  ,x4 ,but ,i know well that   
many are so foolish as not to want to   
ask for such things1 unless they first  

be conscious that they are pure1 and    
believe that ,god hears no one who is a 
sinner4 ,all this is the work1 of those 
false preachers1 who teach men to begin1
 not with faith and trust in ,god's     
favor1 but with their own works4  ,look 
you1 wretched man6 if you have broken a 
leg1 or the peril of death overtakes    
you1 you call upon ,god1 this ,saint and
 that1 and do not wait until your leg is
 healed1 or the danger is past3 you are 
not so foolish as to think that ,god    
hears no one whose leg is broken1 or who
 is in bodily danger4 ,nay1 you believe 
that ,god shall hear most of all when   
you are in the greatest need and fear4  
,why1 then1 are you so foolish here1    
where there is immeasurably greater need
 and eternal hurt1 and do not want to   
ask for faith1 hope1 love1 humility1    
obedience1 chastity1 gentleness1 peace1 
righteousness1 unless you are already   
free of all your unbelief1 doubt1 pride1
 disobedience1 unchastity1 anger1       
covetousness and unrighteousness4       

,although the more you find yourself    
lacking in these things1 the more and   
more diligently you ought to pray or    
cry4  ,so blind are we3 with our bodily 
sickness and need we run to ,god2 with  
the soul's sickness we run from ,him1   
and are unwilling to come back before we
 are well1 exactly as if there could be 
one ,god who could help the body1 and   
another ,god who could help the soul2 or
 as if we would help ourselves in       
spiritual need1 although it really is   
greater than the bodily need4 ,such plan
 and counsel is of the devil4  ,not so1 
my good man6 ,if you wish to be cured of
 sin1 you must not withdraw from ,god1  
but run to ,him1 and pray with much more
 confidence than if a bodily need had   
overtaken you4 ,god is not hostile to   
sinners1 but only to unbelievers1 that  
is1 to such as do not recognize and     
lament their sin1 nor seek help against 
it from ,god1 but in their own          
presumption wish first to purify        
themselves1 are unwilling to be in need 

of ,his grace1 and will not suffer ,him 
to be a ,god ,who gives to everyone and 
takes nothing in return4  ,sidenote3    
,common ,prayer  ,,xi4 ,all this has    
been said of prayer for personal needs1 
and of prayer in general4 ,but the      
prayer which really belongs to this     
,commandment and is called a work of the
 ,holy ,day1 is far better and greater1 
and is to be made for all ,christendom1 
for all the need of all men1 of foe and 
friend1 especially for those who belong 
to the parish or bishopric4  ,thus ,st4 
,paul commanded his disciple ,timothy3  
,i exhort thee1 that thou see to it1    
that prayers and intercessions be made  
for all men1 for kings1 and for all that
 are in authority1 that we may lead a   
quiet and peaceable life in all         
godliness and honesty4 ,for this is good
 and acceptable in the sight of ,god our
 ,saviour4 #a ,tim4 #b3a ff4 ,for this  
reason ,jeremiah1 chapter xxix1         
commanded the people of ,israel to pray 
for the city and land of ,babylon1      

because in the peace thereof they should
 have peace4 ,jer4 #bi3g ,and ,baruch i3
 ,pray for the life of the king of      
,babylon and for the life of his son1   
that we may live in peace under their   
rule4 ,bar4 #a3ba f4  ,this common      
prayer is precious and the most         
powerful1 ,isa4 #ef3g and it is for its 
sake that we come together4 ,for this   
reason also the ,church is called a     
,house of ,prayer ,matt4 #ba3ac1 because
 in it we are as a congregation with one
 accord to consider our need and the    
needs of all men1 present than before   
,god1 and call upon ,him for mercy4 ,but
 this must be done with heart-felt      
emotion and sincerity1 so that we feel  
in our hearts the need of all men1 and  
that we pray with true empathy for them1
 in true faith and confidence4 ,where   
such prayers are not made in the mass1  
it were better to omit the mass4 ,for   
what sense is there in our coming       
together into a ,house of ,prayer1 which
 coming together shows that we should   

make common prayer and petition for the 
entire congregation1 if we scatter these
 prayers1 and so distribute them that   
everyone prays only for himself1 and no 
one has regard for the other1 nor       
concerns himself for another's need8    
,how can that prayer be of help1 good1  
acceptable and a common prayer1 or a    
work of the ,holy ,day and of the       
assembled congregation1 which they make 
who make their own petty prayers1 one   
for this1 the other for that1 and have  
nothing but self-seeking1 selfish       
prayers1 which ,god hates8  ,,xii4 ,a   
suggestion of this common prayer has    
been retained from ancient practice1    
when at the end of the sermon the       
,confession of ,sins is said and prayer 
is made on the pulpit for all           
,christendom4 ,but this should not be   
the end of the matter1 as is now the    
custom and fashion2 it should be an     
exhortation to pray throughout the      
entire mass for such need as the        
preacher makes us feel2 and in order    

that we may pray worthily1 he first     
exhorts us because of our sin1 and      
thereby makes us humble4 ,this should be
 done as briefly as possible1 that then 
the entire congregation may confess     
their own sin and pray for every one    
with earnestness and faith4  ,sidenote3 
,the ,power of ,common ,prayer  ,oh1 if 
,god granted that any congregation at   
all heard mass and prayed in this way1  
so that a common earnest heart-cry of   
the entire people would rise up to ,god1
 what immeasurable virtue and help would
 result from such a prayer6 ,what more  
terrible thing could happen to all the  
evil spirits8 ,what greater work could  
be done on earth1 whereby so many pious 
souls would be preserved1 so many       
sinners converted8  ,for1 indeed1 the   
,christian ,church on earth has no      
greater power or work than such common  
prayer against everything that may      
oppose it4 ,this the evil spirit knows  
well1 and therefore he does all that he 
can to prevent such prayer4 ,gleefully  

he lets us go on building churches1     
endowing many monastic houses1 making   
music1 reading1 singing1 observing many 
masses1 and multiplying ceremonies      
beyond all measure4 ,this does not      
grieve him1 nay1 he helps us do it1 that
 we may consider such things the very   
best1 and think that thereby we have    
done our whole duty4 ,but in that       
meanwhile this common1 effectual and    
fruitful prayer perishes and its        
omission is unnoticed because of such   
display1 in this he has what he seeks4  
,for when prayer languishes1 no one will
 take anything from him1 and no one will
 withstand him4 ,but if he noticed that 
wished to practise this prayer1 even if 
it were under a straw roof or in a      
pig-sty1 he would indeed not endure it1 
but would fear such a pig-sty far more  
than all the high1 big and beautiful    
churches1 towers and bells in existence1
 if such prayer be not in them4 ,it is  
indeed not a question of the places and 
buildings in which we assemble1 but only

 of this unconquerable prayer1 that we  
pray it and bring it before ,god as a   
truly common prayer4  ,sidenote3 ,proof 
,from the ,scriptures  ,,xiii4 ,the     
power of this prayer we see in the fact 
that in olden times ,abraham prayed for 
the five cities1 ,sodom1 ,gomorrah1     
etc41 ,genesis xviii ,gen4 #ah3cb1 and  
accomplished so much1 that if there had 
been ten righteous people in them1 two  
in each city1 ,god would not have       
destroyed them4 ,what then could many   
men do1 if they united in calling upon  
,god earnestly and with sincere         
confidence8  ,st4 ,james also says3     
,dear brethren1 pray for one another1   
that ye may be saved4 ,for the prayer of
 a righteous man availeth much1 a prayer
 that perseveres and does not cease     
,jas4 #e3af ff4 7that is1 which does not
 cease asking ever more and more1       
although what it asks is not immediately
 granted1 as some timid men do74 ,and as
 an example in this matter he sets      
before us ,elijah1 the ,prophet1 who was

 a man1 he says1 as we are1 and prayed1 
that it might not rain2 and it rained   
not by the space of three years and     
months4 ,and he prayed again1 and it    
rained1 and everything became fruitful4 
,there are many texts and examples in   
the ,scriptures which urge us to pray1  
only that it be done with earnestness   
and faith4 ,as ,david says1 ,the eyes of
 the ,lord are upon the righteous1 and  
,his ears are open unto their cry4 ,ps4 
#cc3ah ,again1 ,the ,lord is nigh unto  
all them that call upon ,him1 to all    
that call upon ,him in truth4 ,ps4      
#ade3ah ,why does he add1 call upon ,him
 in truth8 ,because that is not prayer  
nor calling upon ,god when the mouth    
alone mumbles4  ,sidenote3 ,thoughtless 
,prayer  ,what should ,god do1 if you   
come along with your mouth1 book or     
,paternoster1#bi and think of nothing   
except that you may finish the words and
 complete the number8 ,so that if some  
one were to ask you what it all was     
about1 or what it was that you prayed   

for1 you yourself would not know2 for   
you had not thought of laying this or   
that matter before ,god or desiring it4 
,your only reason for praying is that   
you are commanded to pray this and so   
much1 and this you intend to do in full4
 ,what wonder that thunder and lightning
 frequently set churches on fire1       
because we thus make of the ,house of   
,prayer a house of mockery1 and call    
that prayer in which we bring nothing   
before ,god and desire nothing from     
,him4  ,but we should do as they do who 
wish to ask a favor of great princes4   
,these do not plan merely to babble a   
certain number of words1 for the prince 
would think they mocked him1 or were    
insane2 but they put their request very 
plainly1 and present their need         
earnestly1 and then leave it to his     
mercy1 in good confidence that he will  
grant it4 ,so we must deal with ,god of 
definite things1 namely1 mention some   
present need1 commend it to ,his mercy  
and good-will1 and not doubt that it is 

heard2 for ,he has promised to hear such
 prayer1 which no earthly lord has done4
  ,sidenote3 ,earnest ,prayer  ,,xiv4   
,we are masters in this form of prayer  
when suffer bodily need2 when we are    
sick we call here upon ,st4             
,christopher1 there upon ,st4           
,barbara#cj2 we vow a pilgrimage to ,st4
 ,james#ca1 to this place and to that2  
then we make earnest prayer1 have a good
 confidence and every good kind of      
prayer4 ,but when we are in our churches
 during mass1 we stand like images of   
saints2#cb know nothing to speak of or  
to lament2 the beads rattle1 the pages  
rustle and the mouth babbles2 and that  
is all there is to it4  ,but if you ask 
what you shall speak of and lament in   
your prayer1 you can easily learn from  
the ,ten ,commandments and the ,lord's  
,prayer4 ,open your eyes and look into  
your life and the life of all           
,christians1 especially of the          
,spiritual estate1 and you will find how
 faith1 hope1 love1 obedience1 chastity 

and every virtue languish1 and all      
manner of heinous vices reign2 what a   
lack there is of good preachers and     
prelates2 how only knaves1 children1    
fools and women rule4 ,then you will see
 that there were need every hour without
 ceasing to pray everywhere with tears  
of blood to ,god1 ,who is so terribly   
angry with men4 ,and it is true that it 
has never been more necessary to pray   
than at this time1 and it will be more  
so from now on to the end of the world4 
,if such terrible crimes do not move you
 to lament and complain1 do not permit  
yourself to be led astray by your rank1 
station1 good works at prayer3 there is 
no ,christian vein or trait in you1     
however righteous you may be4 ,but it   
has all been foretold1 that when ,god's 
anger is greatest and ,christendom      
suffers the greatest need1 then         
petitioners and supplicants before ,god 
shall not be found1 as ,isaiah says with
 tears1 chapter lxiv3 ,thou art angry   
with us1 and there is none that calleth 

upon ,thy ,name1 that stirreth up       
himself to take hold of ,thee4 ,isa4    
#fd3g ,likewise1 ,ezekiel xxii3 ,i      
sought for a man among them1 that should
 make up the hedge1 and stand in the gap
 before me for the land1 that ,i should 
not destroy it2 but ,i found none4      
,therefore have ,i poured out ,mine     
indignation upon them2 ,i have consumed 
them with the fire of ,my wrath4 ,ezek4 
#bb3cj ,with these words ,god indicates 
how ,he wants us to withstand ,him and  
turn away ,his anger from one another   
,ex4 #cb3aa ff41 as it is frequently    
written of the ,prophet ,moses1 that he 
restrained ,god1 ,num4 #ad3ac ff41 #ba3g
 lest ,his anger should overwhelm the   
people of ,israel4 ,ps4 #ajf3bc         
,sidenote3 ,the ,indifference of ,man   
,,xv4 ,but what will they do1 who not   
only do not regard such misfortune of   
,christendom1 and do not pray against   
,men it1 but laugh at it1 take pleasure 
in it1 condemn1 malign1 sing and talk of
 their neighbor's sin1 and yet dare1    

unafraid and unashamed1 go to church1   
hear mass1 say prayers1 and regard      
themselves and are regarded as pious    
,christians8 ,these truly are in need   
that we pray twice for them1 if we pray 
once for those whom they condemn1 talk  
about and laugh at4 ,that there would be
 such is also prophesied by ,luke the   
thief on ,christ's left band1 who       
blasphemed ,him in ,his suffering1      
weakness and need2 ,luke #bc3ci1 #ce    
also by all those who reviled ,christ on
 the ,cross1 when they should most of   
all have helped ,him4  ,o ,god1 how     
blind1 nay1 how insane have we          
,christians become6 ,when will there be 
an end of wrath1 ,o heavenly ,father8   
,that we mock at the misfortune of      
,christendom1 to pray for which we      
gather together in ,church and at the   
mass1 that we blaspheme and condemn men1
 this is the fruit of our mad           
materialism4#cc ,if the ,turk destroys  
cities1 country and people1 and ruins   
churches1 we think a great injury has   

been done ,christendom4 ,then we        
complain1 and urge kings and princes to 
war4 ,but when faith perishes1 love     
grows cold1 ,god's ,word is neglected1  
and all manner of sin flourishes1 then  
no one thinks of fighting1 nay1 pope1   
bishops1 priests and clergy1 who ought  
to be generals1 captains and            
standard-bearers in this spiritual      
warfare against these spiritual and many
 times worse ,turks1 these are          
themselves the very princes and leaders 
of such ,turks and of the devil host1   
just as ,judas was the leader of the    
,jews when they took ,christ ,luke      
#bd3dg4 ,it had to be an apostle1 a     
bishop1 a priest1 one of the number of  
the best1 who began the work of slaying 
,christ4 ,so also must ,christendom be  
laid waste by no others than those who  
ought to protect it1 and yet are so     
insane that they are ready to eat up the
 ,turk1 and at home themselves set house
 and sheep-cote on fire and let them    
burn up with the sheep and all other    

contents1 and none the less worry about 
the wolf in the woods4 ,such are our    
times1 and this is the reward we have   
earned by our ingratitude toward the    
endless grace which ,christ has won for 
us freely with ,his precious blood1     
grievous labor and bitter death4        
,sidenote3 ,prayer ,better than ,good   
,works  ,,xvi4 ,lo6 where are the idle  
ones1 who do not know how to do good    
works8 ,where are they who run to ,rome1
 to ,st4 ,james1 hither and thither8    
,take up this one single work of the    
mass1 look on your neighbor's sin and   
ruin1 and have pity on him2 let it      
grieve you1 tell it to ,god1 and pray   
over it4 ,do the same for every other   
need of ,christendom1 especially of the 
rulers1 whom ,god1 for the intolerable  
punishment and torment of us all1 allows
 to fall and be misled so terribly4 ,if 
you do this diligently1 be assured you  
are one of the best fighters and        
captains1 not only against the ,turks1  
but also against the devils and the     

powers of hell4 ,but if you do it not1  
what would it help you though you       
performed all the miracles of the       
saints1 and murdered all the ,turks1 and
 yet were found guilty of having        
disregarded your neighbor's need and of 
having thereby sinned against love8 ,for
 ,christ at the last day will not ask   
how much you have prayed1 fasted1       
pilgrimaged1 done this or that yourself1
 but how much good you have done to     
others1 even the very least4 ,matt4     
#be3dj1 #de  ,now without doubt among   
the least are also those who are in sin 
and spiritual poverty1 captivity and    
need1 of whom there are at present far  
more than of those who suffer bodily    
need4 ,therefore take heed3 our own     
self-assumed good works lead us to and  
into ourselves1 that we seek only our   
own benefit and salvation2 but ,god's   
commandments drive us to our neighbor1  
that we may thereby benefit others to   
their salvation4 ,just as ,christ on the
 ,cross prayed not for ,himself alone1  

but rather for us1 when ,he said1       
,father1 forgive them1 for they know not
 what they do1 ,luke #bc3ad so we also  
must pray for one another4 ,from which  
every man may know that the slanderers1 
frivolous judges and despisers of other 
people are a perverted1 evil race1 who  
do nothing else than heap abuse on those
 for whom they ought to pray2 in which  
vice no one is sunk so deep as those    
very men who do many good works of their
 own1 and seem to men to be something   
extraordinary1 and are honored because  
of their beautiful1 splendid life in    
manifold good works4  ,sidenote3 ,the   
,lord's ,day  ,,xvii4 ,spiritually      
understood1 this ,commandment has a yet 
far higher work1 which embraces the     
whole nature of man4 ,here it must be   
known that in ,hebrew ,sabbath means    
rest1 because on the seventh day ,god   
rested and ceased from all ,his works1  
which ,he had made4 ,genesis ii ,gen4   
#b3c4 ,therefore ,he commanded also that
 the seventh day should be kept holy and

 that we cease from our works which we  
do the other six days4 ,this ,sabbath   
has now for us been changed into the    
,sunday1 and the other days are called  
work-days2 the ,sunday is called        
rest-day or holiday or holy day4 ,and   
would to ,god that in ,christendom there
 were no holiday except the ,sunday2    
that the festivals of ,our ,lady and of 
the ,saints were all transferred to     
,sunday2 then would many evil vices be  
done away with through the labor of the 
work-days1 and lands would not be so    
drained and impoverished4 ,but now we   
are plagued with many holidays1 to the  
destruction of souls1 bodies and goods2 
of which matter much might be said4     
,this rest or ceasing from labors is of 
two kinds1 bodily and spiritual4 ,for   
this reason this ,commandment is also to
 be understood in two ways4  ,sidenote3 
,the ,rest of the ,body  ,the bodily    
rest is that of which we have spoken    
above1 namely1 that we omit our business
 and work1 in order that we may gather  

in the church1 see mass1 hear ,god's    
,word and make common prayer4 ,this rest
 is indeed bodily and in ,christendom no
 longer commanded by ,god1 as the       
,apostle says1 ,colossians ii1 ,let no  
man obligate you to any holiday whatever
 ,col4 #b3af--;for they were of old a   
figure1 but now the truth has been      
fulfilled1 so that all days are holy    
days1 as ,isaiah says1 chapter lxvi1    
,one holy day shall it follow the other 
,is4 #ff3bc2 on the other hand1 all days
 are workdays4 ,yet it is a necessity   
and ordained by the ,church for the sake
 of the imperfect laity and working     
people1 that they also may be able to   
come to hear ,god's ,word4 ,for1 as we  
see1 the priests and clergy celebrate   
mass every day1 pray at all hours and   
train themselves in ,god's ,word by     
study1 reading and hearing4 ,for this   
reason also they are freed from work    
before others1 supported by tithes and  
have holy-day every day1 and every day  
do the works of the holy-day1 and have  

no work-day1 but for them one day is as 
the other4 ,and if we were all perfect1 
and knew the ,gospel1 we might work     
every day if we wished1 or rest if we   
could4 ,for a day of rest is at present 
not necessary nor commanded except only 
for the teaching of ,god's ,word and    
prayer4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,rest of the   
,soul  ,the spiritual rest1 which ,god  
particularly intends in this            
,commandment1 is this3 that we not only 
cease from our labor and trade1 but much
 more1 that we let ,god alone work in us
 and that we do nothing of our own with 
all our powers4 ,but how is this done8  
,in this way3 ,man1 corrupted by sin1   
has much wicked love and inclination    
toward all sins1 as the ,scriptures say1
 ,genesis viii1 ,man's heart and senses 
incline always to the evil1 ,gen4 #h3ba 
that is1 to pride1 disobedience1 anger1 
hatred1 covetousness1 unchastity1 etc41 
and summa summarum1 in all that he does 
and leaves undone1 he seeks his own     
profit1 will and honor rather than      

,god's and his neighbor's4 ,therefore   
all his works1 all his words1 all his   
thoughts1 all his life are evil and not 
godly4  ,now if ,god is to work and to  
live in him1 all this vice and          
wickedness must be choked and up-rooted1
 so that there may be rest and a        
cessation of all our works1 thoughts and
 life1 and that henceforth 7as ,st4     
,paul says1 ,galatians ii4 ,gal4 #b3bj7 
it may be no longer we who live1 but    
,christ ,who lives1 works and speaks in 
us4 ,this is not accomplished with      
comfortable1 pleasant days1 but here1 we
 must hurt our nature and let it be     
hurt4 ,gal4 #e3ag ,here begins the      
strife between the spirit and the flesh2
 here the spirit resists anger1 lust1   
pride1 while the flesh wants to be in   
pleasure1 honor and comfort4 ,of this   
,st4  ,paul says1 ,galatians v1 ,they   
that are our ,lord ,christ's have       
crucified the flesh with its affections 
and lusts4 ,gal4 #e3bd ,then follow the 
good works1--fasting1 watching1 labor1  

of which some say and write so much1    
although they know neither the source   
nor the purpose of these good works4    
,therefore we will now also speak of    
them4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,two ,means to   
the ,rest of the ,soul  ,,xviii4 ,this  
rest1 namely1 that our work cease and   
,god alone work in us1 is accomplished  
in two ways4 ,first1 through our own    
effort1 secondly1 through the effort or 
urging of others4  ,our own effort is to
 be so made and ordered that1 in the    
first place1 when we see our flesh1     
senses1 will and thoughts tempting us1  
we resist them and do not heed them1 as 
the ,wise ,man says3 ,follow not thine  
own desires4 ,sir4 #ah3cj ,and ,moses1  
,deuteronomy xii3 ,thou shalt not do    
what is right in thine own eyes4 ,deut4 
#ab3h  ,here a man must make daily use  
of those prayers which ,david prays3    
,lord1 lead me in ,thy path1 and let me 
not walk in my own ways1 ,ps4 #aaj3ce1  
#cg and many like prayers1 which are all
 summed up in the prayer1 ,thy kingdom  

come4 ,for the desires are so many1 so  
various1 and besides at times so nimble1
 so subtle and specious1 through the    
suggestions of the evil one1 that it is 
not possible for a man to control       
himself in his own ways4 ,he must let   
hands and feet go1 commend himself to   
,god's governance1 and entrust nothing  
to his reason1 as ,jeremiah says1 ,o    
,lord1 ,i know that the way of man is   
not in his own power4 ,jer4 #aj3bf ,we  
see proof of this1 when the children of 
,israel went out of ,egypt through the  
,wilderness1 where there was no way1 no 
food1 no drink1 no help4 ,therefore ,god
 went before them1 by day in a bright   
cloud1 by night in a fiery pillar ,ex4  
#ac3ba2 #af3d f41 fed them with manna   
from heaven1 and kept their garments and
 shoes that they waxed not old ,deut4   
#bi3e f41 as we read in the ,books of   
,moses4 ,for this reason we pray3 ,thy  
kingdom come1 that ,thou rule us1 and   
not we ourselves1 for there is nothing  
more perilous in us than our reason and 

will--,and this is the first and highest
 work of ,god in us and the best        
training1 that we cease from our works1 
that we let our reason and will be idle1
 that we rest and commend ourselves to  
,god in all things1 especially when they
 seem to be spiritual and good4         
,sidenote3 ,fasting  ,,xix4 ,after this 
comes the discipline of the flesh1 to   
kill its gross1 evil lust1 to give it   
rest and relief4 ,this we must kill and 
quiet with fasting1 watching and labor1 
and from this we learn how much and why 
we shall fast1 watch and labor4  ,there 
are1 alas6 many blind men1 who practise 
their castigation1 whether it be        
fasting1 watching or labor1 only because
 they think these are good works1       
intending by them to gain much merit4   
,far blinder still are they who measure 
their fasting not only by the quantity  
or duration1 as these do1 but also by   
the nature of the food1 thinking that it
 is of far greater worth if they do not 
eat meat1 eggs or butter4 ,beyond these 

are those who fast according to the     
saints1 and according to the days2 one  
fasting on ,wednesday1 another on       
,saturday1 another on ,st4 ,barbara's   
day1 another on ,st4 ,sebastian's       
day1#cd and so on4 ,these all seek in   
their fasting nothing beyond the work   
itself3 when they have performed that1  
they think they have done a good work4  
,i will here say nothing of the fact    
that some fast in such a way that they  
none the less drink themselves full2    
some fast by eating fish and other foods
 so lavishly that they would come much  
nearer to fasting if they ate meat1 eggs
 and butter1 and by so doing would      
obtain far better results from their    
fasting4 ,for such fasting is not       
fasting1 but a mockery of fasting and of
 ,god4  ,therefore ,i allow everyone to 
choose his day1 food and quantity for   
fasting1 as he will1 on condition that  
he do not stop with that1 but have      
regard to his flesh2 let him put upon it
 fasting1 watching and labor according  

to its lust and wantonness1 and no more1
 although pope1 ,church1 bishop1        
father-confessor or any one else        
whosoever have commanded it4 ,for no one
 should measure and regulate fasting1   
watching and labor according to the     
character or quantity of the food1 or   
according to the days1 but according to 
the withdrawal or approach of the lust  
and wantonness of the flesh1 for the    
sake of which alone the fasting1        
watching and labor is ordained1 that is1
 to kill and to subdue them4 ,if it were
 not for this lust1 eating were as      
meritorious as fasting1 sleeping as     
watching1 idleness as labor1 and each   
were as good as the other without all   
distinction4  ,sidenote3 ,the           
,limitation of ,fasting  ,,xx4 ,now1 if 
some one should find that more          
wantonness arose in his flesh from      
eating fish than from eating eggs and   
meat1 let him eat meat and not fish4    
,again1 if he find that his head becomes
 confused and crazed or his body and    

stomach injured through fasting1 or that
 it is not needful to kill the          
wantonness of his flesh1 he shall let   
fasting alone entirely1 and eat1 sleep1 
be idle as is necessary for his health1 
regardless whether it be against the    
command of the ,church1 or the rules of 
monastic orders3 for no commandment of  
the ,church1 no law of an order can make
 fasting1 watching and labor of more    
value than it has in serving to repress 
or to kill the flesh and its lusts4     
,where men go beyond this1 and the      
fasting1 eating1 sleeping1 watching are 
practised beyond the strength of the    
body1 and more than is necessary to the 
killing of the lust1 so that through it 
the natural strength is ruined and the  
head is racked2 then let no one imagine 
that he has done good works1 or excuse  
himself by citing the commandment of the
 ,church or the law of his order4 ,he   
will be regarded as a man who takes no  
care of himself1 and1 as far as in him  
lies1 has become his own murderer4  ,for

 the body is not given us that we should
 kill its natural life or work1 but only
 that we kill its wantonness2 unless its
 wantonness were so strong and great    
that we could not sufficiently resist it
 without ruin and harm to the natural   
life4 ,for1 as has been said1 in the    
practice of fasting1 watching and labor1
 we are not to look upon the works in   
themselves1 not on the days1 not on the 
number1 not on the food1 but only on the
 wanton and lustful ,adam1 that through 
them he may be cured of his evil        
appetite4  ,sidenote3 ,foolish ,fasting 
and ,foolish ,neglect of ,fasting       
,,xxi4 ,from this we can judge how      
wisely or foolishly some women act when 
they are with child1 and how the sick   
are to be treated4 ,for the foolish     
women cling so firmly to their fasting  
that they run the risk of great danger  
to the fruit of their womb and to       
themselves1 rather than not to fast when
 the others fast4 ,they make a matter of
 conscience where there is none1 and    

where there is matter of conscience they
 make none4 ,this is all the fault of   
the preachers1 because they continually 
prate of fasting1 and never point out   
its true use1 limit1 fruit1 cause and   
purpose4 ,so also the sick should be    
allowed to eat and to drink every day   
whatever they wish4 ,in brief1 where the
 wantonness of the flesh ceases1 there  
every reason for fasting1 watching1     
laboring1 eating this or that1 has      
already ceased1 and there no longer is  
any binding commandment at all4  ,but   
then care must be taken1 lest out of    
this freedom there grow a lazy          
indifference about killing the          
wantonness of the flesh2 for the roguish
 ,adam is exceedingly tricky in looking 
for permission for himself1 and in      
pleading the ruin of the body or of the 
mind2 so some men jump right in and say 
it is neither necessary nor commanded to
 fast or to mortify the flesh1 and are  
ready to eat this and that without fear1
 just as if they had for a long time had

 much experience of fasting1 although   
they have never tried it4  ,no less are 
we to guard against offending those who1
 not sufficiently informed1 regard it a 
great sin if we do not fast or eat as   
they do4 ,these we must kindly instruct1
 and not haughtily despise1 nor eat this
 or that in despite of them1 but we must
 tell them the reason why it is right to
 do so1 and thus gradually lead them to 
a correct understanding4 ,but if they   
are stubborn and will not listen1 we    
must let them alone1 and do as we know  
it is right to do4  ,sidenote3          
,suffering  ,,xxii4 ,the second form of 
discipline which we receive at the hands
 of others1 is when men or devils cause 
us suffering1 as when our property is   
taken1 our body sick1 and our honor     
taken away2 and everything that may move
 us to anger1 impatience and unrest4    
,for ,god's work rules in us according  
to ,his wisdom1 not according to our    
wisdom1 according to ,his purity and    
chastity1 not according to the          

wantonness of our flesh2 for ,god's work
 is wisdom and purity1 our work is      
foolishness and impurity1 and these     
shall rest3 so in like manner it should 
rule in us according to ,his peace1 not 
our anger1 impatience and lack of peace4
 ,for peace too is ,god's work1         
impatience is the work of our flesh2    
this shall rest and be dead1 that we    
thus in every way keep a spiritual      
holiday1 let our works stand idle1 and  
let ,god work in us4  ,therefore in     
order to kill our works and the ,adam in
 us1 ,god heaps many temptations upon   
us1 which move us to anger1 many        
sufferings1 which rouse us to           
impatience1 and last of all death and   
the world's abuse2 whereby ,he seeks    
nothing else than that ,he may drive out
 anger1 impatience and lack of peace1   
and attain to ,his work1 that is1 to    
peace1 in us4 ,thus says ,isaiah xxviii1
 ,he does the work of another that ,he  
may come to ,his own work4 ,is4 #bh3ba  
,what does this mean8 ,he sends us      

suffering and trouble that ,he may teach
 us to have patience and peace2 ,he bids
 us die that ,he may make us live1 until
 a man1 thoroughly trained1 becomes so  
peaceful and quiet that he is not       
disturbed1 whether it go well or ill    
with him1 whether he die or live1 be    
honored or dishonored4 ,there ,god      
,himself dwells alone1 and there are no 
works of men4 ,this is rightly keeping  
and hallowing the day of rest2 then a   
man does not guide himself1 then he     
desires nothing for himself1 then       
nothing troubles him2 but ,god ,himself 
leads him1 there is naught but godly    
pleasure1 joy and peace with all other  
works and virtues4  ,sidenote3 ,the     
,holiness of ,adversity  ,,xxiii4 ,these
 works ,he considers so great that ,he  
commands us not only to keep the day of 
rest1 but also to hallow it or regard it
 as holy1 whereby ,he declares that     
there are no more precious things than  
suffering1 dying1 and all manner of     
misfortune4#ce ,for they are holy and   

sanctify a man from his works to ,god's 
works1 just as a church is consecrated  
from natural works to the worship of    
,god4 ,therefore a man shall also       
recognise them as holy things1 be glad  
and thank ,god when they come upon him4 
,for when they come they make him holy1 
so that he fulfils this ,commandment and
 is saved1 redeemed from all his sinful 
works4 ,thus says ,david3 ,precious in  
the sight of the ,lord is the death of  
,his saints4 ,ps4 #aaf3ae  ,in order to 
strengthen us thereto ,he has not only  
commanded us to keep such a rest 7for   
nature is very unwilling to die and to  
suffer1 and it is a bitter day of rest  
for it to cease from its works and be   
dead72 but ,he has also comforted us in 
the ,scriptures with many words and told
 us1 ,psalm xci1 ,i will be with him in 
all his trouble1 and will deliver him4  
,ps4 #ia3ae ,likewise ,psalm xxxiv3 ,the
 ,lord is nigh unto all them that       
suffer1 and will help them4 ,ps4 #cd3ah 
,as if this were not enough1 ,he has    

given us a powerful1 strong example of  
it1 ,his only1 dear ,son1 ,jesus        
,christ1 our ,lord1 who on the ,sabbath 
lay in the tomb the entire day of rest1 
free from all ,his works1 and was the   
first to fulfil this ,commandment1      
although ,he needed it not for ,himself1
 but only for our comfort1 that we also 
in all suffering and death should be    
quiet and have peace4 ,since1 as ,christ
 was raised up after ,his rest and      
henceforth lives only in ,god and ,god  
in ,him1 so also shall we by the death  
of our ,adam1 which is perfectly        
accomplished only through natural death 
and burial1 be lifted up into ,god1 that
 ,god may live and work in us forever4  
,lo6 these are the three parts of man3  
reason1 desire1 aversion2 in which all  
his works are done4 ,these1 therefore1  
must be slain by these three exercises1 
,god's governance1 our                  
self-mortification1 the hurt done to us 
by others2 and so they must spiritually 
rest before ,god1 and give ,him room for

 ,his works4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,circle of
 the ,three ,commandments  ,,xxiv4 ,but 
such works are to be done and such      
sufferings to be endured in faith and in
 sure confidence of ,god's favor1 in    
order that1 as has been said1#cf all    
works remain in the ,first ,commandment 
and in faith1 and that faith1 for the   
sake of which all other commandments and
 works are ordained1 exercise and       
strengthen itself in them4 ,see1        
therefore1 what a pretty1 golden ring   
these three ,commandments and their     
works naturally form1 and how from the  
,first ,commandment and faith the       
,second flows on to the ,third1 and the 
,third in turn drives through the       
,second up into the ,first4 ,for the    
first work is to believe1 to have a good
 heart and confidence toward ,god4 ,from
 this ,sows the second good work1 to    
praise ,god's ,name1 to confess ,his    
grace1 to give all honor to ,him alone4 
,then follows the third1 to worship by  
praying1 hearing ,god's ,word1 thinking 

of and considering ,god's benefits1 and 
in addition chastising one's self1 and  
keeping the body under4  ,but when the  
evil spirit perceives such faith1 such  
honoring of ,god and such worship1 he   
rages and stirs up persecution1 attacks 
body1 goods1 honor and life1 brings upon
 us sickness1 poverty1 shame and death1 
which ,god so permits and ordains4 ,see1
 here begins the second work1 or the    
second rest of the ,third ,commandment2 
by this faith is very greatly tried1    
even as gold in the fire4 ,ecclus4 #b3e 
,for it is a great thing to retain a    
sure confidence in ,god1 although ,he   
sends us death1 shame1 sickness1        
poverty2 #a ,pet4 #d3ab and in this     
cruel form of wrath to regard ,him as   
our all-gracious ,father1 as must be    
done in this work of the ,third         
,commandment4 ,here suffering contains  
faith1 that it must call upon ,god's    
,name and praise it in such suffering1  
and so it comes through the ,third      
,commandment into the ,second again2 and

 through that very calling on the ,name 
of ,god and praise1 faith grows1 and    
becomes conscious of itself1 and so     
strengthens itself1 through the two     
works of the ,third and of the ,second  
,commandment4 ,thus faith goes out into 
the works and through the works comes to
 itself again2 just as the sun goes     
forth into its setting and comes again  
unto its rising4 ,ps4 #ai3f ,for this   
reason the ,scriptures associate the day
 with peaceful living in works1 the     
night with passive living in adversity1 
and faith lives and works1 goes out and 
comes in1 in both1 as ,christ says1     
,john ix4 ,john #i3d  ,sidenote3 ,the   
,parallel with the ,lord's ,prayer      
,,xxv4 ,this order of good works we pray
 in the ,lord's ,prayer4 ,the first is  
this1 that we say3 ,our ,father1 ,who   
art in heaven2 these are the words of   
the first work of faith1 which1         
according to the ,first ,commandment1   
does not doubt that it has a gracious   
,father in heaven4 ,the second3         

,hallowed be ,thy ,name1 in which faith 
asks that ,god's ,name1 praise and honor
 be glorified1 and calls upon it in     
every need1 as the ,second ,commandment 
says4 ,the third3 ,thy kingdom come1 in 
which we pray for the true ,sabbath and 
rest1 peaceful cessation of our works1  
that ,god's work alone be done in us1   
and so ,god rule in us as in ,his own   
kingdom1 as ,he says1 ,luke xvii1       
,behold1 ,god's kingdom is nowhere else 
except within you4 ,luke #ag3ba ,the    
fourth petition is ,thy will be done2 in
 which we pray that we may keep and have
 the ,seven ,commandments of the ,second
 ,table1 in which faith is exercised    
toward our neighbor2 just as in the     
first three it is exercised in works    
toward ,god alone4 ,and these are the   
petitions in which stands the word      
,thou1 ,thy1 ,thy1 ,thy1 because they   
seek only what belongs to ,god2 all the 
others say our1 us1 our1 etc42 for in   
them we pray for our goods and          
blessedness4  ,let this1 then1 suffice  

as a plain1 hasty explanation of the    
,first ,table of ,moses1 pointing out to
 simple folk what are the highest of    
good works4  ,sidenote3 ,second ,table  
,the ,second ,table follows4  ,sidenote3
 ,the ,fourth ,commandment  ,thou shalt 
honor thy father and thy mother4  ,from 
this ,commandment we learn that after   
the excellent works of the first three  
,commandments there are no better works 
than to obey and serve all those who are
 set over us as superiors4 ,for this    
reason also disobedience is a greater   
sin than murder1 unchastity1 theft and  
dishonesty1 and all that these may      
include4 ,for we can in no better way   
learn how to distinguish between greater
 and lesser sins than by noting the     
order of the ,commandments of ,god1     
although there are distinctions also    
within the works of each ,commandment4  
,for who does not know that to curse is 
a greater sin than to be angry1 to      
strike than to curse1 to strike father  
and mother more than to strike any one  

else8 ,thus these seven ,commandments   
teach us how we are to exercise         
ourselves in good works toward men1 and 
first of all toward our superiors4      
,sidenote3 ,obedience and ,honor to     
,parents  ,the first work is that we    
honor our own father and mother4 ,and   
this honor consists not only in         
respectful demeanor1 but in this3 that  
we obey them1 look up to1 esteem and    
heed their words and example1 accept    
what they say1 keep silent and endure   
their treatment of us1 so long as it is 
not contrary to the first three         
,commandments2 in addition1 when they   
need it1 that we provide them with food1
 clothing and shelter4 ,for not for     
nothing has ,he said3 ,thou shalt honor 
them2 ,he does not say3 ,thou shalt love
 them1 although this also must be done4 
,but honor is higher than mere love and 
includes a certain fear1 which unites   
with love1 and causes a man to fear     
offending them more than he fears the   
punishment4 ,just as there is fear in   

the honor we pay a sanctuary1 and yet we
 do not flee from it as from a          
punishment1 but draw near to it all the 
more4 ,such a fear mingled with love is 
the true honor2 the other fear without  
any love is that which we have toward   
things which we despise or flee from1 as
 we fear the hangman or punishment4     
,there is no honor in that1 for it is a 
fear without all love1 nay1 fear that   
has with it hatred and enmity4 ,of this 
we have a proverb of ,st4 ,jerome3 ,what
 we fear1 that we also hate4 ,with such 
a fear ,god does not wish to be feared  
or honored1 nor to have us honor our    
parents2 but with the first1 which is   
mingled with love and confidence4       
,sidenote3 ,despising of ,parents  ,,ii4
 ,this work appears easy1 but few regard
 it aright4 ,for where the parents are  
truly pious and love their children not 
according to the flesh1 but 7as they    
ought7 instruct and direct them by words
 and works to serve ,god according to   
the first three ,commandments1 there the

 child's own will is constantly broken1 
and it must do1 leave undone1 and suffer
 what its nature would most gladly do   
otherwise2 and thereby it finds occasion
 to despise its parents1 to murmur      
against them1 or to do worse things4    
,there love and fear depart1 unless they
 have ,god's grace4 ,in like manner1    
when they punish and chastise1 as they  
ought 7at times even unjustly1 which1   
however1 does not harm the soul's       
salvation71 our evil nature resents the 
correction4 ,beside all this1 there are 
some so wicked that they are ashamed of 
their patents because of poverty1 lowly 
birth1 deformity or dishonor1 and allow 
these things to influence them more than
 the high ,commandment of ,god1 ,who is 
above all things1 and has with          
benevolent intent given them such       
parents1 to exercise and try them in    
,his ,commandment4 ,but the matter      
becomes still worse when the child has  
children of its own2 then love descends 
to them1 and detracts very much from the

 love and honor toward the parents4     
,but what is said and commanded of      
parents must also be understood of those
 who1 when the parents are dead or      
absent1 take their place1 such as       
relatives1 god-parents1 sponsors1       
temporal lords and spiritual fathers4   
,for every one must be ruled and be     
subject to other men4 ,wherefore we here
 see again how many good works are      
taught in this ,commandment1 since in it
 all our life is made subject to other  
men4 ,hence it comes that obedience is  
so highly praised and all virtue and    
good works are included in it4          
,sidenote3 ,love without ,fear  ,,iii4  
,there is another dishonoring of        
parents1 much more dangerous and subtle 
than this first1 which adorns itself and
 passes for a real honor2 that is1 when 
a child has its own way1 and the parents
 through natural love allow it4 ,here   
there is indeed mutual honor1 here there
 is mutual love1 and on all sides it is 
a precious thing1 parents and child take

 mutual pleasure in one another4  ,this 
plague is so common that instances of   
the first form of dishonoring#cg are    
very seldom seen4 ,this is due to the   
fact that the parents are blinded1 and  
neither know nor honor ,god according to
 the first three ,commandments2 hence   
also they cannot see what the children  
lack1 and how they ought to teach and   
train them4 ,for this reason they train 
them for worldly honors1 pleasure and   
possessions1 that they may by all means 
please men and reach high positions3    
this the children like1 and they obey   
very gladly without gainsaying4  ,thus  
,god's ,commandment secretly comes to   
naught while all seems good1 and that is
 fulfilled which is written in the      
,prophets ,isaiah and ,jeremiah1 that   
the children are destroyed by their own 
parents ,is4 #eg3e1 ,jer4 #g3ca2 #cb3ce1
 and they do like the king ,manasseh1   
who sacrificed his own son to the idol  
,moloch and burned him1 ,,ii4 ,kings xxi
 #b ,kings #ba3f4 ,what else is it but  

to sacrifice one's own child to the idol
 and to burn it1 when parents train     
their children more in the way of the   
world than in the way of ,god8 let them 
go their way1 and be burned up in       
worldly pleasure1 love1 enjoyment1      
possessions and honor1 but let ,god's   
love and honor and the desire of eternal
 blessings be quenched in them8  ,o how 
perilous it is to be a father or a      
mother1 where flesh and blood are       
supreme6 ,for1 truly1 the knowledge and 
fulfilment of the first three and the   
last six ,commandments depends          
altogether upon this ,commandment2 since
 parents are commanded to teach them to 
their children1 as ,psalm lxxviii4 says1
 ,how strictly has ,he commanded our    
fathers1 that they should make known    
,god's ,commandments to their children1 
that the generation to come might know  
them and declare them to their          
children's children4 ,ps4 #gh3e ,this   
also is the reason why ,god bids us     
honor our parents1 that is1 to love them

 with fear2 for that other love is      
without fear1 therefore it is more      
dishonor than honor4  ,now see whether  
every one does not have good works      
enough to do1 whether he be father or   
child4 ,but we blind men leave this     
untouched1 and seek all sorts of other  
works which are not commanded4          
,sidenote3 ,the ,folly of ,parents      
,,iv4 ,now where parents are foolish and
 train their children after the fashion 
of the world1 the children are in no way
 to obey them2 for ,god1 according to   
the first three ,commandments1 is to be 
more highly regarded than the parents   
,acts #e3bi4 ,but training after the    
fashion of the world ,i call it1 when   
they teach them to seek no more than    
pleasure1 honor and possessions of this 
world or its power4  ,to wear decent    
clothes and to seek an honest living is 
a necessity1 and not sin4 ,yet the heart
 of a child must be taught to be sorry  
that this miserable earthly life cannot 
well be lived1 or even begun1 without   

the striving after more adornment and   
more possessions than are necessary for 
the protection of the body against cold 
and for nourishment4 ,thus the child    
must be taught to grieve that1 without  
its own will1 it must do the world's    
will and play the fool with the rest of 
men1 and endure such evil for the sake  
of something better and to avoid        
something worse4 ,so ,queen ,esther wore
 her royal crown1 and yet said to ,god1 
,esther xiv1 ,thou knowest1 that the    
sign of my high estate1 which is upon my
 head1 has never yet delighted me1 and  
,i abhor it as a menstruous rag1 and    
never wear it when ,i am by myself1 but 
when ,i must do it and go before the    
people4 ,beth4 #ad3af ,vulgate ,the     
heart that is so minded wears adornment 
without peril2 for it wears and does not
 wear1 dances and does not dance1 lives 
well and does not live well4 ,and these 
are the secret souls1 hidden brides of  
,christ1 but they are rare2 for it is   
hard not to delight in great adornment  

and parade4 ,thus ,st4 ,cecilia#ch wore 
golden clothes at the command of her    
parents1 but within against her body she
 wore a garment of hair4  ,here some men
 say3 ,how then could ,i bring my       
children into society1 and marry them   
honorably8 ,i must make some display4   
,tell me1 are not these the words of a  
heart which despairs of ,god1 and trusts
 more on its own providing than on      
,god's care8 ,whereas ,st4 ,peter       
teaches and says1 ,i4 ,peter v1 ,cast   
all your care upon ,him1 and be certain 
that ,he cares for you4 #a ,pet4 #e3g   
,it is a sign that they have never yet  
thanked ,god for their children1 have   
never yet rightly prayed for them1 have 
never yet commended them to ,him2       
otherwise they would know and have      
experienced that they ought to ask ,god 
also for the marriage dower of their    
children1 and await it from ,him4       
,therefore also ,he permits them to go  
their way1 with cares and worries1 and  
yet succeed poorly4  ,sidenote3         

,training ,children a ,good ,work  ,v4  
,thus it is true1 as men say1 that      
parents1 although they had nothing else 
to do1 could attain salvation by        
training their own children2 if they    
rightly train them to ,god's service1   
they will indeed have both hands full of
 good works to do4 ,for what else are   
here the hungry1 thirsty1 naked1        
imprisoned1 sick1 strangers1 ,matt      
#be3ce than the souls of your own       
children8 with whom ,god makes of your  
house a hospital1 and sets you over them
 as chief nurse1 to wait on them1 to    
give them good words and works as meat  
and drink1 that they may learn to trust1
 believe and fear ,god1 and to place    
their hope on ,him1 to honor ,his ,name1
 not to swear nor curse1 to mortify     
themselves by praying1 fasting1         
watching1 working1 to attend worship and
 to hear ,god's ,word1 and to keep the  
,sabbath1 that they may learn to despise
 temporal things1 to bear misfortune    
calmly1 and not to fear death nor to    

love this life4  ,see1 what great       
lessons are these1 how many good works  
you have before you in your home1 with  
your child1 that needs all these things 
like a hungry1 thirsty1 naked1 poor1    
imprisoned1 sick soul4 ,o what a blessed
 marriage and home were that where such 
parents were to be found6 ,truly it     
would be a real ,church1 a chosen       
cloister1 yea1 a paradise4 ,of such says
 ,psalm cxxviii3 ,blessed are they that 
fear ,god1 and walk in ,his             
,commandments2 thou shalt eat of the    
labor of thine hands2 therefore thou    
shalt be happy1 and it shall be well    
with thee4 ,thy wife shall be as a      
fruitful vine in thine house1 and thy   
children shall be as the young scions of
 laden olive trees about thy table4     
,behold1 thus shall the man be blessed1 
that feareth the ,lord1 ,ps4 #abh3a-d   
etc4 ,where are such parents8 ,where are
 they that ask after good works8 ,here  
none wishes to come4 ,why8 ,god has     
commanded it2 the devil1 flesh and blood

 pull away from it2 it makes no show1   
therefore it counts for nothing4 ,here  
this husband runs to ,st4 ,james1 that  
wife vows a pilgrimage to ,our ,lady2 no
 one vows that he will properly govern  
and teach himself and his child to the  
honor of ,god2 he leaves behind those   
whom ,god has commanded him to keep in  
body and soul1 and would serve ,god in  
some other place1 which has not been    
commanded him4 ,such perversity no      
bishop forbids1 no preacher corrects2   
nay1 for covetousness' sake they confirm
 it and daily only invent more          
pilgrimages1 elevations of saints1#ci   
indulgence-fairs4 ,god have pity on such
 blindness4  ,sidenote3 ,neglect of     
,children a ,cause for ,condemnation    
,,vi4 ,on the other hand1 parents cannot
 earn eternal punishment in any way more
 easily than by neglecting their own    
children in their own home1 and not     
teaching them the things which have been
 spoken of above4 ,of what help is it1  
that they kill themselves with fasting1 

praying1 making pilgrimages1 and do all 
manner of good works8 ,god will1 after  
all1 not ask them about these things at 
their death and in the day of judgment1 
but will require of them the children   
whom ,he entrusted to them4 ,this is    
shown by that word of ,christ1 ,luke    
xxiii1 ,ye daughters of ,jerusalem1 weep
 not for me1 but for yourselves and for 
your children4 ,the days are coming1 in 
which they shall say2 ,blessed are the  
wombs that never bare1 and the paps     
which never gave suck4 ,luke #bc3bh f4  
,why shall they lament1 except because  
all their condemnation comes from their 
own children8 ,if they had not had      
children1 perhaps they might have been  
saved4 ,truly1 these words ought to open
 the eyes of parents1 that they may have
 regard to the souls of their children1 
so that the poor children be not        
deceived by their false1 fleshly love1  
as if they had rightly honored their    
parents when they are not angry with    
them1 or are obedient in worldly        

matters1 by which their self-will is    
strengthened2 although the ,commandment 
places the parents in honor for the very
 purpose that the self-will of the      
children may be broken1 and that the    
children may become humble and meek4    
,just as it has been said of the other  
,commandments1 that they are to be      
fulfilled in the chief work1#dj so here 
too let no one suppose that the training
 and teaching of his children is        
sufficient of itself1 except it be done 
in confidence of divine favor1 so that a
 man doubt not that he is well-pleasing 
to ,god in his works1 and that he let   
such works be nothing else than an      
exhortation and exercise of his faith1  
that he trust ,god and look to ,him for 
blessings and a gracious will2 without  
which faith no work lives1 or is good   
and acceptable2 for many heathen have   
trained their children beautifully1 but 
it is all lost1 because of their        
unbelief4  ,sidenote3 ,obedience to the 
,church  ,,vii4 ,the second work of this

 ,commandment is to honor and obey the  
spiritual mother1 the holy ,christian   
,church1 the spiritual power1 so that we
 conform to what she commands1 forbids1 
appoints1 orders1 binds and looses1 and 
honor1 fear and love the spiritual      
authority as we honor1 love and fear our
 natural parents1 and yield to it in all
 things which are not contrary to the   
first three ,commandments4  ,sidenote3  
,the ,neglected ,duty of the ,church    
,now with regard to this work1 things   
are almost worse than with regard to the
 first4 ,the spiritual authority should 
punish sin with the ban and with laws1  
and constrain its spiritual children to 
be good1 in order that they might have  
reason to do this work and to exercise  
themselves in obeying and honoring it4  
,such zeal one does not see now2 they   
act toward their subjects like the      
mothers who forsake their children and  
run after their lovers1 as ,hosea ii4   
,hos4 #b3e says2 they do not preach1    
they do not teach1 they do not hinder1  

they do not punish1 and there is no     
spiritual government at all left in     
,christendom4  ,what can ,i say of this 
work8 ,a few fast-days and feast-days   
are left1 and these had better be done  
away with4 ,but no one gives this a     
thought1 and there is nothing left      
except the ban for debt1 and this should
 not be4 ,but spiritual authority should
 look to it1 that adultery1 unchastity1 
usury1 gluttony1 worldly show1 excessive
 adornment1 and such like open sin and  
shame might be most severely punished   
and corrected2 and they should properly 
manage the endowments1 monastic houses1 
parishes and schools1 and earnestly     
maintain worship in them1 provide for   
the young people1 boys and girls1 in    
schools and cloisters1 with learned1    
pious men as teachers1 that they might  
all be well trained1 and so the older   
people give a good example and          
,christendom be filled and adorned with 
fine young people4 ,so ,st4 ,paul       
teaches his disciple ,titus1 that he    

should rightly instruct and govern all  
classes1 young and old1 men and women4  
,tit4 #b3a-aj ,but now he goes to school
 who wishes2 he is taught who governs   
and teaches himself2 nay1 it has1 alas6 
come to such a pass that the places     
where good should be taught have become 
schools of knavery1 and no one at all   
takes thought for the wild youth4       
,sidenote3 ,the ,worldliness of the     
,church  ,,viii4 ,if the above order    
prevailed1 one could say how honor and  
obedience should be given to the        
spiritual authority4 ,but now the case  
is like that of the natural parents who 
let their children do as they please2 at
 present the spiritual authority        
threatens1 dispenses1 takes money1 and  
pardons more than it has power to       
pardon4 ,i will here refrain from saying
 more2 we see more of it than is good2  
greed holds the reins1 and just what    
should be forbidden is taught2 and it is
 clearly seen that the spiritual estate 
is in all things more worldly than the  

worldly estate itself4 ,meanwhile       
,christendom must be ruined1 and this   
,commandment perish4  ,if there were a  
bishop who would zealously provide for  
all these classes1 supervise1 make      
vitiations and be faithful as he ought1 
truly1 one city would be too much for   
him4 ,for in the time of the ,apostles1 
when ,christendom was at its best       
estate1 each city had a bishop1 although
 the smallest part of the inhabitants   
were ,christians4 ,how may things go    
when one bishop wants to have so much1  
another so much1 this one the whole     
world1 that one the fourth of it4  ,it  
is time that we pray ,god for mercy4 ,of
 spiritual power we have much2 but of   
spiritual government nothing or little4 
,meanwhile may he help who can1 that    
endowments1 monastic houses1 parishes   
and schools be well established and     
managed2 and it would also be one of the
 works of the spiritual authority that  
it lessen the number of endowments1     
monastic houses and schools1 where they 

cannot be cared for4 ,it is much better 
that there be no monastic house or      
endowment than that there be evil       
government in them1 whereby ,god is the 
more provoked to anger4#da  ,sidenote3  
,abuses in the ,church  ,,ix4 ,since1   
then1 the authorities so entirely       
neglect their work1 and are perverted1  
it must assuredly follow that they      
misuse their power1 and undertake other 
and evil works1 just as parents do when 
they give some command contrary to ,god4
 ,here we must be wise2 for the ,apostle
 has said1 that those times shall be    
perilous in which such authorities shall
 rule4 #a ,tim4 #d3a ff4 ,for it seems  
as if we resisted their power if we do  
not do and leave undone all that they   
prescribe4 #b ,tim4 #c3a ff4 ,therefore 
we must take hold of the first three    
,commandments and the ,first ,table1 and
 be certain that no man1 neither bishop1
 nor pope1 nor angel1 may command or    
determine anything that is contrary to  
or hinders these three ,commandments1 or

 does not help them2 and if they attempt
 such things1 it is not valid and       
amounts to nothing2 and we also sin if  
we follow and obey1 or even tolerate    
such acts4  ,from this it is easy to    
understand that the commands of fasting 
do not include the sick1 the pregnant   
women1 or those who for other reasons   
cannot fast without injury4 ,and1 to    
rise higher1 in our time nothing comes  
from ,rome but a fair of spiritual      
wares1 which are openly and shamelessly 
bought and sold1 indulgences1 parishes1 
monastic houses1 bishoprics1            
provostships1 benefices1 and every thing
 that has ever been founded to ,god's   
service far and wide2 whereby not only  
is all money and wealth of the world    
drawn and driven to ,rome 7for this     
would be the smallest harm71 but the    
parishes1 bishoprics and prelacies are  
torn to pieces1 deserted1 laid waste1   
and so the people are neglected1 ,god's 
,word and ,god's ,name and honor come to
 naught1 and faith is destroyed1 so that

 at last such institutions and offices  
fall into the hands not only of         
unlearned and unfit men1 but the greater
 part into the hands of the ,romans1 the
 greatest villains in the world4 ,thus  
what has been founded for ,god's        
service1 for the instruction1 government
 and improvement of the people1 must now
 serve the stable-boys1 mule-drivers1   
yea1 not to use plainer language1 ,roman
 whores and knaves2 yet we have no more 
thanks than that they mock us for it as 
fools4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,duty of        
,resisting ,abuses in the ,church  ,x4  
,if then such unbearable abuses are all 
carried on in the ,name of ,god and ,st4
 ,peter1 just as if ,god's ,name and the
 spiritual power were instituted to     
blaspheme ,god's honor1 to destroy      
,christendom1 body and soul3 we are     
indeed in duty bound to resist in a     
proper way as much as we can4 ,and here 
we must do like pious children whose    
parents have become insane1 and first   
see by what right that which has been   

founded for ,god's service in our lands1
 or has been ordained to provide for our
 children1 must be allowed to do its    
work in ,rome1 and to lapse here1 where 
it ought to serve4 ,how can we be so    
foolish8  ,since then bishops and       
spiritual prelates stand idle in this   
matter1 offer no opposition or are      
afraid1 and thus allow ,christendom to  
perish1 it is our duty first of all     
humbly to call upon ,god for help to    
prevent this thing1 then to put our hand
 to work to the same end1 send the      
courtesans#db and those who bear letters
 from ,rome about their business1 in a  
reasonable1 gentle way inform them that1
 if they wish to care for their parishes
 properly1 they shall live in them and  
improve the people by preaching or by   
good example2 or if not1 and they do    
live in ,rome or elsewhere1 lay waste   
and debauch the churches1 then let the  
pope feed them1 whom they serve4 ,it is 
not fitting that we support the pope's  
servants1 his people1 yes1 his knaves   

and whores1 to the destruction and      
injury of our souls4  ,lo6 these are the
 true ,turks1 whom the kings1 princes   
and the nobility ought to attack first3 
not seeking thereby their own benefit1  
but only the improvement of             
,christendom1 and the prevention of the 
blasphemy and disgracing of the divine  
,name2 and so to deal with the clergy as
 with a father who has lost his sense   
and wits2 who1 if one did not restrain  
him and resist him 7although with all   
humility and honor71 might destroy      
child1 heir and everybody4 ,thus we are 
to honor ,roman authority as our highest
 father2 and yet1 since they have gone  
mad and lost their senses1 not allow    
them to do what they attempt1 lest      
,christendom be destroyed thereby4      
,sidenote3 ,the ,hopelessness of        
,general ,councils  ,,xi4 ,some think1  
this should be referred to a ,general   
,council4 ,to this ,i say3 ,no6 ,for we 
have had many councils in which this has
 been proposed1 namely1 at ,constance1  

,basel and the last ,roman ,council2#dc 
but nothing has been accomplished1 and  
things have grown ever worse4 ,moreover1
 such councils are entirely useless1    
since ,roman wisdom has contrived the   
device that the kings and princes must  
beforehand take an oath to let the      
,romans remain what they are and keep   
what they have1 and so has put up a bar 
to ward off all reformation1 to retain  
protection and liberty for all their    
knavery1 although this oath is demanded1
 forced and taken contrary to ,god and  
the law1 and by it the doors are locked 
against the ,holy ,spirit1 ,who should  
rule the councils4#dd ,but this would be
 the best1 and also the only remedy     
remaining1 if kings1 princes1 nobility1 
cities and communities themselves began 
and opened a way for reformation1 so    
that the bishops and clergy1 who now are
 afraid1 would have reason to follow4   
,for here nothing else shall and must be
 considered except ,god's first three   
,commandments1 against which neither    

,rome1 nor heaven nor earth can command 
or forbid anything4 ,and the ban or     
threatening with which they think they  
can prevent this1 amounts to nothing2   
just as it amounts to nothing if an     
insane father severely threatens the son
 who restrains him or locks him up4#de  
,sidenote3 ,obedience to the ,temporal  
,authorities  ,,xii4 ,the third work of 
this ,commandment is to obey the        
temporal authority1 as ,paul teaches1   
,romans xiii ,rom4 #ac3a1 and ,titus iii
 ,tit4 #c3a1 and ,st4 ,peter1 ,i4 ,peter
 ii #a ,pet4 #b3ad f43 ,submit          
yourselves to the king as supreme1 and  
to the princes as his ambassadors1 and  
to all the ordinances of the worldly    
power4 ,but it is the work of the       
temporal power to protect its subjects1 
and to punish thievery1 robbery1 and    
adultery1 as ,st4 ,paul says1 ,romans   
xiii3 ,it beareth not the sword in vain2
 it serves ,god with it1 to the terror  
of evil doers1 and to the protection of 
the good4 ,rom4 #ac3d  ,here men sin in 

two ways4 ,first1 if they lie to the    
government1 deceive it1 and are         
disloyal1 neither obey nor do as it has 
ordered and commanded1 whether with     
their bodies or their possessions4 ,for 
even if the government does injustice1  
as the ,king of ,babylon did to the     
people of ,israel1 yet ,god would have  
it obeyed1 without treachery and        
deception4 ,secondly1 when men speak    
evil of the government and curse it1 and
 when a man cannot revenge himself and  
abuses the government with grumbling and
 evil words1 publicly or secretly4  ,in 
all this we are to regard that which    
,st4 ,peter bids us regard1 namely1 that
 its power1 whether it do right or      
wrong1 cannot harm the soul1 but only   
the body and property2 unless indeed it 
should try openly to compel us to do    
wrong against ,god or men2 #a ,pet4     
#b3ai ff4 as in former days when the    
magistrates were not yet ,christians1   
and as the ,turk is now said to do4 ,for
 to suffer wrong destroys no one's soul1

 nay1 it improves the soul1 although it 
inflicts loss upon the body and         
property2 but to do wrong1 that destroys
 the soul1 although it should gain all  
the world's wealth4  ,sidenote3 ,why    
,temporal ,authority ,dare not1 though  
,spiritual ,authority ,must1 be         
,resisted  ,,xiii4 ,this also is the    
reason why there is not such great      
danger in the temporal power as la the  
spiritual1 when it does wrong4 ,for the 
temporal power can do no harm1 since it 
has nothing to do with preaching and    
faith and the first three ,commandments4
 ,but the spiritual power does harm not 
only when it does wrong1 but also when  
it neglects its duty and busies itself  
with other things1 even if they were    
better than the very best works of the  
temporal power4 ,therefore1 we must     
resist it when it does not do right1 and
 not resist the temporal power although 
it does wrong4 ,for the poor people     
believe and do as they see the spiritual
 power believing and doing2 if they are 

not set an example and are not taught1  
then they also believe nothing and do   
nothing2 since this power is instituted 
for no other reason than to lead the    
people in faith to ,god4 ,all this is   
not found in the temporal power2 for it 
may do and leave undone what it will1 my
 faith to ,god still goes its way and   
works its works1 because ,i need not    
believe what it believes4  ,therefore1  
also1 the temporal power is a very small
 thing in ,god's sight1 and far too     
slightly regarded by ,him1 that for its 
sake1 whether it do right or wrong1 we  
should resist1 become disobedient and   
quarrel4 ,on the other hand1 the        
spiritual power is an exceeding great   
blessing1 and far too precious in ,his  
eyes1 that the very least of ,christians
 should endure and keep silent1 if it   
departs a hair's breadth from its own   
duty1 not to say when it does the very  
opposite of its duty1 as we now see it  
do every day4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,errors  
of ,temporal ,authority  ,,xiv4 ,in this

 power also there is much abuse4 ,first1
 when it follows the flatterers1 which  
is a common and especially harmful      
plague of this power1 against which no  
one can sufficiently guard and protect  
himself4 ,here it is led by the nose1   
and oppresses the common people1 becomes
 a government of the like of which a    
heathen says3 ,the spider-webs catch the
 small flies1 but the mill-stones roll  
through4 ,so the laws1 ordinances and   
government of one and the same authority
 hold the small men1 and the great are  
free2 and where the prince is not       
himself so wise that he needs nobody's  
advice1 or has such a standing that they
 fear him1 there will and must be       
7unless ,god should do a special wonder7
 a childish government4  ,for this      
reason ,god has considered evil1 unfit  
rulers the greatest of plagues1 as ,he  
threatens1 ,isaiah iii1 ,i will take    
away from them every man of valor1 and  
will give children to be their princes  
and babes to rule over them4 ,is4 #c3b  

,four plagues ,god has named in         
,scripture1 ,ezekiel xiv4 ,ezek4 #ad3ac 
ff4 the first and slightest1 which also 
,david chose #b ,sam4 #bd3ac f41 is     
pestilence1 the second is famine1 the   
third is war1 the fourth is all manner  
of evil beasts1 such as lions1 wolves1  
serpents1 dragons2 these are the wicked 
rulers4 ,for where these are1 the land  
is destroyed1 not only in body and      
property1 as in the others1 but also in 
honor1 discipline1 virtue and the soul's
 salvation4 ,for pestilence and famine  
make people good and rich2 but war and  
wicked rulers bring to naught everything
 that has to do with temporal and       
eternal4  ,sidenote3 ,wisdom ,needed in 
the ,exercise of ,authority  ,,xv4 ,a   
prince must also be very wise and not at
 all times undertake to enforce his own 
will1 although he may have the authority
 and the very best cause4 ,for it is a  
far nobler virtue to endure wrong to    
one's authority than to risk property   
and person1 if it is advantageous to the

 subjects2 since worldly rights attach  
only to temporal goods4  ,hence1 it is a
 very foolish saying3 ,i have a right to
 it1 therefore ,i will take it by storm 
and keep it1 although all sorts of      
misfortune may come to others thereby4  
,so we read of the ,emperor             
,octavianus1#df that he did not wish to 
make war1 however just his cause might  
be1 unless there were sure indications  
of greater benefit than harm1 or at     
least that the harm would not be        
intolerable1 and said3 ,war is like     
fishing with a golden net2 the loss     
risked is always greater than the catch 
can be4 ,for he who guides a wagon must 
walk far otherwise than if he were      
walking alone2 when alone he may walk1  
jump1 and do as he will2 but when he    
drives1 he must so guide and adapt      
himself that the wagon and horses can   
follow him1 and regard that more than   
his own will4 ,so also a prince leads a 
multitude with him and must not walk and
 act as he wills1 but as the multitude  

can1 considering their need and         
advantage more than his will and        
pleasure4 ,for when a prince rules after
 his own mad will and follows his own   
opinion1 he is like a mad driver1 who   
rushes straight ahead with horse and    
wagon1 through bushes1 thorns1 ditches1 
water1 up hill and down dale1 regardless
 of roads and bridges2 he will not drive
 long1 all will go to smash4  ,therefore
 it would be most profitable for rulers1
 that they read1 or have read to them1  
from youth on1 the histories1 both in   
sacred and in profane books1 in which   
they would find more examples and skill 
in ruling than in all the books of law2 
as we read that the kings of ,persia    
did1 ,esther vi4 ,esth4 #f3a ff4 ,for   
examples and histories benefit and teach
 more than the laws and statutes3 there 
actual experience teaches1 here untried 
and uncertain words4  ,sidenote3 ,good  
,works for ,rulers  ,sidenote3 ,economic
 ,reforms3 ,gluttony  ,,xvi4 ,three     
special1 distinct works all rulers might

 do in our times1 particularly in our   
lands4 ,first1 to make an end of the    
horrible gluttony and drunkenness1 not  
only because of the excess1 but also    
because of its expense4 ,for through    
seasonings and spices and the like1     
without which men could well live1 no   
little loss of temporal wealth has come 
and daily is coming upon our lands4 ,to 
prevent these two great evils would     
truly give the temporal power enough to 
do1 for the inroads they have made are  
wide and deep4 ,and how could those in  
power serve ,god better and thereby also
 improve their own land8  ,sidenote3    
,luxury  ,sidenote3 ,rent-charges       
,secondly1 to forbid the excessive cost 
of clothing1 whereby so much wealth is  
wasted1 and yet only the world and the  
flesh are served2 it is fearful to think
 that such abuse is to be found among   
the people who have been pledged1       
baptised and consecrated to ,christ1 the
 ,crucified1 and who should bear the    
,cross after ,him and prepare for the   

life to come by dying daily4 ,if some   
men erred through ignorance1 it might be
 borne2 but that it is practised so     
freely1 without punishment1 without     
shame1 without hindrance1 nay1 that     
praise and fame are sought thereby1 this
 is indeed an unchristian thing4        
,thirdly1 to drive out the usurious     
buying of rent-charges1#dg which in the 
whole world ruins1 consumes and troubles
 all lands1 peoples and cities through  
its cunning form1 by which it appears   
not to be usury1 while in truth it is   
worse than usury1 because men are not on
 their guard against it as against open 
usury4 ,see1 these are the three ,jews1 
as men say1 who suck the whole world    
dry4 ,here princes ought not to sleep1  
nor be lazy1 if they would give a good  
account of their office to ,god4        
,sidenote3 ,exections of the ,church    
,,xvii4 ,here too ought to be mentioned 
the knavery which is practised by       
officiales#dh and other episcopal and   
spiritual officers1 who ban1 load1 hunt 

and drive the poor people with great    
burdens1 as long as a penny remains4    
,this ought to be prevented by the      
temporal sword1 since there is no other 
help or remedy4  ,sidenote3 ,vice  ,o1  
would ,god in heaven1 that some time a  
government might be established that    
would do away with the public           
bawdy-houses1 as was done among the     
people of ,israel6 ,it is indeed an     
unchristian sight1 that public houses of
 are maintained among ,christians1 a    
thing formerly altogether unheard of4   
,it should be a rule that boys and girls
 should be married early and such vice  
be prevented4 ,such a rule and custom   
ought to be sought for by both the      
spiritual and the temporal power4 ,if it
 was possible among the ,jews1 why      
should it not also be possible among    
,christians8 ,nay1 if it is possible in 
villages1 towns and some cities1 as we  
all see1 why should it not be possible  
everywhere8  ,but the trouble is1 there 
is no real government in the world4 ,no 

one wants to work1 therefore the        
mechanics must give their workmen       
holiday3 then they are free and no one  
can tame them4 ,but if there were a rule
 that they must do as they are bid1 and 
no one would give them work in other    
places1 this evil would to a large      
extent be mended4 ,god help us6 ,i fear 
that here the wish is far greater than  
the hope2 but this does not excuse us4  
,now see1 here only a few works of      
magistrates are indicated1 but they are 
so good and so many1 that they have     
superabundant good works to do every    
hour and could constantly serve ,god4   
,but these works1 like the others1      
should also be done in faith1 yea1 be an
 exercise of faith1 so that no one      
expect to please ,god by the works1 but 
by confident trust in ,his favor do such
 works only to the honor and praise of  
his gracious ,god1 thereby to serve and 
benefit his neighbor4  ,sidenote3       
,obedience to ,masters  ,,xviii4 ,the   
fourth work of this ,commandment is     

obedience of servants and workmen toward
 their lords and ladies1 masters and    
mistresses4 ,of this ,st4 ,paul says1   
,titus ii3 ,thou shalt exhort servants  
that they highly honor their masters1 be
 obedient1 do what pleases them1 not    
cheating them nor opposing them ,tit4   
#b3i f4 #h2 for this reason also3       
because they thereby bring the doctrine 
of ,christ and our faith into good      
repute1 that the heathen cannot complain
 of us and be offended #a ,tim4 #f3a4   
,st4 ,peter also says3 ,servants1 be    
subject to your masters1 for the fear of
 ,god1 not only to the good and gentle1 
but also to the froward and harsh4 ,for 
this is acceptable with ,god1 if a man  
suffers harshness1 being innocent4 #a   
,pet4 #b3ah f4  ,now there is the       
greatest complaint in the world about   
servants and working men1 that they are 
disobedient1 unfaithful1 unmannerly1 and
 over-reaching2 this is a plague sent of
 ,god4 ,and truly1 this is the one work 
of servants whereby they may be saved2  

truly they need not make pilgrimages or 
do this thing or the other2 they have   
enough to do if their heart is only set 
on this1 that they gladly do and leave  
undone what they know pleases their     
masters and mistresses1 and all this in 
a simple faith ,eph4 #f3e2 not that they
 would by their works gain much merit1  
but that they do it all in the          
confidence of divine favor ,col4 #c3bb  
7in which all merits are to be found71  
purely for nothing1 out of the love and 
good-will toward ,god which grows out of
 such confidence4 ,and all such works   
they should think of as an exercise and 
exhortation ever to strengthen their    
faith and confidence more and more4     
,for1 as has now been frequently said1  
this faith makes all works good1 yea1 it
 must do them and be the master-workman4
  ,sidenote3 ,duties of ,masters  ,,xix4
 ,on the other hand1 the masters and    
mistresses should not rule their        
servants1 maids and workingmen roughly1 
not look to all things too closely1     

occasionally overlook something1 and for
 peace' sake make allowances4 ,for it is
 not possible that everything be done   
perfectly at all times among any class  
of men1 as long as we live on earth in  
imperfection4 ,of this ,st4 ,paul says1 
,colossians iv1 ,masters1 do unto your  
servants that which is just and equal1  
knowing that ye also have a ,master in  
heaven4 ,col4 #d3a ,therefore as the    
masters do not wish ,god to deal too    
sharply with them1 but that many things 
be overlooked through grace1 they also  
should be so much the more gentle toward
 their servants1 and overlook some      
things1 and yet have a care that the    
servants do right and learn to fear     
,god4  ,but see now1 what good works a  
householder and a mistress can do1 how  
finely ,god offers us all good works so 
near at hand1 so manifold1 so           
continuously1 that we have no need of   
asking after good works1 and might well 
forget the other showy1 far-off1        
invented works of men1 such as making   

pilgrimages1 building churches1 seeking 
indulgence1 and the like4  ,sidenote3   
,husband and ,wife  ,here ,i ought      
naturally also to say how a wife ought  
to be obedient1 subject to her husband  
as to her superior1 give way to him1    
keep silent and give up to him1 where it
 is a matter not contrary to ,god's     
commands4 ,on the other hand1 the       
husband should love his wife1 overlook a
 little1 and not deal strictly with her1
 of which matter ,st4 ,peter #a ,pet4   
#c3f ff4 and ,st4 ,paul ,eph4 #e3bb ff41
 ,col4 #c3ah ff4 have said much4 ,but   
this has its place in the further       
explanation of the ,ten ,commandments1  
and is easily inferred from these       
passages4  ,sidenote3 ,summary  ,,xx4   
,but all that has been said of these    
works is included in these two1         
obedience and considerateness4#di       
,obedience is the duty of subjects1     
considerateness that of masters1 that   
they take care to rule their subjects   
well1 deal kindly with them1 and do     

everything whereby they may benefit and 
help them4 ,that is their way to heaven1
 and these are the best works they can  
do on earth2 with these they are more   
acceptable to ,god than if without these
 they did nothing but miracles4 ,so says
 ,st4 ,paul1 ,romans ii3 ,he that       
ruleth1 let him do it with diligence2   
,rom4 #ab3h as who should say3 ,let him 
not allow himself to be led astray by   
what other people or classes of people  
do2 let him not look to this work or to 
that1 whether it be splendid or obscure2
 but let him look to his own position1  
and think only how he may benefit those 
who are subject to him2 by this let him 
stand1 nor let himself be torn from it1 
although heaven stood open before him1  
nor be driven from it1 although hell    
were chasing him4 ,this is the right    
road that leads him to heaven4  ,oh1 if 
a man were so to regard himself and his 
position1 and attended to its duties    
alone1 how rich in good works would he  
be in a short time1 so quietly and      

secretly that no one would notice it    
except ,god alone6 ,but now we let all  
this go1 and one runs to the            
,carthusians1#ej another to this place1 
a third to that1 just as if good works  
and ,god's ,commandments had been thrown
 into corners and hidden2 although it is
 written in ,proverbs i1 that divine    
wisdom crieth out her commandments      
publicly in the streets1 in the midst of
 the people and in the gates of the     
cities2 ,prov4 #a3bj f4 which means that
 they are present in profusion in all   
places1 in all stations of life and at  
all times1 and we do not see hem1 but in
 our blindness look for them elsewhere4 
,this ,christ declared1 ,matthew xxiv3  
,if they shall say unto you3 ,lo1 here  
is ,christ1 or there1 believe it not4   
,if they shall say3 ,behold1 ,he is in  
the desert1 go not forth2 behold4 ,he is
 in the secret chambers1 believe it not2
 they are false prophets and false      
,christs4 ,matt4 #bd3bc-bf  ,,xxi4      
,again1 obedience is the duty of        

subjects1 that they direct all their    
diligence and effort to do and to leave 
undone what their over-lords desire of  
them1 that they do not allow themselves 
to be torn or driven from this1 whatever
 another do4 ,let no man think that he  
lives well or does good works1 whether  
it be prayer or fasting1 or by whatever 
name it may be called1 if he does not   
earnestly and diligently exercise       
himself in this4  ,sidenote3 ,the       
,limits of ,obedience  ,but if it should
 happen1 as it often does1 that the     
temporal power and authorities1 as they 
are called1 should urge a subject to do 
contrary to the ,commandments of ,god1  
or hinder him from doing them1 there    
obedience ends1 and that duty is        
annulled4 ,here a man must say as ,st4  
,peter says to the rulers of the ,jews3 
,we ought to obey ,god rather than men4 
,acts #e3bi ,he did not say3 ,we must   
not obey men2 for that would be wrong2  
but he said3 ,god rather than men4      
,thus1 if a prince desired to go to war1

 and his cause was manifestly           
unrighteous1 we should not follow nor   
help him at all2 since ,god has         
commanded that we shall not kill our    
neighbor1 nor do him injustice4         
,likewise1 if he bade us bear false     
witness1 steal1 lie or deceive and the  
like4 ,here we ought rather give up     
goods1 honor1 body1 and life1 that      
,god's ,commandments may stand4         
,sidenote3 ,the ,fifth ,commandment     
,the four preceding ,commandments have  
their works in the understanding1 that  
is1 they take a man captive1 rule him   
and make him subject1 so that he rule   
not himself1 approve not himself1 think 
not highly of himself2 but in humility  
know himself and allow himself to be    
led1 that pride be prevented4 ,the      
following ,commandments deal with the   
passions and lust of men1 that these    
also be killed4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,duty  
of ,meekness  ,sidenote3 ,false         
,meekness  ,i4 ,the passions of anger   
and revenge1 of which the ,fifth        

,commandment says1 ,thou shalt not kill4
 ,this ,commandment has one work1 which 
however includes many and dispels many  
vices1 and is called meekness4#ea ,now  
this is of two kinds4 ,the one has a    
beautiful splendor1 and there is nothing
 back of it4 ,this we practice toward   
our friends and those who do us good and
 give us pleasure with goods1 honor and 
favor1 or who do not offend us with     
words nor with deeds4 ,such meekness    
irrational animals have1 lions and      
snakes1 ,jews1 ,turks1 knaves1          
murderers1 bad women4 ,these are all    
content and gentle when men do what they
 want1 or let them alone2 and yet there 
are not a few who1 deceived by such     
worthless meekness1 cover over their    
anger and excuse it1 saying3 ,i would   
indeed not be angry1 if ,i were left    
alone4 ,certainly1 my good man1 so the  
evil spirit also would be meek if he had
 his own way4 ,dissatisfaction and      
resentment overwhelm you in order that  
they may show you how full of anger and 

wickedness you are1 that you may be     
admonished to strive after meekness and 
to drive out anger4  ,sidenote3 ,true   
,meekness  ,the second form of meekness 
is good through and through1 that which 
is shown toward opponents and enemies1  
does them no harm1 does not revenge     
itself1 does not curse nor revile1 does 
not speak evil of them1 does not        
meditate evil against them1 although    
they had taken away goods1 honor1 life1 
friends and everything4 ,nay1 where it  
is possible1 it returns good for evil1  
speaks well of them1 thinks well of     
them1 prays for them4 ,of this ,christ  
says1 in ,matthew v3 ,do good to them   
that despitefully use you4 ,pray for    
them that persecute you and revile you4 
,matt4 #e3dd ,and ,paul1 ,romans xii3   
,bless them which curse you1 and by no  
means curse them1 but do good to them4  
,rom4 #ab3ad f4  ,,ii4 ,behold how this 
precious1 excellent work has been lost  
among ,christians1 so that nothing now  
everywhere prevails except strife1 war1 

quarreling1 anger1 hatred1 envy1        
back-biting1 cursing1 slandering1       
injuring1 vengeance1 and all manner of  
angry works and words2 and yet1 with all
 this1 we have our many holidays1 hear  
masses1 say our prayers1 establish      
churches1 and more such spiritual       
finery1 which ,god has not commanded4   
,we shine resplendently and excessively1
 as if we were the most holy ,christians
 there ever were4 ,and so because of    
these mirrors and masks we allow ,god's 
,commandment to go to complete ruin1 and
 no one considers or examines himself1  
how near or how far he be from meekness 
and the fulfilment of this ,commandment2
 although ,god has said1 that not he who
 does such works1 but he who keeps his  
,commandments1 shall enter into eternal 
life4 ,john #ad3ae1 #ba2 #ae3aj         
,sidenote3 ,enemies an ,occasion for    
,good ,works  ,how1 since no one lives  
on earth upon whom ,god does not bestow 
an enemy and opponent as a proof of his 
own anger and wickedness1 that is1 one  

who afflicts him in goods1 honor1 body  
or friends1 and thereby tries whether   
anger is still present1 whether he can  
be well-disposed toward his enemy1 speak
 well of him1 do good to him1 and not   
intend any evil against him2 let him    
come forward who asks what he shall do  
that he may do good works1 please ,god  
and be saved4 ,let him set his enemy    
before him1 keep him constantly before  
the eyes of his heart1 as an exercise   
whereby he may curb his spirit and train
 his heart to think kindly of his enemy1
 wish him well1 care for him and pray   
for him2 and then1 when opportunity     
offers1 speak well of him and do good to
 him4 ,let him who will1 try this and if
 he find not enough to do all his life  
long1 he may convict me of lying1 and   
say that my contention was wrong4 ,but  
if this is what ,god desires1 and if ,he
 will be paid in no other coin1 of what 
avail is it1 that we busy ourselves with
 other great works which are not        
commanded1 and neglect this8 ,therefore 

,god says1 ,matthew v1 ,i say unto you1 
that whosoever is angry with his        
neighbor1 is in danger of the judgment2 
but whosoever shall say to his brother1 
,thou fool 7that is1 all manner of      
invective1 cursing1 reviling1           
slandering71 he shall be in danger of   
everlasting fire4 ,matt4 #e3bb ,what    
remains then for the outward act1       
striking1 wounding1 killing1 injuring1  
etc41 if the thoughts and words of anger
 are so severely condemned8  ,,iii4 ,but
 where there is true meekness1 there the
 heart is pained at every evil which    
happens to one's enemy4 ,and these are  
the true children and heirs of ,god and 
brethren of ,christ1 ,whose heart was so
 pained for us all when ,he died on the 
holy ,cross4 ,even so we see a pious    
judge passing sentence upon the criminal
 with sorrow1 and regretting the death  
which the law imposes4 ,here the act    
seems to be one of anger and harshness4 
,so thoroughly good is meekness that    
even in such works of anger it remains1 

nay1 it torments the heart most sorely  
when it must be angry and severe4       
,sidenote3 ,the ,limits of ,meekness    
,but here we must watch1 that we be not 
meek contrary to ,god's honor and       
,commandment4 ,for it is written of     
,moses that he was the very meekest man 
on earth1 and yet1 when the ,jews had   
worshiped the golden calf and provoked  
,god to anger ,sir4 #de3d1 he put many  
of them to death1 and thereby made      
atonement before ,god4 ,ex4 #cb3bh      
,likewise it is not fitting that the    
magistrates should be idle and allow sin
 to have sway1 and that we say nothing4 
,my own possessions1 my honor1 my       
injury1 ,i must not regard1 nor grow    
angry because of them2 but ,god's honor 
and ,commandment we must protect1 and   
injury or injustice to our neighbor we  
must prevent1 the magistrates with the  
sword1 the rest of us with reproof and  
rebuke1 yet always with pity for those  
who have merited the punishment4  ,this 
high1 noble1 sweet work can easily be   

learned1 if we perform it in faith1 and 
as an exercise of faith4 ,for if faith  
does not doubt the favor of ,god nor    
question that ,god is gracious1 it will 
become quite easy for a man to be       
gracious and favorable to his neighbor1 
however much he may have sinned2 for we 
have sinned much more against ,god4     
,behold1 a short ,commandment this1 but 
it presents a long1 mighty exercise of  
good works and of faith4  ,thou shalt   
not commit adultery4  ,sidenote3 ,the   
,sixth ,commandment3 ,the ,duty of      
,purity  ,in this ,commandment1 too a   
good work is commanded1 which includes  
much and drives away much vice2 it is   
called purity1 or chastity1 of which    
much is written and preached1 and it is 
well known to every one1 only that it is
 not as carefully observed and practised
 as other works which are not commanded4
 ,so ready are we to do what is not     
commanded and to leave undone what is   
commanded4 ,we see that the world is    
full of shameful works of unchastity1   

indecent words1 tales and ditties1      
temptation to which is daily increased  
through gluttony and drunkenness1       
idleness and frippery4 ,yet we go our   
way as if we were ,christians2 when we  
have been to church1 have said our      
little prayer1 have observed the fasts  
and feasts1 then we think our whole duty
 is done4  ,now1 if no other work were  
commanded but chastity alone1 we would  
all have enough to do with this one2 so 
perilous and raging a vice is           
unchastity4 ,it rages in all our        
members3 in the thoughts of our hearts1 
in the seeing of our eyes1 in the       
hearing of our ears1 in the words of our
 mouth1 in the works of our hands and   
feet and all our body4 ,to control all  
these requires labor and effort2 and    
thus the ,commandments of ,god teach us 
how great truly good works are1 nay1    
that it is impossible for us of our own 
strength to conceive a good work1 to say
 nothing of attempting or doing it4 ,st 
,augustine says1 that among all the     

conflicts of the ,christian the conflict
 of chastity is the hardest1 for the one
 reason alone1 that it continues daily  
without ceasing1 and chastity seldom    
prevails4 ,this all the saints have wept
 over and lamented1 as ,st4 ,paul does1 
,romans vii3 ,i find in me1 that is in  
my flesh1 no good thing4 ,rom4 #g3ah    
,sidenote3 ,helps ,against ,unchastity  
,,ii4 ,if this work of chastity is to be
 permanent1 it will drive to many other 
good works1 to fasting and temperance   
over against gluttony and drunkenness1  
to watching and early rising over       
against laziness and excessive sleep1 to
 work and labor over against idleness4  
,for gluttony1 drunkenness1 lying late  
abed1 loafing and being without work are
 weapons of unchastity1 with which      
chastity is quickly overcome4 ,rom4     
#ac3ab f4 ,on the other hand1 the holy  
,apostle ,paul calls fasting1 watching  
and labor godly weapons1 with which     
unchastity is mastered2 but1 as has been
 said above1 these exercises must do no 

more than overcome unchastity1 and not  
pervert nature4  ,above all this1 the   
strongest defence is prayer and the     
,word of ,god2 namely1 that when evil   
lust stirs1 a man flee to prayer1 call  
upon ,god's mercy and help1 read and    
meditate on the ,gospel1 and in it      
consider ,christ's sufferings4 ,thus    
says ,psalm cxxxvii3 ,happy shall he be1
 that taketh and dasheth the little ones
 of ,babylon against the rock1 ,ps4     
#acg3i that is1 if the heart runs to the
 ,lord ,christ with its evil thoughts   
while they are yet young and just       
beginning2 for ,christ is a ,rock1 on   
which they are ground to powder and come
 to naught4  ,see1 here each one will   
find enough to do with himself1 and more
 than enough1 and will be given many    
good works to do within himself4 ,but   
now no one uses prayer1 fasting1        
watching1 labor for this purpose1 but   
men stop in these works as if they were 
in themselves the whole purpose1        
although they should be arranged so as  

to fulfil the work of this ,commandment 
and purify us daily more and more4 ,some
 have also indicated more things which  
should be avoided1 such as soft beds and
 clothes1 that we should avoid excessive
 adornment1 and neither associate nor   
talk with members of the opposite sex1  
nor even look upon them1 and whatsoever 
else may be conducive to chastity4 ,in  
all these things no one can fix a       
definite rule and measure4 ,each one    
must watch himself and see what things  
are needful to him for chastity1 in what
 quantity and how long they help him to 
be chaste1 that he may thus choose and  
observe them for himself2 if he cannot  
do this1 let him for a time give himself
 up to be controlled by another1 who may
 hold him to such observance until he   
can learn to rule himself4 ,this was the
 purpose for which the monastic houses  
were established of old1 to teach young 
people discipline and purity4           
,sidenote3 ,faith as a ,help to         
,chastity  ,,iii4 ,in this work a good  

strong faith is a great help1 more      
noticeably so than in almost any other2 
so that for this reason also ,isaiah xi4
 says that faith is a girdle of the     
reins1 ,is4 #aa3e that is1 a guard of   
chastity4 ,for he who so lives that he  
looks to ,god for all grace1 takes      
pleasure in spiritual purity2 therefore 
he can so much more easily resist       
fleshly impurity3 and in such faith the 
spirit tells him of a certainty how he  
shall avoid evil thoughts and everything
 that is repugnant to chastity4 ,for as 
the faith in divine favor lives without 
ceasing and works in all works1 so it   
also does not cease its admonitions in  
all things that are pleasing to ,god or 
displease ,him2 as ,st4 ,john says in   
his ,epistle3 ,ye need not that any man 
teach you3 for the divine anointing1    
that is1 the ,spirit of ,god1 teacheth  
you of all things4 #a ,john #b3bg  ,yet 
we must not despair if we are not soon  
rid of the temptation1 nor by any means 
immune that we are free from it as long 

as we live1 and we must regard it only  
as an incentive and admonition to       
prayer1 fasting1 watching1 laboring1 and
 to other exercises for the quenching of
 the flesh1 especially to the practice  
and exercise of faith in ,god4 ,for that
 chastity is not precious which is at   
ease1 but that which is at war with     
unchastity1 and fights1 and without     
ceasing drives out all the poison with  
which the flesh and the evil spirit     
attack it4 ,thus ,st4 ,peter says1 ,i   
beseech you1 abstain from fleshly       
desires and lusts1 which war always     
against the soul4 #a ,pet4 #b3aa ,and   
,st ,paul1 ,romans vi1 ,ye shall not    
obey the body in its lusts4 ,rom4 #f3ab 
,in these and like passages it is shown 
that no one is without evil lust2 but   
that everyone shall and must daily fight
 against it4 ,but although this brings  
uneasiness and pain1 it is none the less
 a work that gives pleasure1 in which we
 shall have our comfort and             
satisfaction4 ,for they who think they  

make an end of temptation by yielding to
 it1 only set themselves on fire the    
more2 and although for a time it is     
quiet1 it comes again with more strength
 another time1 and finds the nature     
weaker than before4  ,thou shalt not    
steal4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,seventh        
,commandment3 ,the ,duty of ,benevolence
  ,this ,commandment also has a work1   
which embraces very many good works1 and
 is opposed to many vices1 and is called
 in ,german ,mildigkeit1 benevolence2   
which is a work ready to help and serve 
every one with one's goods4 ,and it     
fights not only against theft and       
robbery1 but against all stinting in    
temporal goods which men may practise   
toward one another3 such as greed1      
usury1 overcharging and plating wares   
that sell as solid1 counterfeit wares1  
short measures and weights1 and who     
could tell all the ready1 novel1 clever 
tricks1#eb which multiply daily in every
 trade1 by which every one seeks his own
 gain through the other's loss1 and     

forgets the rule which says2 ,what ye   
wish that others do to you1 that do ye  
also to them4 ,matt4 #g3ab ,if every one
 kept this rule before his eyes in his  
trade1 business1 and dealings with his  
neighbor1 he would readily find how he  
ought to buy and sell1 take and give1   
lend and give for nothing1 promise and  
keep his promise1 and the like4 ,and    
when we consider the world in its       
doings1 how greed controls all business1
 we would not only find enough to do1 if
 we would make an honorable living      
before ,god1 but also be overcome with  
dread and fear for this perilous1       
miserable life1 which is so exceedingly 
overburdened1 entangled and taken       
captive with cares of this temporal life
 and dishonest seeking of gain4         
,sidenote3 ,greed  ,,ii4 ,therefore the 
,wise ,man says not in vain3 ,happy is  
the rich man1 who is found without      
blemish1 who does not run after gold1   
and has not set his confidence in the   
treasures of money4 ,who is he8 ,we will

 praise him1 that he has done wondrous  
things in his life4 ,sir4 #ca3h f4 ,as  
if he would say2 ,none such is found1 or
 very few indeed4 ,yea1 they are very   
few who notice and recognise such lust  
for gold in themselves4 ,for greed has  
here a very beautiful1 fine cover for   
its shame1 which is called provision for
 the body and natural need1 under cover 
of which it accumulates wealth beyond   
all limits and is never satisfied2 so   
that he who would in this matter keep   
himself clean1 must truly1 as he says1  
do miracles or wondrous things in his   
life4  ,now see1 if a man wish not only 
to do good works1 but even miracles1    
which ,god may praise and be pleased    
with1 what need has he to look          
elsewhere8 ,let him take heed to        
himself1 and see to it that he run not  
after gold1 nor set his trust on money1 
but let the gold run after him1 and     
money wait on his favor1 and let him    
love none of these things nor set his   
heart on them2 then he is the true1     

generous1 wonder-working1 happy man1 as 
,job xxxi says3 ,i have never yet relied
 upon gold1 and never yet made gold my  
hope and confidence4 ,job #ca3bd ,and   
,psalm lxii3 ,if riches increase1 set   
not your heart upon them4 ,ps4 #fb3aj   
,so ,christ also teaches1 ,matthew vi1  
that we shall take no thought1 what we  
shall eat and drink and wherewithal we  
shall be clothed1 since ,god cares for  
this1 and knows that we have need of all
 these things4 ,matt4 #f3ca f4  ,but    
some say3 ,yes1 rely upon that1 take no 
thought1 and see whether a roasted      
chicken will fly into your mouth6 ,i do 
not say that a man shall not labor and  
seek a living2 but he shall not worry1  
not be greedy1 not despair1 thinking    
that he will not have enough2 for in    
,adam we are all condemned to labor1    
when ,god says to him1 ,genesis iii1 ,in
 the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat   
bread4 ,gen4 #c3ai ,and ,job v1 ,as the 
birds to flying1 so is man born into    
labor4 ,job #e3g ,vulgate ,now the birds

 fly without worry and greed1 and so we 
also should labor without worry and     
greed2 but if you do worry and are      
greedy1 wishing that the roasted chicken
 fly into your mouth3 worry and be      
greedy1 and see whether you will thereby
 fulfil ,god's ,commandment and be      
saved6  ,sidenote3 ,faith the ,source of
 ,benevolence  ,,iii4 ,this work faith  
teaches of itself4 ,for if the heart    
looks for divine favor and relies upon  
it1 how is it possible that a man should
 be greedy and worry8 ,he must be sure  
beyond a doubt that ,god cares for him2 
therefore he does not cling to money2 he
 uses it also with cheerful liberality  
for the benefit of his neighbor1 and    
knows well that he will have enough1    
however much he may give away4 ,for his 
,god1 ,whom he trusts1 will not lie to  
him nor forsake1 him1 as it is written1 
,psalm xxxvii3 ,i have been young1 and  
now am old2 never have ,i seen a        
believing man1 who trusts ,god1 that is 
a righteous man1 forsaken1 or his child 

begging bread4 ,ps4 #cg3be ,therefore   
the ,apostle calls no other sin idolatry
 except covetousness ,col4 #c3e1 because
 this sin shows most plainly that it    
does not trust ,god for anything1       
expects more good from its money than   
from ,god2 and1 as has been said1 it is 
by such confidence that ,god is truly   
honored or dishonored4  ,and1 indeed1 in
 this ,commandment it can be dearly seen
 how all good works must be done in     
faith2 for here every one most surely   
feels that the cause of covetousness is 
distrust and the cause of liberality is 
faith4 ,for because a man trusts ,god1  
he is generous and does not doubt that  
he will always have enough2 on the other
 hand1 a man is covetous and worries    
because he does not trust ,god4 ,now1 as
 in this ,commandment faith is the      
master-workman and the doer of the good 
work of liberality1 so it is also in all
 the other ,commandments1 and without   
such faith liberality is of no worth1   
but rather a careless squandering of    

money4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,test of        
,liberality  ,,iv4 ,by this we are also 
to know that this liberality shall      
extend even to enemies and opponents4   
,for what manner of good deed is that1  
if we are liberal only to our friends8  
,as ,christ teaches1 ,luke vi1 even a   
wicked man does that to another who is  
his friend4 ,luke #f3cb f4 ,besides1 the
 brute beasts also do good and are      
generous to their kind4 ,therefore a    
,christian must rise higher1 let his    
liberality serve also the undeserving1  
evil-doers1 enemies1 and the ungrateful1
 even as his heavenly ,father makes ,his
 sun to rise on good and evil1 and the  
rain to fall on the grateful and        
ungrateful4 ,matt4 #e3de  ,but here it  
will be found how hard it is to do good 
works according to ,god's ,commandment1 
how nature squirms1 twists and writhes  
in its exposition to it1 although it    
does the good works of its own choice   
easily and gladly4 ,therefore take your 
enemies1 the ungrateful1 and do good to 

them2 then you will find how near you   
are to this ,commandment or how far from
 it1 and how all your life you will     
always have to do with the practice of  
this work4 ,for if your enemy needs you 
and you do not help him when you can1 it
 is just the same as if you had stolen  
what belonged to him1 for you owed it to
 him to help him4 ,so says ,st4         
,ambrose1 ,feed the hungry2 if you do   
not feed him1 you have1 as far as you   
are concerned1 slain him4 ,and in this  
,commandment are included the works of  
mercy1 which ,christ will require at    
men's hands at the last day4 ,matt4     
#be3ce f4  ,but the magistrates and     
cities ought to see to it that the      
vagabonds1 pilgrims and mendicants from 
foreign lands be debarred1 or at least  
allowed only under restrictions and     
rules1 so that knaves be not permitted  
to run at large under the guise of      
mendicants1 and their knavery1 of which 
there now is much1 be prohibited2 ,i    
have spoken at greater length of this   

,commandment in the ,treatise on        
,usury4#ec  ,thou shall not bear false  
witness against thy neighbor4           
,sidenote3 ,the ,eight ,commandment3    
,the ,duty of ,truthfulness  ,sidenote3 
,in ,worldly ,matters  ,this            
,commandment seems small1 and yet is so 
great1 that he who would rightly keep it
 must risk and imperil life and limb1   
goods and honor1 friends and all that he
 has2 and yet it includes no more than  
the work of that small member1 the      
tongue1 and is called in ,german        
,wahrheit sagen1 telling the truth and1 
where there is need1 gainsaying lies2 so
 that it forbids many evil works of the 
tongue4 ,first3 those which are         
committed by speaking1 and those which  
are committed by keeping silent4 ,by    
speaking1 when a man has an unjust      
law-suit1 and wants to prove and        
maintain his case by a false argument1  
catch his neighbor with subtilty1       
produce everything that strengthens and 
furthers his own cause1 and withhold and

 discount everything that further his   
neighbor's good cause2 in doing which he
 does not do to his neighbor as he would
 have his neighbor do to him4 ,matt4    
#g3ab ,this some men do for the sake of 
gain1 some to avoid loss or shame1      
thereby seeking their own advantage more
 than ,god's ,commandment1 and excuse   
themselves by saying3 ,vigilanti jura   
subveniunt1 the law helps him who       
watches2 just as if it were not as much 
their duty to watch for their neighbor's
 cause as for their own4 ,thus they     
intentionally allow their neighbor's    
cause to be lost1 although they know    
that it is just4 ,this evil is at       
present so common that ,i fear no court 
is held and no suit tried but that one  
side sins against this ,commandment4    
,and even when they cannot accomplish   
it1 they yet have the unrighteous spirit
 and will1 so that they would wish the  
neighbor's just cause to be lost and    
their unjust cause to prosper4 ,this sin
 is most frequent when the opponent is a

 prominent man or an enemy4 ,for a man  
wants to revenge himself on his enemy3  
but the ill will of a man of prominence 
he does not wish to bring upon himself2 
and then begins the flattering and      
fawning1 or1 on the other hand1 the     
withholding of the truth4 ,here no one  
is willing to run the risk of disfavor  
and displeasure1 loss and danger for the
 truth's sake2 and so ,god's            
,commandment must perish4 ,and this is  
almost universally the way of the world4
 ,he who would keep this ,commandment1  
would have both hands full doing only   
those good works which concern the      
tongue4 ,and then1 how many are there   
who allow themselves to be fenced and   
swerved aside from the truth by presents
 and gifts6 so that in all places it is 
truly a high1 great1 rare work1 not to  
be a false witness against one's        
neighbor4  ,sidenote3 ,in ,spiritual    
,matters  ,,ii4 ,there is a second      
bearing of witness to the truth1 which  
is still greater1 with which we must    

fight against the evil spirits2 and this
 concerns not temporal matters1 but the 
,gospel and the truth of faith1 which   
the evil spirit has at no time been able
 to endure1 and always so manages that  
the great among men1 whom it is hard to 
resist1 must oppose and persecute it4   
,of which it is written in ,psalm       
lxxxii1 ,rid the poor out of the hand of
 the wicked1 and help the forsaken to   
maintain his just cause4 ,ps4 #hb3c f4  
,such persecution1 it is true1 has now  
become infrequent2 but that is the fault
 of the spiritual prelates1 who do not  
stir up the ,gospel1 but let it perish1 
and so have abandoned the very thing    
because of which such witnessing and    
persecution should arise2 and in its    
place they teach us their own law and   
what pleases them4 ,for this reason the 
devil also does not stir1 since by      
vanquishing the ,gospel he has also     
vanquished faith in ,christ1 and        
everything goes as he wishes4 ,but if   
the ,gospel should be stirred up and be 

heard again1 without doubt the whole    
world would be aroused and moved1 and   
the greater portion of the kings1       
princes1 bishops1 doctors and clergy1   
and all that is great1 would oppose it  
and rage against it1 as has always      
happened when the ,word of ,god has come
 to light2 for the world cannot endure  
what comes from ,god4 ,this is proved in
 ,christ1 ,who was and is the very      
greatest and most precious and best of  
all that ,god has2 yet the world not    
only did not receive ,him1 but          
persecuted ,him more cruelly than all   
others who had ever come forth from     
,god4  ,therefore1 as at that time1 so  
at all times there are few who stand by 
the divine truth1 and imperil and risk  
life and limb1 goods and honor1 and all 
that they have1 as ,christ has foretold3
 ,ye shall be hated of all men for ,my  
,name's sake4 ,matt4 #ad3i f4 ,and3     
,many of them shall be offended in ,me4 
,yea1 if this truth were attacked by    
peasants1 herdsmen1 stable-boys and men 

of no standing1 who would not be willing
 and able to confess it and to bear     
witness to it8 ,but when the pope1 and  
the bishops1 together with princes and  
kings attack it1 all men flee1 keep     
silent1 dissemble1 in order that they   
may not lose goods1 honor1 favor and    
life4  ,sidenote3 ,witnessing to the    
,truth ,demands ,faith  ,,iii4 ,why do  
they do this8 ,because they have no     
faith in ,god1 and expect nothing good  
from ,him4 ,for where such faith and    
confidence are1 there is also a bold1   
defiant1 fearless heart1 that ventures  
and stands by the truth1 though it cost 
life or cloak1 though it be against pope
 or kings2 as we see that the martyrs   
did4 ,for such a heart is satisfied and 
rests easy because it has a gracious1   
loving ,god4 ,therefore it despises all 
the favor1 grace1 goods and honor of    
men1 lets them come and go as they      
please2 as is written in ,psalm xv3 ,he 
contemneth them that contemn ,god1 and  
honoreth them that fear the ,lord ,ps4  

#ae3d2 that is1 the tyrants1 the mighty1
 who persecute the truth and despise    
,god1 he does not fear1 he does not     
regard them1 he despiseth them2 on the  
other band1 those who are persecuted for
 the truth's sake1 and fear ,god more   
than men1 to these he clings1 these he  
defends1 these he honors1 let it vex    
whom it may2 as it is written of ,moses1
 ,hebrews xi1 that he stood by his      
brethren1 regardless of the mighty king 
of ,egypt4 ,heb4 #aa3bd ff4  ,lo1 in    
this ,commandment again you see briefly 
that faith must be the master-workman in
 this work also1 so that without it no  
one has courage to do this work3 so1    
entirely are all works comprised in     
faith1 has has now been often said4     
,therefore1 apart from faith all works1 
are dead1 however good the form and name
 they bear4 ,for as no one does the work
 of this ,commandment except he be firm 
and fearless in the confidence of divine
 favor3 so also he does no work of any  
other ,commandment without the same     

faith3 thus every one may easily by this
 ,commandment test and weigh himself    
whether he be a ,christian and truly    
believe in ,christ1 and thus whether he 
is doing good works or no4 ,now we see  
how the ,almighty ,god has not only set 
our ,lord ,jesus ,christ before us that 
we should believe in ,him with such     
confidence1 but also holds before us in 
,him an example of this same confidence 
and of such good works1 to the end that 
we should believe in ,him1 follow ,him  
and abide in ,him forever2 as ,he says1 
,john xiv3 ,i am the ,way1 the ,truth   
and the life1 ,john #ad3f--the ,way1 in 
which we follow ,him2 the ,truth1 that  
we believe in ,him2 the life1 that we   
live in ,him forever4  ,from all this it
 is now manifest that all other works1  
which are not commanded1 are perilous   
and easily known3 such as building      
churches1 beautifying them1 making      
pilgrimages1 and all that is written at 
so great length in the ,canon ,law and  
has misled and burdened the world and   

ruined it1 made uneasy consciences1     
silenced and weakened faith1 and has not
 said how a man1 although he neglect all
 else1 has enough to do with all his    
powers to keep the ,commandments of     
,god1 and can never do all the good     
works which he is commanded to do2 why  
then does he seek others1 which are     
neither necessary not commanded1 and    
neglect those that are necessary and    
commanded8  ,sidenote3 ,the ,ninth and  
,tenth ,commandments  ,the last two     
,commandments1 which forbid evil desires
 of the body for pleasure and for       
temporal goods1 are clear in themselves2
 these evil desires do no harm to our   
neighbor1 and yet they continue unto the
 grave1 and the strife in us against    
them endures unto death2 therefore these
 two ,commandments are drawn together by
 ,st4 ,paul into one1 ,romans vii1 and  
are set as a goal unto which we do not  
attain1 and only in our thoughts reach  
after until death4 ,for no one has ever 
been so holy that he felt in himself no 

evil inclination1 especially when       
occasion and temptation were offered4   
,rom4 #g3g ,for original sin is born in 
us by nature and may be checked1 but not
 entirely uprooted1 except through the  
death of the body2 which for this reason
 is profitable and a thing to be        
desired4#ed ,to this may ,god help us4  
,amen4  ,,footnotes  #a ,col4 #c3ag4    
,see above p4 #be1 note #a4  #b ,the    
,tessaradecas consolatoria1 printed in  
the present volume1 pp4 #aji-aga4  #c   
,sexternlein4  #d ,questions debated in 
the schools4  #e ,here the ,faith means 
the ,creed1 as a statement of faith4  #f
 ,i4e41 ,in faith4  #g ,a quality1 state
 or condition1 independent of works4  #h
 ,st4 ,jacob di ,compostella1 a place in
 ,spain1 where the ,apostle ,james1 the 
son of ,zebedee1 who was killed in      
,jerusalem 7,acts #ab3b71 is in ,spanish
 tradition said to have died a martyr's 
death2 since the ,ninth ,century a noted
 and much frequented goal of            
pilgrimages4 ,the name ,compostella is a

 corruption of ,giacomo ,postolo1 that  
is ,james the ,apostle4  #i ,st4        
,bridget of ,ireland1 who died in #ebc1 
was considered a second ,virgin ,mary1  
the ,mary of the ,irish4 ,perhaps here  
confused with another ,bridget1 or      
,brigita1 who died #acgc1 a ,scottish   
saint1 who wrote several prayers1       
printed for the first time in #adib and 
translated into almost all ,european    
languages4  #aj ,i4e41 by us men4  #aa  
,this translation indicates the         
imperfection of the ,german form of     
,bible quotation throughout this        
treatise4  #ab ,page #aij4  #ac ,page   
#aij4  #ad ,a ,jarmarkt2 the reference  
here being to the bargaining common at  
such fairs4  #ae ,the theme developed in
 the treatise ,de ,libertate1 #aebj4    
#af ,page #aij4  #ag ,a gold coin1 the  
value of which is very uncertain4 ,it   
was an adaptation of the florin1 which  
was first coined in ,florence in the    
year #abeb1 and was worth about #b4ej4  
,of the value of the gold gulden of     

,luther's time various estimates are    
given4 ,schaff1 ,church ,history1 #c    
vi41 p4 #dgj1 calls it a guilder and    
says it was equal to about #d4jj of the 
present day4 ,preserved ,smith1 ,life of
 ,luther1 p4 #cfg1 fixes its intrinsic  
value at about fifty cents1 but believes
 its purchasing power was almost twenty 
times as great4 ,to us a gold piece     
worth fifty cents seems almost          
impossible2 but the ,new ,english       
,dictionary quotes1 under the year      
#afaa3 ,florin or ,franc3 an ancient    
coin of gold in ,france1 worth ij s4    
sterling4 ,as the gold coins of those   
times were not made of pure gold1 rarely
 #ag carats fine1 the possibility may be
 granted4 ,but in #afag1 the ,dictionary
 quotes ,the ,gold ,rehnish ,guldens of 
,germany are almost of the same standard
 as the ,crowne ,gold of ,england1 and  
the ,crown was worth at the time #fs4 #c
 #a_/b d4--somewhat more than #a4ej4    
,the later silver gulden1 worth about   
forty cents was current in ,europe until

 modern times1 and a gulden1 worth #dh  
#a_/b cents1 was1 until recently1 a     
standard coin in ,austro-,hungary4  #ah 
,grosse ,hansen4  #ai ,men who exercised
 a delegated authority and acted as the 
representatives of pope and bishop in   
matters of church law4  #bj ,see        
especially the ,address to the          
,christian ,nobility and the ,babylonian
 ,captivity4  #ba ,on the number of the 
sections see the ,introduction1 p4 #agh4
  #bb ,here1 as also in his ,catechism1 
,luther departs from the ,old ,testament
 form of the ,third ,commandment4 ,his  
restatement of it is extremely difficult
 to put into ,english1 because of the   
various meanings of the word ,feiertag4 
,it may mean day of rest1 or holiday1 or
 holy day4 ,by the use of this word     
,luther avoids the difficulty of first  
retaining the ,jewish ,sabbath in the   
,commandment and then rejecting it in   
favor of the ,christian ,sunday in the  
explanation4  #bc ,gottesdienst4  #bd ,a
 reference to the ,requiem ,mass1 sung  

both at the burial of the dead1 and on  
the anniversary of the day of death4    
,the word translated memorial1          
,begngniss1 is literally1 a burial      
service4  #be ,see also the ,treatise on
 the ,new ,testament1 elsewhere in this 
volume4  #bf ,the sermons were          
frequently either scholastic arguments  
or popular1 often comic tirades against 
current immorality2 the materials were  
taken from the stories of the saints as 
much as from the ,bible4  #bg ,lived    
#ajia-aaec4 ,founder of the ,cistercian 
monastery at ,clairvaux1 of whom ,luther
 says3 ,if there ever lived on earth a  
,god-fearing and holy monk1 it was      
,saint ,bernard1 of ,clairvaux4 ,erl4   
,ed41 #cf1 #h4  #bh ,cf4 ,discussion of 
,confession1 above1 p4 #ha f4  #bi ,the 
prayer-book and the rosary4 ,the        
,breviary1 a collection of prayers1 was 
used by the clergy2 the ,rosary1 the    
beads of which represent prayers1 the   
smaller and more numerous ,ave ,marias1 
the larger of the ,lord's ,prayer1      

,paternoster1 was the layman's prayer   
book4  #cj ,cf4 ,introduction to ,the   
,fourteen of ,consolation1 p4 #ajf4  #ca
 ,see note1 p4 #aia4  #cb ,the ,german1 
,oelgtzen1 means the wooden images of   
saints1 which were painted with oil     
paints4 ,it was transferred to any dull 
person1 block-head1 sometimes also to   
priests1 who were anointed with oil at  
their consecration4  #cc ,sinnlichkeit4 
#cd ,st4 ,barbara1 a legendary saint1   
whose day falls on ,december #d1 was    
thought to protect against storm and    
fire4 ,see above1 p4 #bcg4 ,st4         
,sebastian1 a martyr of the third       
century1 whose day falls on ,january    
#bj1 was supposed to ward off the       
plague4  #ce ,cf4 ,the ,fourteen of     
,consolation1 above1 p4 #afb4  #cf ,page
 #aid f4  #cg ,i4 e41 by fear without   
love4  #ch ,the patron saint of music1  
of whose life and martyrdom little that 
is definite is known4  #ci              
,canonisations1 giving a dead man the   
rank of a saint1 who may be or shall be 

worshiped4  #dj ,i4e41 faith4  #da ,cf4 
the similar statements in the ,sermon   
vom ,wucher 7,weimar ,ed41 ,,vi1 #ei7   
and in the ,address to the ,christian   
,nobility 7ibid41 #dch74  #db ,a name   
for the dependents of the papal court at
 ,rome4  #dc ,at ,constance1 #adad-addc2
 at ,rome1 the ,lateran council1        
#aeab-aeag4  #dd ,or1 ,who is said to   
rule the councils4  #de ,this program of
 reform is further elaborated in the    
,address to the ,christian ,nobility4   
#df ,augustus ,caesar1 first ,roman     
,emperor 7,b4,c4 #fc-;,a4,d4 #ad71 the  
,caesar ,augustus of ,luke #b3a4  #dg   
,the purchase of a rent-charge 7rent1   
census1 ,zins7 was one of the methods of
 investing money frequently resorted to 
during the later middle ages4 ,from the 
transfer from one person to another of  
the right to receive a rent already due 
the step was but a short one to the     
creation of an altogether new           
rent-charge1 for the express purpose of 
raising money by the sale of it444,the  

practice seems to have arisen           
spontaneously1 and to have been by no   
means a mere evasion of the prohibition 
of usury4 ,dictionary of ,political     
,economy1 ed4 by ,r4 ,h4 ,inglish       
,palgrave1 vol4 ii4 ,cf4 ,ashley1       
,economic ,history1 vol4 i1 p4t4 ii1    
#ff1 #gd1 #ge4 ,for a fuller discussion 
of the subject by ,luther1 see the      
,sermon vom ,wucher 7,weimar ,ed41 ,,vi1
 #ea-fj74  #dh ,see note above1 p4 #bbj4
  #di ,sorgfitigkeit1 ,luther's         
translation of the ,vulgate solicitndo  
in ,rom4 #ab3h1 where our ,english      
,version reads diligence4 ,the word as  
,luther uses it includes the two kinds  
of carefulness and considerateness4  #ej
 ,a most strict monastic order2 the     
phrase here is equivalent to becomes a  
monk4  #ea ,sanftmthlgkeit4  #eb ,luther
 discusses these tricks in detail in his
 ,sermon von ,kaufhandlung und ,wucher  
7#aebd7 ,weimar ,ed41 ,,xv1 pp4 #bgi ff4
  #ec ,sermon von dem ,wucher1 ,weimar  
,ed41 ,,vi1 #cf ff4 ,cf4 also ,address  

to the ,german ,nobility4  #ed ,cf4 ,the
 ,fourteen of ,consolation above1 p4    
#adi4   ,a ,,treatise ,,on ,,the ,,new  
,,testament  ,,that ,,is ,,the ,,holy   
,,mass  #aebj   ,,introduction  ,the    
,treatise on the ,new ,testament1 that  
is1 on the ,holy ,mass1 was published in
 the year #aebja ,in the beginning of   
,august of that year1 ,luther's ,address
 to the ,christian ,nobility of the     
,german ,nation had appeared1 in which  
he had touched upon the subject of the  
mass1#b but refused to express himself  
fully at that time1 promising to take up
 this question later1 a promise which he
 had already made in his ,treatise on   
,good ,works1 of ,may1 #aebj4c ,he must 
have begun the preparation of this      
,treatise on the ,new ,testament while  
the ,address to the ,christian ,nobility
 was still in press1 because on ,aug4 #c
 it was already finished and ready for  
publication4#d ,the treatise1 therefore1
 takes its place between ,luther's two  
famous writings1 the ,address to the    

,christian ,nobility and the ,babylonian
 ,captivity of the ,church1 which       
appeared in ,oct1 #aebj4 ,its tone is   
remarkably quiet1 and its aim           
predominantly constructive4 ,it is one  
of those devotional tracts which ,luther
 issued from time to time between his   
larger publications1 and which appear   
like roses among the thorns of his      
polemical writings4  ,the doctrine of   
the ,lord's ,supper was one of the most 
corrupt doctrines of the ,roman ,church1
 and it was1 therefore1 but natural that
 ,luther should have written extensively
 on this subject1 even at the beginning 
of the work of reformation4 ,from this  
period1 when the opposition of the      
,sacramentarians#e to the doctrine of   
the ,real ,presence had not yet arisen  
we have four writings of ,luther in     
which he makes this sacrament a subject 
of special discussion4 ,these are 7#a7  
his mild-toned ,sermon von dem          
hochwrdigen ,sacrament1 etc41 of #aeai2 
7#b7 the present ,sermon von dem neuen  

,testament1 etc41 of ,aug41 #aebj2 7#c7 
the ,babylonian ,captivity of the       
,church1 of ,oct41 #aebj2 7#d7 the      
strongly polemical tract ,on the ,abuse 
of the ,mass1 #aebb4f ,we shall have    
occasion to refer to some interesting   
points of comparison among these works4 
,this treatise is divided into sections1
 ending with number #dj1 but section #cb
 is omitted1 so that there are only #ci 
in all4 ,section #a contains the        
introduction1 section #dj the           
conclusion4 ,sections #b-ae are the     
positive1 constructive part of the      
treatise1 dealing with the question4    
,what is the ,lord's ,supper8 ,in       
sections #af-cd the sacrificial theory  
of the ,roman ,church is rejected2      
sections #ce-ca discuss 7#a7 in how far 
we may speak of making an offering in   
the sacrament1 and 7#b7 what follows for
 the conception of a true priesthood in 
the ,church1 viz41 the priesthood of all
 believers4 ,sections #cc-ci deal1 among
 other things1 with the abuses to which 

an unscriptural conception of the       
,lord's ,supper has led4 ,of special    
interest is section #ab1 in which       
,luther gives a summary of all that     
enters into the ,sacrament of the       
,altar4  ,knowing1 as we do1 that       
,luther developed his doctrine of the   
,lord's ,supper gradually#g and under   
stress of much opposition from all      
sides1 it is interesting for us to note 
the stage of that development which this
 treatise represents4 ,we may1          
therefore1 inquire how he stood at this 
time on the question of the ,real       
,presence4 ,this question is answered   
under the fourth point of section #ab4  
,the true presence of the body and blood
 cannot be more clearly admitted than is
 done in sections #aa and #ab of this   
treatise4 ,we can safely say that there 
never was a time when ,luther was       
uncertain on this point4 ,the point of  
view from which he discusses the        
significance of the sacrament in the    
,sermon von dem hochwrdigen ,sacrament  

7#aeai7 has sometimes been cited to the 
contrary1 but even in this ,sermon1 with
 its emphasis upon the spiritual body of
 ,christ1 of which even those may be    
partakers whom the pope might exclude   
from the external communion1 he speaks  
of the bread and wine as being changed  
into the ,lord's true1 natural flesh and
 into ,his natural1 true blood1 #h which
 shows that ,luther at that time1 nine  
months before the appearance of this    
,treatise on the ,new ,testament1 still 
held even to the conception of          
transubstantiation4 ,he cannot1         
therefore1 have had doubts about the    
,real ,presence4  ,in view1 however1 of 
the rapid development of ,luther's      
doctrinal conceptions1 we might further 
ask3 ,did ,luther still retain his      
belief in transubstantiation at the time
 when he wrote the ,treatise on the ,new
 ,testament8 ,at the beginning of       
,october in this same year1 in his      
,babylonian ,captivity1 ,luther comes   
out for the first time with an attack on

 this ,roman doctrine4 ,he regards it as
 a mere human opinion1 which one may    
accept or not accept1 and clearly       
inclines to the belief that after       
consecration not only the form          
7,gestalt2 species71 but also the       
substance of bread and wine is still    
present4#i ,in the ,sermon von dem      
hochwrdigen ,sacrament he spoke of the  
shape and form of the bread2 in the     
present treatise he chooses the         
expression3 ,his own true flesh and     
blood under the bread and wine 7sec4    
#ab74 ,this would soon to indicate that 
in this writing he already holds the    
opinion which he soon afterward         
expressed in the ,babylonian ,captivity4
 ,but while he believed in the real     
presence of ,christ's own true flesh and
 blood1 this body of ,christ he         
regards--at this time1 when he has not  
yet had to meet the spiritualistic      
interpretation of the                   
,sacramentarians--as a sign only1 a     
thing signifying the blessing of the    

sacrament1 which is forgiveness of sins 
and life eternal 7sec #aj74 ,exactly the
 same view is expressed in the ,sermon  
of #aeaiaj4 ,luther does not yet speak  
of 'any value which this body1          
sacramentally imparted1 is supposed to  
have in and of itself4' #aa  ,the       
question next arises3 ,how does the     
recipient of the sign 7body and blood   
under bread and wine7 become partaker of
 that which is thereby signified8 ,it is
 through faith1 as the receiving organ  
7sec4 #ac74 ,so1 too1 in the ,sermon of 
#aeai1 where it is called the third part
 of the sacrament1 in which the power   
lies 7wo die ,macht anliegt74 ,at a     
later time ,luther found it necessary to
 emphasize the fact that it is not      
through the faith of the recipient that 
the sacrament gains its power and       
efficacy1 since this attaches to it     
simply by virtue of the ,word#ab2 but   
that faith is the receiving organ for   
the blessing of the sacrament is a      
conviction which he never gave up4  ,the

 object of faith is the ,gospel1 i4 e41 
the promise of the forgiveness of sins  
contained in the ,words of ,institution1
 which are a testament1 a new and       
eternal testament 7secs4 #e-aj74 ,hence 
the title of the work1 ,treatise on the 
,new ,testament4 ,while the ,sermon of  
#aeai speaks of the ,gospel only in     
general1 we have here a special emphasis
 on the words of institution as         
embracing in a short summary the whole  
,gospel 7sec4 #cc74 ,the words of       
institution are still further emphasized
 and interpreted in the work ,on ,abuse 
of the ,mass1 of #aebb4 ,because of the 
importance of the ,word in the          
sacrament1 ,luther declares that the    
words of institution should be spoken   
aloud1 not whispered1 as was and is done
 in the ,roman churches1 and in a       
language which is understood by the     
people 7sec4 #af74  ,an especially      
striking feature of this treatise is the
 repeated assertion that faith1 which   
leans on the ,word1 and is the principal

 part of the mass1 does not absolutely  
need the sacrament4 ,i can daily enjoy  
the sacrament in the mass if only ,i    
keep before my eyes the testament1 that 
is1 the words and covenant of ,christ1  
and feed and strengthen my faith thereby
 7sec4 #ag7 #ac4 ,he quotes ,augustine3 
,only believe1 so hast thou already     
partaken of the sacrament4 ,in          
interpreting this passage we must       
remember that ,luther was writing at a  
time when he was daily expecting to hear
 that the pope had excommunicated him   
from the ,church4 ,his comfort was that 
he and his followers could not be       
excluded by papal dictum from the       
communion of true believers and saints1 
nor deprived of the spiritual feeding   
upon the true spiritual body of ,christ4
  ,in this treatise ,luther also attacks
 for the first time the ,roman doctrine 
of the mass as a bloodless repetition of
 the sacrifice once made on ,calvary--a 
theory which forgets that the mass is a 
testament and a sacrament1 in which ,god

 promises and gives something to us1 not
 we to ,him 7sec4 #ai74 ,in much        
stronger language1 and quoting          
,scripture more extensively1 ,luther    
exposes and rejects this error1 so      
fundamental to the ,roman system1 in his
 work of #aebb1 ,on the ,abuse of the   
,mass4 ,in the ,babylonian ,captivity he
 remarks1 ,when ,i published my ,sermon 
of the ,supper1#ad ,i was still caught  
in the prevailing conception1 and was   
indifferent whether the pope was right  
or not4 #ae ,in this treatise1 then1 we 
have the first clear statement of the   
reformer on this subject4  ,it shows1   
however1 the beautifully conservative   
character of ,luther that even here1    
where he is compelled to reject the     
,roman sacrificial theory1 we see him   
laboring to detect at least an element  
of scriptural truth in the refuted      
doctrine4 ,he says 7secs4 #bf1 #bg7 that
 in the ,supper we use ,christ as our   
,sacrifice and ,mediator1 by bringing   
our prayer and thanksgiving to the      

,father through ,him4 ,and this         
furnishes the basis on which he builds  
the evangelical doctrine of the         
priesthood of all believers 7sec4 #bh72 
alle ,christenmnner ,pfaffen1 alle      
,weiber ,pfaffinnen1 es sei jung oder   
alt1 etc4 ,this is still more strongly  
emphasized in the ,abuse of the ,mass of
 #aebb4  ,two more points need to be    
mentioned1--the withholding of the cup  
from the laity and the number of the    
sacraments4 ,in the ,sermon of #aeai    
,luther attaches little importance to   
the communion in both kinds1 though he  
thinks it would be well for the ,church 
in a ,general ,council to restore the   
two elements to all ,christians4 ,but in
 this treatise of #aebj he is already   
beginning to use stronger language4 ,he 
would like to know who gave the power to
 withhold the cup 7sec4 #cd74 ,in the   
,babylonian ,captivity and in the ,abuse
 of the ,mass he unsparingly condemns   
the ,roman practice4 ,on the number of  
the sacraments1 ,luther seems not yet to

 have been entirely in the clear when he
 wrote this work4 ,in ,section #bd he   
mentions1 besides baptism and the       
,lord's ,supper1 confirmation1 penance1 
extreme unction1 etc4 ,in the           
,babylonian ,captivity he definitely    
reduces the seven sacraments of the     
,roman ,church to baptism1 the ,lord's  
,supper and penance1 but he had his     
doubts on this point before he wrote    
this present work1 as we may conclude   
from a remark in the ,sermon of #aeai1  
in which he distinguishes baptism and   
the bread as the two principal          
sacraments1 and also from a letter to   
,spalatin1#af in which he writes that no
 one need expect from him a publication 
on the other sacraments until he shall  
first have been taught by what passage  
of ,scripture he may justify them4#ag   
,in conclusion1 it may be said that this
 whole ,treatise on the ,new ,testament 
is a beautiful illustration of the      
constructive power of ,luther's work4   
,in the work of tearing down he proceeds

 with the greatest care1 ever mindful of
 his duty to replace the old with       
something new which can stand the test  
of ,scripture4      ,j4 ,l4 ,,neve4     
,wittenberg ,theological ,seminary1     
,springfield1 ,o4   ,,footnotes  #a ,as 
the earliest prints1 the following may  
be mentioned3 7#a7 ,by ,joh4            
,gruenenberg in ,wittenberg1 #aaebj 7the
 basis of the ,weimar text72 7#b7 by the
 same publisher1 #aebj2 7#c7 by         
,melchior ,lotther in ,wittenberg1      
#aebj2 7#d7 by ,silanus ,ottmar in      
,wittenberg1 ,aug4 #bast1 #aebj 7this is
 the text of the ,erlangen ,edition72   
7#e7 a ,wittenberg print with no mention
 of the publisher1 but otherwise        
identical in appearance with ,no4 #d2   
7#f7 by ,fridrichen ,peypus at ,nrnberg1
 #aebj2 7#g7 a ,wittenberg print1 #aebj1
 with no mention of the publisher2 7#h7 
by ,adam ,petri in ,basel1 #aebj2 7#i7 a
 ,wittenberg edition of #aebj1 revised  
by ,luther 7anderweit gecorigiert durch 
,d4 ,mart4 ,luther72 this edition in    

octavo1 all the preceding in quarto4    
,the text of this treatise in the       
following collections of ,luther's      
works1 ,wittenberg1 ,,vii1 #be ff42     
,jena1 ,i1 #cbi ff42 ,altenburg1 ,i1    
#ead ff42 ,leipzig1 ,,xvii #dij ff42    
,walch ,,xix1 #abef ff42 ,erlangen      
,,xxvii1 #ada ff42 ,weimar ,,vi4 #cec   
ff4  #b ,by the word mass ,luther means 
the celebration of the ,lord's ,supper4 
,even after this sacrament was          
understood in an evangelical sense1 the 
,lutherans for a long time kept the name
 mass4 ,thus ,melanchthon writes in the 
,augs4 ,conf41 ,art4 xxiv1 ,our churches
 are falsely accused of abolishing the  
mass2 for the mass is retained on our   
part1 and celebrated with the greatest  
reverence4  #c ,page #bbd4  #d ,de      
,weite1 ,luther's ,briefe1 ,i1 #dge4  #e
 ,the name given by the ,lutheran       
theologians to those who denied the real
 presence of the body and blood of      
,christ in the ,lord's ,supper4  #f ,two
 more might have been mentioned3 7#a7 a 

discourse on the proper preparation of  
the ,lord's ,supper 7,erl4 ,ed41 ,,xvii1
 #ee ff47 and 7#b7 the ,discourse on    
,excommunication 7,ibid41 ,,xxvii1 #bi  
ff47  #g ,in the ,introduction to ,the  
,babylonian ,captivity of the ,church he
 writes3 ,i am compelled1 whether ,i    
will or not1 to become daily more       
learned1 having so many notable teachers
 diligently pushing me on and keeping me
 at work4 7,weimar ,ed41 ,,vi1 #dig4  #h
 ,cf4 ,kostlin-,kaweau1 ,martin ,luther1
 #dth ed41 ,i1 #bhd2 ,kostlin-,hay1     
,theology of ,luther1 ,i1 #cii f2       
,luther's ,werke1 ,berlin ,ed41 ,,iii1  
#bfa-bfd1 #cgd4  #i ,weimar ,ed41 ,,vi1 
#eaa f4  #aj ,cf4 ,kostlin-,hay1 op4    
cit41 ,i1 #cdj4  #aa ,ibid41 p4 #cej4   
#ab ,erl4 ,ed41 ,,xvi1 #cc1 #ib ff4  #ac
 ,so also with much emphasis in the     
,sermon v4 d4 hochw4 ,sac41 #aeai4  #ad 
,he means the ,serm4 v4 d4 hochw4 ,sac41
 #aeai4  #ae ,weimar ,ed41 ,,vi1 #ejb4  
#af ,de ,weite1 ,briefe1 ,i1 #cgh  #ag  
,kostlin-,hay1 op4 cit41 ,i1 #cee4   ,a 

,,treatise ,,on ,,the ,,new ,,testament1
  ,,that ,,is ,,the ,,holy ,,mass  #aeai
   ,,jesus#a  ,sidenote3 ,the           
,multiplying of ,laws  #a4 ,experience1 
all chronicles1 and the ,holy           
,scriptures besides1 teach us this      
truth3 the less law1 the more justice2  
the fewer commandments1 the more good   
works4 ,no well-regulated community ever
 existed long1 if at all1 where there   
were many laws4 ,therefore1 before the  
ancient law of ,moses1 the ,patriarchs  
of old had no prescribed law and order  
for the service of ,god other than the  
sacrifices2 as we read of ,adam1 ,abel1 
,noah and others4 ,afterward1           
circumcision was enjoined upon ,abraham 
and his household1 until the time of    
,moses1 through whom ,god gave the      
people of ,israel divers laws1 forms1   
and practices1 for the sole purpose of  
teaching human nature how utterly       
useless many laws are to make people    
pious4 ,for although the law leads and  
drives away from evil to good works1 it 

is still impossible for man to do them  
willingly and gladly2 but he has at all 
times an aversion for the law and would 
rather be free4 ,now where there is     
unwillingness1 there can never be a good
 work4 ,for what is not done willingly  
is not good1 and only seems to be good4 
,consequently1 all the laws cannot make 
one really pious without the grace of   
,god1 for they can produce only         
dissemblers1 hypocrites1 pretenders1 and
 proud saints1 such as have their reward
 here ,matt4 #f3b1 and never please     
,god4 ,thus ,he says to the ,jews1      
,malachi i3 ,i have no pleasure in you2 
for who is there among you that would   
even as much as shut a door for me1     
willingly and out of love8 ,mal4 #a3aj  
,sidenote3 ,sects and ,divisions  #b4   
,another result of many laws is this1   
that many sects and divisions in the    
congregations ,gemeinden arise from     
them4 ,one adopts this way1 another     
that1 and there grows up in each man a  
false1 secret love for his own sect1 and

 a hatred1 or at least a contempt for1  
and a disregard of the other sects1     
whereby brotherly1 free1 common love    
perishes1 and selfish love prevails4 ,so
 ,jeremiah and ,hosea speak1 ,jer4      
#b3bh1 ,hos4 #h3aa1ab yea1 all the      
profits lament that the people of       
,israel divided themselves into as many 
sects as there were cities in the land2 
each desiring to outdo the others4      
,thence also arose the ,sadducees and   
,pharisees in the ,gospel4  ,so we      
observe to-day1 that through the        
,spiritual ,law#b but little justice and
 piety have arisen in ,christendom2 the 
world has been filled with dissemblers  
and hypocrites and with so many sects1  
orders1 and divisions of the one people 
of ,christ1 that almost every city is   
divided into ten parties or more4 ,and  
they daily devise new ways and manners  
7as they think7 of serving ,god1 until  
it has come to this1 that priests1      
monks1 and laity have become more       
hostile toward each other than ,turks   

and ,christians4 ,yea1 the priests and  
the monks are deadly enemies1 wrangling 
about their self-conceived ways and     
methods like fools and madmen1 not only 
to the hindrance1 but to the very       
destruction of ,christian love and      
unity4 ,each one clings to his sect and 
despises the others2 and they regard the
 laymen as though they were no          
,christians4 ,this lamentable condition 
is only a result of the laws4           
,sidenote3 ,the ,mass ,christ's ,law    
#c4 ,christ1 in order that ,he might    
prepare for ,himself an acceptable and  
beloved people1 which should be bound   
together in unity through love1         
abolished the whole law of ,moses4 ,and 
that ,he might not give further occasion
 for divisions1 ,he did not again       
appoint more than one law or order for  
,his entire people1 and that the holy   
mass4 ,for1 although baptism is also an 
external ordinance1 yet it takes place  
but once1 and is not a practice of the  
entire life1 like the mass4 ,therefore1 

after baptism there is to be no other   
external order for the service of ,god  
except the mass4 ,and where the mass is 
used1 there is a true service1 even     
though there be no other form1 with     
singing1 playing1 bell-ringing1         
vestments1 ornaments and postures2 for  
everything of this sort is an addition  
invented by men4 ,when ,christ ,himself 
first instituted this sacrament and held
 the first mass1 there were do patens1  
no chasuble1 no singing1 no pageantry1  
but only thanksgiving to ,god1 and the  
use of the sacrament4 ,after this same  
simplicity the ,apostles and all        
,christians long time held mass1 until  
the divers forms and additions arose1 by
 which the ,romans held mass one way1   
the ,greeks another2 and now it has     
finally come to this1 that the chief    
thing in the mass has become unknown1   
and nothing is remembered except the    
additions of men4  ,sidenote3 ,christ's 
,institution and ,man's ,ordinances  #d4
 ,the nearer1 now1 our masses are to the

 first mass of ,christ1 the better1     
without doubt1 they are2 and the farther
 from ,christ's mass1 the more perilous4
 ,for that reason we may not boast of   
ourselves1 against the ,russians or     
,greeks1 that we alone have a right to  
hold mass2 as little as a priest who    
wears a red chasuble may boast against  
him who wears one of white or black4    
,for such external additions and        
differences may by their dissimilarity  
make sects and dissensions1 but they can
 never make the mass better4 ,although  
,i neither wish nor am able to displace 
or discard all such additions1 still1   
because such pompous forms are perilous1
 we must never permit ourselves to be   
led away by them from the simple        
institution by ,christ and from the     
right use of the mass4 ,and1 indeed1 the
 greatest and most useful art is to know
 what really and properly belongs to the
 mass1 and what is added and foreign4   
,for where there is no clear            
distinction1 the eyes and the heart are 

easily misled by such shamming into a   
false impression and delusion2 so that  
what men have invented is reckoned the  
mass1 and what the mass is1 is never    
experienced1 to say nothing of deriving 
benefit from it4 ,thus1 alas6 it happens
 in our times2 for1 ,i fear1 every day  
more than a thousand masses are said1 of
 which perhaps not one is a real mass4  
,o dear ,christian1 to have many masses 
is not to have the mass4 ,there is more 
to it than that4  ,sidneote3 ,the ,chief
 ,thing in the ,mass  #e4 ,if we desire 
to say mass rightly and understand it1  
then we must give up everything that the
 eyes and all the senses behold and     
suggest in this act1 such as vestments1 
in bells1 songs1 ornaments1 prayers1    
processions1 elevations1 prostrations1  
or whatever happens in the mass1 until  
we first lay hold of and consider well  
the words of ,christ1 by which ,he      
completed and instituted the mass and   
commanded us to observe it4 ,for therein
 lies the whole mass1 its nature1 work1 

profit and benefit1 and without them 7i4
 e41 the words7 no benefit is derived   
from the mass4 ,but these are the words3
 ,take and eat1 this is ,my body1 which 
is given for you4 ,matt4 #bf3bf ,take   
and drink ye all of it1 this is the cup 
of the new and eternal testament in ,my 
blood1 ,mark #ad3bb1 #bc1 #bd which is  
shed for you and for many for the       
forgiveness of sins ,luke #bb3ai1 #bj4  
,these words every ,christian must have 
before him in the mass and hold fast to 
them as the chief part of the mass1 in  
which also the really good preparation  
for the mass and sacrament is taught2   
this we shall see4  ,sidenote3 ,faith   
and ,god's ,promises  #f4 ,if man is to 
deal with ,god and receive anything from
 ,him1 it must happen in this wise1 not 
that man begin lay the first stone1 but 
that ,god alone1 without any entreaty or
 desire of man1 must first come and give
 him a promise4#c ,this word of ,god is 
the beginning1 the foundation1 the rock1
 upon which afterward all works1 words  

and thoughts of man must build4 ,this   
word man must gratefully accept1 and    
faithfully believe the divine promise1  
and by no means doubt that it is and    
comes to pass just as ,he promises4     
,this trust and faith is the beginning1 
middle1 and end of all works and        
righteousness4 ,for1 because man does   
,god the honor of regarding and         
confessing ,him as true4 ,he becomes to 
him a gracious ,god1 ,who in turn honors
 him and regards and confesses him as   
true4 ,thus it is not possible that man1
 of his own reason and strength1 should 
by works ascend to heaven and anticipate
 ,god1 moving ,him to be gracious2 but  
,god must anticipate all works and      
thoughts1 and make a promise clearly    
expressed in words1 which man then takes
 and keeps with a good1 firm faith4     
,then follows the ,holy ,spirit1 ,who is
 given him because of this same faith4  
#g4 ,such a promise was given to ,adam  
after his fall1 when ,god spake to the  
serpent3 ,i will put enmity between thee

 and the woman1 between her seed and thy
 seed3 she shall crush thy head2 and    
thou shalt lie in wait for her foot4    
,gen4 #c3ae #d ,in these words1 however 
obscurely1 ,god promises help to human  
nature1 namely1 that by a woman the     
devil shall again be overcome4 ,this    
promise of ,god sustained ,adam and ,eve
 and all their children until the time  
of ,noah2 in this they believed1 and by 
this faith they were saved2 else they   
had despaired4 ,gen4 #i3i f4 ,in like   
manner1 after the flood1 ,he made a     
covenant with ,noah and his children1   
until the time of ,abraham 7,genesis    
xii71 whom ,he summoned out of his      
fatherland ,gen4 #ab3a1 #c1 and promised
 that in his seed all nations should be 
blessed ,gen4 #ah3ah4 ,this promise     
,abraham believed and obeyed1 and       
thereby was justified and became the    
friend of ,god4 ,gen4 #bb3ah2 #ae3f ,in 
the same book this promise to ,abraham  
is many times repeated1 enlarged and    
made more definite1 until ,isaac is     

promised him1 who was to be the seed    
from which ,christ and every blessing   
should come4 ,in this faith upon the    
promise ,abraham's children were kept   
until the time of ,christ1 although in  
the mean time it was continually renewed
 and made more definite by ,david and   
many prophets ,this promise the ,lord in
 the ,gospel calls ,abraham's bosom1    
,luke #af3bb1 #bc because in it were    
kept all who with a right faith clung   
thereto1 and1 with ,abraham1 waited for 
,christ ,then came ,moses1 who declared 
the same promise under many forms in the
 ,law4 ,ex4 #c3f1 #g1 #h ,through him   
,god promised the people of ,israel the 
land of ,canaan1 while they were still  
in ,egypt2 which promise they believed1 
and by it they were sustained and led   
into that land4  ,sidenote3 ,god's      
,promise in the ,mass--the ,testament   
#h4 ,in the ,new ,testament1 likewise1  
,christ has made a promise or solemn    
vow1 which we are to believe and thereto
 come to godliness and salvation4 ,this 

promise is the word in which ,christ    
says3 ,this is the cup of the ,new      
,testament4 ,luke #bb3bj ,this we shall 
now examine4  ,not every vow is called a
 testament1 but only a last irrevocable 
will of one who is about to die1 whereby
 he bequeaths his goods1 allotted and   
assigned to be distributed to whom he   
will4 ,just as ,st4 ,paul says to the   
,hebrews that a testament must be made  
operative by death1 and avails nothing  
while he still lives who made the       
testament4 ,heb4 #i3af1 #ag ,for other  
vows1 made for this life1 may be        
hindered or recalled1 and hence are not 
called testaments4 ,therefore1 wherever 
in ,scripture ,god's testament is       
referred to by the prophets1 in that    
very word the prophets are taught that  
,god would become man and die and rise  
again1 to the end that ,his ,word1 in   
which ,he promised such a testament1    
might be fulfilled and confirmed4 ,for  
if ,he is to make a testament as ,he    
promised1 then ,he must die2 if ,he is  

to die1 ,he must be a man4 ,and so that 
little word testament is a short summary
 of all ,god's wonders and grace1       
fulfilled in ,christ4  ,sidenote3       
,difference between ,old and ,new       
,testaments  #i4 ,he also distinguishes 
this testament from others and says1 ,it
 is a new and everlasting testament1 in 
,his own blood1 for the forgiveness of  
sins2 whereby ,he disannuls the old     
testament4 ,for the little word new     
makes the testament of ,moses old and   
ineffective1 one that avails no more4   
,the old testament was a promise made   
through ,moses to the people of ,israel1
 to whom was promised the land of       
,canaan4 ,for this testament ,god did   
not die1 but the paschal lamb had to die
 instead of ,christ and as a type of    
,christ2 and so it was a temporal       
testament in the blood of the paschal   
lamb1 which was shed for the obtaining  
and possessing of that land of ,canaan4 
,and as the paschal lamb1 which died in 
the old testament for the land of       

,canaan1 was a temporal and transitory  
thing1 so too the old testament1        
together with that possession or land of
 ,canaan allotted and promised therein1 
was temporal and transitory4  ,but      
,christ1 the true ,paschal ,lamb1 is an 
eternal divine ,person1 ,who dies to    
establish the new testament2 therefore  
the testament and the possessions       
therein bequeathed are eternal and      
abiding4 ,and that is what ,he means    
when ,he contrasts this testament with  
that other1 and says3 ,a new            
testament--so that the other may become 
old and of none effect4 ,an eternal     
testament1 ,heb4 #h3ac ,he says1 not    
temporal like that other2 not to dispose
 of temporal lands or possessions1 but  
of eternal4 ,in ,my blood1 ,he says1 not
 in the blood of a lamb4 ,all this is to
 the end that the old should be         
altogether annulled and give place to   
the new alone4  ,sidenote3 ,what is     
,promised in the ,mass  #aj4 ,what then 
is this testament1 and what is          

bequeathed us therein by ,christ8       
,forsooth1 a great1 eternal and         
unspeakable treasure1 namely1 the       
forgiveness of all sins1 as the words   
plainly state1 ,this is the cup of a new
 eternal testament in ,my blood1 that is
 shed for you and for many for the      
remission of sin4 ,matt4 #bf3h1 ,luke   
#bb3cj ,as though ,he said3 ,behold1    
man1 in these words ,i promise and      
bequeath thee forgiveness of all thy sin
 and eternal life4 ,and in order that   
thou mayest be certain and know that    
such promise remains irrevocably thine1 
,i will die for it1 and will give ,my   
body and blood for it1 and will leave   
them both to thee as sign and seal1 that
 by them thou mayest remember ,me4 #a   
,cor4 #aa3be ,so ,he says3 ,as oft as ye
 do this1 remember ,me4 ,luke #bb3ai    
,even as a man who bequeathes something 
includes therein what shall be done for 
him afterward #a ,cor4 #aa3be1 as is the
 custom at present in the requiems and  
masses for the dead1 so also ,christ has

 ordained a requiem for ,himself in this
 testament2 not that ,he needs it1 but  
because it is necessary and profitable  
for us to remember ,him2 whereby we are 
strengthened in faith1 confirmed in hope
 and made ardent in love4 ,for as long  
as we live on earth our lot is such that
 the evil spirit and all the world      
assail us with joy and sorrow1 to       
extinguish our love for ,christ1 to blot
 out our faith1 and to weaken our hope4 
,wherefore we sorely need this          
sacrament1 in which we may gain new     
strength when we have grown weak1 and   
may daily exercise ourselves into the   
strengthening and uplifting of the      
spirit4  ,sidenote3 ,promises and ,signs
  #aa4 ,furthermore1 in all ,his        
promises ,god has usually given a sign  
in addition to the word1 for the greater
 assurance and strengthening of our     
faith4 ,thus ,he gave ,noah the sign of 
the rainbow4 ,gen4 #i3i1 #ac ,to        
,abraham ,he gave circumcision as a     
sign4 ,gen4 #ag3aa ,to ,gideon ,he gave 

the rain on the ground and on the fleece
 ,judg4 #f3cg ff42 and we constantly    
find in the ,scriptures many of these   
signs1 given along with the promises4   
,for so also worldly testaments are     
made2 not only are the words written    
down1 but seals and notaries' marks are 
affixed thereto1 that they may always be
 binding and authentic4 ,thus ,christ   
has done in this testament and has      
affixed to the words a powerful and most
 precious seal and sign2 this is ,his   
own true body and blood under the bread 
and wine4 ,for we poor men1 since we    
live in our five senses1 must always    
have1 along with the words1 at least one
 outward sign1 on which we may lay hold1
 and around which we may gather2 but in 
such wise that this sign may be a       
sacrament1 that is1 that it may be      
external and yet contain and express    
something spiritual1 so that through the
 external we may be drawn into the      
spiritual1 comprehending the external   
with the eyes of the body1 the spiritual

 and inward with the eyes of the heart4 
,sidenote3 ,the ,parts of the ,testament
  #ab4 ,now we see how many parts there 
are in this testament1 or the mass4     
,there is1 first1 the testator who makes
 the testament1 ,christ4 ,second1 the   
heirs to whom the testament is          
bequeathed1 we ,christians4 ,third1 the 
testament in itself1 the words of       
,christ when ,he says3 ,this is ,my body
 which is given for you4 ,this is ,my   
blood which is shed for you1 a new      
eternal testament1 etc4 ,fourth1 the    
seal or token1 the sacrament1 bread and 
wine1 and under them ,his true body and 
blood4 ,for everything that is in this  
sacrament must live2 therefore ,he did  
not put it in dead writ and seal1 but in
 living words and signs which we use    
from day to day4  ,and this is what is  
meant when the priest elevates the      
host1#e by which act he addresses us    
rather than ,god1 as though he said to  
us3 ,behold1 this is the seal and sign  
of the testament in which ,christ has   

bequeathed us remission of all an and   
eternal life4 ,with this agrees also    
that which is sung by the choir3        
,blessed be ,he that cometh to us in the
 name of ,god ,matt4 #ba3i8f so that we 
testify how we receive therein blessings
 from ,god1 and do not sacrifice nor    
give to ,him4 ,fifth1 the bequeathed    
blessing which the words signify1       
namely1 remission of sin and eternal    
life4 ,sixth1 the obligation1           
remembrance or requiem which we should  
observe for ,christ1 to wit1 that we    
preach this ,his love and grace1 hear   
and meditate upon it1 by it be incited  
and preserved unto love and hope in     
,him1 as ,st4 ,paul explains it3 ,as oft
 as ye eat this bread and drink of this 
cup ye show the death of ,christ4 #a    
,cor4 #aa3bf ,and this is what an       
earthly testator does1 who bequeaths    
something to his heirs1 that he may     
leave behind him a good name1 the good  
will of men and a blessed memory1 that  
he be not forgotten4  ,sidenote3 ,how   

the ,mass ,should be ,regarded  #ac4    
,from all this it is now easily seen    
what the mass is1 how one should prepare
 himself for it1 how observe and how use
 it1 and how many are the abuses of it4 
,for just as one would act if ten       
thousand gulden were bequeathed him by a
 good friend3 so1 and with far more     
reason1 we ought to conduct ourselves   
toward the mass1 which is nothing else  
than an exceeding rich and everlasting  
and good testament bequeathed us by     
,christ ,himself1 and bequeathed in such
 wise that ,he would have had no other  
reason to die except that ,he wished to 
make such a testament2 so fervently     
desirous was ,he to pour out ,his       
eternal treasures1 as ,he says3 ,with   
desire ,i have desired to eat this      
passover with you before ,i die4 ,luke  
#bb3ae ,hence1 too1 it comes that in    
spite of many masses we remain so blind 
and cold1 for we do not know what the   
mass is1 what we do in it1 nor what we  
get from it4  ,sidenote3 ,faith in the  

word the ,true ,preparation for the     
,mass  ,since then it is nothing else   
than a testament1 the first and by far  
the best preparation for the mass is a  
hungry soul and a firm joyful faith of  
the heart accepting such a testament    
,who would not go with great and joyful 
desire1 hope and comfort1 and demand a  
thousand gulden1 if he knew that at a   
certain place they had been bequeathed  
him2 especially if there were no other  
condition than that he remember1 honor1 
and praise the testator8 ,so1 in this   
matter1 you must above all else take    
heed to your heart1 that you believe the
 words of ,christ1 and admit their      
truth1 when ,he says to you and to all3 
,this is ,my blood1 a new testament1 by 
which ,i bequeath you forgiveness of all
 sins and eternal life4 ,how could you  
do ,him greater dishonor and show       
greater disrespect to the holy mass than
 by not believing or by doubting8 ,for  
,he desired this to be so certain that  
,he ,himself even died for it4 ,surely  

such doubt would be naught else than    
denying and blaspheming ,christ's       
sufferings and death1 and every blessing
 which ,he has thereby obtained4  #ad4  
,for this reason1 ,i have said1         
everything depends upon the words of    
this sacrament1 which are the words of  
,christ1 and which we verily should set 
in pure gold and precious stones1 and   
keep nothing more diligently before the 
eyes of the heart1 that faith be        
exercised thereby4 ,let another pray1   
fast1 go to confession1 prepare himself 
for mass and the sacrament as he will4  
,do thou the same1 but know that all    
that is pure fool's-work and            
self-deception1 if you do not set before
 you the words of the testament and     
arouse yourself to believe and desire   
them4 ,a long time would you have to    
polish your shoes1 pick the lint#g off  
your clothes1 and deck yourself out to  
get an inheritance1 if you had no letter
 and seal with which you could prove    
your right to it4 ,but if you have      

letter and seal1 and believe1 desire1   
and seek it1 it must be given you1 even 
though you were scaly1 scabby1 stinking 
and most unclean4 ,so if you would      
receive this sacrament and testament    
worthily1 see to it that you bring      
forward these living words of ,christ1  
rely thereon with a strong faith1 and   
desire what ,christ has therein promised
 you3 then it will be given you1 then   
are you worthy and well prepared4 ,this 
faith and confidence must and will make 
you joyful1 and awaken a bold love for  
,christ1 by means of which you will     
begin with joy to lead a really good    
life and with all your heart to flee    
from sin4 ,for he who loves ,christ will
 surely do what pleases ,him1 and leave 
undone what does not please ,him4 ,but  
who will love ,him except he taste the  
riches of this testament which ,christ1 
out of pure mercy1 has freely bequeathed
 to poor sinners8 ,this taste comes by  
the faith which believes and trusts the 
testament and promise4 ,if ,abraham had 

not believed the promise of ,god he     
would never have amounted to anything4  
,just as certainly1 then1 as ,abraham1  
,noah1 and ,david accepted and believed 
their promises3 so certainly must we    
also accept and believe this testament  
and promise4  ,sidenote3 ,who is ,worthy
  #ae4 ,now there are two temptations   
which never cease to assail you2 the    
first1 that you are entirely unworthy of
 so rich a testament1 the second1 that  
even were you worthy1 the blessing is so
 great that human nature is terrified by
 the greatness of it2 for what do not   
forgiveness of all sin and eternal life 
bring with them8 ,if either of these    
temptations comes to you1 you must1 as  
,i have said1 esteem the words of       
,christ more than such thoughts4 ,it    
will not be ,he that lies to you2 your  
thoughts will be deceiving you4  ,just  
as though a poor beggar1 yea1 a very    
knave1 were bequeathed a thousand       
gulden3 he would not demand them because
 of his merit or worthiness1 nor fail to

 claim them because of the greatness of 
the sum2 and if any one should cast up  
to him his unworthiness and the         
greatness of the sum1 he would certainly
 not allow anything of that sort to     
frighten him1 but would say3 ,what is   
that to you8 ,i know full well that ,i  
am unworthy of the inheritance2 ,i do   
not demand it on my merits1 as though it
 had been due me1 but on the favor and  
grace of the testator4 ,if he did not   
think it too much to bequeath to me1 why
 should ,i so despise myself and not    
claim and take it8 ,so also must a      
timid1 dejected conscience insist1      
against its own thoughts1 upon the      
testament of ,christ1 and be stubborn in
 firm faith1 despite its own            
unworthiness and the greatness of the   
blessing4 ,for this very reason that    
which brings to such unworthy ones so   
great a blessing is a divine testament1 
by which ,god desires above all things  
to awaken love to ,him4 ,so ,christ     
comforted those dejected ones who       

thought the blessing too great and said3
 ,faint-hearted little flock1 fear not2 
it hath pleased your ,father to give you
 the eternal ,kingdom4 ,luke #ab3cb     
,sidenote3 ,abuses of the ,mass3 #a4    
,the ,suppression of the ,words  #af4   
,but see now what they have made of the 
mass6 ,in the first place1 they have    
hidden these words of the testament1 and
 have taught that they are not to be    
spoken to the laity1 that they are      
secret words to be spoken in the mass   
only by the priest4 ,has not the devil  
here in a masterly way stolen from us   
the chief thing in the mass and put it  
to silence8 ,for who has ever heard it  
preached that one should give heed in   
the mass to these words of the testament
 and insist upon them with a firm faith8
 ,and yet this should have been the     
chief thing4 ,thus they have been       
afraid1 and have taught us to be afraid1
 where there is no cause for fear1 nay1 
where all our comfort and safety lie4   
,how many miserable consciences1 which  

perished from fear and sorrow1 could    
have been comforted and rescued by these
 words6 ,what devil has told them that  
the words which should be the most      
familiar1 the most openly spoken among  
all ,christians1 priests and laity1 men 
and women1 young and old1 are to be     
hidden in greatest secrecy8 ,how should 
it be possible for us to know what the  
mass is1 or how to use and observe it1  
if we are not to know the words in which
 the very mass consists8#h  ,but would  
to ,god that we ,germans could say mass 
in ,german1 and sing these most secret  
words loudest of all6 ,why should not we
 ,germans say mass in our own language1 
when the ,latins1 ,greeks and many      
others observe mass in their language8  
,why should we not also keep secret the 
words of baptism3 ,i baptise thee in the
 name of the ,father and of the ,son and
 of the ,holy ,ghost1 ,amen8 ,matt4     
#bh3ai ,if every one may speak in       
,german1 and aloud1 these words1 which  
are no less the holy ,word and promise  

of ,god1 why should not every one also  
be permitted to hear and speak those    
words of the mass aloud and in ,german8 
,sidenote3 ,word and ,sign in the       
,sacraments  #ag4 ,let us learn1 then1  
that in every covenant#i of ,god there  
are two things which one must consider2 
these are ,word and ,sign4 ,in baptism  
these are the words of the baptiser and 
the dipping in water4#aj ,in the mass   
they are the words and the bread and    
wine4 ,the words are the divine         
covenant1 promise and testament4 ,the   
signs are sacraments1 that is sacred    
signs4 ,now since the testament is far  
more important than the sacrament1 so   
the words are much more important than  
the signs4 ,for the signs might be      
lacking1 if only one have the words1 and
 thus one might be saved without        
sacrament1 yet not without testament4   
,for ,i can daily enjoy the sacrament in
 the mass1 if ,i only keep before my    
eyes the testament1 that is1 the words  
and covenant of ,christ1 and feed and   

strengthen my faith thereby4  ,we see1  
then1 that the best and greatest part of
 all sacraments and of the mass is the  
words and covenant of ,god1 without     
which the sacraments are dead and are   
nothing at all2 like a body without a   
soul1 a cask without wine1 a purse      
without gold1 a type without fulfilment1
 a letter without spirit1 a sheath      
without a knife1 and the like2 whence it
 is true that when we use1 hear1 or see 
the mass without the words or testament1
 and look only to the sacrament and     
sign1 we do not even half keep the mass4
 ,for sacrament without testament is    
keeping the case without the jewel1     
quite an unequal separation and         
division4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,testament   
ignored  #ah4 ,i fear1 therefore1 that  
there is at present more idolatry in    
,christendom through the masses than    
ever occurred among the ,jews4 ,for we  
hear nowhere that the mass is directed  
toward the feeding and strengthening of 
faith1 for which alone it was ordained  

by ,christ1 but is only used as a       
sacrament without the testament4  ,many 
have written of the fruits of the mass1 
and indeed have greatly exalted them2   
nor do ,i question the value of these   
fruits4 ,but take heed that you regard  
them all1 compared to this one thing1 as
 the body compared to the soul4 ,god has
 here prepared for our faith a pasture1 
table and feast2 ,ps4 #bc but faith is  
fed with nothing except the ,word of    
,god alone4 ,therefore you must take    
heed above all things to the words1     
exalt them1 highly esteem them1 and hold
 them fast2 then you will have not      
simply the little drops of blessing#aa  
that drip from the mass1 but the very   
head-waters of faith1 from which springs
 and flows all that is good1 as the     
,lord says in ,john vii1 ,whosoever     
believeth in ,me1 out of his belly shall
 flow streams of living water ,john     
#d3ad1 #ae2 again3 ,whosoever shall     
drink of the water which ,i give1 he    
shall never thirst1 and there shall be  

in him a spring of living water unto    
everlasting life4 ,we see1 then1 the    
first abuse of the mass is this--that we
 have lost the chief blessing1 to wit1  
the testament and the faith4 ,what      
consequences this has had we now shall  
see4  #ai4 ,it follows of necessity1    
where faith and the ,word or promise of 
,god decline or are neglected1 that     
there arise in their place works and a  
false1 presumptuous trust in them4 ,for 
where there is no promise of ,god there 
is no faith4 ,where there is no faith1  
there everyone presumptuously undertakes
 to better himself by means of works1   
and to make himself well-pleasing to    
,god4 ,when this happens1 false security
 and presumption arise therefrom1 as    
though man were well-pleasing to ,god   
because of his own works4 ,when this    
does not happen1 the conscience has no  
rest1 and knows not what to do1 that it 
may become well-pleasing to ,god4       
,sidenote3 ,abuses of the ,mass3 #b4    
,the ,mass a ,good ,work  ,so too ,i    

fear that many have made out of the mass
 a good work1 whereby they thought to do
 a great service to ,almighty ,god4     
,now1 if we have rightly understood what
 has been said above1 namely1 that the  
mass is nothing else than a testament   
and sacrament1 in which ,god pledges    
,himself to us and gives us grace and   
mercy1 ,i think it is not fitting that  
we should make a good work or merit out 
of it4 ,for a testament is not          
beneficium acceptum1 sed datum2#ab it   
does not derive benefit from us1 but    
brings us benefit4 ,who has ever heard  
that he who receives an inheritance does
 a good work8 ,he does derive benefit4  
,likewise in the mass we give ,christ   
nothing1 but only take from ,him2 unless
 they are willing to call this a good   
work1 that a man be quiet and permit    
himself to be benefited1 to be given    
food and drink1 to be clothed and       
healed1 helped and redeemed4 ,just as in
 baptism1 in which there is also a      
divine testament and sacrament1 no one  

gives ,god anything or does ,him a      
service1 but instead takes something2 so
 too in all the other sacraments1 and in
 the sermon4 ,for if one sacrament      
cannot be a meritorious good work1 then 
no other can be a work2 because they are
 all of one kind1 and it is the nature  
of a sacrament or testament that it is  
not a work1 but only an exercise of     
faith4  ,sidenote3 ,good ,works         
,connected with the ,mass  #bj4 ,it is  
true1 indeed1 that when we come together
 to the mass to receive the testament   
and sacrament1 and to nourish and       
strengthen faith1 we there offer our    
prayer with one accord1 and this prayer1
 which arises out of faith1 and is for  
the increase of faith1 is truly a good  
work2 and we also distribute alms among 
the poor2 as was done aforetime when the
 ,christians gathered food and other    
needful things1 which after the mass    
were distributed among the needy1 as we 
learn from ,st4 ,paul4 ,but this work   
and prayer are quite another thing than 

the testament and sacrament1 #a ,cor4   
#aa3ba1 #bb which no one can offer or   
give to ,god or to men1 but every one   
takes and receives of it for himself    
only1 in proportion as he believes and  
trusts4 ,now just as ,i cannot receive  
or give the sacrament of baptism1 of    
penance1 or of extreme unction in any   
one's stead or for his benefit1 but ,i  
take for myself alone the blessing      
therein offered by ,god1 and there is   
here not officium1 but beneficium1 i4   
e41 not work or service1 but reception  
and benefit alone2 so also1 no one can  
say or hear mass for another1 but each  
one for himself alone1 for it is purely 
a taking and receiving4  ,this is all   
easily understood1 if one only considers
 what the mass really is1 namely1 a     
testament and sacrament2 that is1 ,god's
 ,word and promise1 together with a     
sacred sign1 the bread and the wine1    
under which ,christ's body and blood are
 truly present4 ,for by what process of 
reasoning could a man be said to do a   

good work for another when1 like the    
others1 he comes as one in need1 and    
takes to himself the words and sign of  
,god in which ,god promises and grants  
him grace and help8 ,surely1 to receive 
,god's ,word1 sign1 and grace is not the
 imparting of good1 or the doing of a   
good work1 but is simply a taking to    
oneself4  ,sidenote3 ,abuses of the     
,mass3 #c4 ,the ,mass as a ,sacrifice   
#ba4 ,now1 since the whole world has    
made a sacrifice of the mass1 wherein   
they bring an offering to ,god1 which   
without doubt is the third and very     
worst abuse1 we must dearly distinguish 
between what we offer and what we do not
 offer in the mass4  ,beyond all doubt  
the word offering in the mass has arisen
 and has remained until now1 because in 
the times of the ,apostles1 when some of
 the practices of the ,old ,testament   
were still observed1 the ,christians    
brought food1 money and necessities1    
which were distributed in connection    
with mass among the needy1 as ,i have   

said before4#ac ,for so we still read in
 ,acts iv1 that the ,christians sold all
 that they had1 and brought it to the   
feet of the ,apostles1 who then had it  
distributed and gave of the common      
possessions to every one as he needed4  
,acts #d3cd1 #ce ,even so the ,apostle  
,paul teaches1 that all food and        
whatsoever we use shall be blessed with 
prayer and the ,word of ,god1 and thanks
 be given to ,god therefor ,rom4 #ad3f1 
#g2 #a ,cor4 #aj3cj1ca2 hence we say the
 ,benedicite and ,gratias#ad at table4  
,thus it was the custom of the ,old     
,testament1 when men thanked ,god for   
gifts received1 that they lifted them up
 in their hands to ,god2 as is written  
in the law of ,moses4 ,exod4 #cd3bf2    
,num4#ae3ai1 #bj ,therefore1 the        
apostles also lifted up the offerings in
 this way1 thanked ,god1 and blessed1   
with the ,word of ,god1 food and        
whatever the ,christians gathered4 ,and 
,christ ,himself1 as ,st4 ,luke writes1 
lifted up the cup1 gave thanks to ,god1 

drank of it1 and gave to the others1    
before ,he instituted the sacrament and 
testament4 ,luke #bb3ag  ,sidenote3 ,the
 ,collect and ,offeratory  #bb4 ,traces 
of this usage have survived in three    
customs4 ,the first1 that the first and 
last prayer of the mass are called      
collects1 that is1 collections2 which   
indicates that these prayers were spoken
 as a blessing and thanksgiving over the
 food which had been collected1 to bless
 it and give thanks to ,god1 according  
to the teaching of ,st4 ,paul #a ,cor4  
#aj3cj1 #ca4 ,the second1 when the      
people after the ,gospel proceed to the 
offering2 from which the chant which is 
sung at that time is called ,offertory1 
that is1 an offering4 ,the third1 that  
the priest elevates in the paten and    
offers to ,god the still unblessed host1
 at the same time that the offertory is 
being sung and the people are making    
their offering2 by which is shown that  
the sacrament is not offered to ,god by 
us1 but only these collects and         

offerings of food and gifts that have   
been gathered1 in order that ,god may be
 thanked for them1 and they may be      
blessed1 to be distributed to the needy4
  ,for afterward1 when the priest1 in   
the low mass1 #ae elevates the blessed  
host and cup1 there is not a word said  
about the sacrifice1 where he should    
most of all make mention of the         
sacrifice1 if the mass were a sacrifice3
 but1 as ,i have said above1#af he      
elevates it not toward ,god1 but toward 
us1 to remind us of the testament1 and  
to incite us to faith in the same4 ,in  
like manner1 when he receives or        
administers the sacrament1 he does not  
mention the sacrifice by a single word2 
which must and should be done were the  
sacrament a sacrifice4 ,therefore1 the  
mass dare not and cannot be called or be
 a sacrifice because of the sacrament1  
but only because of the food which is   
gathered and the prayer with which ,god 
is thanked and with which it is blessed4
  ,sidenote3 ,the ,offering at the ,mass

  #bc4 ,now the custom of gathering food
 and money at the mass has fallen into  
disuse1 and not more than a trace of it 
remains in the offering of the pfennig  
on the high festivals1 and especially on
 ,easter ,day1 when they still bring    
cakes1 meat1 eggs1 etc41 to church to be
 blessed4 ,now in place of such         
offerings and collections1 endowed      
churches1 monastic houses and hospitals 
have been erected1 and should be        
maintained for the sole purpose that the
 needy in every city may be given all   
they need1 that there be no beggar or   
needy one among the ,christians1 but    
that each and all may have from the mass
 enough for body and soul4  ,but all    
this is reversed4 ,just as the mass is  
not rightly explained to men1 but is    
understood as a sacrifice1 not as a     
testament1 so1 on the other hand1 that  
which is and ought to be the offering1  
namely1 the possessions of the churches 
and monastic houses1 is no longer       
offered and is not given1 with the      

thanksgiving and blessing of ,god1 to   
the needy to whom it ought to be given4 
,therefore ,god is provoked to anger1   
and now permits the possessions of the  
churches and monastic houses to become  
the occasion of war1 of worldly pomp1   
and of such abuse that no other blessing
 is so shamefully and blasphemously     
managed and wasted4 ,and since it does  
not serve the poor1 for whom it was     
appointed1 it is indeed meet and right  
that it should remain unworthy to serve 
for anything but sin and shame4         
,sidenote3 ,the ,mass ,not a ,sacrifice 
#bd4 ,now if you ask what is left in the
 mass to give it the name of a          
sacrifice1 since so much is said in the 
,office about the sacrifice1 ,i answer3 
,nothing is left4 ,for1 to be brief and 
to the point1 we must let the mass be a 
sacrament and testament1 and this is not
 and cannot be a sacrifice any more than
 the other sacraments--baptism1         
confirmation1 penance1 extreme unction1 
etc4--are sacrifices4#ag ,otherwise we  

should lose the ,gospel1 ,christ1 the   
comfort of the sacrament and every grace
 of ,god4 ,therefore we must separate   
the mass clearly and distinctly from the
 prayers and ceremonies which have been 
added by the holy fathers1 and keep the 
two as far apart as heaven and earth1   
that the mass may remain nothing else   
than the testament and sacrament        
comprehended in the words of ,christ4   
,what there is over and beyond these    
words we are to regard1 in comparison   
with the words of ,christ1 as we regard 
the monstrance#ah and corporal#ai in    
comparison with the host and the        
sacrament itself2 and these we regard as
 nothing but additions for the reverent 
and seemly administration of the        
sacrament4 ,now just as we regard the   
monstrance1 corporal and altar-cloths   
compared with the sacrament1 so we are  
to look upon all added words1 works and 
ceremonies of the mass compared with the
 words of ,christ ,himself1 in which ,he
 gives and ordains this testament4 ,for 

if the mass or sacrament were a         
sacrifice1 we would have to say that it 
is a mass and sacrifice when the        
sacrament is brought to the sick in     
their home1 or when those in health     
receive it in the church1 and that there
 are as many masses and sacrifices as   
the number of those who approach the    
sacrament4 ,if in this case it is not a 
sacrifice1 how is it a sacrifice in the 
hand of the priest1 since it is still   
one and the same sacrament1 one and the 
same use1 one and the same benefit1 and 
in all respects the same sacrament and  
testament with all of us8  ,sidenote3   
,the ,spiritual ,sacrifice in the ,mass 
#be4 ,we should1 therefore1 give careful
 heed to this word sacrifice1 that we do
 not presume to give ,god something in  
the sacrament1 when it is ,he who       
therein gives us all things4 ,we should 
bring spiritual sacrifices1 since the   
external sacrifices have ceased and have
 been changed into the gifts to         
churches1 monastic houses and charitable

 institutions4 ,what sacrifices then are
 we to offer8 ,ourselves1 and all that  
we have1 with constant prayer1 as we    
say3 ,thy will be done on earth as in   
heaven4 ,matt4 #f3aj ,whereby we are to 
yield ourselves to the will of ,god1    
that ,he may do with us what ,he will1  
according to ,his own pleasure2 in      
addition1 we are to offer ,him praise   
and thanksgiving with our whole heart1  
for ,his unspeakable1 sweet grace and   
mercy1 which ,he has promised and given 
us in this sacrament4 ,and although such
 a sacrifice occurs apart from the mass1
 and should so occur1 for it does not   
necessarily and essentially belong to   
the mass1 as has been said1#bj yet it is
 more precious1 more seemly1 more mighty
 and also more acceptable when it takes 
place with the multitude and in the     
assembly where men provoke1 move and    
inflame one another to press close to   
,god1 and thereby attain without all    
doubt what they desire4  ,for so has    
,christ promised2 where two are gathered

 together in ,his name there ,he is in  
the midst of them1 and where two agree  
on earth as touching anything that they 
shall ask1 all shall be done that they  
ask4 ,matt4 #ah3ai1 #bj ,how much more  
shall they obtain what they ask1 when a 
whole city comes together to praise ,god
 and to pray with one accord6 ,we would 
not need many indulgence-letters if we  
proceeded aright in this matter4 ,souls 
also would easily be redeemed from      
purgatory and innumerable blessings     
would follow4 ,but1 alas6 that is not   
the way it goes4 ,everything is         
reversed2 what the mass is intended to  
do1 we take upon us and want to do      
ourselves2 what we ought to do we give  
over to the mass4 ,all this is the work 
of unlearned1 false preachers4  #bf4 ,to
 be sure1 this sacrifice of prayer1     
praise and thanksgiving1 and of         
ourselves1 we are not to present before 
,god in our own person1 but we are to   
lay it on ,christ and let ,him present  
it1 as ,st4 ,paul teaches in ,hebrews   

xiii3 ,let us offer the sacrifice of    
praise to ,god continually1 that is1 the
 fruit of the lips which confess ,him   
and praise ,him1 ,heb4 #ac3ae and all   
this through ,christ4 ,for ,he is also a
 priest1 as ,psalm cx says3 ,thou art a 
priest forever after the order of       
,melchizedek ,ps4 #aaj3d2 because ,he   
intercedes for us in heaven1 receives   
our prayer and sacrifice1 and through   
,himself1 as a godly priest1 makes them 
pleasing to ,god ,heb4 #e3f1 #aj1 etc41 
as ,st4 ,paul says again in ,hebrews ix3
 ,he is ascended into ,heaven to be a   
mediator in the presence of ,god for us 
,heb4 #i3bd2 and3 ,it is ,christ ,jesus 
that died1 yea1 rather1 that is risen   
again1 ,who is even at the right hand of
 ,god1 ,who also maketh intercession for
 us4 ,rom4 #h3cd  ,sidenote3 ,christ the
 ,priest3 ,christians the ,sacrifice    
,from these words we learn that we do   
not offer ,christ as a sacrifice1 but   
that ,christ offers us4 ,and in this way
 it is permissible1 yea1 profitable1 to 

call the mass a sacrifice1 not on its   
own account1 but because we offer       
ourselves as a sacrifice along with     
,christ2 that is1 we lay ourselves on   
,christ by a firm faith in ,his         
testament1 and appear before ,god with  
our prayer1 praise and sacrifice only   
through ,him and through ,his mediation2
 and we do not doubt that ,he is our    
priest and minister in heaven before    
,god4 ,such faith1 forsooth1 brings it  
to pass that ,christ takes up our cause1
 presents us1 our prayer and praise1 and
 also offers ,himself for us in heaven4 
,if the mass were so understood and     
therefore called a sacrifice1 it would  
be well4 ,not that we offer the         
sacrament1 but that by our praise1      
prayer and sacrifice we move ,him and   
give ,him occasion to offer ,himself for
 us in heaven1 and ourselves with ,him4 
,as though ,i were to say1 ,i had       
brought a king's son to his father as an
 offering1 when1 indeed1 ,i had done no 
more than induce that son to present my 

need and petition to the king1 and made 
the son my mediator4  ,sidenote3 ,all   
,christians ,priests  #bg4 ,few1        
however1 understand the mass in this    
way4 ,for they suppose that only the    
priest offers the mass as a sacrifice   
before ,god1 although this is done and  
should be done by everyone who receives 
the sacrament1 yea1 also by those who   
are present at the mass and do not      
receive the sacrament4 ,furthermore1    
such offering of sacrifice every        
,christian may make1 wherever he is and 
at all times1 as ,st4 ,paul says3 ,let  
us offer the sacrifice of praise        
continually through ,him1 ,heb4 #ac3ae  
and ,psalm cx3 ,thou art a priest       
forever4 ,ps4 #aaj3d ,if ,he is a priest
 forever1 then ,he is at all times a    
priest and is offering sacrifices       
without ceasing before ,god4 ,but we    
cannot be continually the same1 and     
therefore the mass has been instituted  
that we may there come together and     
offer such sacrifice in common4  ,but   

let him who understands the mass        
otherwise or uses it otherwise than as a
 testament and sacrifice of this kind   
take heed how he understands it4 ,i     
understand it1 as has been said1 to be  
really nothing else than this1 that we  
receive the testament and at the same   
time admonish ourselves and be minded to
 strengthen our faith and not doubt that
 ,christ is our priest in heaven1 who   
offers ,himself for us without ceasing  
and presents us and our prayer and      
praise1 and makes them acceptable2 just 
as though ,i were to offer the human    
priest as a sacrifice in the mass and   
appoint him to present my need and my   
praise of ,god1 and he were to give me a
 token that he would do it4 ,in this    
case ,i would be offering the priest as 
a sacrifice2 and it is in this wise that
 ,i offer ,christ1 in that ,i desire and
 believe that ,he accepts me and my     
prayer and praise1 and presents it to   
,god in ,his own person1 and to         
strengthen this faith1 gives me a token 

that ,he will do it4 ,this token is the 
sacrament of bread and wine4 ,thus it   
becomes clear that it is not the priest 
alone who offers the sacrifice of the   
mass1 but every one's faith1 which is   
the true priestly office1 through which 
,christ is offered as a sacrifice to    
,god4 ,this office the priest1 with the 
outward ceremonies of the mass1 simply  
represents4 ,each and all are1 therefore
 equally spiritual priests before ,god4 
,rev4 #a3f2 #e3aj1 #a ,pet4 #b3i        
,sidenote3 ,faith the ,true ,priestly   
,office  #bh4 ,from this you can see for
 yourself that there are many who       
rightly observe mass and make this      
sacrifice1 who themselves know nothing  
about it1 nay1 who do not realize that  
they are priests and can observe mass4  
,again1 there are many who take great   
pains and apply themselves with all     
diligence1 thinking that they are       
keeping the mass properly and offering a
 right sacrifice1 and yet there is      
nothing right about it4 ,for all those  

who have the faith that ,christ is a    
priest for them in heaven before ,god1  
and who lay on ,him their prayers and   
praise1 their need and their whole      
selves1 and present them through ,him1  
not doubting that ,he does this very    
thing1 and offers ,himself for them1    
these take the sacrament and testament1 
outwardly or spiritually1 as a sign of  
all this1 and do not doubt that all sin 
is thereby forgiven1 that ,god has      
become their gracious ,father and that  
everlasting life is prepared for them4  
,all such1 then1 wherever they may be1  
are true priests1 observe the mass      
aright and also obtain by it what they  
desire4 ,for faith must do everything4  
,it alone is the true priestly office   
and permits no one else to take its     
place4 ,therefore all ,christians are   
priests2 the men1 priests1 the women1   
priestesses1 be they young or old1      
masters or servants1 mistresses or      
maids1 learned or unlearned4 ,here there
 is no difference1 unless faith be      

unequal4 ,again1 all who do not have    
such faith1 but presume to make much of 
the mass as a sacrifice1 and perform    
this office before ,god1 are            
figure-heads4 ,they observe mass        
outwardly and do not themselves know    
what they are doing1 and cannot be well 
pleasing to ,god4 ,for without true     
faith it is impossible to please ,him1  
as ,st4 ,paul says in ,hebrews xi4 ,heb4
 #aa3f ,now there are many who1 hidden  
in their hearts1 have such true faith1  
and themselves know not of it2 many     
there are who do not have it1 and of    
this1 too1 they are unaware4  ,sidenote3
 ,masses for the ,dead  #ci4 ,it has    
become a wide-spread custom to found    
masses for the dead1 and many books have
 been written about it4 ,if we ask now1 
,of what benefit are the masses         
celebrated for the souls which are kept 
in purgatory8 the answer is3 ,what is   
custom6 ,god's ,word must prevail and   
remain true1 to wit1 that the mass is   
nothing else than a testament and       

sacrament of ,god1 and cannot be a good 
work or a sacrifice1 although it may be 
taken to include sacrifice and good     
works1 as was said above4#ba  ,there is 
no doubt1 therefore1 that whoever       
observes mass without the faith         
aforementioned benefits neither himself 
nor any one else4 ,for the sacrament in 
itself1 without faith1 does nothing2    
nay1 ,god ,himself1 ,who indeed doeth   
all things1 does and can do good to no  
one unless he firmly believes ,him2 how 
much less can the sacrament4 ,it is easy
 to say1 a mass is effective whether it 
be performed by a pious or a wicked     
priest1 that it is acceptable opere     
operati1 not opere operantis4#bb ,but to
 produce no other argument except that  
many say this1 and it has become a      
custom1 is poor proof that it is right4 
,many have praised pleasures and riches 
and have grown accustomed to them2 that 
does not make them right2 we should     
produce ,scripture or reason for it4    
,therefore let us take heed lest we be  

made fools4 ,i cannot conclude that the 
institution of so many masses and       
requiems can be without abuse1          
especially since all this is done as a  
good work and sacrifice by which to pay 
,god1 whereas in the mass there is      
nothing else than the reception and     
enjoyment of divine grace1 promised and 
given us in ,his testament and          
sacrament4  #cj4 ,i will gladly agree   
that the faith which ,i have called#bc  
the true priestly office1 which makes of
 us all priests and priestesses1 through
 which in connection with the sacrament 
we offer ourselves1 our need1 prayer1   
praise and thanksgiving in ,christ and  
through ,christ1 and thereby offer      
,christ before ,god1 that is1 give ,him 
cause and move ,him to offer ,himself   
for us and us with ,himself--this faith1
 ,i say1 is truly able to do all things 
in heaven1 earth1 hell and purgatory1   
and to this faith no one can ascribe too
 much4 ,and as ,i have said above1#bd if
 ,christ promises to two persons the    

answers to all their prayers ,matt4     
#ah3ai1 how much more may so many obtain
 from ,him what they desire6  ,i know   
full well that some will be very ready  
to call me a heretic in this4 ,but1 dear
 fellow1 you should also consider       
whether you can prove as easily as you  
slander4 ,i have read all that1 and ,i  
know the books on which you rely1 so you
 need not think ,i do not know your art4
 ,but ,i say that your art has no       
foundation1 and that you cannot defend  
it1 and that out of a sacrament or      
testament of ,god you will never make a 
sacrifice or a work of satisfaction1    
and1 indeed1 satisfaction itself is more
 of a human than a divine law4#be       
,therefore my advice is1 let us hold    
fast to that which is sure#bf and let   
the uncertain go2 that is1 if we would  
help these poor souls in purgatory or   
any one else1 let us not take the risk  
of relying upon the mass as a sufficient
 work1 but rather come together to mass1
 and with priestly faith#bg present     

every besetting need1 in ,christ and    
with ,christ1 praying for the souls of  
the departed1 and not doubting that we  
will be heard4 ,thus we may be sure that
 the soul is redeemed4 ,for the faith   
which rests on the promise of ,christ   
never deceives nor fails4  ,sidenote3   
,the ,need for the ,sacrament  #ca4 ,so 
we read that ,st4 ,monica1 ,st          
,augustine's mother1 on her death-bed1  
desired to be remembered in the mass4#bh
 ,if the mass were sufficient of itself 
to help everyone1 what need would there 
be for faith and prayer8 ,but you might 
say1 if this is true1 anyone might      
observe mass and offer such a sacrifice1
 even in the open fields4 ,for every one
 may indeed have such a faith in ,christ
 in the open fields1 and offer and      
commit to ,him his prayer1 praise1 need 
and cause1 to bring it before ,god in   
heaven1 and besides he may also think of
 the sacrament and testament1 heartily  
desire it1 and in this way spiritually  
receive it4 ,for he who desires it and  

believes1 receives it spiritually1 as   
,st4 ,augustine teaches4#bi  ,what need 
is there then to observe mass in the    
churches8 ,i answer3 ,it is true1 such  
faith is enough1 and truly accomplishes 
everything1 but how could you think of  
this faith1 sacrifice1 sacrament and    
testament if it were not visibly        
administered in certain designated      
places and churches8 ,the same is true  
in the case of baptism and absolution1  
although faith is sufficient without    
them1 where no more can be done2 still  
if there were no place for their        
administration1 who could think of them 
and believe in them1 or who could know  
or say anything of them8 ,moreover1     
since ,god has so ordered this          
sacrament1 we must not despise it1 but  
receive it with great reverence1 praise 
and gratitude4 ,for if there were no    
other reason why we should observe mass 
outwardly and not be satisfied with     
inward faith alone1 yet were this       
sufficient1 that ,god so orders and     

wills it4 ,and ,his will ought to please
 us above all things and be sufficient  
reason to do or omit anything4  ,there  
is also this advantage3 since we are    
still living in the flesh and are not   
all perfect enough to rule ourselves in 
spirit1 we need to come together to     
enkindle such a faith in one another by 
example1 prayer1 praise1 and            
thanksgiving1 as ,i have said above1#cj 
and through the outward seeing and      
receiving of the sacrament and testament
 to move each other to the increase of  
this faith4 ,there are many saints1 who 
like ,st4 ,paul the ,hermit1#ca remained
 for years in the desert without mass1  
and yet were never without mass4 ,but   
such a high spiritual example cannot be 
imitated by everyone or by the whole    
,church4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,mass a       
,proclamation of the ,gospel  #cc4 ,but 
the chief reason for outwardly holding  
mass is the ,word of ,god1 which no one 
can do without1 and which must daily be 
used and studied4 ,not only because     

every day ,christians are born1 baptised
 and trained1 but because we live in the
 midst of the world1 the flesh and the  
devil1 who do not cease to tempt us and 
drive us into sin1 against which the    
most powerful weapon is the holy ,word  
of ,god1 as ,st4 ,paul also calls it1 a 
spiritual sword1 ,eph4 #f3ag which is   
powerful against all sin4 ,this the     
,lord indicated when ,he instituted the 
mass and said3 ,this do in remembrance  
of ,me ,luke #bb3ai2 as though ,he said1
 ,as often as you use this sacrament and
 testament you shall preach of ,me1 ,as 
also ,st4 ,paul says in ,i4 ,corinthians
 xi1 ,as oft as ye eat this bread and   
drink this cup ye shall preach and      
proclaim the death of the ,lord until   
,he come #a ,cor4 #aa3bf2 and ,psalm    
cii1 ,they shall declare the glory of   
the ,lord in ,zion and ,his praise in   
,jerusalem1 as often as the kings 7that 
is1 the bishops and rulers7 and the     
people come together to serve the lord  
,ps4 #ajb3ba1 #bb2 and ,psalm cxi1 ,he  

hath instituted a memorial of ,his      
wonders in that ,he has given meat to   
all who fear ,him4 ,ps4 #aaa3d1 #e  ,in 
these passages you see how the mass was 
instituted to preach and praise ,christ1
 to glorify ,his sufferings and all ,his
 grace and goodness1 that we may be     
moved to love ,him1 hope and believe in 
,him1 and thus1 in addition to this     
,word or sermon1 receive an outward     
sign1 that is1 the sacrament1 to the end
 that our faith1 provided with and      
confirmed by divine words and signs1 may
 become strong against all sin1         
suffering1 death and hell and everything
 that is against us4 ,and but for the   
preaching of the ,word ,he would        
nevermore have instituted the mass4 ,he 
is more concerned about the ,word than  
about the sign4 ,for the preaching ought
 to be nothing but an explanation of the
 words of ,christ when ,he institutes   
the mass and says3 ,this is ,my body4   
,this is ,my blood1 etc4 ,what is the   
whole ,gospel but an explanation of this

 testament8 ,christ has comprehended the
 whole ,gospel in a short summary with  
the words of this testament or          
sacrament4 ,for the whole ,gospel is    
nothing but a proclamation of ,god's    
grace and of the forgiveness of all     
sins1 granted us through the sufferings 
of ,christ1 as ,st4 ,paul proves in     
,romans x ,rom4 #aj3i1 #aa1 #ac2 and    
,christ in ,luke xxiv ,luke #bd3df1 #dg4
 ,this same thing the words of this     
testament contain1 as we have seen4     
#cd4 ,from this we may see what a pity  
and perversion it is that so many masses
 are said1 and yet the ,gospel is kept  
altogether silent4 ,they stand and      
preach1 and give to poor souls chaff for
 wheat1 yea1 death for life1 intending  
afterward to make up for it with many   
masses4 ,what sort of baptism would that
 be1 if the water were poured upon the  
child and not a word were said8 ,i fear 
that the holy words of the testament are
 read so secretly1 and kept hidden from 
the laity1 because ,god in ,his wrath is

 testifying thereby that the whole      
,gospel is no longer publicly preached  
to the people1 that even as the summary 
of the ,gospel is hidden1 so also its   
public explanation has ceased4          
,sidenote3 ,the ,withdrawal of the ,cup 
,next1 they took entirely from us the   
one element1 the wine1 although that    
does not matter much1 for the ,word is  
more important than the sign4 ,still1 ,i
 should like to know who gave them the  
power to do such a thing4 ,in the same  
way they might take from us the other   
element and give us the empty monstrance
 to kiss as a relic1 and at last abolish
 everything that ,christ has instituted4
 ,i fear it is a figure and type that   
augurs nothing good in these perilous1  
perverted latter days4 ,it is said that 
the pope has the power to do it2 ,i say 
that is all fiction1 he does not have a 
hair's breadth of power to change what  
,christ has made2 and whatever of these 
things he changes1 that he does as a    
tyrant and ,antichrist4 ,i should like  

to hear how they will prove it4  ,not   
that ,i wish to cause a turmoil about   
it1 for ,i regard the ,word as mightier 
than the sign1 but ,i cannot permit the 
outrage when they not only do us wrong1 
but wish to have a right thereto1 and   
force us not only to permit such a      
wrong1 but also to praise it as right   
and good4 ,let them do what they will1  
so long as we are not obliged to        
acknowledge wrong as right4 ,it is      
enough that we permit ourselves1 with   
,christ1 to be smitten on the cheek     
,john #ah3bb1 but it is not for us to   
praise it1 as though they had done well 
therein and earned ,god's reward4       
,sidenote3 ,superstitious ,use of ,mass 
#ce4 ,but what of those poor priests and
 laymen who have departed so far from   
the true meaning of the mass and of     
faith that they have even made of it a  
sort of magic8 ,some men have masses    
said that they may become rich and      
prosper in their business1 others       
because they think if they hear mass in 

the morning they will be safe during the
 day from all danger and want2 some1    
again1 on account of sickness2 others   
for still more foolish1 yea1 even sinful
 reasons1 and yet they find priests     
perverted enough to take their money and
 do their bidding4  ,sidenote3          
,distinction of ,masses  ,furthermore1  
they have now made one mass better than 
another2 one is valued as useful for    
this1 another for that4 ,thus they have 
made seven ,golden ,masses4 #cc ,the    
,mass of the ,holy ,cross has come to   
have a different virtue from the ,mass  
of ,our ,lady4 ,in this matter every one
 is silent and permits the people to go 
on for the sake of the cursed1 filthy   
pfennigs1 which through these various   
titles and virtues of the mass come     
piling in4 ,so must faith1 like ,christ1
 be sold by its ,judas1 that is1 by     
covetousness and the thirst for money4  
,matt4 #bf3ae1 #af  ,some are to be     
found also who have mass said privately1
 for this and for that2 in short1 the   

mass must do all kinds of things1 except
 its own peculiar work--faith1 which no 
one regards4 ,they now are the best men 
on earth who have many masses said1 as  
though they thought thereby to lay up   
many good works4 ,all of this is the    
work of ignorance1 which does not       
separate the hymns and prayers1 which   
have been added1 from the true1 original
 mass4 ,for one mass is like another and
 there is no difference1 except in the  
faith4 ,for the mass is best to him who 
believes most1 and it serves only to    
increase faith1 and for nothing else4   
,true1 indeed1 the added prayers do     
serve1 one this purpose1 another that1  
according to the meaning of their words1
 but they are not the mass or the       
sacrament4  ,sidenote3 ,reduction in the
 ,number of ,masses  #cf4 ,i would      
advise then1 that where the masses are  
not directed toward such faith1 they be 
abolished1 and that there be fewer      
masses endowed for the souls of the     
dead4 ,truly we provoke ,god to anger   

with them more than we conciliate ,him4 
,to what purpose are the priests in the 
chapter houses and cloisters so strictly
 bound to observe the yearly#cd masses1 
since they are not only without such    
faith1 but also are often of necessity  
unfit4 ,christ ,himself did not desire  
to bind anyone thereto and left us      
wholly free when ,he said3 ,this do ye1 
as oft as ye do it1 in remembrance of   
,me4 #a ,cor4 #aa3be ,and we men bind   
ourselves so fast and drive ourselves on
 against our own conscience4 ,i see too 
that such an institution often has no   
good reason1 but a secret greed is at   
the bottom of the obligation and that we
 burden ourselves with many masses in   
order that we may have sufficient income
 in temporal things2 afterward we say   
that we do it for ,god's sake4 ,i fear  
few would be found who gratuitously and 
for ,god's sake would thus burden       
themselves4 ,but if all these masses are
 observed in the faith above mentioned1 
which ,i scarcely expect1 they are to be

 tolerated4 ,but if not1 then it would  
be best that there be only one mass a   
day in a city1 and that it be held in a 
proper manner in the presence of the    
assembled people4 ,if at any time1      
however1 we desire to have more1 the    
people should be divided into as many   
parts as there are masses1 and each part
 should be made to attend its own mass1 
there to exercise their faith and to    
offer their prayer1 praise and need in  
,christ1 as was said above4#ce          
,sidenote3 ,proper ,preparation for the 
,mass  #cg4 ,if1 then1 the mass is a    
testament and sacrament in which the    
forgiveness of sins and every grace of  
,god are promised and sealed with a     
sign1 it follows of itself1 what is the 
best preparation for it4 ,without doubt1
 it is given to them that need it and   
desire it4 ,but who needs forgiveness of
 sins and ,god's grace more than just   
these poor miserable consciences that   
are driven and tormented by their sins1 
are afraid of ,god's anger and judgment1

 of death and of hell1 that would be    
glad to have a gracious ,god and desire 
nothing more greatly8 ,these are truly  
they who are well-prepared for mass4    
,for them these words have force and    
meaning1 when ,christ says3 ,take and   
drink1 this is ,my blood1 which is shed 
for you for the remission of sins4      
,matt4 #bf3bg ,where such a soul        
believes these words1 as it ought1 it   
receives from the mass all the fruits of
 the mass1 that is1 peace and joy1 and  
is thus well and richly fed by it in    
spirit4 ,but where there is no faith1   
there no prayer helps1 nor the hearing  
of many masses2 things can only become  
worse4 ,as ,psalm xxiii says3 ,thou     
preparest a table before me against all 
my enemies4 ,ps4 #bc3e ,is this not a   
clear passage8 ,what greater enemies are
 there than sin and an evil conscience  
which at all times fears ,god's anger   
and never has rest8 ,again1 ,psalm cxi  
says3 ,he hath made ,his wonderful works
 to be remembered and hath given meat to

 them that fear ,him4 ,ps4 #aaa3d1 #e   
,it is certain then that for bold1      
confident spirits1 whose sin does not   
prick them1 the mass is of no value1 for
 they have as yet no hunger for this    
food1 but are still too full4 ,the mass 
demands and must have a hungry soul1    
which longs for forgiveness of sins and 
divine favor4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,mass a  
,remedy against ,despair and ,doubt     
#ch4 ,but because this despair and      
unrest of conscience are nothing but an 
infirmity of faith1 the severest malady 
which man can have in body and soul1 and
 which cannot at once or speedily be    
cured1 it is useful and necessary that  
the more restless a man's conscience1   
the more should he approach the         
sacrament or hear mass1 provided that he
 picture to himself therein the ,word of
 ,god1 and feed and strengthen his faith
 by it1 and ever see to it that he do   
not make a work or sacrifice of it1 but 
let it remain a testament and sacrament1
 out of which he shall take and enjoy a 

benefit freely and of grace1 by which   
his heart may become sweet toward ,god  
and obtain a comforting confidence      
toward ,him4 ,for so sings the ,psalter1
 ,psalm civ1 ,the bread strengtheneth   
man's heart1 and the wine maketh glad   
the heart of man4 ,ps4 #ajd3ae          
,sidenote3 ,a ,sacrament for the ,deaf  
and ,dumb  #ci4 ,some have asked whether
 the sacrament is to be offered also to 
the deaf and dumb4 ,some think it a     
kindness to practice a pious fraud upon 
them1 and think they should be given    
unblessed wafers4 ,this mockery is not  
right1 and will not please ,god1 ,who   
has made them ,christians as well as us2
 and the same things are due to them as 
to us4 ,therefore1 if they have sound   
understanding and can show by           
indubitable signs that they desire it in
 true ,christian devotion1 as ,i have   
often seen1 we should leave to the ,holy
 ,spirit what is ,his work and not      
refuse ,him what ,he demands4 ,it may be
 that inwardly they have a better       

understanding and faith than we1 and    
this no one should presumptuously       
oppose4 ,do we not read of ,st4         
,cyprian1#cf the holy martyr1 that in   
,carthage1 where he was bishop1 he gave 
both elements to the children1 although 
that has now ceased1 for good reasons8  
,christ permitted the children to come  
to ,him1 and would not suffer any one to
 forbid them ,mark #aj3ac ff44 ,and in  
like manner ,he has withheld ,his       
blessings neither from dumb or blind1   
nor from the lame2 why should not ,his  
sacrament also be for those who heartily
 and in a ,christian spirit desire it8  
,sidenote3 ,conclusion  #dj4 ,thus we   
see with how very few laws and works    
,christ has weighed down ,his holy      
,church1 and with how many promises ,he 
has lifted it up to faith2 although now1
 alas6 all is turned about1 and we are  
driven by many long and burdensome laws 
and works to become pious2 and nothing  
comes of it4 ,but ,christ's burden is   
light ,matt4 #aa3cj and soon produces an

 abundant piety1 which consists in faith
 and trust1 and fulfils what ,isaiah    
says3 ,a little perfection shall bring a
 flood full of all piety4 ,isa4 #aj3cb  
7,vulgate7 ,that burden is faith1 which 
is a little thing1 to which belong      
neither laws nor works1 nay it cuts off 
all laws and works and fulfils all laws 
and works4 ,therefore there flows from  
it nothing but righteousness4 ,for so   
perfect is faith1 that without any other
 labor and law1 it makes everything that
 man does acceptable and well-pleasing  
to ,god4 ,as ,i have further said of it 
in my little book ,of ,good ,works4 #cg 
,therefore1 let us beware of sins1 but  
much more of laws and good works1 and   
only give heed to the divine promise and
 to faith2 then good works will come of 
themselves4 ,to this may ,god help us4  
,amen4  ,,footnotes  #a ,see above1 p4  
#be1 note #a4  #b ,luther's customary   
term for the law of the ,church1 or     
,canon ,law4  #c ,for the application of
 this principle to the sacrament of     

penance1 see the ,discussion of         
,confession above1 p4 #hb f4  #d ,luther
 quotes from the ,vulgate1 ,st4         
,jerome's ,latin version of the ,bible4 
#e ,the bread of the ,lord's ,supper4   
#f ,the ,sanctus in the mass4  #g       
,luther says feathers4  #h ,darinnen die
 ,messe steht und geht4  #i ,gelbde1    
literally vow4  #aj ,on the mode of     
baptism see the ,treatise on ,baptism in
 this volume4 ,cf4 ,small ,catechism1   
,part ,,iv1 #d1 and ,large ,catechism1  
,part ,,iv4  #aa ,tropffrchtlein4  #ab  
,not a benefit received1 but a benefit  
conferred4  #ac ,see p4 #cji4  #ad i4   
e41 ,blessing and ,thanksgiving at      
,table2 cf4 ,appendix ,,ii4 of the      
,small ,catechism4  #ae ,called the     
still mass because said without music4  
#af ,see p4 #cjb4  #ag ,luther at this  
period still acknowledges seven         
sacraments4 ,but see the ,babylonian    
,captivity1 written in ,october #aebj4  
#ah ,the receptacle in which the        
consecrated host is shown to the people4

  #ai ,the corporal-cloth spread over   
the altar during the communion service4 
#bj ,see p4 #cjf4  #ba ,see pp4 #cjh f41
 #caa ff4  #bb ,it is the teaching of   
the ,roman ,church that a sacrament is  
effective ex opere operato1 i4 e41      
simply as a sacrament ordained of ,god4 
,intended to guard against the idea that
 the validity of the sacrament depended 
on the character of the priest or of the
 recipient1 it gave rise to the notion  
that the sacrament worked a sort of     
sacred magic4  #bc ,see p4 #caf4  #bd   
,see p4 #cac4  #be ,cf4 ,,xcv ,theses1  
pp4 #ai1 #da4  #bf ,lasst uns des       
gewissen spielen4  #bg ,see p4 #caf4    
#bh ,confessions of ,st4 ,augustine1    
,book ,,ix1 ,chapter ,,xi4  #bi ,this is
 the votum sacramenti1 which1 according 
to ,roman teaching1 suffices for        
salvation if participation in the       
sacrament is impossible4  #cj ,see p4   
#cac4  #ca ,paul of ,thebes1 an         
,egyptian hermit of the ,,iii4 ,century1
 whose life was written by ,st4 ,jerome4

  #cb ,the translators have followed the
 numbering of the text in the ,weimar   
and ,erlangen ,editions1 which omit ,no4
 #cb in numbering the paragraphs4  #cc  
,the mass held for the ,blessed ,virgin 
in ,hildsheim on the second ,sunday     
after ,st4 ,michael's ,day is1 on       
account of its magnificence1 called     
golden4 ,du ,cange4  #cd ,the masses    
which are observed every day throughout 
the year4  #ce ,see p4 #cac f4  #cf     
,bishop of ,carthage1 died #beh4  #cg   
,see above1 pp4 #ahg ff4   ,,the        
,,papacy ,,at ,,rome  ,,an ,,answer ,,to
 ,,the ,,celebrated ,,romanist ,,at     
,,leipzig  #aebj   ,,introduction       
,luther's declaration of emancipation   
from the spiritual pre-eminence of the  
,church of ,rome1 which1 said he1 is    
proven solely by the by the empty papal 
decretals of the last four hundred      
years1 and against which there stands   
the testimony of the authentic history  
of eleven hundred years1 the text of    
,holy ,scripture1 and the decree of the 

,nicene ,council1 appeared in print in  
spring #aeai4a ,it was in the form of a 
counter-thesis#b to ,eck's specious and 
celebrated ,thirteenth ,thesis4 ,it     
culminated in the ,leipzig ,disputation 
in ,july4  ,before another summer had   
passed1 this ,disputation bore marvelous
 and unlooked-for fruits4 ,in a series  
of epochal pamphlets1 written in part   
for the clergy1 and in part for the     
newly awakened laity1 ,luther with      
remarkable rapidity developed his new   
and scriptural teaching on the nature of
 the ,church1 on the duties of the      
state1 on the essence of the sacraments1
 and on the inner life of the individual
 ,christian4  ,the tractates of #aebj1  
to which that on ,the ,papacy at ,rome  
belongs1 like most of ,luther's         
writings1 were drawn forth from him in  
large part defensively1 under           
provocation from the other side1 or by  
the exigencies of the occasion4 ,his    
correspondence#c during the first half  
of #aebj reveals them as a result 7with 

fresh causes arising7 of the stir at    
,leipzig4  ,said ,luther 7,february1    
#aebj71 ,you cannot make a pen out of a 
sword3 the ,word of ,god is a sword4 ,i 
was unwilling to be forced to come      
forward in public2 and the more         
unwilling ,i am1 the more ,i am drawn   
into the contest4 ,widely and eagerly   
read1 these piquant publications made   
,luther the awakener1 the developer1 and
 as ,harnack declares1 the spiritual    
center of the reformatory thought that  
was now rising to a crisis4  ,fortunate 
it was1 that the infancy of modern and  
the birth of ,luther were contemporary1 
and that ,luther turned to the printing 
press to such an extent in that critical
 period1 that in the single year under  
discussion the number of printed ,german
 works was doubled4  ,our little book of
 ,june #bf1 #aebj1 is the earliest of   
his writings to present a full outline  
of his teaching on the nature of the    
,christian ,church4 ,driven by an       
antagonist1 to whom his work is a reply1

 to write#d in ,german for the laity1   
,luther gives them a clear and          
fundamental insight into this burning   
subject4 ,his teachings which he had    
just one year before maintained at the  
,leipzig ,disputation are here unfolded1
 following to their logical conclusions 
and clearly presented4#e ,this flying   
counter-attack against the famous       
,romanist at ,leipzig thus becomes1 in  
the judgment of ,kstlin1#f one of the   
most important of his general doctrinal 
treatise of that period4  ,luther's     
reply was written in short order during 
the last two weeks in ,may4#g ,it came  
about in this wise3 ,eck at the         
,disputation had driven ,luther to      
declare that belief in the divine       
supremacy of ,rome was not necessary to 
salvation4 ,following this1 in fall1 a  
,franciscan friar1 ,augustine von       
,avleld1 had risen to attack ,luther and
 glorify the papacy1 having received an 
appointment from ,adolph1 the ,bishop of
 ,merseburg 7who had posted the         

inhibition on the ,leipzig churches     
against the ,disputation1#h to write    
against the ,reformer4 ,alveld's work1  
justifying the divine right of the      
,apostolic ,chair1 to all learned men1  
appeared early in ,may1#i in the ,latin 
language1 in a first edition full of    
errors1 followed quickly by a second    
edition4#aj ,alveld attempted to cut    
,luther to pieces with seven swords1 of 
which the first was recta ratio2 the    
second1 canonica scriptura2 the third1  
vera scientia 7gained through the       
,church teachers and scholastics72 the  
fourth1 pietas sacra2 the fifth1 sanus  
intellectus2 the sixth1 simplex et      
pudica sapientia2 the seventh1 pura et  
integra scientia4  ,on ,alved's         
miserable jumble1 in which the ,reformer
 is alluded to as a heretic1 lunatic1   
wolf1 ,luther was not willing to waste  
any time 7despite a threatening letter  
from ,alveld72 but jotted down some     
points for ,john ,lonicer1#aa who on    
,june #ast1 published a sharp expos#ab  

of the ,leipzig ,romanist's             
weaknesses#ac4 ,although the monastic   
authorities at ,leipzig1 fearing        
,luther1 now attempted to suppress      
,alveld1 that worthy at once came out#ad
 with a new work#ae on the same theme   
and this time in the ,german            
language#af4 ,it stirred ,luther's      
blood4 ,if the jackanapes had not issued
 his little book in ,german to poison   
the defenceless laity1 he said1 ,i would
 have looked on it as too small a matter
 to take up4 ,as it was1 with great     
rapidity he wrote his ,the ,papacy at   
,rome against the ,celebrated ,romanist 
at ,leipzig4 ,going to press in ,may1   
the book was completed on the #bfth of  
,june4 ,the twelve known editions are   
all quartos and range in size from      
twenty-two to thirty-two leaves4 ,the   
first#ag two editions were printed by   
,melchior ,lotther in ,wittenberg2 one  
by ,peypus in ,nuremberg2 two by ,silvan
 ,otmar in ,augsburg2 one by ,george    
,nadler in ,augsburg2 one by ,adam      

,petri in ,basel and one by ,andrew     
,exatander4#ah  ,incidentally ,luther   
handles the ,alveld ,ass #ai and the    
,roman cause without gloves1 but in     
substance he explains to the layman what
 ,christianity really is1#bj i4 e41     
unfolds to them the essence of the      
,christian ,church4#ba ,in doing so he  
takes advanced ground for civil and     
religious liberty4 ,the traditional     
medival idea of universal monarchy is   
dealt a heavy blow4 ,neither in ,civil  
,government nor in the ,church is the   
need of a single monarchical head4 ,the 
,roman ,empire governed itself for a    
long time1 and very well1 without the   
one head1 and many other countries in   
the world did the same4 ,how does the   
,swiss ,confederacy govern itself at    
present8  ,against the modern demand    
that the ,church shall socialize itself1
 that it shall organize as a public     
center in a community of the people's   
civic life1 that it shall enter the     
nation's political activities for moral 

uplift1 and that ministers should become
 what ,luther would call preachers of   
dreams in material communities1 our book
 places itself on record#bb4  ,against  
the widespread demand that ,christianity
 should get together into one world-wide
 visible ecclesiastical order1 ,luther's
 words are peremptory4 ,he declares that
 the one true ,church is already a      
spiritual community composed of all the 
believers in ,christ upon the earth1    
that it is not a bodily assembly1 but an
 assembly of the hearts in one faith1   
that the true ,church is a spiritual    
thing1 and not anything external or     
outward1 that external unity is not the 
fulfilment of a divine commandment1 and 
that those who emphasize the            
externalization of the ,church into one 
visible or national order are in reality
 ,jews4#bc  ,luther refers to those     
without the unity of the ,roman ,church 
as still within the true ,church4 ,for  
the ,muscovites1 ,russians1 ,greeks1    
,bohemians1 and many other great peoples

 in the world1 all these believe as we  
do1 baptise as we do1 preach as we do1  
live as we do4  ,but if ,luther attacks 
the supremacy of the outer organization 
in the ,church1 he no less forcibly     
disputes the supremacy of man's own     
inner thinking1 his reasoning1 in       
theology4 ,he defines human reason as   
our ability which is drawn from         
experience in temporal things and       
declares it ridiculous to place this    
ability on a level with divine law#bd4  
,he compares the man who uses his reason
 to defend ,god's law with the man who  
in the thick of battle would use his    
bare hand and head to protect his helmet
 and sword4 ,he insists that ,scripture 
is the supreme and only rule of         
faith#be1 and ridicules the ,romanists  
who inject their reason into the        
,scriptures1 making out of them what    
they wish1 as though they were a nose of
 wax to be pulled around at will4  ,as  
might be supposed1 ,luther's book1 thus 
set against the external unity of human 

ecclesiastical organization1 and against
 the inner rule of human thinking1 is   
equally strong against the human        
visualization of divine worship4 ,he    
argues against those who turn spiritual 
edification into an outward show1 and   
those who chiefly apply the name ,church
 to an assembly in which the external   
rites are in use1 such as chanting1     
reading1 vestments2 and the name        
'spiritual estate' is given to the      
members of the holy orders1 not on      
account of their faith 7which perhaps   
they do not have71 but because they have
 been consecrated with an external      
anointing1 wear distinctive dress1 make 
special prayers and do special works1   
have their places in the choir1 and seem
 to attend to all such external matters 
of worship4#bf  ,the fallacy of the     
argument that because the ,old          
,testament was a type of the ,new1      
therefore the material types of the ,old
 ,testament must be reproduced in the   
,new1 is exposed by him4 #bg ,the open  

and fearless opposition to the popedom  
at ,rome1 which already appeared in the 
,diet at ,augsburg in #aeah1 and more   
circumspectly1 in the ,leipzig          
,disputation in #aeai1 is very free#bh  
in this booklet to the laity of #aebj1  
and is preliminary to the more intense  
antagonism which will appear in ,the    
,babylonian ,captivity4 ,at ,leipzig1   
,eck had laid emphasis on the ,scripture
 passage1 ,feed my sheep1 and both this 
passage#bi and the one of ,matthew      
#af3ah 7,thou art ,peter1 and upon this 
rock ,i will build my ,church7 are      
explained by ,luther for the laity4 ,he 
charges the popes with having forsaken  
the faith1 with living under the power  
of ,satan1 and with being themselves    
heretical4#cj  ,this tractate applies   
doctrine to existing institutions1 and  
makes the truth clear to the laity4 ,we 
see in it the power of ,luther in       
stirring the popular mind4 ,we do not   
regard the coarse invectives of ,luther 
7which many cultured men of to-day seem 

to cite with outward horror--and inner  
enjoyment7 as a remark of low peasant   
birth1 or of crudeness of breeding1 but 
as the language of a great leader who1  
in desperate struggle with the powers   
that be1 knew how to attach himself to  
the mind of his age in such way as to   
influence it4 ,how noble and great is   
his own remark at the close of his      
booklet on others' allusion to himself  
in print6 ,whoever will1 let him freely 
slander and condemn my person and my    
life4 ,it is already forgiven him4 ,god 
has given me a glad and fearless spirit1
 which they shall not embitter for me1  
,i trust1 not in all eternity4  ,luther 
in this pamphlet1 insists that none are 
to be regarded as heretics simply       
because they are not under the ,pope2   
and that the ,pope's decrees1 to stand1 
must endure the test of ,scripture4     
,luther wrote in ,may4 ,in ,june he told
 ,spalatin that if the ,pope did not    
reform1 he would appeal to the ,emperor 
and ,german nobility4 ,within another   

month that appeal appeared4  ,the men of
 ,leipzig feared the work of ,luther1   
and the rector of the ,university had   
pled for mercy4 ,luther replied that    
,leipzig deserved to be placed in the   
pillory#ca1 that he had no desire to    
make sport of the city and its          
university1 but was pressed into it by  
the bombast of the ,romanist1 who       
boasted that he was a public teacher of 
the ,holy ,scripture at ,leipzig2 and by
 the fact that ,alveld had dedicated his
 work to the city and its ,council4     
,alveld answered ,lonicer and ,luther   
bitterly1 but ,luther replied no more4  
,theodore ,e4 ,smauk4  ,lebanon1        
,pennsylvania4  ,,footnotes  #a ,still  
earlier1 in his ,resolutions to the #ie 
,theses 7,resolut4 ,disputat41 etc4     
,erl4 ,fr4 ,ed4 ,,ii1 #abb sqq41 #acg   
sqq47 ,luther had in an historical and  
objective way spoken of a time when the 
,roman ,church had not been exalted over
 the other churches1 at least not above 
those of ,greece2 that it was thus yet  

in the time of ,pope ,gregory ,i4  #b   
,luther's ,thirteen ,theses against     
,eck's ,thirteen ,theses4 ,frater ,mar4 
,luth4 ,dsupt4 etc41 ,erl4-,fr4 ,ed4    
,,iii1 #d sqq41 #aa sqq4 ,bruder ,martin
 ,luther's ,disputation und             
,entschuldigung wider die               
,anschuldigungen des ,d4 ,johann ,eck4  
,st4 ,louis ,ed4 ,,xviii1 #gah4 ,the    
oldest print is doubtless one in        
possession of the ,university at ,halle4
  #c ,january #aj1 #aebj1 to ,spalatin2 
,january #bf1 to ,john ,lang2 ,february 
#e1 to ,spalatin2 ,february #ah1 to     
,spalatin2 ,april1 ,alved to ,luther2   
,ma #e1 ,may #ag1 ,may #ca1 ,june #h1   
and ,june #bj1 to ,spalatin1 with a     
letter of ,july or ,august to ,peter    
,mosellanus1 rector of the ,university  
at ,leipzig4  #d ,he alluded to the     
subject in his ,sermon on the ,ban4  #e 
,kstlin1 ,theology of ,luther1          
translated by ,hay1 ,i1 #cfc4  #f       
,martin ,luther1 ,i1 #bii4  #g ,alved's 
second book1 the ,confutatio ,inepti1   

was dedicated to the ,council and       
honorable citizens of the city of       
,leipzig on the #bc;d of ,april1 and    
appeared in print in the middle of ,may4
 ,its smooth and popular form roused    
,luther to this reply1 which was put in 
press before the end of ,may1 and       
published before the end of ,june4  #h  
,see ,luther to ,spalatin1 ,july #bj1   
#aeai4  #i ,see ,luther to ,spalatin1   
,may #e1 #aebj4 ,exiit tandem frater    
,augustinus ,afveidenais cum sus offs1  
etc4 ,he characterises ,alved in this   
letter1 and refers to the approval it   
found in ,meissen in his letter to      
,spalatin of ,may #agth4  #aj ,the title
 is as follows3 ,super apostolica ne-de1
 ,an ,videlicet diuino sit iure nec ne1 
anque potifex qui ,papa dici caeptus    
est1 iure diuino in ea ipea president1  
no paru laudanda ex sacro ,biblior4     
canone declaratio4 sedita p4 ,f4        
,augustinu ,ahldesem ,franciscanu1      
regularis 7vt dicit7 observuatae        
sacredote1 ,prouin ciae ,saxoniae1      

,sancte crucia1 ,sa-criq ,biblioru      
canonis publi-cu lectore i couetu       
,lipsico1 ad ,reurendu in ,chro patre   
dom1 dom ,adolphu pricipe ,illust4 i    
,anhaldt ic ,episcope ,mersen-burge sem4
 ,see ,super apostolica sed declario    
edita per ,augustinum ,alveldensem ,bl42
 ,e4 ,s4 ,cyprian1 ,ntsliche ,urkunden1 
,leipzig1 #agah1 ,,ii ,s4 #afj f4  #aa  
,luther's famulus4 ,ich werde meinem    
,bruder ,famulus anstellen4--,to        
,spalatin already on ,may #eth4  #ab    
,contra ,romanistam fratrem ,augustinu1 
,alulden4 ,fran-ciscanu ,leipaica       
,canonis ,biblici publicu lictore       
eiusdem4 ,f4 ,joanes ,lonicerus4        
,augustinianus4 ,,vvittenbergae1 ,,apvd1
 ,,collegivm ,,novvm4 ,,anno4           
,m4,d4,,xx4  #ac ,lonicer's reply had   
been preceded by one more detailed and  
less impetuous by ,bernardi ,feldkirch1 
teacher in the ,wittenberg ,high        
,school4 ,this work is wrongly regarded 
as ,melanchton's4 ,its title is3        
,,confutatio ,,inep-ti  impli ,libelli  

,f4 ,august4 ,,al-,,veld4 ,franciscani  
,lipsici1 pro ,d4 ,m4 ,luthero4         
,vmittenbergae1 apud ,melciorem         
,lottherum iuniorem1 ,anno ,m4 ,d4 ,,xx4
  #ad ,he requested the ,nuncio ,milits 
to secure authority for him to write4   
#ae ,cf4 ,luther in the ,tractate3 ,they
 cling to me like mud to a wheel4  #af  
,eyn gar fruchtbar vu nutsbarlich       
buchbleyn vo d ,babstliche stul3  vmud  
von sant ,peter3 vund vo den1 die       
warhafftige schef-lein ,christi sein1   
die ,christus vner herr ,petro befolen  
hat in sein hute vnd reglrung1 gemacht  
durch bruder ,augustinu ,alueldt sant   
,francisci ordens tzu ,leiptsk4  ,see   
,cyprian1 ,urkunden1 ,,ii1 #afa f4  ,on 
,may #ca1 ,luther puts the whole        
situation graphically in a letter to    
,spalatin as follows3 ,lonicers ,schrift
 wird morgen fergig sein4 ,die          
,leipziger sind besorgt1 ihre ,schlter  
zu behalten2 sie rhmen1 dases ,erasmus  
zu ihnen kommen werde4 ,wie geschftig   
und doch wie unglchlich ist der ,neid4  

,vor einem ,jahre1 da sie hrer uns1 als 
whren wir besiegt1 spotteten1 saben sie 
nicht voraus1 dass ihnen dies ,kreut    
bevorstebe4 ,der ,herr                  
regiert444,ochsenfart soll sich wider   
das ,bchlein ,feldkirchens rston1 in    
welchem er durch gehechbelt wird4 ,ich  
habe ein deutsches ,buch wider den ,esel
 von ,alveld fertiggestellt1 welches    
jetzt under der ,presse ist4  #ag ,von  
dem ,bapstum zu ,rome3 wid der den      
hochberupton ,romanisten zu ,leipzck ,d4
 ,martinus ,lu-ther ther ,agust4        
,vuittenberg4 #ej leaves1 quarto1 last  
page blank4  #ah ,for titles of these   
editions see ,weimar ,ed41 vi1 #bha4    
#ai ,luther in this tractate aims beyond
 the undersized scribe of the barefoot  
friars at ,leipzig1 at the brave and    
great flag-bearers who remain in hiding1
 and would win a notable victory in     
another's name1 namely ,prierias1       
,cajetan1 ,eck1 ,emser and the          
,universities of ,cologne and ,louvaine4
 ,luther uses the epithet quoted above  

in one of his letters to ,spalatin4  #bj
 ,i welcome the opportunity to explain  
something of the nature of ,christianity
 for the laity4  #ba ,i must first of   
all explain what these things mean1 the 
,church1 and the ,one ,head of the      
,church4  #bb ,on this point we must    
hear the word of ,christ1 ,who1 when    
,pilate asked ,him concerning ,his      
,kingdom answered1 ,my ,kingdom is not  
of this world4 ,this is indeed a clear  
passage in which the ,church is made    
separate from all temporal communities4 
,is not this a cruel error1 when one    
places the ,christian ,church1 separated
 by ,christ ,himself from temporal      
cities and places1 and transferred to   
spiritual realms1 is made a part of     
material communities8  ,no hope is left 
on earth except in the temporal4  #bc   
,among many things that ,luther says on 
this point are the following3 ,according
 to the ,scriptures the ,church is      
called the assembly of all the believers
 in ,christ upon the earth4 ,this       

community consists of all those who live
 in true faith1 hope and love1 so that  
the essence1 life and nature of the     
,church is not a bodily assembly1 but an
 assembly of the hearts in one faith4   
,thus1 though they be a thousand miles  
apart in body1 they are yet called an   
assembly in spirit1 because each one    
preaches1 believes1 hopes1 loves1 and   
lives like the other4 ,so we sing of the
 ,holy ,ghost3 ',thou1 ,who through     
diverse tongues gatherest together the  
nations in the unity of the faith4'     
,that means spiritual unity4 ,and this  
unity is of itself sufficient to make a 
,church1 and without it no unity1 be it 
of place1 of time1 of person1 of work1  
or of whatever else1 makes a ,church4   
,a man is not reckoned a member of the  
,church according to his body1 but      
according to his soul1 nay1 according to
 his faith444,it is plain that the      
,church can be classed with a temporal  
community as little as spirits with     
bodies4 ,whosoever would not go astray  

should therefore hold fast to this1 that
 the ,church is a spiritual assembly of 
souls in one faith1 that no one is      
reckoned a ,christian for his body's    
sake2 that the true1 real1 essential1   
,church is a spiritual thing1 and not   
anything external or outward4  ,all     
those who make the ,christian communion 
a material and outward thing1 like other
 communities1 are in reality ,jews1 who 
wait for their ,messiah to establish an 
external kingdom at a certain definite  
place1 namely ,jerusalem2 and so        
sacrifice the faith1 which alone makes  
the kingdom of ,christ a thing spiritual
 or of the heart4  ,in this and the     
following notes1 for brevity's sake1    
various quotations are summarized and   
connected4  #bd ,for the teachings of   
human experience and 7,deut4 xii3#h7    
reason are far below the divine law4    
,the ,scriptures expressly forbid us to 
follow our own reason1 ,deut4 xii3 ',ye 
shall not do444every man whatsoever is  
right in his own eyes'2 for human reason

 ever strives against the law 7,gen4    
vi3#e7 of ,god4 ,therefore the attempt  
to establish or defend divine order with
 human reason1 unless that reason has   
previously been established and         
enlightened by faith1 is just as futile1
 as if ,i would throw a light upon the  
sun with a lightless lantern1 or rest a 
rock upon a reed4 ,for ,isaiah vii makes
 reason subject to faith1 when he says  
7vii3#i73 ',except ye believe1 ye shall 
not have understanding or reason4' ,he  
does not say1 ,except ye have reason1 ye
 shall not believe4 ,therefore this     
scribe would better not have put forth a
 claim to establish the faith and the   
divine law by mere reason4  #be ,that   
the serpent lifted up by ,moses1        
signifies ,christ1 is taught by ,john   
iii4 ,if it were not for that passage1  
my reasoning might evolve many strange  
and weird fancies out of that type4     
,that ,adam was a type of ,christ1 ,i   
learn not from myself1 but from ,st4    
,paul4 ,that the rock in the wilderness 

represents ,christ is not taught by my  
reason1 but by ,st4 ,paul4 ,none other  
explains the type but the ,holy ,spirit 
,himself4 ,he has given the type and    
wrought the fulfillment1 that both type 
and fulfillment and the interpretation  
may be ,god's own and not man's1 and our
 faith he founded not on human1 but on  
divine words4 ,what leads the ,jews     
astray but that they interpret the types
 as they please1 without the            
,scriptures8 ,what has led so many      
heretics astray but the interpretation  
of the types without reference to the   
,scriptures8  #bf ,the word ,church1    
when it is used for such external       
affairs1 whereas it concerns the faith  
alone1 is done violence to2 yet this    
manner of using it has spread           
everywhere1 to the great injury of many 
souls1 who think that such outward show 
is the spiritual and only true estate in
 ,christendom4 ,of such a purely        
external ,church1 there is not one      
letter in the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,the   

building and increase of the ,church1   
which is the body of ,christ1 cometh    
alone from ,christ1 ,who is its head4   
,christendom is ruled with outward show2
 but that does not make us ,christians4 
,the ,church is a spiritual and not a   
bodily thing1 for that which one        
believes is not bodily or visible4 ,the 
external marks whereby one can perceive 
this ,church is on earth1 are ,baptism1 
the ,sacrament and the ,gospel4 ,for    
where ,baptism and the ,gospel are no   
one may doubt that there are saints1    
even if it were only the babes in their 
cradles4  #bg ,it is evident that a type
 is material and external1 and          
fulfilment of the type is spiritual and 
internal2 what the type reveals to the  
bodily eye1 its fulfilment must reveal  
to the eye of faith alone4 ,the bodily  
assembly of the people signifies the    
spiritual and internal assembly of the  
,christian people in faith4 ,moses set a
 serpent on a pole and whosoever looked 
upon it was made whole4 ,that signifies 

,christ on the cross4 ,whosoever        
believeth in ,him is saved4 ,and so     
throughout the entire ,old ,testament1  
all the bodily visible things in it     
signify in the ,new ,testament spiritual
 and inward things1 which one cannot    
see1 but only possess in faith4 ,st4    
,augustine says on ,john iii3 ',this is 
the difference between the type and its 
fulfilment3 the type gave temporal goods
 and life1 but the fulfilment gives     
spiritual and eternal life4'  ,aaron was
 a type of ,christ and not of the ,pope4
 ,paul says the high priest typifies    
,christ2 you say ,st4 ,peter4 ,paul says
 ,christ entered not into a temporal    
building4 ,you make the fulfilment to be
 earthly and external4 ,if ,aaron was a 
type in external authority1 vestments   
and state1 why was he not a type in all 
other external and bodily matters8 ,the 
,old ,testament high priest was not     
permitted to have his head shorn4 ,but  
why does the ,pope have a tonsure8 ,the 
,old ,testament high priest was a       

subject4 ,why then does the ,pope have  
men kiss his feet and aspire to be king1
 which ,christ ,himself did not8        
,wherein is the type fulfilled8  #bh    
,luther to ,spalatin1 ,june #hth3 ,gegen
 den ,esel von ,alveld werde ich menen  
,angriff so enrichten dass ich des      
rmischen ,pabstes nich uneingedenk bin1 
und werde keinem von beiden etwas       
schenken4 ,denn solches erfordert der   
,stoff mit ,nothwendigkeith4            
,endlicheinmal mssen die ,geheimnisse   
des ,antichrist offenbart werden4 ,denn 
so drangen sie sich selbst hervor1 und  
wollen nicht weiter vorborgen sein4  ,to
 this ,luther adds the significant      
statement3 ,ich habe vor1 einen         
ffentlichen ,zettel auszulassen an den  
,kaiser und den ,adel im ganzen         
,deutschland1 wider die ,tyrannei und   
die ,nichstwrdigkeit des rmischen       
,hofes4  #bi ',feeding' in the ,roman   
sense means to burden ,christendom with 
many and hurtful laws4 ,in 'feeding' it 
means to sit in the highest place and to

 have an office1 it follows that whoever
 is doing this work of feeding is a     
saint1 whether he be a knave1 or a      
rogue1 or what not4 ,where there is no  
love1 there is no feeding4 ,the papacy  
either must be a love1 or it cannot be a
 feeding of the sheep4  #cj ,the greater
 part of the ,roman communion1 and even 
some of the popes themselves1 have      
forsaken the faith wantonly and without 
struggle1 and live under the power of   
,satan4 ,the majority of those who hold 
so strongly to the authority of the     
,pope1 and lean upon it1 are themselves 
possessed by the powers of hell4 ,some  
of the popes were heretics themselves   
and gave heretical laws4 ,these ,roman  
knaves come along1 place the ,pope above
 ,christ and make him a judge over the  
,scriptures4 ,they say that he cannot   
err4  #ca ,das ,bemulhen der ,leipziger 
,gehssigkeit4 ,to ,spalatin1 ,jan4 #aj4 
,die ,nichstwrdigkeitem der ,leipziger4 
,to ,joh4 ,lang1 ,jan4 #bf4 ,die        
,kunstangriffder ,leipziger ,partei4 ,to

 ,spalatin1 ,feb4 #e4   ,,to ,,the      
,,papacy ,,at ,,rome  ,,an ,,answer ,,to
 ,,the ,,celebrated ,,romanist ,,at     
,,leipzig#a  #aebj   ,sidenote3 ,a ,new 
,adversary  ,after all these years of   
fruitful rain and abundant growth       
something new has appeared on the scene4
 ,many have essayed to attack me        
heretofore with vile abuse and glorious 
lies1 yet without much success4 ,but the
 latest to distinguish themselves are   
the brave heroes at ,leipzig on the     
market-place1 who desire not only to be 
seen and admired1 but to break a lance  
with every one4 ,their armor is so      
wonderful that ,i have never seen the   
like before4 ,they have put the helmet  
on the feet1 the sword on the head1     
shield and breastplate on the back1 they
 hold the spear by the point1 and the   
whole armor becomes them so well as to  
mark them as horsemen of a new sort4#b  
,they would prove thereby not only that 
they have not frittered away their time 
with dream-books without learning       

anything1 as ,i accused them1 but would 
also achieve a great name as people who 
were conceived1 born1 nursed1 cradled1  
fondled1 brought up1 and grown up in the
 ,holy ,scriptures4 ,it would be no more
 than fair that whoever could1 should be
 afraid of them1 so that their labor and
 their good intentions might not be     
entirely in vain4 ,leipzig1 to produce  
such giants1 must indeed be rich soil4  
,that you may understand what ,i mean1  
observe3 ,sylvester1 ,cajetan1 ,eck1    
,emser1#c and now ,cologne and ,louvaine
 have shown their knightly prowess      
against me in most strenuous endeavor1  
and received the honor and glory they   
deserved2 they have defended the cause  
of the pope and of indulgences against  
me in such a manner that they might well
 wish to have had better luck1 finally1 
some of them thought the best thing to  
do was to attack me in the same manner  
as the pharisees attacked ,christ ,matt4
 #bb3ce4 ,they put forward a champion1  
and thought3 ,if he wins1 we all win    

with him2 if he is defeated1 he suffers 
defeat alone4 ,and the super-learned1   
circumspect ,malvolio#d thinks ,i will  
not notice it4 ,very well1 in order that
 all their plans may not miscarry1 ,i   
will pretend not to understand their    
game4 ,and ,i beg them in return1 not to
 take notice1 that when ,i strike the   
pack1 ,i am aiming at the mule4 ,and if 
they will not grant this request1 ,i    
stipulate that1 whenever ,i say anything
 against the newest ,roman heretics and 
blasphemers of the ,scriptures1 not     
merely the poor1 immature scribe of the 
bare-foot friars at ,leipzig shall take 
it to himself1 but rather the           
great-hearted flag-bearers1 who remain  
in hiding1 and yet would win a notable  
victory in another's name4  ,i pray     
every honest ,christian to receive my   
words--though sometimes barbed with     
scorn or satire--as coming from a heart 
that is made to break with sorrow and to
 turn seriousness into jesting at the   
sight now beheld at ,leipzig1 where     

there are also pious people who would   
venture body and soul for ,god's ,word  
and the ,scriptures1 but where a        
blasphemer can thus openly speak and    
write1 who esteems and treats ,god's    
holy words no better than if they were  
the fabled pratings of some fool or     
jester at the carnival4 ,because my     
,lord ,christ and ,his holy ,word1 even 
,he who gave ,his own blood as the      
purchase-price1 is held to be but       
mockery and fools' wit1 ,i must likewise
 drop all seriousness1 and see whether  
,i1 too1 have learned how to play the   
fool and clown4 ,thou knowest1 my ,lord 
,jesus ,christ1 how my heart stands     
toward these arch-blasphemers4 ,that is 
my reliance1 and ,i will let matters    
take their course in ,thy name4 ,amen4  
,they must ever abide ,thee as the      
,lord4 ,amen4  ,i notice that these poor
 people are seeking naught else than to 
gain renown at my expense4 ,they cling  
to me like mud to a wheel4 ,they would  
rather have questionable honor          

shamefully acquired than remain quiet1  
and the evil spirit uses the designs of 
such people only to hinder me from doing
 more useful things4 ,but ,i welcome the
 opportunity to give the laity#f some   
explanation of the nature of the        
,church1#g and to contradict the words  
of these seductive masters4 ,therefore  
,i intend to treat of the subject-matter
 directly1 rather than to answer their  
senseless prattle4 ,i will not mention  
their names1 lest they achieve their    
true purpose and boastfully regard      
themselves capable of arguing with me in
 the ,scriptures4  ,,the ,,statement    
,,of ,,the ,,case  ,we are discussing a 
matter which1 taken by itself1 is       
unnecessary1 for any one could be a     
,christian without knowing anything     
about it4 ,but these idlers who tread   
under foot all the great essentials of  
the ,christian faith1 must needs pursue 
such things and worry other people1 in  
order to have some object in life4      
,sidenote3 ,the ,foundation of ,papal   

,power  ,this then is the question3     
,whether the papacy at ,rome1 possessing
 the actual power over all ,christendom 
7as they say71 is of divine or of human 
origin1#h and this being decided1       
whether it is possible for ,christians  
to say that all other ,christians in    
that world are heretics and apostates1  
even if they agree with us in holding to
 the same baptism1 ,sacrament1 ,gospel1 
and all the articles of faith1 but      
merely do not have their priests and    
bishops confirmed by ,rome1 or1 as it is
 now1 buy such confirmation with money  
and let themselves be mocked and made   
fools of like the ,germans4 ,such are   
the ,muscovites1 ,russians1 ,greeks1    
,bohemians1 and many other great peoples
 in the world4 ,for all these believe as
 we do1 baptise as we do1 preach as we  
do1 live as we do1 and also give due    
honor to the pope1 only they will not   
pay for the confirmation of their       
bishops and priests4 ,they will not1    
like the drunken1 stupid ,germans1      

submit to extortion and abuse with      
indulgences1 bulls1 seals1 parchments1  
and other ,roman stock in trade4 ,they  
are ready1 too1 to hear the ,gospel from
 the pope1 or the pope's ambassadors1   
and yet they are not sent to them4  ,now
 the question is1 whether all these may 
properly be called heretics by us       
,christians 7for of such alone1 and of  
no others1 do ,i speak and write71 or   
whether we are not rather the heretics  
and apostates1 because we brand such    
,christians as heretics and apostates   
solely for the sake of money4 ,for when 
the pope does not send the ,gospel to   
them1 and his messengers to proclaim it1
 although they are eager to receive     
them1 it is clear as day that he is     
grasping for power and money through    
this confirmation of bishops and        
priests4 ,but to this they will not     
agree1 and therefore they are branded as
 heretics and apostates4  ,now ,i have  
held1 and still hold1 that they are not 
heretics and apostates1 but perhaps     

better ,christians than we are1 although
 not all1 even as we are not all good   
,christians4 ,this is challenged1 after 
all its predecessors1 by the fine little
 bare-foot book#i of ,leipzig1 which    
comes along on clogs--nay1 on stilts4   
,it imagines that it alone 7among all   
the others7 does not step into the mud2 
perhaps it would gladly dance if some   
one would buy it a flute4 ,i must have a
 try at it4  ,sidenote3 ,the            
,insincerity of the ,roman ,claims  ,i  
say1 first of all3 ,no one should be so 
foolish as to believe that it is the    
serious opinion of the pope and of all  
his ,romanists and flatterers1 that his 
great power is of divine right4 ,pray   
observe1 of all that is by divine right 
not the smallest jot or tittle is       
observed in ,rome1 nay1 if they think of
 it at all1 it is scorned as            
foolishness2 all of which is as clear as
 day4 ,they even suffer the ,gospel and 
,christian faith everywhere to go to    
rack and ruin1 and do not intend to lose

 a hair for it4 ,yea1 all the evil      
examples of spiritual and temporal      
infamy flow from ,rome1 as out of a     
great sea of universal wickedness1 into 
all the world4 ,all these things cause  
laughter in ,rome1 and if any one       
grieves over them1 he is called a ,bon  
,christian1 i4 e41 a fool4 ,if they     
really took the commands of ,god        
seriously1 they would find many thousand
 things more necessary to be done1      
especially those at which they now laugh
 and mock4 ,for ,st4 ,james says1 ,he   
that keepeth not one commandment of     
,god1 breaketh all4 ,jas4 #b3aj ,who    
would be so stupid as to believe that   
they seek ,god's command in one thing1  
and yet make a mockery of all the       
others8 ,it is impossible that any one  
should take one command of ,god to      
heart1 and not at least be moved by all 
the others4 ,now there are ever so many 
who zealously guard the power of the    
pope1 yet none of them ever ventures a  
word in favor of even one of the other  

much greater and more necessary         
commandments1 which are so blasphemously
 mocked and scornfully rejected at      
,rome4  ,furthermore1 if all ,germany   
were to fall on its knees1 and to pray  
that the pope and the ,romans should    
keep this power1 and confirm our bishops
 and priests without payment1 for       
nothing--even as the ,gospel says1      
,freely ye have received1 freely give   
,matt4 #aj3h--;and provide all our      
churches with good preachers1 because   
they have a sufficient abundance of     
riches to give money instead of taking  
it2 and if it were urged and pressed1   
that this is their duty according to    
divine command3 believe it surely1 we   
should find all of them arguing with    
more insistence than any one ever did   
before1 that it is not a divine command 
to go to so much trouble without pay4   
,they would soon find a little gloss#aj 
with which to wind themselves out of it1
 just as they now find what they desire1
 to weave themselves into it4 ,all our  

beseechings would not drive them to it4 
,but since it means money1 everything   
they dare to put forth must be divine   
command4  ,sidenote3 ,roman ,greed and  
,extortion  ,the bishopric of ,mainz    
alone1 within the memory of men now     
living1 has bought eight pallia#aa in   
,rome1 every one costing about #cj1jjj  
gulden--not to mention the innumerable  
other bishoprics1 prelacies and         
benefices4 ,thus are we ,german fools to
 be led by the nose and then they say3  
,it is a divine command to have no      
bishop without ,roman confirmation4 ,i  
am surprised that ,germany1 which is by 
one-half or more in the possession of   
the ,church1#ab still has so much as one
 pfennig left by reason of the          
unspeakable1 innumerable1 insufferable  
,roman thieves1 knaves and robbers4 ,it 
is said that ,antichrist shall find the 
treasures of the earth2 ,i trow the     
,romanists have found them to such an   
extent as to make our very life a       
burden4 ,if the ,german princes and the 

nobility will not interfere very        
shortly1 and with decisive courage1     
,germany will yet become a wilderness   
and be compelled to devour itself4 ,that
 would furnish the greatest pleasure for
 the ,romanists1 who do not think of us 
otherwise than as brutes1 and have made 
a proverb concerning us at ,rome3       
,squeeze the gold from ,german fools1 in
 any way you can4  ,the pope does not   
prevent this scandalous villainy4 ,they 
all wink at it1 yea1 they think far more
 highly of these supreme arch-villains  
than they do of the holy ,gospel of     
,god4 ,they pretend that we are hopeless
 fools1 and that it is a divine command 
that the pope should have his finger in 
every pie and do as he pleases with     
every one1 just as if he were a god on  
earth1 and should not rather be the     
servant of all1#ac without any pay1 if  
he wished to be--or were--the very      
highest4 ,but before consenting to this1
 they would much rather surrender this  
power and not call this a divine command

 any more than any other4  ,but ,i hear 
you say1 why do they fight so hard      
against you in this matter8 ,answer3 ,i 
have attacked some higher things1 which 
concern faith and ,god's ,word4 ,and    
when they were not able to contradict   
me1 and saw that ,rome does not trouble 
itself about such good things1 they     
dropped them too1 and attacked me on    
indulgences and the authority of the    
pope1 in the hope of thus attaining the 
prize4 ,for they knew very well that    
where money was concerned1 the chief    
school of knaves in ,rome would support 
them and not remain quiet4 ,but ,dr4    
,luther is just a little proud1 and pays
 very little attention to the grunting  
and squealing of the ,romanists2 and    
this is well-nigh heartbreaking to them4
 ,but that does not bother my ,lord     
,jesus1 nor ,dr4 ,luther1 for we believe
 that the ,gospel will and must         
continue4 ,let a layman ask such        
,romanists1 and let them give answer1   
why they despoil and mock all of ,god's 

commandments1 and rant so violently     
about this power1 whereas they cannot   
show at all why it is necessary1 or what
 it is good for4 ,for ever since it has 
arisen1 it has accomplished nothing but 
the devastation of ,christendom1 and no 
one is able to show anything good or    
useful that has resulted from it4 ,of   
this ,i will speak more fully if this   
,romanist comes again1 and then1 please 
,god1 ,i will throw light upon the ,holy
 ,chair at ,rome and expose it as it    
deserves to be exposed4  ,i have said   
this1 not as a sufficient argument for  
disputing papal power1 but in order to  
show the perverted opinions of those who
 strain the gnats1 but let elephants go 
through ,matt4 #bc3bd1 who behold the   
mote in the brother's eye and permit the
 beams in their own to remain ,matt4    
#g3c1 only to the end that others may be
 stifled by superfluous and unnecessary 
things1 or at least branded as heretics 
or by any other epithet that occurs to  
them4 ,one of than is this delicate1    

pious ,romanist at ,leipzig4 ,let us now
 have a look at him4  ,i find three     
strong arguments by which this fruitful 
and noble little book#ad of the         
,romanist at ,leipzig attacks me4       
,sidenote3 ,the ,arguments of the       
,romanists--#a4 ,luther a ,heretic and a
 ,fool  ,the first1 and by far the      
strongest1 is1 that he calls me names--a
 heretic1 a blind1 senseless fool1 one  
possessed by the devil1 a serpent1 a    
poisonous reptile1 and many other names 
of similar import2 not simply once1 but 
throughout the book1 almost on every    
page4#ae ,such reproaches1 slanders and 
calumnies are of no account in other    
books4 ,but when a book is made at      
,leipzig1 and issued from the cloister  
of the bare-foot friars1 by a ,romanist 
of the high and holy observance#af of   
,st4 ,frauds1 such names are not merely 
fine examples of mediation1 but likewise
 strong arguments with which to defend  
papal power1 indulgences1 ,scripture1   
faith and the ,church4#ag ,it is not    

necessary that any one of these should  
be proved by ,scripture or by reason2 it
 is quite enough that they have been put
 down in his book by a ,romanist and    
holy observant of the order of ,st4     
,francis4  ,and inasmuch as this        
,romanist himself writes that the ,jews 
had overcome ,christ on the cross with  
such arguments1 ,i1 too1 must surrender1
 and acknowledge that as far as cursing 
and scolding1 abuse and slander are     
concerned1 the ,romanist has surely     
beaten ,dr4 ,luther4 ,on this point he  
doubtless wins4  ,sidenote3 ,the        
,argument from ,reason  ,the second     
argument1 to express it tersely1 is that
 of natural reason4  ,this is the       
argument3 ,a4 ,every community#ah on    
earth1 if it is not to fall to pieces1  
must have a bodily head1 under the true 
head1 which is ,christ4  ,b4 ,inasmuch  
as all ,christendom is one community on 
earth1 it must have a head1 which is the
 pope4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,futility of the
 ,argument  ,this argument ,i have      

designated with the letters ,a and ,b   
for the sake of clearness1 and also to  
show that this ,romanist has learned his
 ,a-,b-,c all the way down to ,b4       
,however1 to answer this argument3      
,since the question is whether the      
pope's power is by divine right1 is it  
not a bit ridiculous that human reason  
7that ability which is drawn from       
experience in temporal things7 is       
brought in and placed on a level with   
the divine law1 especially since it is  
the intention of this poor presumptuous 
mortal to bring the divine law against  
me4 ,for the teachings of human         
experience and reason are far below the 
divine law4 ,the ,scriptures expressly  
forbid us to follow our own reason1     
,deuteronomy xii1 ,ye shall not         
do444every man whatsoever is right in   
his own eyes ,deut4 #ab3h2 for human    
reason ever strives against the law of  
,god1 as ,genesis vi4 says3 ,every      
thought and imagination of man's heart  
is only evil continually4 ,gen4 #f3e    

,therefore the attempt to establish or  
defend divine order with human reason1  
unless that reason has previously been  
established and enlightened by faith1 is
 just as futile as if ,i would throw    
light upon the sun with a lightless     
lantern1 or rest a rock upon a reed4    
,for ,isaiah vii4 makes reason subject  
to faith1 when it says3 ,except ye      
believe1 ye shall not have understanding
 or reason4 ,isa4 #g3i ,it does not say1
 ,except ye have reason1 ye shall not   
believe4 ,therefore this scribe would   
better have left his perverted reason at
 home1 or first have well established it
 with texts of ,scripture1 so as not to 
put forth so ridiculous and preposterous
 a claim and establish the faith and the
 divine law by mere reason4 ,for if this
 reason of ours draws the conclusion    
that a visible community must have a    
visible overlord or cease to exist1 it  
also must draw the further conclusion1  
that as a visible community does not    
exist without wives1 therefore the whole

 ,church#ai must have a visible1 common 
wife1 in order not to perish4 ,what a   
valiant woman that would needs be6      
,again1 a visible community does not    
exist without a common visible city1    
house and country2 therefore the        
,church#ai must have a common city1     
house and country4 ,but where will you  
find that8 ,verily1 in ,rome they are   
seeking just this with impatient        
eagerness1 for they have made nearly the
 whole world their very own4 ,again1 the
 ,church#ai would likewise need to have 
in common its visible property1         
servants1 maids1 cattle1 food1 etc41 for
 no community exists without them4 ,see 
how gracefully human reason stalks along
 on its stilts4  ,a professor of        
theology ought to have considered in    
advance the clumsiness of such an       
argument1 and proved the divine laws and
 works by the ,scriptures1 and not by   
temporal analogies and worldly reason4  
,for it is written that the divine      
commandments are justified in and by    

themselves1 and not by any external     
help4#bj ,ps4 #ai3i  ,again1 the wise   
man says of the wisdom of ,god3 ,wisdom 
hath overcome the proud with her power4 
,prov4 #aa3c ,it is most deplorable that
 we should attempt with our reason to   
defend ,god's ,word1 whereas the ,word  
of ,god is rather our defence against   
all our enemies1 as ,st4 ,paul teaches  
us4 ,eph4 #f3ag ,would he not be a great
 fool who in the thick of battle sought 
to protect his helmet and sword with    
bare hand and unshielded head8 ,it is no
 different when we essay1 with our      
reason1 to defend ,god's law1 which     
should rather be our weapon4  ,from     
this1 ,i hope1 it is clear that the     
flimsy argument of this prattler fails  
utterly1 and1 together with everything  
he constructs upon it1 is found to be   
without any basis whatever4 ,but that he
 may the better understand his own      
mummery1 even in case ,i should grant   
that a process of reasoning might be    
entirely valid without the ,scriptures1 

,i will show that neither of his        
arguments is valid1 neither the first1  
,a1 nor the second1 ,b4  ,sidenote3 ,the
 ,argument ,answered  ,the first1 ,a1 is
 that every community on earth must have
 one visible head under ,christ4 ,this  
is simply not true4 ,how many           
principalities1 castles1 cities1 and    
houses we find where two brothers or    
lords reign--and with equal authority4  
,the ,roman empire governed itself for a
 long time1 and very well1 without the  
one head1 and many other countries in   
the world did the same4 ,how does the   
,swiss confederacy govern itself at     
present8 ,thus in the government of the 
world there is not one single overlord1 
yet we are all one human race1 descended
 from the one father1 ,adam4 ,the       
kingdom of ,france has its own king1    
,hungary its own1 ,poland1 ,denmark1 and
 every other kingdom its own1 and yet   
they are one people1 the temporal estate
 in ,christendom1 without one common    
head2 and still this does not cause     

these kingdoms to perish4 ,and if there 
were no government constituted in just  
this manner1 who could or would prevent 
a community from choosing not one1 but  
many overlords1 all clothed with equal  
power8 ,therefore it is a very poor     
procedure to measure the things which   
are of ,god's appointing by such        
vacillating analogies of worldly things1
 when they do not hold even in the      
appointments of men4 ,but suppose ,i    
should grant this dreamer that his dream
 is true1 and that no community can     
exist without one visible head2 how does
 it follow that it must likewise be so  
in the ,church8#ba ,i know very well    
that the poor dreamer has a certain     
conception1 according to which a        
,christian community is the same as any 
other temporal community4#bb ,he thus   
reveals plainly that he has never       
learned to know what ,christendom1 or   
the ,christian community1 really is4 ,i 
had not believed it possible to meet    
such dense1 massive1 stubborn error and 

ignorance in any man1 much less in a    
saint of ,leipzig4  ,for the benefit1   
therefore1 of this numskull1 and of     
those led astray by him1 ,i must first  
of all explain what is meant by these   
things--the ,church1#bc and the ,one    
,head of the ,church4#bc ,i must talk   
bluntly1 however1 and use the same words
 which they have so barbarously         
perverted4  ,sidenote3 ,what is the     
,church8  ,sidenote3 ,the ,communion of 
,saints  ,sidenote3 ,the ,unity of the  
,church ,not ,external  ,the ,scriptures
 speak of the ,church#bc quite simply1  
and use the term in only one sense2     
these men have added and brought into   
general use two more4 ,the first use1   
according to the ,scriptures1 is this1  
that the ,church#bc is called the       
assembly of all the believers in ,christ
 upon earth1 just as we pray in the     
,creed3 ,i believe in the ,holy ,ghost1 
a communion of saints4 ,this community  
or assembly consists of all those who   
live in true faith1 hope and love2 so   

that the essence1 life and nature of the
 ,church#bc is not a bodily assembly1   
but an assembly of hearts in one faith1 
as ,st4 ,paul says1 ,ephesians iv1 ,one 
baptism1 one faith1 one ,lord4 ,eph4    
#d3e ,thus1 though they be a thousand   
miles apart in body1 yet they are called
 an assembly in spirit because each one 
preaches1 believes1 hopes1 loves1 and   
lives like the other4 ,so we sing of the
 ,holy ,ghost3 ,thou1 who through divers
 tongues gatherest together the nations 
in the unity of the faith4#bd ,that     
means in reality a spiritual unity1     
because of which men are called a       
communion of saints4 ,and this unity is 
of itself sufficient to make a          
,church1#bc and without it no unity1 be 
it of place1 of time1 of person1 of     
work1 or of whatever else1 makes a      
,church4#bc ,on this point we must hear 
the word of ,christ1 ,who1 when ,pilate 
asked ,him concerning ,his kingdom1     
answered3 ,my kingdom is not of this    
world4 ,john #ah3cf ,this is indeed a   

dear passage1 in which the ,church#bc is
 made separate from all temporal        
communities1 as not being anything      
external4 ,and this blind ,romanist     
makes of it an external community1 like 
any other4 ,christ says even more       
clearly1 ,luke xvii1 ,the kingdom of    
,god cometh not with observation3       
neither shall they say1 ,lo1 here1 or   
lo1 there6 for behold1 the kingdom of   
,god is within you4 ,luke #ag3bj1 #ba   
,i am astounded1 that such strong1 clear
 words of ,christ are treated as a farce
 by these ,romanists4 ,for by these     
words it is clear to every one that the 
kingdom of ,god 7for so ,he calls ,his  
,church#be7 is not at ,rome1 nor is it  
bound to ,rome or any other place1 but  
it is where there is faith in the heart1
 be a man at ,rome1 or here1 or         
elsewhere4 ,it is a nauseating lie1#bf  
and ,christ is made a liar when it is   
said that the ,church#be1 is in ,rome1  
or is bound to ,rome--or even that the  
head and the authority are there by     

divine right4  ,moreover1 in ,matthew   
xxiv4 ,he foretold the gross deception  
which now rules under the name of the   
,roman ,church1 when ,he says3 ,many    
false prophets and false ,christs shall 
come in ,my name1 saying3 ,i am ,christ2
 and shall deceive many1 and show great 
signs1 that if possible they shall      
deceive the very elect4 ,wherefore1 if  
they shall say unto you3 ,behold1 in the
 secret chambers is ,christ1 believe it 
not2 behold1 ,he is in the desert1 go   
not forth4 ,behold1 ,i have told you    
before4 ,matt4 #bd3bd-bf ,is this not a 
cruel error1 when the unity of the      
,christian ,church#be1 separated by     
,christ ,himself from all material and  
temporal cities and places1 and         
transferred to spiritual realms1 is     
included by these preachers of dreams in
 material communities1#bg which must of 
necessity be bound to localities and    
places4 ,how is it possible1 or whose   
reason can grasp it1 that spiritual     
unity and material unity should be one  

and the same8 ,there are those among    
,christians who are in the external     
assembly and unity1 who yet by their    
sins exclude themselves from the inner1 
spiritual unity4  ,therefore1 whosoever 
maintains that an external assembly or  
an outward unity makes a ,church1#be    
sets forth arbitrarily what is merely   
his own opinion1 and whoever endeavors  
to prove it by the ,scriptures1 brings  
divine truth to the support of his lies1
 and makes ,god a false witness1 just as
 does this miserable ,romanist1 who     
explains everything that is written     
concerning the ,church#bh as meaning the
 outward show of ,roman power2 and yet  
he cannot deny that the large majority  
of these people1 particularly in ,rome  
itself1 because of unbelief and evil    
lives1 is not in the spiritual unity1 i4
 e41 the true ,church4#bh ,for if to be 
in the external ,roman unity made men   
true ,christians1 there would be no     
sinners among them1 neither would they  
need faith nor the grace of ,god to make

 them ,christians2 this external unity  
would be enough4  ,sidenote3 ,what      
,makes a ,christian  ,from this we      
conclude1 and the conclusion is         
inevitable1 that just as being in the   
,roman unity does not make one a        
,christian1 so being outside of that    
unity does not make one a heretic or    
unchristian4 ,i should like to hear who 
would dispute this4 ,for that which is  
essential must make a true ,christian2  
but if it does not make a true          
,christian1 it cannot be essential2 just
 as it does not make me a true          
,christian to be at ,wittenberg or to be
 at ,leipzig4 ,now it is clear that     
external fellowship with the ,roman     
communion#bi does not make men          
,christians1 and so the lack of that    
fellowship certainly does not make a man
 a heretic or an apostate4 ,therefore it
 must also be false1 that it is a divine
 command to be in connection with the   
,roman ,church4#bh ,for whosoever       
keepeth one divine command1 keepeth them

 all1 and none can be kept without      
keeping the others#cj4 ,therefore it is 
an open and blasphemous lie against the 
,holy ,ghost to say that the external   
unity under ,roman authority is the     
fulfilment of a divine commandment1     
since there are so many in that unity   
who neither regard nor fulfil any of the
 ,divine commandments4 ,hence1 to be in 
this place or that1 does not make a     
heretic3 but to be without true faith   
makes a man a heretic4  ,again1 it is   
clear that to be a member of the ,roman 
communion#ca does not mean to be in true
 faith1 and to be outside of it does not
 mean to be in unbelief2 otherwise those
 within it would all be believers and   
truly saved1 for no one article of faith
 is believed without all the other      
articles4  ,therefore all those who make
 the ,christian communion#cb a material 
and outward thing1 like other           
communities1 are in reality ,jews 7for  
the ,jews likewise wait for their       
,messiah to establish an external       

kingdom at a certain definite place1    
namely1 ,jerusalem71 and thus sacrifice 
the faith1 which alone makes the kingdom
 of ,christ a thing spiritual and of the
 heart4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,head of the   
,church  ,again1 if every temporal      
community is called after its head1 and 
we say of this city1 it is ,electoral1  
and of that1 it is ,ducal1 and of       
another1 it is ,frankish2 then by right 
all ,christendom should be called       
,roman1 or ,petrine1 or ,papal4 ,but    
why1 then1 is it called ,christendom8   
,why are we called ,christians1 if not  
from our head1 although we are still    
upon earth8 ,hereby it is shown that for
 ,christendom there is no other head1   
even upon earth1 than ,christ1 for it   
has no other name than the name of      
,christ ,for this reason ,st4 ,luke     
tells us that the disciples were at     
first called ,antiochians1 but soon this
 was changed and they were called       
,christians4 ,acts #aa3bfcc             
,furthermore1 though a man consists of  

two natures1 namely1 body and soul1 yet 
he is not reckoned a member of the      
,church according to his body1 but      
according to his soul1 nay1 according to
 his faith4 ,otherwise it might be said 
that a man is a nobler ,christian than a
 woman1 because his physical structure  
is superior to that of a woman1 or that 
a man is a greater ,christian than a    
child1 a healthy person a stronger      
,christian than an invalid2 lords and   
ladies1 the rich and powerful1 better   
,christians than servants1 maids1 and   
the poor and lowly2 whereas ,paul       
writes1 ,galatians v1 ,in ,christ is    
neither male nor female1 neither lord   
nor servant1 neither ,jew nor ,greek1   
,gal4 #c3bh2 #e3f but as far as the body
 is concerned they are all equal4 ,but  
he is the better ,christian who is      
greater in faith1 hope and love2 so that
 it is plain that the ,church#cd is a   
spiritual community1 which can be       
classed with a temporal community as    
little as spirits with bodies1 or faith 

with temporal possessions4  ,this1      
indeed1 is true1 that just as the body  
is a figure or image of the soul1 so    
also the bodily community is a figure of
 this ,christian1 spiritual community1  
and as the bodily community has a bodily
 head1 so the spiritual community has a 
spiritual head4 ,but who would be so    
bereft of sense as to maintain that the 
soul must have a bodily head8 ,that     
would be like saying that every live    
animal must have on its body a painted  
head4 ,if this literalist 7,i should    
say1 literary person7 had really        
understood what the ,church#cd is1      
without doubt he would have been ashamed
 even to contemplate such a book as his4
 ,what wonder1 therefore1 that from a   
darkened and wandering brain issues no  
light1 but thick1 black darkness ,st4   
,paul says1 ,colossians iii1 ,our life  
is not on earth1 but hid with ,christ in
 ,god4 ,col4 #c3c ,for if the ,church   
were a bodily assembly1 you could tell  
by looking at the body whether any one  

were ,christian1 ,turk or ,jew2 just as 
you can tell by the body whether a      
person is a man1 woman or child1 or     
whether he is white or black4 ,again1 ,i
 can tell whether one is gathered in    
temporal assembly with others in        
,leipzig1 ,wittenberg1 or elsewhere2 but
 ,i cannot tell at all whether he is a  
believer or not4  ,sidenote3 ,the       
,church a ,spiritual ,thing  ,whosoever 
would not go astray should1 therefore1  
hold fast to this1 that the ,church#cd  
is a spiritual assembly of souls in one 
faith1 and that no one is reckoned a    
,christian for his body's sake2 in order
 that he may know that the true1 real1  
right1 essential ,church#cd is a        
spiritual thing1 and not anything       
external or outward1 by whatever name it
 may be called4 ,for one who is not a   
,christian may have all those other     
things1 and they will never make him a  
,christian without true faith1 which    
alone makes ,christians4 ,for this      
reason we are called ,christian         

believers1 and on ,pentecost we sing3   
,we beseech ,thee1 ,holy ,spirit#ce1    
,let true faith our portion be4  ,it is 
in this wise1 and never in any other1   
that the ,holy ,scriptures speak of the 
,holy ,church and of ,christendom4      
,sidneote3 ,the ,external ,church       
,beyond that1 another way of speaking of
 ,christendom has come into use4        
,according to this1 the name ,church#cf 
is given to an assembly in a house or a 
parish1 a bishopric1 an archbishopric1  
or the papacy1 in which assembly        
external rites are in use1 such as      
chanting1 reading1 vestments4 ,and      
primarily the name of spiritual estate  
is given to the bishops1 priests and    
members of the holy orders2 not on      
account of their faith1 which they      
perhaps do not have1 but because they   
have been consecrated with an external  
anointing1 wear crowns1 use a           
distinctive garb1 make special prayers  
and do special works1 say mass1 have    
their places in the choir1 and attend to

 all such external matters of worship4  
,but violence is done to the word       
spiritual1 or ,church1 when it is used  
for such external affairs1 whereas it   
concerns faith alone1 which1 working in 
the soul1 makes right and true          
spirituales and ,christians2 yet this   
maimer of using it has spread           
everywhere1 to the great injury and     
perversion of many souls1 who think that
 such outward show is the spiritual and 
only true estate in ,christendom or the 
,church4  ,there is not one letter in   
the ,holy ,scriptures to show that such 
a purely external ,church has been      
established by ,god2 and ,i hereby      
challenge all those who have made this  
blasphemous1 damnable1 heretical book1  
or would defend it1 together with all   
their followers1 even if all the        
universities hold with them4 ,if they   
can show me that even one letter of the 
,scriptures speaks of it1 ,i am willing 
to recant4 ,but ,i know that they cannot
 do it4 ,the ,canon ,law and human      

statutes1 indeed1 give the name of      
,church or ,christendom to such a thing1
 but that is not now before us4         
,therefore1 for the sake of brevity and 
a better understanding1 we shall call   
the two churches by different names4    
,the first1 which is the natural1       
essential1 real and true one1 let us    
call a spiritual1 inner ,christendom4   
,the other1 which is man-made and       
external1 let us call a bodily1 external
 ,christendom3 not as if we would part  
them asunder1 but just as when ,i speak 
of a man1 and call him1 according to the
 soul1 a spiritual1 according to the    
body1 a physical1 man2 or as the        
,apostle is wont to speak of the inner  
and of the outward man4 ,rom4 #g3bb     
,thus also the ,christian assembly1     
according to the soul1 is a communion#cg
 of one accord in one faith1 although   
according to the body it cannot be      
assembled at one place1 and yet every   
group is assembled in its own place4    
,this ,christendom is ruled by ,canon   

,law and the prelates of the ,church4#ch
 ,to this belong all the popes1         
cardinals1 bishops1 prelates1 monks1    
nuns and all those who in these external
 things are taken to be ,christians1    
whether they are truly ,christians at   
heart or not4 ,for though membership in 
this communion#cg does not make true    
,christians1 because all the orders     
mentioned may exist without faith2      
nevertheless this communion is never    
without some who at the same time are   
true ,christians1 just as the body does 
not give the soul its life1 and yet the 
soul lives in the body and1 indeed1 can 
live without the body4 ,those who are   
without faith and are outside of the    
first community1 but are included in    
this second community1 are dead in the  
sight of ,god1 hypocrites1 and but like 
wooden images of true ,christians4 ,and 
so the people of ,israel were a type of 
the spiritual people1 assembled in      
faith4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,church as a    
,building  ,the third use of the term   

applies the word ,church1 not to        
,christendom1 but to the edifices       
erected for purposes of worship4 ,and   
the word spiritual is so stretched as to
 cover temporal possessions1 not the    
possessions which are truly spiritual   
because of faith1 but those which are in
 the second or external ,church1#ci and 
such possessions are called spiritual or
 ,church possessions4#dj ,again1 the    
possessions of the laity are called     
worldly1 although the laymen who are in 
the first or spiritual ,church#ci are   
much better than the worldly clergy and 
are truly spiritual4 ,after this fashion
 it now goes with almost all the works  
and the government of the ,church2#ci   
and the name spiritual possessions has  
been so exclusively applied to worldly  
possessions that now no one understands 
it to mean anything else1 and this has  
gone so far that men regard neither the 
spiritual nor the external ,church any  
more1 and they squabble and quarrel     
about temporal possessions like the     

heathen1 and say1 they do it for the    
sake of the ,church and of spiritual    
possessions4 ,such perversion and misuse
 of words and things has come from the  
,canon ,law and human statutes1 to the  
unspeakable corruption of ,christendom4 
,sidneote3 ,the ,head of the ,church3   
,christ  ,now let us consider the head  
of ,christendom4 ,from the foregoing it 
follows that the first-named            
,christendom1 which alone is the true   
,church1 may not and cannot have        
,church3 a head upon earth1 and that no 
one on earth1 neither bishop nor pope1  
can rule over it2 only ,christ in heaven
 is the head1 and ,he ruleth alone4     
,sidenote3 ,why the ,church ,cannot     
,have an ,earthly ,head  ,this is       
proved1 first of all1 in this way3 ,how 
can a man rule over anything which he   
does not know or understand8 ,and who   
can know whether a man truly believes or
 not8 ,aye1 if the power of the pope    
extended to this point1 then he could   
take away a ,christian's faith1 or      

direct its progress1 or increase it1 or 
change it1 according to his pleasure1   
just as ,christ can do4  ,in the second 
place1 it is proved by the nature of the
 head4 ,for it is the nature of every   
head joined to a body to infuse into all
 its members life and feeling and       
activity4 ,this will be found to be true
 of the heads in worldly affairs4 ,for  
the ruler of a country instils into his 
subjects all the things which are in his
 own mind and will1 and causes all his  
subjects to be of like mind and will    
with himself1 and thus they do the work 
he wishes to have done1 and this work is
 truly said to have been instilled into 
the subjects by the prince1 for without 
him it would not have been done4 ,now no
 man can instil into the soul of        
another1 nor into his own soul1 true    
faith1 and the mind1 will and work of   
,christ1 but this ,christ ,himself must 
do4 ,for neither pope nor bishop can    
produce faith in a man's heart1 nor     
anything else a ,christian member should

 have4 ,but a ,christian must have the  
mind and will which ,christ has in      
heaven1 as the apostle says1 ,i4        
,corinthians ii #a4 ,cor4 #b3af2 #c3bc4 
,it may also happen that a ,christian   
member has the faith which neither pope 
nor bishop has2 how then can the pope be
 his head8 ,and if the pope cannot give 
to himself the life of the spiritual    
church1 how can he instil it into       
another8 ,who has ever seen a live      
animal with a lifeless head8 ,the head  
must give life to the body1 and         
therefore it is clear that on earth     
there is no other head of the spiritual 
,christendom but ,christ alone4         
,moreover1 if a man were its head here  
below1 ,christendom would perish as     
often as a pope dies4 ,for the body     
cannot live when the head is dead4  ,it 
follows further1 that in this ,church   
,christ can have no vicar1 and therefore
 neither pope nor bishop is ,christ's   
vicar or regent in this ,church1 nor can
 he ever become such4 ,and this is      

proved as follows3 ,a regent1 if        
obedient to his lord1 labors with and   
urges on the subjects and instils into  
them the same work which his lord       
himself instils1 just as we see in      
temporal government1 where there is one 
mind and will in lord1 regents1 and     
subjects4 ,and if he were more holy than
 ,st4 ,peter1 the pope can never instill
 into or create in a ,christian man the 
work of ,christ his ,lord1 i4 e41 faith1
 hope1 love1 and every grace and virtue4
  ,and if such illustration and proof   
were not without flaw1 though founded on
 the ,scriptures1 yet ,st4 ,paul stands 
strong and immovable in ,ephesians iv1  
giving to ,christendom but one head and 
saying1 ,let us be true 7i4 e41 not     
external1 but real and true ,christians7
 and grow up into ,him in all things1   
which is the head1 even ,christ1 from   
,whom the whole body fitly joined       
together and compacted by that which    
every joint supplieth1 according to the 
effectual working in the measure of     

every part1 maketh increase of the body 
unto the edifying of itself in love4    
,eph4 #d3ae1af ,here the apostle says   
clearly that the building up and        
increase of ,christendom1 which is the  
body of ,christ1 cometh alone from      
,christ1 ,who is its ,head4 ,and where  
can there be found another head on earth
 to whom such nature could be ascribed1 
especially since these heads in most    
cases have neither love nor faith8      
,besides1 ,st4 ,paul referred in these  
words to himself1 to ,st4 ,peter1 and to
 every other ,christian2 and if another 
head were necessary he would have been  
utterly false in saying nothing about   
it4  ,i know very well that there are   
some who dare to say in reference to    
this and similar passages that though   
,paul was silent #a ,cor4 #c3a1 he did  
not thereby deny that ,st4 ,peter was   
also a head1 but was feeding the unwise 
with milk4 ,just listen to this3 they   
claim that it is necessary for salvation
 to have ,st4 ,peter for a head1 and yet

 they have the effrontery to say that   
,paul concealed the things which are    
necessary to salvation4 ,thus these     
senseless goats would rather blaspheme  
,paul and the ,word of ,god than be     
convinced of their error1 and they call 
it milk for babes when ,christ is       
proclaimed1 and strong meat when ,st4   
,peter is proclaimed1 just as if ,peter 
were higher1 greater1 and more difficult
 to understand than ,christ himself4    
,and this is called explaining the      
,scriptures and overcoming ,dr4 ,luther2
 this is the way to run out of the rain 
and fall into the trough4 ,what could   
such babblers accomplish if we should   
have a disputation with the             
,bohemians#da and the heretics8 ,truly  
nothing1 except that we should be made a
 mockery for all1 and give them due     
cause to look upon us all as blustering 
idiots1 and they become more strongly   
entrenched in their own belief through  
the foolishness of our side4  ,sidenote3
 ,the ,equality of ,bishops  ,but then  

you ask3 ,if the prelates are neither   
heads nor regents of the spiritual      
,church1 what are they8  ,let the laymen
 answer this1 when they say3 ,st4 ,peter
 is a messenger#db and the other        
apostles are messengers too4 ,why should
 the pope be ashamed to be a messenger1 
if ,st4 ,peter himself is no more8 ,but 
beware1 ye laymen1 or the super-learned 
,romanists will burn you at the stake as
 heretics because ye would make the pope
 a messenger and letter-carrier4 ,but ye
 have a strong argument1 for the ,greek 
,apostolos is in ,german messenger1 and 
thus are they called throughout the     
,gospel4  ,if1 then1 they are all       
messengers of the one ,lord ,christ1 who
 would be so foolish as to say that so  
great a lord1 in a matter of such great 
importance for the whole world1 sends   
but one messenger1 and he1 in turn1     
sends other messengers of his own8 ,then
 ,st4 ,peter would have to be called1   
not a ,zwlfbote 7one of the twelve      
messengers71 but an only-messenger1 and 

none of the others would remain         
,zwlfboten1 but they would all be ,st4  
,peter's ,elfboten 7i4 e41 his eleven   
messengers74 ,but what is the custom at 
court8 ,is it not true that a lord has  
many messengers8  ,aye1 when does it    
happen that many messengers are sent    
with the same message to one place1 as  
now we have priest1 bishop1 archbishop  
and pope1 all ruling over the same city1
 not to mention other tyrants1 who shove
 in their rule somewhere between the    
rest8 ,christ sent all the apostles into
 the world with ,his ,word and message  
with full1 equal powers1 as ,st4 ,paul  
says3 ,we are ambassadors for ,christ4  
#a ,cor4 #e3bj ,and in ,i4 ,corinthians 
iii4 he says3 ,what is ,peter8 ,what is 
,paul8 ,servants through whom ye        
believed4 #a ,cor4 #c3e ,this           
ambassadorship means to feed1 to rule1  
to be bishop1 and so forth4 ,but that   
the pope makes all the messengers of    
,god to be subject to himself1 is the   
same as if one messenger of a prince    

detained all the other messengers1 and  
then sent them out when it suited his   
pleasure1 while he himself went nowhere4
 ,would that be pleasing to the prince1 
if he found it out8  ,should you say3   
,true1 but one messenger may be above   
another2 ,i would reply3 ,one may indeed
 be better and more skilful than        
another1 as ,st4 ,paul was when compared
 with ,peter2 but since they bring one  
and the same message1 one cannot be     
above another by reason of his office4  
,but1 put the other way1 ,st4 ,peter is 
not a ,zwlfbote at all1 but a special   
messenger and lord over the ,eleven4    
,what can it be that one has above the  
others1 if they all have one and the    
same message and commission from the one
 ,lord8  ,forasmuch then as all bishops 
are equal by divine right and sit in the
 ,apostles' places1 ,i may gladly       
concede that by human right one is above
 the other in the external ,church4 ,for
 here the pope instils what is in his   
own mind1 as1 for instance1 his ,canon  

,law and human inventions1 whereby      
,christendom is ruled with outward show2
 but that does not make ,christians1 as 
,i have said above#dc2 neither are they 
heretics who are not under the same laws
 and ceremonies or human ordinances4    
,for customs change with the country4   
,all this is confined by the article in 
the ,creed3 ,i believe in the ,holy     
,ghost1 one ,holy ,christian ,church1   
the ,communion of ,saints4 ,no one says3
 ,i believe in the ,holy ,ghost1 one    
,holy ,roman ,church1 a ,communion of   
the ,romans4 ,thus it is clear that the 
,holy ,church is not bound to ,rome1 but
 is as wide as the world1 the assembly  
of those of one faith1 a spiritual and  
not a bodily thing1 for that which one  
believes is not bodily or visible4 ,the 
external ,roman ,church we all see1     
therefore it cannot be the true ,church1
 which is believed1 and which is a      
community or assembly of the saints in  
faith1 for no one can see who is a saint
 or a believer4  ,sidenote3 ,the ,marks 

of the ,church  ,the external marks1    
whereby one can perceive where this     
,church is on earth1 are baptism1 the   
,sacrament1 and the ,gospel2 and not    
,rome1 or this place1 or that4 ,for     
where baptism and the ,gospel are1 no   
one may doubt that there are saints1    
even if it were only the babes in their 
cradles4 ,but neither ,rome nor the     
papal power is a mark of the ,church1#dd
 for that power cannot make ,christians1
 as baptism and the ,gospel do2 and     
therefore it does not belong to the true
 ,church#dd and is but a human          
ordinance4  ,therefore ,i would advise  
this ,romanist to go to school another  
year1 and to learn what the ,church or  
the head of the ,church#dd really means1
 before he drives out the poor heretics 
with writings of such height1 depth1    
breadth and length4 ,it grieves me to   
the heart that we must suffer these mad 
saints to tear asunder and blaspheme the
 ,holy ,scriptures with such insolence1 
license1 and shamelessness1 and that    

they make bold to deal with the         
,scriptures1 whereas they are not fit to
 care for a herd of swine4 ,heretofore  
,i have held that where something was to
 be proved by the ,scriptures1 the      
,scriptures quoted must really refer to 
the point at issue4 ,i learn now that it
 is enough to throw many passages       
together helter-skelter1 whether they   
are fit or not4 ,if this is to be the   
way1 then ,i can easily prove from the  
,scriptures that beer is better than    
wine4#de  ,of the same character is his 
statement in both his ,latin and his    
,german treatise#df that ,christ is the 
head of the ,turks1 heathen1            
,christians1 heretics1 robbers1 harlots 
and knaves4 ,it would be no wonder if   
all the stone and timber in the cloister
 stared and hooted this miserable wretch
 to death for his horrible blasphemy4   
,what shall ,i say8 ,has ,christ become 
a keeper of all the houses of shame1 a  
head of all the murderers1 of all       
heretics1 of all rogues8 ,woe unto thee1

 thou miserable wretch1 that thou thus  
holdest up thy ,lord for all the world  
to blaspheme6 ,the poor man would write 
about the head of ,christendom1 and in  
utter madness imagines that head and    
,lord are one and the same4 ,christ is1 
indeed1 ,lord of all things1 of all the 
good and the evil1 of the angels and the
 devils1 the virgins and the harlots2   
but ,he is not the head1 except only of 
the good1 believing ,christians1        
assembled in the spirit4 ,for a head    
must be united with its body1 as ,i     
showed above from ,st4 ,paul in         
,ephesians iv1#dg and the members must  
cleave to the head and receive from it  
their activity and life4 ,for this      
reason ,christ cannot be the head of an 
evil community1 although it is subject  
unto ,him as ,lord2 even as ,his        
kingdom1 namely ,christendom1 is not a  
bodily community or kingdom1 yet all    
things are subject unto ,him1 be they   
spiritual or bodily1 of hell or of      
heaven4  ,thus in his first argument    

this reviler vilified and slandered me2 
in this second argument he reviled      
,christ much more than me4 ,for even if 
he thinks much of his own holy prayers  
and fastings in contrast to a poor      
sinner like me1 yet he has not called me
 a brothelkeeper and archknave1 as he   
has ,christ4  ,sidenote3 ,,iii4 ,the    
,argument from ,scripture  ,now comes   
the third argument1 in which the high   
majesty of ,god is made a target1 and   
the ,holy ,spirit becomes a liar and a  
heretic1 so that by all means the       
contention of the ,romanists may be     
upheld4  ,the third argument is taken   
from the ,scriptures1 just as the second
 was taken from reason and the first    
from folly1 so that everything may be   
done in proper order4 ,it runs as       
follows3 ,the ,old ,testament was a type
 of the ,new ,testament1 and because it 
had a bodily high-priest1 the ,new      
,testament must have one likewise--how  
else shall the type be fulfilled8 ,for  
has not ,christ ,himself said3 ,not one 

jot or tittle of the law shall pass     
away2 it shall all be fulfilled8 ,matt4 
#e3ah  ,a book more foolish1 senseless1 
and blind ,i have never seen4 ,once     
before1 another#dh wrote the same thing 
against me1 so coarse and foolish that  
,i could not but scorn it4 ,but because 
they have not sharpened their wits1 ,i  
must speak bluntly for the thickheads2  
,i see that the ass does not appreciate 
a harp1 ,i must offer him thistles4     
,sidenote3 ,type and ,fulfillment  ,in  
the first place1 it is evident that a   
type is material and external1 and the  
fulfilment of the type is spiritual and 
internal2 what the type reveals to the  
bodily eye1 its fulfilment must reveal  
to the eye of faith alone1 or it is not 
really a fulfilment4  ,i must prove that
 by illustration4 ,by many miracles the 
,jewish people came in a bodily manner  
out of the bodily land of ,egypt1 as is 
written in the book of ,exodus ,ex4     
#ac3ah ff44 ,this type does not mean    
that we1 too1 shall in a bodily manner  

come out of ,egypt1 but that our souls  
by a right faith shall come forth from  
sins and the spiritual power of the     
devil2 so that the bodily assembly of   
the ,jewish people signifies the        
spiritual and internal assembly of the  
,christian people in faith4 ,thus1 as   
they drank water from a bodily rock1 and
 ate bodily manna with the bodily mouth1
 so with the mouth of the heart we drink
 and eat of the spiritual ,rock1 the    
,lord ,christ1 when we believe in ,him  
#a ,cor4 #aj3c4 ,again1 ,moses set a    
serpent on a pole1 and whosoever looked 
upon it was made whole ,num4 #ba3h4     
,that signifies ,christ on the ,cross2  
whosoever believeth in ,him1 is saved4  
,and so throughout the entire ,old      
,testament1 all the bodily1 visible     
things in it signify in the ,new        
,testament spiritual and inward things1 
which one cannot see1 but possesses only
 in faith4 ,st4 ,augustine understood   
the types in this manner1 when he       
says#di on ,john iii1 ,this is the      

difference between the type and its     
fulfilment3 the type gave temporal goods
 and life1 but the fulfilment gives     
spiritual and eternal life4 ,john #c3ad 
,now the outward show of ,roman power   
can give neither temporal nor eternal   
life1 and therefore it is not only no   
fulfilment of the type of ,aaron1 but   
far less than the type1 for that was    
established by divine direction4 ,for if
 the papacy could give either eternal or
 temporal life1 all the popes would be  
saved and be in good health4 ,but he who
 has ,christ and the spiritual ,church1 
is truly saved and has the fulfilment of
 the type1 yet only in faith4 ,and since
 the pope's external show and the       
oneness of his ,church can be seen with 
the eyes1 and we all see it1 it is not  
possible that he can be the fulfilment  
of any type4 ,for the fulfilment of     
types must not be seen1 but believed4   
,sidenote3 ,the ,high-,priest ,not a    
,type of the ,pope  ,now see--are they  
not skilful masters who make the        

high-priest of the ,old ,testament to be
 a type of the pope1 when the latter    
makes as much1 nay more of an external  
show than the former1 and thus a bodily 
thing is made to be the fulfilment of a 
bodily type6 ,that would mean that type 
and fulfilment are exactly alike4 ,but  
if this type is to stand1 the new       
high-priest must be spiritual1 and his  
graces and adornment likewise spiritual4
 ,the prophets also saw this when they  
said of us1 ,psalm cxxxii1 ,thy priests 
shall be clothed with faith or          
righteousness1 and ,thine anointed ones 
shall be adorned with joy4 ,ps4 #acb3i  
,as if he would say3 ,our priests are   
types1 and are clothed externally with  
silks and purples1 but your priests     
shall be clothed with grace inwardly4   
,thus is this miserable ,romanist routed
 with his type1 and his jumbling        
together of much ,scripture has been in 
vain4 ,for the pope is an external      
priest1 and they think of him in his    
external power and adornment4 ,therefore

 ,aaron cannot have been a type of him2 
we must have another4  ,sidenote3       
,scriptural ,types ,interpreted in      
,scripture  ,in the second place--in    
order that they may realize how far they
 are from the truth--even if they had   
been wise enough to give a spiritual    
fulfilment to the type1 yet that would  
not stand the test1 unless they had a   
clear passage from the ,scriptures1     
which brought the type and its spiritual
 fulfilment together2 otherwise every   
one could make out of it what he        
desired4 ,for instance1 that the serpent
 lifted up by ,moses signifies ,christ1 
is taught by ,john iii ,john #c3ad4 ,if 
it were not for that passage my reason  
might evolve very strange and weird     
fancies out of that type4 ,again1 that  
,adam was a type of ,christ1 ,i learn   
not from myself1 but from ,st4 ,paul in 
,romans v ,rom4 #e3ad4 ,again1 that the 
rock in the wilderness signifies        
,christ1 is not so stated by my reason1 
but by ,st4 ,paul in ,i4 ,corinthians x4

 #a ,cor4 #aj3d ,therefore1 let none    
other explain the type but the ,holy    
,spirit ,himself1 ,who has given the    
type and wrought the fulfilment1 in     
order that both promise and performance1
 type and fulfilment1 and the           
interpretation of both1 may be ,god's   
own and not man's1 and our faith be     
founded not on human1 but on divine     
works and words4  ,what leads the ,jews 
astray but that they interpret the types
 as they please1 without the            
,scriptures8 ,what has led so many      
heretics astray but the interpretation  
of the types without reference to the   
,scriptures8 ,and though the pope were  
something spiritual1 yet even then it   
would count for nothing if ,i made      
,aaron to be his type1 unless ,i could  
point to a passage where it is          
explicitly stated3 ,behold1 ,aaron was a
 type of the pope4 ,otherwise who could 
prevent me from assuming that ,aaron was
 a type of the bishop of ,prague8 ,st4  
,augustine has stated that types are not

 valid in controversy unless supported  
by the ,scriptures4#ej  ,but now this   
poor chatterbox has neither3 no         
spiritual1 inward high-priest and no    
passage of the ,scriptures2 he goes at  
it blindly with his own dreams1 and     
assumes as his basis that ,aaron was the
 type of ,st4 ,peter1 the very thing    
which is in greatest need of foundation 
and proof1 and he just goes on prattling
 that the law must be fulfilled and not 
one iota omitted4 ,my dear ,romanist1   
who has ever doubted that the law of the
 ,old ,testament and its types must be  
fulfilled in the ,new8 ,there was no    
need of your scholarship to establish   
that4 ,but here you might make a great  
show and demonstrate by your ingenuity  
that this fulfilment occurs in ,peter or
 in the pope4 ,you are as mute as a     
stick when it is time to speak out1 and 
a chatterbox when speech is unnecessary4
 ,have you not learned your logic better
 than that8 ,you argue your major       
premises1 which no one questions1 and   

assume the correctness of your minor    
premises1 which every one questions1 and
 then you draw the conclusion to suit   
yourself4  ,sidenote3 ,a ,lesson in     
,logic  ,listen to me1 ,i will give you 
a better lesson in logic4 ,i agree with 
you in saying3 ,all that is typified by 
the high-priest in the ,old ,testament  
must be fulfilled in the ,new1 as ,st4  
,paul says in ,i4 ,corinthians i4 ,thus 
far we agree4 ,now you continue3 ,st4   
,peter1 or the pope1 was typified by    
,aaron4 ,here ,i say1 ,nay4 ,and what   
can you do then8 ,now show your         
learning1 and call the whole crowd of   
,romanists to assist you1 bring just one
 jot or tittle from the ,scriptures in  
defence1 and ,i will call you a hero4   
,on what foundation have you builded1   
however8 ,on your own dreams2 and yet   
you boast you will argue against me with
 the ,scriptures4 ,it was not necessary 
for you thus to play the fool against   
me1 ,i should have had a fool to        
overcome at any rate4  ,sidenote3 ,aaron

 a ,type of ,christ  ,listen to me      
further3 ,i say that ,aaron was a type  
of ,christ1 and not of the pope4 ,and   
when ,i say this1 ,i do not utter my own
 invention1 as you do2 but ,i will prove
 it1 so that neither you1 nor the world1
 nor all the devils shall overthrow it4 
,in the first place1 ,christ is a       
spiritual priest for the inner man2 for 
,he sitteth in heaven1 and maketh       
intercession for us as a priest1 teaches
 us inwardly in the heart1 and does     
everything a priest should do in        
mediating between ,god and man1 as ,st4 
,paul says1 ,romans iii1 and the whole  
,epistle to the ,hebrews4 ,aaron1 the   
type1 is bodily and external1 but the   
fulfilment is spiritual and inward1 and 
the two agree together4 ,rom4 #c3be     
,secondly1 in order not to bring my own 
thoughts1 ,i have the passage1 ,psalm   
cx1 ,the ,lord hath sworn and will not  
repent3 ,thou art a priest forever after
 the order of ,melchizedek4 ,ps4 #aaj3d 
,can you also bring a passage like that 

about ,st4 ,peter or the pope8 ,for ,i  
think that you will not deny that this  
passage refers to ,christ1 as ,st4      
,paul1 in ,hebrews v4 ,heb4 #e3f and at 
many other places1 and our ,lord ,christ
 ,himself1 in ,matthew xxii1 so explain 
it ,matt4 #bb3dd4 ,thus we can see how  
beautifully the ,romanists treat the    
,scriptures and make out of them what   
they like1 as if they were a nose of    
wax1 to be pulled around at will4  ,now 
we have proved by the ,scriptures that  
,christ is the ,high-priest of the ,new 
,testament4 ,clearer still is ,paul's   
comparison of ,aaron and ,christ in     
,hebrews ix1 when he says3 ,into the    
first tabernacle the priests went every 
day1 to offer the sacrifices2 but into  
the second went the high-priest alone   
once every year1 not without blood1     
which he offered for himself and for the
 sin of the people4 ,the ,holy ,ghost   
thus signifying that the way to the     
true1 holy tabernacle was not yet made  
manifest1 while the first tabernacle was

 yet standing1 which was a type or      
figure needful for the time then        
present4 ,but ,christ being come1 a     
high-priest of spiritual possessions to 
come1 by a greater and more perfect     
tabernacle1 not made with hands1 that is
 to say1 not of this temporal building3 
neither by the blood of goats and       
calves1 but by ,his own blood ,he       
entered in once into the holy place1    
having obtained an eternal redemption4  
,heb4 #i3f ff4  ,what do you say to     
this1 my super-learned ,romanist8 ,paul 
says3 ,the high-priest typified ,christ2
 you say1 ,st4 ,peter4 ,paul says1      
,christ entered not into a temporal     
building2 you say1 ,he is in the        
temporal building at ,rome4 ,paul says1 
,he entered in once1 and hath obtained  
an eternal redemption1 and makes the    
type to be altogether spiritual and     
heavenly1 which you make to be earthly  
and external4 ,what can you do now8 ,my 
advice is this3 ,clench your fist1 smite
 him on the jaw1 and say he is a liar1 a

 heretic1 a poisoner1 just as you do to 
me2 and you will be like your father    
,zedekiah1 who smote ,micaiah on the    
cheek #a ,kings #bb3bd4 ,do you not see1
 wretched blasphemer1 whither your      
counsellors and your own madness have   
brought you8 ,john #e3dc ,where are they
 now1 those big-wigs1 who interdicted my
 sermon on both kinds in the            
,sacrament8#ea ,it served them right4   
,they would not tolerate nor hear the   
,gospel1 and now they shall hear instead
 the lies and blasphemies of the ,evil  
,spirit1 even as ,christ says to the    
,jews1 ,i am come in ,my ,father's name1
 and ye receive ,me not2 another shall  
come in his own name1 him ye will       
receive4 ,john #e3dc  ,but you might    
say1 ,st4 ,peter too is typified by     
,aaron1 along with ,christ2 and ,i      
answer1 if you must keep on1 you could  
also say that ,aaron was a type of the  
,turk2 and who could prevent you1 since 
you delight in such senseless chatter4  
,but you have given promise to argue    

from the ,scriptures2 now do it1 and    
leave your dreams at home4 ,moreover1   
where faith is concerned1 one must      
contend not with uncertain ,scripture   
texts1 but with those that refer to the 
issue in a way that is certain1 clear1  
and simple2 otherwise the ,evil ,spirit 
would toss us hither and yon1 until at  
last we should not know at all where we 
were2 just as has happened to many with 
these little words1 ,petros and         
,petra#eb in ,matthew xvi ,matt4 #af3ah4
  ,it would have been something less of 
a lie and a blasphemy for you to have   
said that ,aaron was a type of ,christ  
and also of ,st4 ,peter4 ,but now you   
just scream with all your might that    
,aaron was not a type of ,christ1 but of
 ,st4 ,peter1 and wantonly you strike   
,st4 ,paul in the face4 ,and in order   
that nothing may be lacking in this     
perfect piece of folly1 you go on to    
say3 ,moses was a type of ,christ4 ,and 
you say this not only without any cause 
or indication in the ,scriptures--just  

as if you were more than ,god1 and      
everything which you emit must be taken 
for ,gospel--but contrary to all the    
,scriptures1 which make ,moses a type of
 the ,law1 as ,st4 ,paul does in ,,ii4  
,corinthians iii4 #b ,cor4 #c3g ,it is  
not necessary to go into this just now1 
else you might strike him on the jaw    
again in your wantonness and insolence4 
,such venom you have imbibed from that  
man ,emser's heretical and blasphemous  
output1#ec which ,i will give the answer
 it deserves when ,sir ,knight ,eck     
comes along with his flourish4#ed ,you  
cannot carry it off in that way1 my dear
 ,romanists4 ,i cannot prevent it by    
force1 but you shall not bring any      
,scripture in support of it4 ,praise    
,god1 ,i am not quite ready to bite the 
dust4  ,sidenote3 ,types of the         
,apostles  ,now it is clear1 ,i take it1
 that the third argument of his         
,romanist is rank heresy and blasphemy1 
for it flatly contradicts ,god the ,holy
 ,ghost and makes ,him a liar1 and      

utterly demolishes ,st4 ,paul4 ,for     
since ,aaron is a type of ,christ1 he   
cannot be a type of ,st4 ,peter4 ,for   
what the ,scriptures ascribe to ,christ 
must not be ascribed to any other1 so   
that the ,scriptures may ever have one  
simple1 direct1 indisputable meaning1 on
 which our faith may rest without       
wavering ,exod4 #bh3ag ff44 ,this ,i    
will grant1 that ,peter is one of the   
twelve precious stones in the           
breastplate of ,aaron1 whereby there may
 be signified that the twelve ,apostles1
 chosen in ,christ1 and known from all  
eternity1 are the highest and most      
precious jewels in ,christendom1 but ,i 
can never allow ,peter to become ,aaron4
 ,again1 ,i will admit that ,st4 ,peter 
is one of the twelve lions that stood   
beside ,solomon's great throne #a ,kings
 #aj3ai1 but ,christ must remain for me 
the one ,king ,solomon4 ,i will let the 
twelve ,apostles be the twelve wells of 
water in the wilderness of ,elim ,exod4 
#ae3bg1 on this condition1 however1 that

 the bright cloud and pillar shall be   
nothing other than ,christ himself4 ,and
 just as little as the power of any one 
of these twelve extends over the others1
 so little does ,peter have power over  
the other apostles1 and the pope over   
other bishops and priests1 by divine    
right4  ,sidenote3 ,wherein the ,pope is
 ,untrue to the ,type of ,aaron  ,one   
thing more1 my good1 dear ,romanists1   
and then ,i have done4 ,i ask most      
graciously for a correct answer4 ,if    
,aaron was a type of the pope in        
external authority1 vestments and state1
 why was he not a type in all other     
external and bodily matters2 if it holds
 in one thing1 why not in all the       
others8  ,it is written that the        
high-priest shall not take a widow or a 
divorced woman1 but shall wed a virgin  
,lev4 #ba3ad2 why do they not give the  
pope a virgin to wed1 so that the type  
may be fulfilled8 ,nay1 why does the    
pope forbid matrimony to the whole      
priesthood1 not only contrary to the    

,old ,testament type1 but also in       
opposition to ,god1 and against right1  
reason1 and nature1 a thing which he has
 no authority1 nor power1 nor right to  
do1 and over which the ,church has never
 exercised authority1 nor should it ever
 do so4 ,so by his own caprice1 without 
need1 he has caused ,christendom to be  
filled with whores1 sinners1 and guilty 
consciences1 as ,st4 ,paul says of him1 
,i4 ,timothy iv3 ,in the latter times   
some shall depart from the faith1 giving
 heed to seducing spirits and doctrines 
of devils1 speaking lies in hypocrisy1  
having their conscience seared with a   
hot iron1 forbidding to marry1 and      
commanding to abstain from meats1 which 
,god hath created1 etc4 #a ,tim4 #d3a   
ff4  ,does ,paul herein not hit the     
,roman laws1 which forbid the priesthood
 to marry1 and command all ,christians  
to abstain from butter1 eggs1 milk1 and 
meats on certain days1 while ,god       
,himself has left it to the free choice 
of ,christians in every estate to eat or

 to marry1 as they desire8 ,where are   
you now1 my ,romanist of the observance1
 with all your ranting that not one     
detail of the ,old ,testament type shall
 be omitted1 and that every iota must be
 fulfilled8 ,yea1 where is the pope1 the
 successor of ,st4 ,peter1 who was      
married1 as was ,st4 ,paul#ee and all   
the ,apostles8  ,sidenote3 ,the ,tonsure
  ,again1 the ,old ,testament           
high-priest was not permitted to have   
his head shorn ,lev4 #ba3e4 ,but why    
does the pope have a tonsure1 and all   
the other priests1 too8 ,wherein is the 
type fulfilled here to the very dot8    
,again1 the ,high-priest was forbidden  
to own any portion of ,israel's land1   
but subsisted entirely on the offerings 
of the people4 ,pray1 why is the        
occupant of the papal throne so furious 
to possess the whole world1 and has not 
only stolen lands and cities1           
principalities and kingdoms1#ef but has 
arrogated to himself the power to make  
kings and princes1 seat and unseat and  

change them according to his pleasure1  
as if he were ,antichrist4 ,wherein is  
there here a fulfilment of the type8    
,sidenote3 ,worldly ,pretensions        
,again1 the ,old ,testament high-priest 
was a subject under the rule of the     
kings4 ,why then does the pope have men 
kiss his feet1 and aspire to be king of 
kings1 which ,christ ,himself did not8  
,wherein is the type fulfilled here8    
,again1 the high-priest was circumcised4
 ,and1 finally1 if having the external  
things in the ,new ,testament identical 
with those of the ,old be the fulfilment
 of types1 why do we not become ,jews   
again and keep the whole law of ,moses8 
,if we must observe it in one           
particular1 why not in all8 ,if not in  
all1 why in one8  ,sidenote3 ,holy ,men 
,not ,under the ,high-,priest  ,if it be
 desired to elevate the ,new ,testament 
above the ,old in the matter of outward 
splendor1 would it not be the reasonable
 to suppose that there should be more   
than one high-priest in the ,new        

,testament1 to make it more splendid and
 glorious than the ,old1 which did not  
have more than one8 ,if reason should   
judge in this case and follow its own   
bent1 what do you suppose it would do8  
,again1 in the time of the ,old         
,testament high-priest there were many  
holy men who were not under him1 such as
 ,job and his family--for he was not    
alone4 ,likewise the king of ,babylon1  
the queen of ,sheba1 the widow of       
,zarephath1 the prince ,naaman of       
,syria1 and many others in ,eastern     
lands1 together with their families1 who
 are all commended in the ,scriptures4  
,why does not the type hold in these    
instances1 even to the letter8 ,and yet 
the pope will let no one be a ,christian
 except he be subject to him1 and buy   
his seals and parchments at any price   
his ,romanists please to charge4 ,or do 
the ,romanists have power to interpret  
types as they please and as far as they 
please1 without any warrant of the      
,scriptures8  ,do you not see1 my good  

,romanist1 how envy and hatred have     
blinded you and your kind8 ,would it not
 have been a more seemly thing for you  
to have remained in your cell praying   
your vigils until you had been called or
 urged into this case8 ,you do not know 
what a type is or signifies1 and yet you
 boast of being a teacher and master of 
all the ,holy ,scriptures4#eg ,yea1     
verily1 a master in corrupting the      
,scriptures1 and blaspheming ,god1 and  
libeling truth4 ,come again1 my dear    
,romanist1 and ,i will deck you with    
lilies and give you for a new year's    
present#eh to those who have sent you4  
,i1 too1 desire to say one thing that is
 not in the ,scriptures4 ,in all estates
 which ,god has appointed there are     
always some who are saved1 and no estate
 is without living saints on earth1 as  
,christ says1 ,luke xvii1 ,two men shall
 be in one bed2 the one shall be taken1 
and the other left1 etc4 ,luke #ag3cd   
,if the papacy were from ,god it would  
be impossible for a pope to be damned1  

because there is but one person at a    
time in that estate1 and whoever became 
pope would thereby be assured of his    
salvation2 which is contrary to all the 
,scriptures4  ,sidenote3 ,the           
,scriptural ,foundation of ,papal ,power
  ,now let us see how these pious people
 treat the holy words of ,christ in this
 case4 ,christ says to ,st4 ,peter1     
,matthew xvi3 ,thou art1 or art called1 
,peter2 and on the ,petram 7i4 e41 on   
the rock7 ,i will build ,my ,church4    
,and ,i will give unto thee the keys of 
the kingdom of heaven1 and whatsoever   
thou shalt bind on earth1 shall be bound
 in heaven1 and whatsoever thou shalt   
loose on earth1 shall be loosed in      
heaven4 ,matt #af3ah ,from these words  
they have claimed the keys for ,st4     
,peter alone2 but the same ,matthew has 
barred such erroneous interpretation in 
the xviii4 chapter1 where ,christ says  
to all in common1 ,verily1 ,i say unto  
you1 whatsoever ye shall bind on earth1 
shall be bound in heaven1 and whatsoever

 ye shall loose on earth1 shall be      
loosed in heaven4 ,matt4 #ah3ah ,it is  
clear that ,christ here interprets ,his 
own words1 and in this xviii4 chapter   
explains the former xvi42 namely1 that  
the keys are given to ,st4 ,peter in the
 stead of the whole ,church1#ei and not 
for his own person4 ,thus also ,john1 in
 the last chapter1 ,he breathed on them 
and said1 ,receive ye the ,holy ,ghost2 
whosesoever sins ye remit1 they are     
remitted unto them1 and whosesoever sins
 ye retain1 they are retained4 ,to      
maintain the sole authority of ,st4     
,peter1 when there are two texts against
 one1 many men have labored in vain4    
,but the ,gospel is too clear1 and they 
have had to admit until now that in the 
first passage nothing special was given 
to ,st4 ,peter for his own person4      
,thus it was also understood by many of 
the ancient ,church fathers4 ,it is     
likewise proved by the words of ,christ 
just before ,he gave the keys to ,st4   
,peter1 where ,he asks not ,peter only1 

but all of them3 ,what think ye of ,me8 
,matt4 #af3ae ,then ,peter answers for  
them all1 ,thou art ,christ1 the ,son of
 the living ,god4 ,matt4 #af3ah         
,therefore the words in ,matthew xvi4   
must be understood in accordance with   
the words in chapter xviii4 ,matt4      
#ah3af and in ,john xx ,john #bj3bb1 and
 one passage must not be explained in a 
manner contrary to two strong ones1 but 
the one be properly explained by the    
two4 ,the proof is all the stronger     
where there are two instead of only one1
 and it is but fair that one should     
follow the two1 and not two the one4    
,sidenote3 ,equality ,among the         
,apostles  ,it is plain1 therefore1 that
 all the apostles were equal to ,peter  
in all matters of authority4 ,this is   
shown by their acts as well as by their 
words1 for ,peter never selected an     
apostle1 nor made1 confirmed1 sent out1 
or ruled over one2 although if he had   
been their superior by divine           
appointment this would have had to be1  

or all of them would have been heretics4
 ,moreover1 all of the apostles together
 could not make ,st4 ,matthias and ,st4 
,paul apostles1 but this must needs be  
done from heaven1 as it is written in   
,acts i4 ,acts #a3bc ff4 and xiii4 ,acts
 #ac3b ,how then could ,st4 ,peter alone
 be lord over them all8 ,this little nut
 no one has been able to crack as yet1  
and ,i trust they will be so gracious1  
even against their will1 to leave it    
uncracked a while longer4  ,sidenote3   
,roman ,authority never ,universal  ,and
 just as this ,romanist boasts that the 
papal chair survives in spite of        
repeated assaults on its authority1#fj  
so ,i1 too1 boast that the ,roman ,see  
ofttimes1 and to this very day1 has     
striven in mad frenzy for such power1   
yet has never been able to attain it1   
and1 ,god willing1 shall never attain   
it4 ,it is an utter farce when a man    
boasts that he has always kept what he  
has never had4 ,why does not our dear   
,romanist boast also that the city of   

,leipzig has never been taken away from 
him1 in which he does not even have a   
house8 ,it would be a boast of equal    
value with the other4 ,so they chatter  
on incessantly2 anything that comes to  
their tongues is blurted out4           
,therefore1 ,i say1 that though the     
,roman tyrants have striven hard against
 the ,gospel1 to take the common power  
of the ,church and make it their own1   
yet the word of ,christ still stands1   
,the powers of hell shall not prevail   
against it4 ,matt4 #af3ah ,now if this  
power had been given to the pope by     
divine right1 ,god would not have       
desisted2 at some time it would have    
been fulfilled4 ,for he says that not a 
jot or letter shall remain unfulfilled4 
,matt4 #e3ah ,but in the extension of   
,roman power over all ,christendom not  
one letter has ever been fulfilled4     
,and it does not help to say1 it is not 
the fault of the ,romans1 but of the    
heretics1 that it has not been          
fulfilled4 ,heretic here1 heretic there6

 ,god's order and promise cannot be     
hindered or prevented by the gates of   
hell1 much less by the heretics2 surely 
,he is strong enough to make true ,his  
own ,word1 without the help of heretics4
 ,and inasmuch as ,he has never done so1
 and leaves it unfulfilled to this day1 
regardless of all the zeal1 diligence1  
toil and labor1 and cunning and trickery
 besides1 which the ,romans have        
expended on it1 ,i hope it is           
sufficiently established just what the  
pope's authority is1 beyond that of     
other bishops and priests2 namely1 that 
it is of human and not of divine right4 
,christ's kingdom has been at all times 
in all the world1 as is written in      
,psalms ii4 ,ps4 #b3h and xix ,ps4      
#ai3d1 but never was it entirely under  
the pope1 even for one hour1 in spite of
 those who say otherwise4  ,sidenote3   
,two ,passages versus ,one  ,although   
all this is well-established truth1 we  
shall nevertheless proceed to demolish  
their idle fairy-tales still more1 and  

say3 ,even if it were not valid that the
 two sayings in ,matthew ,matt4 #ah3ah  
and ,john ,john #bj3bb1 which make the  
power of the keys a common possession1  
should explain the one saying of        
,matthew1 which sounds as if the keys   
were given to ,peter alone2 yet the case
 cannot proceed any further than to     
establish a doubt1 whether the one      
passage shall interpret the two1 or the 
two the one1 and ,i hold as tenaciously 
to the two1 as they to the one4         
,furthermore1 that doubt gives certainty
 to us1 so that it is entirely for us to
 say whether we will have the pope for a
 head or not4 ,for where a matter is in 
doubt1 no one is a heretic1 whether he  
hold to one view or to another2 this    
they themselves admit4 ,and thus their  
argument again is brought to naught1 and
 they can produce nothing but           
uncertainty and doubt4 ,therefore they  
must either give up all three passages  
as inadequate to establish their case1  
since their meaning is obscure2 or else 

they must cite others1 which explicitly 
indicate that the two must be           
interpreted by the one4 ,this they      
cannot do2 ,i defy them to try it4  ,but
 ,i will cite passages by which ,i shall
 prove that the one passage must follow 
the two4  ,thus saith the ,law--and     
,christ quotes it in ,matthew xviii--1  
,every case shall be established through
 the mouth of two or three witnesses1   
but at the mouth of one witness shall no
 man be put to death4 ,deut4 #ag3f ,and 
once ,i have two witnesses against one1 
my case takes precedence1 and the one   
passage must follow the two2 namely1    
that ,peter received the keys not as    
,peter1 but in the stead of the         
,church1#fa as ,matthew xviii4 and ,john
 xx4 clearly say1 and not as ,peter     
alone1 as ,matthew xvi4 seems to say4   
,moreover1 ,i am astounded at the great 
arrogance by which they would make the  
power of the keys a ruling power1 which 
really fits together as well as winter  
and summer4 ,for a ruling power means   

far more than the power of the keys4    
,the power of the keys extends only to  
the ,sacrament of ,penance1#fb to bind  
and loose the sins1 as ,matthew xviii4  
,matt4 #ah3ah and ,john xx4 ,john #bj3bb
 clearly state2 but a ruling power      
extends likewise to those who are pious 
and have naught to be bound or loosed2  
its scope includes preaching1 exhorting1
 consoling1 saying mass1 giving the     
,sacrament1 etc4 ,therefore1 none of the
 three passages fits the power of the   
pope over all ,christendom1 except he   
were made the one confessor1 or         
penitentiary1#fc or anathematizer1 to   
rule only over the wicked and the       
sinners1 which is not their desire at   
all4 ,and if these words should         
establish the papal power over all      
,christians1 ,i should very much like to
 know who could absolve the pope when he
 sins4 ,he must certainly remain in his 
sins2 neither will it do for him to     
transfer his power to another for his   
own absolution1 for that would make him 

a heretic in acting contrary to divine  
command4  ,sidenote3 ,person and ,office
  ,some have invented the fiction that  
the pope's person and office are two    
different things2#fd that the person can
 be made subject to another1 but not the
 office4 ,that glitters for a moment1   
but is1 in truth1 like all such wares4  
,for in their own laws1 with great ado  
and show1 they have forbidden any bishop
 of a lower rank to confirm a pope1     
although this confirmation is not the   
institution of the office1 but the      
induction of the person into the office4
 ,and if in this case the person is not 
subject to any one1 surely the same is  
true in absolution4 ,but in all their   
doings and glosses and interpretations1 
their minds are in a whirl1 and they say
 now this and now that2 and in their    
twisting of ,god's ,word they lose its  
true sense1 forget where they are1 go   
completely astray1 and yet they would   
rule the whole world4  ,sidenote3 ,the  
,keys ,given to the ,whole ,church      

,therefore let every ,christian believe 
that in these passages ,christ does not 
give either to ,st4 ,peter or to the    
other ,apostles the power to rule1 or to
 soar so high4 ,what then does ,he give8
 ,i will tell you4 ,these words of      
,christ are nothing but gracious        
promises1 given to the whole ,church1#fe
 as was said above1#ff in order that    
poor sinful consciences may find comfort
 when they are loosed or absolved by    
man2 and the words apply only to sinful1
 timid1 troubled consciences1 and are   
intended to strength en them1 if they   
but believe4 ,when these comforting     
words of ,christ1 given for the benefit 
of all poor consciences in the whole    
,church1#fe are thus made to strengthen 
and establish papal power1 ,i will tell 
you of what it reminds me4  ,sidenote3  
,a ,parable  ,it reminds me of a rich1  
kind prince who threw open his          
treasure-house1 and gave complete       
freedom to all the poor to come and take
 what they needed4 ,among the needy     

there came a rogue1 who made use of the 
permission all by himself and allowed   
none to come in who did not bow         
completely to his will1 and arbitrarily 
explained the words of the prince to    
mean that the permission was given to   
him alone4 ,can you imagine what the    
kind prince would think of this rogue8  
,if you cannot imagine it1 hear what    
,st4 ,matthew says of that selfsame     
servant3 ,if that evil servant shall say
 in his heart4 ,my lord delayeth his    
coming1 and shall begin to smite his    
fellow-servants1 and to eat and drink   
with the drunken2 the lord of that      
servant shall come in a day when he     
looketh not for him1 and in an hour that
 he is not aware of1 and shall cut him  
asunder1 and appoint him his portion    
with the hypocrites3 there shall be     
weeping and gnashing of teeth4 ,matt4   
#bd3dh ff4  ,and now see3 in the same   
manner as this servant interprets the   
intention of his lord1 so the ,romanists
 interpret the words of ,god1 and this  

is the very best that can be said of    
their interpretation4 ,for when they go 
stark mad1 they act as if yon servant   
had not only made barter of his lord's  
kindness for his own profit1 but as if  
he actually changed the goods1 and gave 
chaff and stubble for com1 copper for   
gold1 lead for silver1 and poison for   
wine4 ,and therefore it is still a      
matter of grace1 that they claim the    
keys for the pope at least in such a    
manner that we may buy them by giving   
money and everything that we possess4   
,but it is an utter calamity when they  
preach their laws1 authority1 bans1     
indulgences and the like1 in place of   
the ,gospel4 ,that is what the ,lord    
calls the smiting of the fellow servants
 by the evil servant1 who should rather 
feed them4  ,sidenote3 ,herod and the   
,romanists  ,i will use a plain         
illustration1 so that any one may see   
the difference between the true and the 
false interpretation of these words of  
,christ4 ,the high-priest of the ,old   

,testament wore1 by divine appointment1 
an official robe4 ,when ,king ,herod    
elevated himself over the people of     
,israel1 he took that robe1 and although
 he did not use it himself1 yet he      
usurped the authority to regulate its   
use1 and the people were forced to pay  
for that to which ,god had given them   
the right4 ,the same is true now4 ,the  
keys have been given to the whole       
,church#fe as has been proved above4#ff 
,but along come the ,romanists1 and     
although they never use them themselves 
nor exercise their office1 yet they take
 to themselves authority over the use of
 the keys1 and we are forced to buy with
 money what is in reality our own1 given
 by ,christ4 ,and1 not satisfied with   
this1 they apply the words of ,christ   
concerning the keys1 not to the keys nor
 to their use1 but to their usurped     
power and authority over the keys1 so   
that the power of the keys1 freely given
 by ,christ1 is now captive in the hands
 of the ,romanists2 and both the power  

of the keys and the power over the keys 
are supposed to come from the one word  
of ,christ1 just as if ,herod had said  
that it was his power of which ,moses   
was speaking1 when he spake of the robe 
of the high-priest4  ,in like manner1 a 
tyrant could obtain possession of a last
 testament1 and explain the words1      
wherein the property is bequeathed to   
the heir1 to mean that authority is     
given him over this testament1 to decide
 whether he will allow its provisions to
 come to the heir gratuitously or for a 
price4 ,so it is also with the power of 
the keys and the authority of the pope1 
understood as coming from one and the   
same word of ,scripture1 whereas the two
 things are not only different1 but the 
authority claimed is more than the power
 of the keys2 and yet they make of it   
one and the same thing4  ,sidenote3     
,what is ,meant by the ,rock  ,their    
argument1 that the external authority of
 the pope is conferred in the words of  
,christ1 ,on this rock ,i will build ,my

 ,church1 ,matt4 #af3ah understanding   
the rock to mean ,st4 ,peter and his    
authority1 ,i have refuted many         
times1#fg and now ,i will say only this3
 ,first1 they must prove that the rock  
means authority4 ,they will not do this1
 nor can they do it1 so they just have  
voice to their own inventions1 and all  
their drivel must be divine command4    
,secondly1 the rock can mean neither    
,st4 ,peter nor his authority1 on       
account of the words of ,christ which   
follow1 ,and the gates of hell shall not
 prevail against it4 ,now it is clear as
 day that no one is edified in the      
,church1 nor withstands the gates of    
hell by the mere fact that he is under  
the external authority of the pope4 ,for
 the majority of those who hold so      
strongly to the authority of the pope1  
and lean upon it1 are themselves        
possessed by the powers of hell and are 
full of sins and rascality4 ,then1 too1 
some of the popes were heretics         
themselves1 and gave heretical laws2 yet

 they remained in authority4 ,therefore1
 the rock does not signify authority1   
which can never withstand the gates of  
hell2 but it signifies only ,christ and 
the faith in ,him1 against which no     
power can ever prevail4  ,sidenote3     
,prevailing ,against the ,gates of ,hell
  ,that this authority continues to     
exist despite those who battle against  
it1 does not mean that it has withstood 
the gates of hell4 ,for so the ,greek   
,church has continued1 and all the other
 ,christians in the world2 the          
,moscovites#fh and ,bohemians continue1 
yea1 the kingdom of ,persia has         
continued for more than two thousand    
years1 and the ,turk for well nigh a    
thousand years1 in spite of various and 
repeated attacks against them4 ,and to  
tell you some more things that really   
should bring astonishment to such an    
illustrious ,romanist3 ,the world in its
 wickedness has stood from the          
beginning1 and shall stand until the    
,last ,day1 and forever1 even if ,god   

,himself with all holy men and angels   
never cease to preach1 write and work   
against it4 ,if you think good of it1 my
 dear ,romanist1 defy ,god and all the  
angels1 because the world has stood even
 against all their words and work4 ,why 
did you not ascertain1 you poor1 blind  
,romanist1 before rushing into print1   
what it means to prevail against the    
gates of hell8 ,if every prevailing     
means just as much as prevailing against
 the gates of hell1 then the devil's    
kingdom prevails with a larger following
 than ,god's kingdom4 ,this is what it  
means to prevail against the gates of   
hell3 ,not to be in an external         
communion#fi1 authority1 jurisdiction or
 assembly in a bodily manner1 according 
to your way of babbling about the ,roman
 communion#fi and its unity1 but by a   
firm and true faith to be built upon    
,christ1 the ,rock which can never be   
suppressed by any power of the devil1   
even if he counts more followers and    
uses unceasing strife1 cunning1 and     

violence against it4  ,sidenote3 ,evil  
,results of ,roman ,authority  ,now the 
greater part of the ,roman communion1#fi
 and even some of the popes themselves1 
have forsaken the faith wantonly and    
without struggle1 and live under the    
power of ,satan1 as is plainly to be    
seen1 and thus the papacy often has been
 under the dominion of the gates of     
hell4 ,and should ,i speak quite openly1
 this same ,roman authority1 ever since 
the time it has presumed to soar over   
all ,christendom1 not only has never    
attained its purpose1 but has become the
 cause of nearly all the apostasy1      
heresy1 discord1 sects1 unbelief and    
misery in ,christendom1 and has never   
freed itself from the gates of hell4    
,and if there were no other passage to  
prove that ,roman authority was of human
 and not of divine right1 this passage  
alone would be sufficient1 where ,christ
 says1 the gates of hell shall not      
prevail against ,his building on the    
rock4 ,now the gates of hell ofttimes   

had the papacy in their power1 at times 
the pope was not a pious man1 and the   
office was occupied by a man without    
faith1 without grace1 without good      
works2 which ,god would never have      
permitted if the papacy were meant in   
,christ's word concerning the rock4 ,for
 then ,he would not be true to ,his     
promise1 nor fulfil ,his own word2      
therefore the rock1 and the building of 
,christ founded upon it1 must be        
something entirely different from the   
papacy and its external ,church4        
,accordingly ,i say further1 that the   
,roman bishop has often been deposed or 
appointed by other bishops4 ,if1        
however1 his authority were by divine   
appointment and promise1 ,god would     
never have permitted this to happen1 for
 it would be against ,his word and      
promise4 ,and if ,god were found to be  
unfaithful in so much as even one word1 
then would perish faith1 truth1 the     
,scriptures1 and ,god ,himself4 ,but if 
,god's words stand firm1 then my        

adversaries must prove to me that the   
pope was never subject1 even once1 to   
,satan or to man4 ,i would much like to 
hear just what my good ,romanists have  
to say to this4 ,i trust they are slain 
with their own sword1 like ,goliath #a  
,sam4 #ag3ea4 ,for ,i can prove that the
 papacy has been subject not only to    
,satan1 but to other bishops1 yea1 also 
to temporal powers1 to the emperors4    
,how did the rock prevail then against  
the gates of hell8 ,i will leave the    
choice to them3 either these words mean 
defeat for the papacy1 or ,god is a     
liar4 ,let us see which they will       
choose4  ,nor is it enough that you try 
to squirm out of the dilemma by saying  
that even if the papacy has been under  
,satan now and then1 yet there have     
always been pious ,christians under it4 
,i reply3 ,under the rule of the ,turk  
there are ,christians1 and likewise     
there are ,christians in all the world1 
as there were aforetime under ,nero and 
other tyrants4 ,how does that help you8 

,the papacy and the pope himself must at
 no time have been under ,satan if      
,christ's word refers to them when ,he  
speaks of a rock set against the gates  
of hell4 ,see1 thus do the ,romanists   
interpret the ,scriptures in accordance 
with their mad folly4 ,faith they turn  
into authority1 spiritual edification   
into outward show1 and yet they are not 
heretics--they make all others to be the
 heretics4 ,such are the ,romanists4    
,another passage which they cite in     
support of their contention is that in  
which the ,lord says three times to     
,peter1 ,feed ,my sheep4 ,john #ba3ae   
,here they reach real eminence as       
theologians when they say3 ,since       
,christ said to ,peter in particular1   
,feed ,my sheep1 ,he thereby conferred  
on him authority above all others4      
,sidenote3 ,feeding the ,sheep and      
,roman ,authority  ,now we shall see to 
what labor and pains they are put to    
bring about that result4 ,in the first  
place1 we must know what they mean by   

feeding4 ,feeding1 in the ,roman sense1 
means to burden ,christendom with many  
human and hurtful laws1 to sell the     
bishoprics at the highest possible      
price1 to extract the annates#gj from   
all benefices1 to usurp authority over  
all foundations1 to force into servitude
 all the bishops with terrible oaths1 to
 sell indulgences1 to rob the whole     
world by means of letters1 bulls1 seals 
and wax1 to prohibit the preaching of   
the ,gospel1 to appoint knaves from     
,rome to all the places1 to bring all   
litigation to ,rome1 to increase        
quarrels and disputes--in short1 to     
allow no one to come freely to the truth
 and to have peace4  ,but if they say   
that by feeding they do not understand  
such abuse of authority1 but the        
authority itself1 it is simply not true4
 ,and ,i prove it in this wise3 ,where  
one protests very mildly against such   
abuse1 and with all deference to the    
authority1 they rail and threaten       
thunder and lightning1 they clamor that 

it is heresy and high treason1 that it  
is a rending of the seamless garment of 
,christ1 and they would burn up the     
heretics1 rebels1 apostates and         
everybody in the whole world4 ,by all of
 which it is clear that they hold       
feeding to mean naught else but such    
preying and flaying4 ,in the meanwhile1 
however1 we think that feeding does not 
mean preying on others4 ,let us endeavor
 to see what it means4  ,sidenote3      
,distinction of ,person and ,office     
,they have a high-sounding1 keen and    
subtile speech--as they imagine--when   
they say that person and office are not 
one and the same1 and that the office   
remains1 and remains good1 though the   
person be evil4 ,from this they         
conclude1 and it must1 indeed1 follow1  
that the word of ,christ1 ,feed ,my     
sheep1 means an office of external      
power1 which even an evil man may have1 
for the office makes no one holy4 ,very 
well4 ,this is acceptable to us1 and we 
will ask the ,romanists a question4     

,whoever keeps and fulfils the word of  
,christ1 he is truly obedient and pious1
 and shall be saved1 for ,his words are 
spirit and life ,john #f3fc4 ,if1       
therefore1 feeding means to sit in the  
highest place and to have an            
office--even if the incumbent be a      
knave--it follows that he feeds who sits
 in the highest seat and is pope2 and   
whoever does this work of feeding is    
obedient to ,christ2 and whoever is     
obedient in one particular is obedient  
in all and is a saint ,therefore it must
 be true that whoever is pope and sits  
in the chief room is obedient to ,christ
 and is a saint1 though he be a knave1  
or a rogue1 or what not4 ,have thanks1  
my dearest ,romanists6 ,now ,i know1 for
 the first time1 why the pope is        
addressed as your holiness4 ,thus must  
the word of ,christ be explained1 so    
that knaves and rogues are made out to  
be holy and obedient servants of        
,christ1 just as in the previous pages  
you have made ,christ an arch-knave and 

a brothel-keeper4#ga  ,sidenote3 ,being 
,fed in the ,roman ,sense  ,further1 if 
feeding means to sit in the highest     
place1 then being fed must mean to be   
subject1 so that just as feeding means  
external governing1 being fed must mean 
to be governed1 and1 as they say1 to    
live in the ,roman fellowship4#gb ,then 
it must also be further true that all   
who are within the ,roman fellowship1#gb
 be they good or evil1 are saints1      
because they are obedient to ,christ and
 are being fed4 ,for none can be        
obedient to ,christ in one thing1       
without being obedient in all1 as ,st4  
,james says ,jas4 #b3aj4 ,now is that   
not a fine ,church under the ,roman     
authority1 where there are no sinners at
 all and naught but saints6 ,but what   
becomes of the poor indulgence1 if no   
one needs it any more in the ,roman     
fellowship8#gb ,what becomes of the     
father confessor8 ,how shall the world  
be robbed1 if penance disappears8 ,nay1 
what becomes of the keys if they are no 

longer needed8 ,but if there are still  
sinners among them1 they must go unfed  
and be disobedient to ,christ4  ,what do
 you say to this1 my good ,romanists8   
,come now and pipe your lay4 ,do you not
 see that feeding must mean something   
else than having authority1 and being   
fed something else than being externally
 subject to the ,roman power1 and how   
utterly senseless it is to cite the     
saying of ,christ1 ,feed ,my sheep1 in  
order to strengthen ,roman authority and
 its external unity or fellowship6      
,sidenote3 ,feeding and ,loving  ,christ
 also says1 ,he that loveth ,me1 keepeth
 ,my word2 he that loveth ,me not1      
keepeth not ,my words4 ,prick up your   
ears at this1 my dear ,romanists4 ,ye   
boast that the word of ,christ1 ,feed   
,my sheep1 ,john #ad3bc is a command and
 word of ,christ4 ,let us ask1 then1    
where are they who keep it8 ,you say1   
even the knaves and rogues keep it4     
,christ says no one keepeth it1 except  
he love and be a righteous man4 ,now    

come to some agreement with ,christ in  
this matter1 so that we may know if you 
or ,he is to be charged with lying4     
,therefore1 the pope who loves not1 and 
is not righteous1 does not feed the     
sheep1 and does not keep ,christ's word3
 neither is he a pope1 nor has he       
authority1 nor anything at all that is  
included in the term feeding the sheep4 
,for ,christ stands immovable1 and says1
 ,he that loveth ,me not1 keepeth not   
,my word2 nor does such a one perform   
any feeding of sheep1 i4 e41 he is no   
pope at all1 as they explain it4 ,thus  
it comes that the same passages which   
are cited in its favor are against the  
papacy2 a just retribution for those who
 treat the holy ,word of ,god in sheer  
madness1 as though it were fool's talk1 
and who would make out of it what they  
please4  ,perhaps you might reply1 that 
a subject can be obedient to temporal   
authority even if that authority were   
not righteous2 why should one not be    
obedient to the pope's authority8       

,therefore to feed1 or to be fed1 must  
not necessarily include the idea of     
obedience4 ,answer3 ,the ,scriptures do 
not call temporal authority feeding1 and
 in the ,new ,testament there is no     
instance where ,god publicly appointed  
any one to temporal power1 although no  
such power arises without ,his secret   
ordering4 ,for this reason ,st4 ,peter  
calls such powers ordinances of men1 #a 
,peter #b3ac because they rule not by   
,god's word1 but by ,god's governance1  
and it is not needful1 therefore1 that  
such rulers should be righteous4 ,but   
inasmuch as we here have ,god's word1   
,feed my sheep1 neither the shepherd nor
 the sheep can fulfil this word except  
by obedience to ,god and righteousness  
of life4 ,therefore ,i let bishop1 pope1
 priest be what they may2 unless they   
love ,christ and are righteous1 this    
term1 feeding1 is not for them1 and they
 are something entirely different from  
the shepherds and feeders of sheep who  
alone are meant in this word4 ,for this 

reason it cannot be tolerated that this 
word of ,christ shall be made to cover  
external power1 which has nothing to do 
with obedience or disobedience to ,him2 
feeding can mean naught else but to be  
obedient4  ,and this is what ,christ    
desired4 ,for before saying three times 
to ,peter3 ,feed ,my sheep1 ,he asked   
him thrice if he loved ,him1 and ,peter 
thrice answered that he loved ,him4     
,john #ba3ae ff4 ,it is evident1        
therefore1 that there is no feeding     
where there is no love4 ,therefore1 the 
papacy either must be love1 or it cannot
 be a feeding of the sheep1 and if the  
word ,feed ,my sheep establishes the    
papal chair1 it follows that all are    
popes who love ,christ and feed the     
sheep4 ,and this is perfectly true3 for 
aforetime all bishops were called popes1
 which title is now restricted to the   
one at ,rome4  ,sidenote3 ,a            
,distinction in ,love  ,but here look   
you what our ,romanists do when they    
cannot overcome these words of ,christ1 

and must admit1 though with great       
reluctance1 that no one can feed except 
he love ,christ1 as the clearly         
expressed words of ,christ declare4     
,gladly they would give ,him the lie1 or
 deny ,him2 but now that they are hit   
squarely between the eyes1 so that their
 heads swim1 hear what they say4 ,they  
say that ,christ indeed demands love in 
the office of the pope1 but not that    
high love1 which1 they say1 is          
meritorious unto eternal life2 but the  
ordinary love is quite sufficient1 such 
as a servant has toward his master4#gc  
,now see1 this lying explanation#gd of  
love they bring forth entirety out of   
their own heads1 without warrant of the 
,scriptures1 and yet they would have it 
appear that they are dealing with me in 
the ,scriptures4 ,tell me1 my dear      
,romanists1 all of you melted together  
into one heap1 where is there so much as
 one letter in the ,scriptures          
concerning this love of which you dream8
 ,if your vile brew of ,leipzig#ge could

 speak1 it would easily overcome such   
feather-brains1 and speak better than   
you do of love4  ,but let us follow this
 matter further4 ,if there must needs be
 some sort of love in the papacy1 what  
becomes of it when a pope does not love 
,christ at all1 and seeks in it only his
 own gain and honor8 ,and there have    
been many such1 yea1 almost all since   
the beginning of the papacy4 ,you have  
not escaped me yet--you must confess    
that the papacy has not always existed1 
it has often perished1 because it was   
ofttimes without love4 ,but if it had   
been established by divine right1 in    
these words of ,christ1 it would not    
have perished4 ,twist and turn as you   
will1 these words will not yield a      
papacy2 or else the papacy must cease in
 ,christendom whenever the pope is      
without love4 ,now you have said        
yourself that the person may be evil1   
but the office remains2 again you admit1
 and must admit1 that the office is     
nothing if the person be evil--or you   

must let feeding the sheep be something 
else than the papacy4 ,and this is true2
 let us see what you can bring against  
it4  ,sidenote3 ,a ,shepherd's ,love    
,but let every one beware of the        
poisoned tongues and devil-glosses which
 can invent a love of such description4 
,christ speaks of the highest1          
strongest1 best love of which man is    
capable4 ,he will not be loved with a   
false1 divided love2 here there must be 
whole-hearted and pure love1 or none at 
all4 ,and the meaning of ,christ is that
 in ,st4 ,peter's person ,he is         
instructing all preachers how they must 
be equipped2 as if ,he would say3 ,see1 
,peter1 if you shall preach ,my word1   
and thereby feed ,my sheep1 there shall 
rise against you the powers of hell1    
devil1 world1 and all that therein is1  
and you must be willing to venture body1
 life1 goods1 honor1 friends1 and       
everything which you have2 and this you 
will not do if you do not love ,me and  
cleave close to ,me4 ,and if you should 

begin to preach1 and the sheep were     
being fed in the pastures1 and the      
wolves would break in1 and you would    
then flee as a hireling1 and not venture
 your life1 but leave the sheep without 
care1 to the wolves ,john #aj3ab ff41 it
 would have been better that you had    
never begun to preach and feed the      
sheep4 ,for if he falls1 who preaches   
the ,word and should stand at the head1 
offence is given to every one1 the ,word
 of ,god is brought to deepest disgrace1
 and more harm is done to the sheep than
 if they had no shepherd at all4 ,christ
 cares much for the feeding of the      
sheep2 ,he cares nothing at all how many
 crowns the pope wears1 and how in all  
his splendor he lifts himself far above 
the kings of the world4  ,let any one   
tell if he can1 whether the papacy has  
such love1 or if ,christ1 in these      
words1 has instituted such a worthless  
authority as the papacy is4 ,without    
doubt he is truly a pope who preaches   
with such love2 but where can such a one

 be found8 ,there is no passage that    
gives me as much sorrow in my preaching 
as this one does--of love ,i feel not   
much1 of preaching ,i do more than      
enough4 ,they accuse me of being rabid  
and revengeful2 ,i fear that ,i have    
done too little4 ,i should have pulled  
the wool#gf much harder for the ravening
 wolves1 who never cease to rend the    
,scripture1 to poison and pervert it to 
the great injury of the poor1 forsaken  
sheep of ,christ4 ,if ,i had only loved 
them enough ,i should have dealt quite  
differently with the pope and his       
,romanists1 who with their laws and     
their prattle1 their letters of         
indulgence1 and the rest of their       
foolery1 bring to naught out faith and  
,god's ,word4 ,they make for us what    
laws they will1 only to capture us1 and 
then sell them to us again for money2#gg
 with their mouths they weave snares for
 money1 and yet boast that they are     
shepherds and keepers of sheep1 whereas 
they are truly wolves1 thieves1 and     

murderers1 as the ,lord says in ,john x4
  ,i know right well that this little   
word1 love1 scares the pope and his     
,romanists and makes them weak and      
weary1 nor are they willing that it     
should be pressed1 for it overturns the 
whole papacy4 ,it made ,dr4 ,eck weary  
at ,leipzig2#gh and whom would it not   
make weary1 since ,christ directly      
commands ,peter not to feed the sheep   
except there be love8 ,he must have love
 or there can be no feeding4 ,i shall   
wait a while now to see how they will   
parry this thrust4 ,if they prick me    
with feeding1 ,i will prick them much   
harder with loving1 and we shall see who
 prevails4 ,this is the reason why some 
of the popes in their ,canon laws so    
neatly pass in silence this word love1  
and make so much ado about feeding1     
thinking that thereby they have preached
 only to drunken ,germans1 who will not 
notice how the hot porridge burns their 
tongue4 ,this is the reason1 too1 why   
the pope and the ,romanists cannot bear 

any questioning and investigating of the
 foundation of papal power1 and every   
one is accused of doing a scandalous1   
presumptuous and heretical thing1 who is
 not satisfied with their mere          
assertions1 but seeks for its real      
basis4 ,but that one should ask if ,god 
is ,god1 and seek in frivolous          
presumption to penetrate all ,his       
mysteries1 they suffer with equanimity1 
and it does not concern them4 ,whence   
this perverted game8 ,from this1 that1  
as ,christ says1 ,john iii1 ,he that    
doeth evil1 feareth the light4 ,john    
#c3bj ,where is the thief or robber who 
courts investigation8 ,thus the evil    
conscience cannot bear the light2 but   
truth loveth the light1 and is an enemy 
to darkness1 even as ,christ says in the
 same chapter1 ,he that doeth truth1    
cometh to the light4 ,john #c3ba  ,now  
we see that the two sayings of ,christ1 
spoken to ,peter1 on which they build   
the papacy1 are stronger against the    
papacy than all others1 and the         

,romanists can produce nothing that does
 not make them a laughing-stock4 ,i     
shall let the matter rest here1 and pass
 by whatever else this miserable        
,romanist spues out in his book2 since  
,i have controverted it all many times  
before1 and now also some others have   
effectually done so in ,latin4#gi ,i    
find nothing in it1 except that he soils
 the ,holy ,scriptures like a sniveling 
child2 in no place does he show a       
mastery of his words or an understanding
 of his subject4  ,sidenote3 ,the       
,conclusion of the ,matter  ,on the     
subject of the papacy ,i have come to   
this conclusion3 ,since we observe that 
the pope has full authority over all our
 bishops1 and has not attained it apart 
from the providence of ,god--although ,i
 do not believe that it is a gracious1  
but rather a wrathful providence which  
permits men1 as a plague on the world1  
to exalt themselves and oppress         
others--therefore ,i do not desire that 
any one should resist the pope1 but     

rather bow to the providence of ,god1   
honor this authority1 and endure it with
 all patience1 just as if the ,turk     
ruled over us2 in this wise it will do  
no harm4  ,i contend for but two things4
 ,first3 ,i will not suffer any man to  
establish new articles of faith1 and to 
abuse all other ,christians in the      
world1 and slander and brand them as    
heretics1 apostates and unbelievers1    
simply because they are not under the   
pope4 ,it is enough that we let the pope
 be pope1 and it is not needful that1   
for his sake1 ,god and ,his saints on   
earth should be blasphemed4 ,second3    
,all that the pope decrees and does ,i  
will receive1 on this condition1 that ,i
 first test it by the ,holy ,scriptures4
 ,he must remain under ,christ1 and     
submit to be judged by the ,holy        
,scriptures4  ,but these ,roman knaves  
come along1 place him above ,christ1 and
 make him a judge over the ,scriptures2 
they say that he cannot err1 and        
whatever is dreamed at ,rome1 nay1      

everything which they dare to come out  
with1 they would prescribe for us as    
articles of faith4 ,and as if that were 
not enough1 they would introduce a new  
kind of faith1 so that we are to believe
 what we can see with our bodily eyes2  
whereas faith1 by its very nature1 is of
 the things which no one sees or feels1 
as ,st4 ,paul says in ,hebrews xi ,heb4 
#aa3a4 ,now the ,roman authority and    
fellowship#hj is a bodily thing1 and can
 be seen by any one4 ,if the pope came  
to that--which may ,god forbid6--,i     
would say right out that he is the real 
,antichrist1 of whom all the ,scriptures
 speak4  ,if they grant me these two    
things1 ,i will let the pope remain1    
nay1 help to exalt him as him as they   
please2 if not1 he shall be to me       
neither pope nor ,christian4 ,he that   
must do it may make an idol of him2 ,i  
will not worship him4  ,moreover1 ,i    
would be truly glad if kings1 princes1  
and all the nobles would take hold1 and 
turn the knaves from ,rome out of the   

country1 and keep the appointments to   
bishoprics and benefices out of their   
hands4 ,how has ,roman avarice come to  
usurp all the foundations1 bishoprics   
and benefices of our fathers8 ,who has  
ever read or heard of such monstrous    
robbery8 ,do we not also have the people
 who need them1 while out of our poverty
 we must enrich the ass-drivers and     
stable-boys1 nay1 the harlots and knaves
 at ,rome1 who look upon us as nothing  
else but arrant fools1 and make us the  
objects of their vile mockery8  ,it is a
 notorious fact that the ,russians      
desired to come into the ,roman         
fellowship1 but then the holy shepherds 
of ,rome fed those sheep of ,christ in  
such a manner that they would not       
receive them unless they first bound    
themselves to a perpetual tax of ,i know
 not how many hundred thousands of      
ducats4 ,such food they would not eat1  
and so they remain as they are1 saying1 
if they must buy ,christ1 they would    
rather save their money until they come 

to ,christ ,himself1 in heaven4 ,thus   
thou doest1 thou scarlet whore of       
,babylon ,rev4 #ag3d1 as ,st4 ,john     
calls thee--makest of our faith a       
mockery for all the world1 and yet      
wouldest have the name of making every  
one a ,christian4  ,oh the pity1 that   
kings and princes have so little        
reverence for ,christ1 and ,his honor   
concerns them so little that they allow 
such heinous abominations to gain the   
upper hand1 and look on1 while at ,rome 
they think of nothing but to continue in
 their madness and to increase the      
abounding misery1 until no hope is left 
on earth except in the temporal         
authorities4 ,of this ,i will say more  
anon1#ha if this ,romanist comes again2 
let this suffice for a beginning4 ,may  
,god help us at length to open our eyes4
 ,amen4  ,as for the slanders and evil  
names with which my person is assailed1 
although numerous enough1 ,i will let my
 dear ,romanist off without reply4 ,they
 do not trouble me4 ,it has never been  

my intention to avenge myself on those  
who rail at my person1 my life1 my work1
 my doings4 ,that ,i am not worthy of   
praise1 ,i myself know full well4 ,but  
,i will let no man reproach me that in  
defending the ,scriptures ,i am more    
pointed and impetuous than some seem to 
like1 neither will ,i be silenced4      
,whoever will1 let him freely scold1    
slander1 condemn my person and my life2 
it is already forgiven him4 ,but let no 
one expect from me either grace or      
patience who would make my ,lord        
,christ1 ,whom ,i preach1 and the ,holy 
,ghost1 to be liars4 ,i am nothing at   
all1 but for the ,word of ,christ ,i    
give answer with joyful heart and       
vigorous courage1 and without respect of
 persons4 ,to this end ,god has given me
 a glad and fearless spirit1 which they 
shall not embitter1 ,i trust1 not in all
 eternity4  ,that ,i have mentioned     
,leipzig1 no one should consider an     
affront to the honorable city and       
,university4 ,i was forced to it by the 

vaunted1 arrogant1 fictitious title of  
this ,romanist1 who boasts that he is a 
public teacher of ail the ,holy         
,scriptures at ,leipzig1#hb which titles
 have never before been used in         
,christendom1 and by his dedication#hc  
to the city and its ,council4 ,if the   
jackanapes had not issued his book in   
,german1 in order to poison the         
defenceless laity1 he would have been   
too small for me to bother with4 ,for   
this clumsy ass cannot yet sing his     
hee-haw1 and quite uncalled1 he meddles 
in things which the ,roman chair itself1
 together with all the bishops and      
scholars1 has not been able to establish
 in a thousand years4  ,i should have   
thought1 too1 that ,leipzig ought to    
have been too precious in his eyes1 for 
him to smear his drivel and snivel on so
 honorable and famous a city2 but in his
 own imagination he is no ordinary man4 
,i perceive that if ,i permit the       
petulance of all these thick-heads1 even
 the bath-maids will finally write      

against me4  ,but ,i pray that whoever  
would come at me arm himself with the   
,scriptures4 ,what helpeth it1 that a   
poor frog puffeth himself up8 ,even if  
he should burst1 he is no ox4  ,i would 
gladly be out of this business1 and they
 force themselves into it4 ,may ,god    
grant both of us our prayers1--help me  
out of it1 and let them stick in it     
,amen4      ,all glory be to ,god on    
high     ,and praise to all eternity4   
,amen4   ,,footnotes  #a ,augustin      
,alveld1 so named from the town of his  
birth1 ,alveld in ,saxony1 a ,franciscan
 monk1 ,lector of his order at ,leipzig4
 ,it is said of him that what he lacked 
in learning he made up for in           
scurrility1 so that he himself complains
 that his own brother-monks wanted to   
forbid his writing4 ,john ,lonicerus1 a 
friend of ,luther1 published a small    
book1 ,biblia nova ,alveldensis1        
,wittenberg1 #aebj1 in which he gathered
 a long list of ,alveld's terms of      
reproach used against ,luther4 ,to him  

has been attributed the origin of the   
undignified style adopted by so many    
since #aebj on both sides of the        
controversy about ,luther's teachings4  
,vid4 ,h4 ,a4 ,erhard1 in ,ersch und    
,gruber1 ,encyclopaedia1 iii1 #bgg2     
,algemeine ,deutsche ,biographi1 ,i1    
#cge4  #b ,cf41 ,augustine's            
,confessions1 ,,iii1 vii3 ,just as if in
 armor1 a man being ignorant what piece 
were appointed for what part1 should    
clap a greave upon his head and draw a  
headpiece upon his leg444  #c ,the four 
chief literary opponents of ,luther in  
the earlier years of the                
,reformation--,sylvester ,mazolini1     
usually called ,prierias1 after the city
 of his birth1 a papal official         
7,magister sacri palatii7 who had       
published three books against ,luther   
prior to #aebj2 ,thomas of ,gatano1     
,cardinal1 and papal legate at the ,diet
 of ,augsburg1 #aeah2 ,john ,eck1       
professor in the ,university of         
,ingolstadt1 who had been ,luther's     

opponent at the ,leipzig ,disputation in
 #aeai2 ,jerome ,emser1 also active at  
the ,leipzig ,disputation1 whom ,luther 
was to make the laughing-stock of       
,germany under the name of the ,leipzig 
goat1 an appellation suggested by his   
coat-of-arms4  #d ,the ,theological     
,faculties of ,cologne and ,louvaine    
officially condemned ,luther's writings2
 the former ,august #cjth1 the latter   
,november #gth1 #aeai4 ,the text of     
their resolutions was reprinted by      
,luther with a reply1 ,responsio ad     
condemnationem donctrinalem1 etc4       
7#aebj72 ,weimar ,ed41 ,,vi1 #agd ff2   
,erl4 ,ed41 op4 var4 arg41 ,,iv1 #agb   
ff4  #e ,neidhart4  #f ,the views which 
,luther expounds in this treatise had   
already been expressed in a ,latin work1
 ,resolutiones super ,propositione      
,,xiii4 de protestate ,papae1 #aeai     
7,erl4 ,ed41 op4 var4 arg41 ,,iii1 #bic 
ff2 ,weimar ,ed41 ,,ii1 #ahj ff74 ,the  
present work is written in ,german for  
the laity4  #g ,christenheit4 ,luther   

carefully avoids the use of the word    
,church 7,kirche74 ,the reason will     
appear in the argument which follows4   
,in many places1 however1 the word      
,christendom would not ,luther's        
meaning1 and there is1 for the modern   
reader1 no such technical restriction to
 the term ,church as obtained among     
,luther's readers4 ,where the word      
,christenheit is rendered otherwise than
 ,christendom it is so indicated in a   
foot-note4  #h ,the chief point argued  
at the ,leipzig ,disputation1 whether   
the power of the pope is jure divino or 
jure humano4  #i ,das feine barfssische 
,bchlein--i4 e41 a book written by a    
bare-footed friar4 ,see below1 p4 #cde4 
#aj ,a comment explanatory of a passage 
of ,scripture or of the ,canon ,law4    
#aa ,pallium1 a scarf made of sheep's   
wool1 which the pope is privileged to   
wear at all times1 and others only on   
specified occasions2 conferred by the   
pope on persons of the rank of          
archbishops2 on its bestowal depended   

the assumption of the title and         
functions of the office4 ,the granting  
of pallis became a rich source of       
revenue for the pope since each new     
incumbent of a prelacy had to apply for 
his own pallium in person1 or by special
 representative1 and to pay for the     
privilege of receiving it4 ,at the      
appointment of ,uriel as bishop of      
,mainz in #aejh1 even the emperor urged 
a reduction of one-half the usual fees1 
especially since the previous incumbent 
had paid the full price but four years  
previous4 ,the request was denied4 ,see 
,art ,mainz in ,,pre #a1 #b4  #ab ,zur  
,halfte1 so nicht mehr1 geistlich4 ,see 
below1 page #cef1 ,no4 #b4  #ac ,is this
 an allusion to the papal title1 servus 
servorum ,dei1 the servant of the       
servants of ,god8  #ad ,alveld's ,german
 treatise described itself in the title 
as a fruitful1 useful little book4  #ae 
,alveld's ,latin treatise especially    
abounds in these appellations4  #af     
,alveld belonged to the branch of the   

,franciscan ,order known as the         
,observants 7fratres reglaris           
observatiae71 from their strict         
observance of the ,franciscan ,rule4    
,see the title of the ,latin treatise in
 ,weimar ,ed41 ,,vi1 #bgg4  #ag         
,christenheit4  #ah ,gemeinde--the      
,german equivalent for the ,latin       
communio1 communitas1 or congregatio4   
,in ,luther's use of the term it means  
sometimes community1 sometimes          
congregation1 sometimes even the ,church
 7,gemeinde der ,heiligen74 ,in this    
case it translates ,alveld's civilitas  
7,weimar ,ed41 ,,vi1 #bgh74  #ai        
,christenheit4  #bj ,luther quotes1 in  
,german1 the reading of the ,latin      
,vulgate4  #ba ,christenheit4  #bb      
,gemeinde4 ,a play on the word4 ,on the 
second use of the term1 compare the     
similar employment of the ,english word 
parish4  #bc ,christenheit4  #bd ,from  
,veni ,sancte ,spiritus1 an antiphon for
 ,whitsuntide dating from the eleventh  
century4  #be ,christenheit4  #bf ,es   

ist erlogen und erstunken4  #bg         
,gemeinde4  #bh ,christenheit4  #bi     
,versammlung4  #cj ,gemeinde4  #ca      
,versammlung4  #cb ,einigkeit oder      
,gemeinde4  #cc ,a quaint interpretation
 of the passage3 ,the disciples were    
called ,christians first in ,antioch4   
#cd ,christenheit4  #ce ,nun bitten wir 
den heiligen ,geist1 a popular          
pre-,reformation hymn1 of one stanza1   
for ,whitsuntide1 dating from the middle
 of the thirteenth century2 quoted in a 
sermon by ,berthold1 the ,franciscan1 a 
celebrated ,german preacher in the      
,middle ,ages1 who died in ,regesburg in
 #abgb4 ,published by ,luther1 with     
three stanzas of his own added1 in his  
hymn-book of #aebd4 ,vid4 ,wackernage1  
,kirchenlied1 ii1 #dd2 ,koca1 ,geachicte
 des ,kirchenlieds1 i1 #ahe2 ,julian1   
,dict4 of ,hymnology1 #hba4 ,also ,miss 
,winkworth's ,christian ,singers1 #ch4  
#cf ,christenheit4  #cg ,gemeinde4  #ch 
,christenheit4  #ci ,christenheit4  #dj 
,all sources from which the ,church or  

the clergy derived an income were called
 in the broader sense1 spiritual        
possessions4 ,a further distinction was 
drawn between two kinds of              
ecclesiastical income--the spiritualia  
in this sense being the fees1 tithes1   
etc41 and the temporalia the income from
 endowments of land and the like4  #da  
,the followers of ,john ,huss4  #db     
,zwlfbote1 a popular appellation for the
 apostles1 meaning one of the twelve    
messengers4  #dc ,see page #cea4  #dd   
,christenheit4  #de ,literally1         
,rastrume better than malvoisie4        
,rastrum was a ,leipzig beer reported to
 be extraordinarily bad2 malvoisie1 a   
highly prized1 imported wine1 known in  
,england as malmsey4  #df ,in the       
,german treatise ,alveld says3 ,it is   
not enough to have ,christ for a        
shepherd or a head2 if that were        
sufficient1 all the heathen1 all the    
,jews1 all the errorists1 all the       
heretics would be true ,christians4     
,christ is a lord1 a guardian1 a        

shepherd1 a head of the whole world1    
whether we want him or not4 7,weimar    
,ed41 ,,vi1 #cja7 ,in the ,latin he     
says3 ,no community or assembly         
7civilitars seu pluralitas7 of men can  
be rightly administered except in the   
unity of the head1 under the ,head      
,jesus ,christ4 ,this proposition he    
develops in detail1 saying that ,no     
brothel 7contubernium meretricum71 no   
band of thieves1 plunderers and robbers1
 no company of soldiers can be ruled or 
held together1 or long exist without a  
governor1 chief and lord1 that is to    
say1 without one head4 7,weimar ,ed41   
,,vi1 #bgh74  #dg ,see above1 p4 #ceh4  
#dh ,jerome ,emser1 ,de disputatione    
,lipsicense and ,a venatione ,luteriana 
aegocerotia assertio4  #di ,augustine1  
,in ,joannia ,ev41 #ab1 #c1 #aa4 7,migne
 ,ed41 #ce #adi ff47  #ej ,cf4          
,augustine1 ,de unitate ecclesiae1 #e1  
#h4 7,migne ,ed41 #dc1 #cif f47  #ea ,in
 his ,sermon von ,sacrament des         
,leichnams ,christi of #aeai 7,weimar   

,ed41 ,,ii1 #gdb ff47 ,luther had made a
 plea for the restoration of the cup to 
the laity4 ,at the request of ,duke     
,george of ,saxony1 the bishop of       
,meissen 7,jan4 #bjth1 #aebj7 forbade   
the circulation of this tract in his    
diocese 7,weimar ,ed41 ,,vi1 #gf2       
,hauerbath1 ,luther1 ,i1 #caf74 ,the    
controversy1 to which ,luther           
contributed is ,verklrung etlicher      
,artikel1 etc4 7,weimar ,ed41 ,,vi1 #gh 
ff471 was bitterest in the ,leipzig     
circle to which ,alved belonged4  #eb   
,see pp4 #cgc and #chj4  #ec ,a         
reference to ,emser's ,de disputatione  
,lipsicense1 and ,a ventione ,luteriana 
aegocerotis assertio1 see above1 p4     
#cfc4  #ed ,luther's greeting to a      
forthcoming and much heralded work of   
,eck's1 which appeared under the title  
,de primatu ,petri4  #ee ,this statement
 cannot be substantiated4 ,but see      
commentaries on ,acts #bf3aj f4  #ef    
,the memory of the warlike and          
avaricious pope ,julius ,,ii4 was still 

fresh in the mind of ,luther and his    
contemporaries4  #eg ,alveld so         
announced himself in the title of his   
,latin treatise4 ,in order go gain the  
necessary leisure for its composition he
 had obtained a dispensation from all   
the capel services of his monastery4    
,see ,weimar ,ed41 ,,vi1 #bgg4  #eh ,in 
a similar vein of satire ,shakespeare   
uses this very phrase in ,merry ,wives  
of ,windsor1 ,,iii1 #e4  #ei ,gemeinde4 
#fj ,alveld had stated that the attempt 
had been made more than #bc times2 and  
again1 ,the assembly has existed more   
than #adhf under the chair of ,st4      
,peter which ,christ has established4   
,see ,weimar ,ed41 ,,vi4  #fa ,gemeinde4
  #fb ,still the old terminology4  #fc  
,equivalent to father-confessor4 ,the   
pope's own confessor is so called4  #fd 
,alveld makes this distinction in both  
of his treatises4  #fe ,gemeinde4  #ff  
,see page #cgc4  #fg ,see especially the
 ,resolutiones super ,propositione      
,,xiii4  #fh i4 e41 ,the ,russians1 who 

were in ecclesiastical fellowship with  
the ,orthodox ,greek ,church4 ,the      
metropolitan see of ,moscow represented 
the opposition to union with ,rome1     
which had been proposed in #adci2 the   
second metropolitan see of ,russia1 that
 of ,kief1 was until #aeai favorable to 
the union4 ,see ,a4 ,palmieri and ,w4   
,j4 ,shipman1 in ,the ,catholic         
,encyclopedia1 ,x1 #eid ff2 ,,xiii1 #bee
 f41 and ,adeney1 ,greek and ,eastern   
,churches1 #che ff4  #fi ,gemeinde4  #gj
 ,annates 7annatae1 annalia71 originally
 the income which a bishop received from
 the vacant benefices in his diocese1   
usually amounting to a year's income of 
the benefice4 ,by a decree of ,john     
,,xxii1 #acag 7,extrav4 ,jn4 ,,xxii1    
,lib4 ,i1 ,c4 #b71 the annates are fixed
 at one-half of one year's income of the
 benefice reckoned on the basis of the  
tithes1 and payable on accession of the 
new incumbent4 ,two years later 7#acai7 
the same ,pope set an important         
precedent by claiming for himself the   

annates from all benefices falling      
vacant in the next two years 7,extrav4  
,comm4 #c1 #b1 ,c4 ,,ii74 ,the right to 
receive annates subsequently became a   
regular claim of the popes4 ,the term   
was extended after #adah to include1    
beside the annates proper1 the so-called
 servitia1 payments made to the curia by
 bishops and abbots at the time of their
 accession4 ,luther discusses the       
subject at greater length in the        
,address to the ,christian ,nobility4   
7,see ,vol4 ,,ii7  #ga ,see above1 p4   
#cfb4  #gb ,rmische ,einigkeit4  #gc    
,this is ,alveld's explanation in his   
,german treatise4  #gd ,comment1        
equivalent to lie or invention4  #ge    
,rastrum1 see above1 note on p4 #cfb4   
#gf ,the sheeps' clothing in which they 
come4  #gg ,a reference to the sale of  
dispensations1 more fully discussed in  
the ,address to the ,christian          
,nobility4  #gh ,at the well-known      
disputation in the previous year4  #gi  
,john ,lonicer in ,contra romanistam    

fratrem1 etc41 and ,john ,bernhardi in  
,confutatio inepti et impii libelli1    
etc42 both replies to ,alveld's ,latin  
treatise which appeared shortly before  
this treatise of ,luther's4  #hj        
,gemeinde4  #ha ,a promise fulfilled in 
his ,address to the ,christian          
,nobility4  #hb ,in the title to his    
,latin treatise4  #hc ,of the ,german   
treatise4   ,,index   ,,scripture       
,,references  ,,index      ,aaron       
,abraham     ,abraham's bosom           
,absolution     ,abuses1 in the ,mass   
,achatius     ,adam     ,address to the 
,christian ,nobility     ,adlolf of     
,merseberg     ,adversity1 blessings of 
the greatest     ,aegidius1 ,st4        
,agatha1 ,st4     ,agricola             
,albrecht of ,mainz     ,altar-cloths   
,alveld     ,ambrose     ,anapatist     
,annates     ,anthony1 ,st4             
,antichrist     ,antilogistae           
,apology     ,apostate     ,apostle     
,apostles     ,aristotle     ,articles  
of faith     ,assurance of salvation    

,attrition     ,augsburg ,confession    
,diet of     ,augustine     ,augustine's
 ,confessions     ,auxiliatores     ,ave
 ,maria     ,aven amal      ,babylon1   
king of     ,babylonian captivity       
,baptism         three parts of         
the sign of         a flood of grace    
a covenant         and penance          
significance of         makes guiltless 
comfort of         always to be         
remembered         false confidence in  
,baptismal collect         vows         
,barbara1 ,st4     ,barbara's1 ,st41    
,day     ,begangniss     ,beggars       
,bendedictite     ,benevolence          
,bernard of ,clairvaux     ,bernhardi1  
,john     ,bertholdt     ,bible1        
,translation of     ,bishop1            
qualifications of     ,bishops all equal
     ,blasius1 ,st     ,blessings       
within us         before us             
behind us         beneath us         on 
left hand         on right hand         
above us     ,bohemians     bon         
,christian     ,boniface ,,viii4        

,books1 heathen1 are dangerous     ,both
 kinds1 communion in     ,brandenburg1  
,bishop of     ,breviary     ,bridget1  
,st4      ,cajetan     ,canon of the    
,mass         ,law     ,canonical ,hours
     ,canonisation     ,carthusians     
,castigation     ,casuistry             
,catherine1 ,st4     ,celia1 ,st4       
,ceremonies         one instituted by   
,christ     ,charity     ,charles ,v4   
,chastity         vows of     ,children1
 training of     ,chimera     ,christ1  
our example         our greatest        
blessing         our ,priest            
righteousness of     ,christ1 the ,rock 
,christenheit     ,christian1 the name  
,church membership does not make        
lord of all     ,christopher1 ,st4      
,church         authority of            
corruption of         ,house of ,prayer 
spiritual mother         worldliness of 
not bound to ,rome         a spiritual  
community         three uses of the term
         marks of     ,cicero           
,clergy     ,collects     ,cologne      

,commandments1 ,ten         ,first      
,second         ,third         ,first   
three         ,fourth         ,first    
four         ,fifth         ,sixth      
,seventh         ,eighth         ,ninth 
and ,tenth         of ,god         a    
guide in confession             in      
prayer         of the ,church           
,comment     ,commissaries              
,communion without confession         of
 saints     ,community1 government of   
,compostella     ,confession            
,roman ,catholic conception of          
,lutheran conception of         why we  
confess         insincere         when  
not to make         justifies         of
 sin         ,sacrament                 
,confessionalia     ,confessional       
,letters     ,conscience                
troubled         evil                   
,considerateness     ,constitutions     
,contrition     ,corporal     ,councils 
,courtesans     ,covenant               
,covetousness     ,cranach     ,cranmer 
,creed     ,cross of ,christ     ,cup1  

why withheld     ,curse1 a fount of     
blessing     ,custom1 value of          
,cypriacus1 ,st4     ,cyprian           
,damned1 the     ,david     ,day and    
night     ,death and dumb1 ,mass for    
,death         a blessing               
bitterness of1 due to si         a door 
to life         a penance and           
satisfaction     ,decrees1 papal        
,decretals     ,defensores     ,devil   
,dietenberger1 ,john     ,dionysus      
,dionysus1 ,st4     ,diseases1 number   
known     ,dishonesty     ,disobedience 
,dispensation from vows     ,disputation
     ,doctors      ,easter ,day     ,eck
     ,elevation of the host     ,elmser 
,endowments     ,enemies1 duties toward 
,epicureans     ,erasmus1 ,disider      
,erasmus1 ,st4     ,estates1 why        
instituted     ,esther1 ,queen          
,eternal punishment     ,eucharistia    
,eustachiua1 ,st4     ,evils1 within us 
never fully known         before us     
behind us         beneath us         on 
our left hand         on our right hand 

above us         to be loved            
,excommunication     ,exodus1 a type    
,extreme ,unction      ,faith           
the highest good work     ,faith makes  
works good         the test of good     
works         makes all works equal     
in the ,mass         true priestly      
office         stages of         work of
 the ,first ,commandment                
includes all good works         and     
daily sin         and prayer            
infirmity of         baptismal          
,fasting     ,fathers1 ,church     ,fear
     ,feeding1 meaning of     ,feiertag 
,fides1 ,informis1 formata1 informata   
,flattery     ,flesh1 the     ,flood1 a 
type of baptism     ,forgiveness of sin 
,fourteen defenders     ,frederick the  
,wise     ,fuggers1 the      ,gelbde    
,gemeinde     ,general ,councils        
,george of ,saxony     ,george the      
,martyr     ,german ,books         ,mass
     ,germans1 characterised     ,gerson
     ,gideon     ,glosses     ,gluttony 
,god1 ,name     ,god1 praise of         

to have a god         wants our help    
,goliath         a type of sin     ,good
 name1 danger of         need of        
works         none pure         defined 
how rejected         how they differ    
,treatise4         outline              
importance     ,gospel     ,gottesdienst
     ,graces of pardon     ,gratia      
infusa     ,gratias     ,greed          
,greek ,church     ,gregory     ,guilt  
of sin         remission of     ,gulden 
,habitus     ,head and lord         of  
,christendom     ,heathen     ,heaven   
,heinse1 ,simon     ,hell         full  
of ,god     ,heresy     ,heretic        
,herod     ,highpriest1 a type of       
,christ     ,history1 value of          
,holidays     ,holiness and prayer      
as title of the pope     ,holy ,spirit  
,home1 a ,church     ,honor as a motive 
to good works     ,hope     ,husband and
 wife1 duties of     ,hymns quoted      
,hypocrites      ,idolatry     ,imitatio
 ,christi     ,immersion     ,indulgence
 ,letters         fairs     ,indulgences

     ,inner man     ,instruction to     
indulgence sellers     ,intercession of 
the ,church     ,israel1 a type         
,jahrmarket     ,james1 ,st4            
,jeduthun     ,jerome     ,jesus1 ,name 
of     ,jews         the three     ,job 
,job's wife     ,john ,,xxii4     ,john 
of ,saxony     ,john ,baptist1 ,st41    
,day of     ,joseph's wagons            
,jubilee ,indulgence     ,judas         
,julius ,,ii4     ,justice of ,god      
,justification         by faith         
,keys of the ,church         power of   
,koestlin      ,laity     ,last ,day    
,law of ,moses1 abolished     ,lawrence1
 ,st4     ,laws         and works       
produce sects         purpose of        
,legends of saints     ,leipzig         
,disputation at     ,leo ,x4            
,letter to     ,letters of pardon       
,liberality     ,liberty of a ,christian
     ,life1 a spiritual baptism         
repentance         beginning of death   
,lonicer     ,lord's ,day     ,lord's   
,prayer         ,supper     ,louvaine   

,love of ,god         required in a     
bishop     ,low ,mass     ,luther's     
coarse language         inconsistency   
indifference to slander         lack of 
love         love of peace         pride
         submission to pope         zeal
 for ,christ     ,luther's zeal for the 
pope         writings                   
self-abasement         sense of duty    
master of theology         called a     
heretic     ,luxury      ,mainz1        
,boshopric     ,malvoisie     ,man1 two 
natures         three parts of          
,manasseh1 ,payer of         king       
,margaret1 ,st4     ,mass         a     
memorial         not a good work        
not a sacrifice         fruit of        
anniversary         golden              
mortuary         requiem         yearly 
of the ,holy ,cross         of our ,lady
         for the dead     ,masters1     
duties of     ,mathesius     ,matthias1 
,st4     ,meekness         limits of    
,meissen1 bishop of     ,melanchthon    
,men1 four classes of     ,mersio       

,metanoia     ,micaiah     ,mildigkeith 
,miltitz     ,modus confitendi          
,monastic houses     ,monica1 ,st4      
,monks     ,monstrance     ,mortal sin  
when to be confessed     ,muscovites    
,moses     ,mother of ,god      ,naaman 
,new ,testament         ,treatise on    
,year's ,present     ,noah              
,nobility1 ,german         ,address to  
,oaths     ,obedience         to ,church
         to masters         to parents  
to state     ,octavianus     ,oelgoetzen
     ,offering1 in the ,mass            
,offertory     ,officiales     ,officium
     ,old ,testament     ,opus operatum 
operati         operantis     ,orders1  
monastic     ,original sin     ,our     
,lady     ,outward man     ,ovid        
,pallium     ,pantaleon1 ,st4           
,papacy1 corruption of     ,papacy1     
,luther's conclusion of                 
,treatise on     ,papal bulls           
pardons         power             of    
human right     ,pardon     ,parents1   
duties of         toward     ,paschal1  

,st4     ,paschal ,lamb     ,passion of 
,christ     ,passover     ,pastor       
,pater noster     ,paul1 ,st4           
the hermit     ,paul of ,bourgos        
peccata aliena     ,penalty of sin      
remission of     ,penance               
mistaken     ,penitence     ,penitential
 ,canons     ,persecution     ,persia   
,person and office     ,personal faith  
,peter1 ,st4     ,peter's1 ,st41 at     
,rome     ,petros1 ,petra     ,pfennig  
,pharisee and ,publican     ,pharisees  
,pilgrimages     ,plagues     ,pledge of
 ,baptism     ,plenary indulgence       
,poentitentia     ,pope         power   
over purgatory         powers of        
the devil's vicar     ,popes1 some      
heretics     ,power of the ,church      
of the keys     ,praise of men1 to be   
avoided     ,prayer         as a good   
work         without ceasing            
outward and inward         and holiness 
common             power of             
,house of         in pulpit             
thoughtless         what is to be prayed

 for         for the dead         in the
 mass     ,preaching     ,preceptorium1 
,luther's     ,precepts of the ,church  
,preparation for the mass               
,preparatotia     ,prevail against the  
gates of hell1     ,prierias     ,priest
         vicar of ,god         arrogance
 of     ,priesthood of believers        
reforms suggested to     ,private       
confession     ,princes1 duties of      
,promises of ,god     ,prostitution     
,protests against ,indulgences          
,proverbs quoted     ,providence        
,purgatory     ,purpose of better life  
,qustiones      ,rastrum     ,real      
,presence     ,reason of man1 perilous  
,reformation     ,reforms1 suggested to 
princes     ,relics     ,rent-charges   
,repentance         ,roman ,catholic    
doctrine     ,requiems     ,reservatio  
culp         poen     ,reserved cases   
,resolutiones         super prop4       
,,xiii4     ,rest1 bodily               
spiritual     ,reuchlin     ,riches not 
sin     ,rietschl     ,right hand and   

left band     ,righteous man defined    
,rock1 a type of ,christ         does   
not signify authority     ,roman ,church
         ,see     ,rome                 
corruption in     ,rosary     ,russians 
,sabbath     ,sacrament     ,sacrament  
of the ,altar     ,sacramental sign     
efficacy     ,sacramentarians           
,sacraments1 number of     ,sacrifice1  
of the ,haas         spiritual          
,sadducees     ,saints         worship  
of         days     ,sanctification     
,sanctus     ,sanftmthigkeit            
,satisfaction         sacramental       
,scriptures         estimate of         
,roman usage of     ,sebastian's1 ,st41 
,day     ,sects     ,sentences1 of      
,peter ,lombard     ,sermo     ,sermon1 
the         v4 ,sacrament des ,leichnams
     ,serpent1 a type of ,christ        
,servants1 duties of     ,severinus     
,shame         mother of glory          
motive to avoid evil     ,seal1 the     
sacrament a     ,sheba1 ,queen of       
,signs1 given by ,god         of the    

sacrament     ,silence1 when a sin      
,sin         after baptism              
daily1 and faith         distinctions of
         fictitious         mortal      
secret         venial         the nature
 of the body         the three armies of
     ,sinful inclinations1 do not       
condemn         are truly sin           
,sinnlichkeit     ,sixtus ,,iv4         
,solicitude     ,solomon1 a type        
,sorgfltigkeit     ,spalatin            
,spenlein1 ,georg     ,spiritual        
authority             birth             
contrasted with temporal                
when to be resisted         estate      
finery         wickedness               
,spirituales     ,spiritualia           
,staupitz     ,still ,mass              
,suffering         sanctified by ,christ
         second step of faith           
,sunday     ,superstition in the ,mast  
,sylvester1 v4 ,prierias      ,taufe    
,temporalis     ,temporal authority     
contrasted with spiritual               
,temptation         sent by ,god        

,terence     ,tessaradecas              
,testament1 defined         of the ,mass
         parts of     ,tetzel           
,thanksgiving1 in the ,mass     ,theses1
 ,,xcv4         text of     ,thief on   
the ,cross     ,torgau                  
,transubstantiation     ,treasure of the
 ,church     ,trent1 ,decrees of        
,trust1 in ,god     ,truth loveth light 
witnessing to     ,truthfulness         
,turk         ,romans the true ,turks   
,type and fulfilment      ,unbelief     
,unity of the ,church      ,veni sancte 
,spiritus     ,venial sin     ,verklrung
 etlicher ,artikel     ,vicar1 the pope 
no     ,vierzehnheiligenkirche          
,vitus1 ,st     ,votum saciamenti       
satisfactionis     ,vow1 of baptism     
,vows         commutation of            
dispensation of      ,wahrheit sagen    
,war     ,wicked1 prosperity of         
,will of man1 perilous     ,witness to  
truth     ,wittenberg1 castle church    
,woman     ,word of ,god         the    
,words of the ,sacrament         of     

baptism     ,works and faith            
,work-righteous saints     ,works of    
mercy     ,worldly     ,worry           
,worship     ,writings of men           
,wrong1 to be resisted      ,young1     
training of the      ,zarephath1 widow  
of     ,zedekiah     ,zwlfbote          
,,scripture ,,references   ,,old        
,,testament      ,genesis--             
#a3ca         #a3ea         #b3c        
#b3ag         #c3ae         #c3ai       
#f3b;f4         #f3ae         #h3ba     
#i3i;f4         #ab3a1c         #ab3f   
#ae3f         #ag3aa         #ah3ah     
#bb3ah         #de3bh;ff4     ,exodus-- 
#c3f;ff4         #ab3g         #ab3aa   
#ab3ac         #ac3i         #ac3ah;ff4 
#ac3ba         #ae3bc;ff4         #ae3bg
         #af3d;f4         #ah3ag;ff4    
#cb3aa         #cb3bh         #cb3cb    
#cd3bf     ,leviticus--         #aa3d   
#ba3e         #ba3ad     ,numbers--     
#ad3ae;ff4         #ae3ai;ff4           
#ba3g         #ba3h         #be3a;ff4   
,deuteronomy--         #f3af            

#ab3h1cb         #ag3f         #bh3ad   
#bh3fe;ff4         #bi3e;ff4            
#cb3aj;ff4         #cb3ac         #cb3ae
     ,joshua--         #g3ai            
#bc3f     ,judges         #c3a;ff4      
#f3cg;ff4     ,i4 ,samuel--             
#a3ag;f4         #b3f         #aj3f     
#ag3ea         #ba3i     ,,ii4 ,samuel--
         #ab3ac         #ai3f           
#bd3ac;f4     ,i4 ,kings--              
#aj3ai         #ai3d         #bb3bd     
,,ii4 ,kings--         #d3dj            
#e3bj         #f3af;f4         #g3ai    
#ba3f     ,esther #f3a;f4     ,job--    
#a3aj;f4         #b3i;f4         #e3g   
#f3c         #g3a         #i3bh         
#ca3bd         #ch3aj;f4     ,psalm--   
#a3b         #a3c         #b3h          
#b3ab         #d3g         #d3i         
#f         #f3a         #ae3d           
#ah3c         #ai3d         #ai3f       
#ai3i         #ai3ab         #bc        
#bc3d         #bc3e         #bd3a       
#be3aa         #bf3c         #bh3e      
#bi3aj         #cj3f         #cb3a      

#cb3e         #cb3g         #cc3e       
#cc3ah         #cd3a         #cd3ah     
#cd3bb         #cg3e         #cg3be     
#ci         #ci3f         #dj3ah        
#de3ad;f4         #ej3ae         #ea3e  
#ea3aj         #ed3g         #eg3g      
#eg3aa         #fb3h         #fb3aj     
#fh3f         #gc3a         #gc3ab      
#gc3ae         #gc3bh         #gg3aa    
#gh3e         #hj3f         #hb3b;ff4   
#hb3c;f4         #hd3d         #hi3bc   
#ij3aj         #ia3g         #ia3ad     
#ia3ae         #ib3e         #ajb3bb    
#ajd3ae         #ajd3bd         #ajd3be 
#ajd3cc         #ajf3bc         #ajf3bd 
#aaj3d         #aaa3c         #aaa3d;f4 
#aae3a         #aaf3aa         #aaf3ac  
#aai3ce1cg         #aai3eb              
#abj3d         #abe3b         #abh3a-d  
#acb3i         #acg3i         #ach3d    
#aci3b;f4         #aci3e         #aci3ab
         #aci3ac         #adb3b         
#adc3b         #adc3e         #ade3ah   
#adf3ab         #adg3aa     ,proverbs-- 
#a3bj         #aa3c         #af3ai      

#ah3aj         #ah3ag         #ba3a     
#bb3ae         #bd3af         #bg3ba    
#bi3g     ,ecclesiastes--               
#a3b1ad         #e3ah         #f3b      
#i3g;ff4         #aj3ae     ,song of    
,songs--         #b3i         #d3f      
#h3f     ,isaiah--         #a3bb        
#c3b         #f3c         #g3i          
#i3f         #i3ac         #aj3cb       
#aa3e         #bh3ba         #ca3i      
#dc3bd         #df3h         #dh3a      
#ed3c         #ef3g         #eg3e       
#eg3bj         #fj3bc         #fd3g     
#fe3c         #fe3ac;ff4         #ff3ag 
,jeremiah--         #a3f         #b3bh  
#g3ba         #g3ca         #aj3bc      
#ab3a         #ah3d;f4         #ah3h    
#bg3f;f4         #bi3g         #cb3ce   
#di3ab     ,lamentations--              
#c3bb;f4         #c3cb;f4     ,ezekiel--
         #ac3aj         #ad3ac;ff4      
#bj3dd         #bb3cj     ,daniel #b3dh 
,hosea--         #b3e         #h3aa;f4  
,amos--         #d3aa         #g3aj     
,micah #c3b     ,zechariah--            

#b3h         #c3b     ,malachi--        
#a3aj         #c3ag  ,,apocrypha        
,esther #ad3aj     ,wisdom of ,solomon--
         #b3bd         #c3b;f4          
#d3g         #d3aj-ad         #e3f;f4   
#g3af         #h3a         #ae3b        
,ecclesiasticus1 or ,wisdom of ,sirach--
         #b3e         #e3h         #g3dj
         #aa3bf         #ah3cj          
#ba3a         #ca3h;f4         #de3d    
,baruch--         #a3aa;f4              
#b3ba;f4         #c3ag     ,prayer of   
,manasseh--         #g      ,,new       
,,testament      ,matthew--             
#d3ag         #e3af         #e3ah       
#e3bb         #e3dd         #f3b        
#f3g         #f3aj         #f3bf;ff4    
#f3ca;f4         #g3c         #g3ab     
#g3ad         #g3ae         #g3af;f4    
#i3bd         #aj3h         #aj3bb      
#aa3i         #aa3aa         #aa3ba;ff4 
#aa3cj         #ac3be         #ad3c-aa  
#ad3cj;ff4         #ae3ad         #af3ae
         #af3ah         #af3ai          
#af3bc         #ag3be         #ah3g     

#ah3af         #ah3ah         #ah3ai;f4 
#ai3ag;ff4         #ba3i         #ba3ac 
#bb3ce         #bb3dd         #bc3d     
#bc3bd         #bd3i;f4         #bd3bc  
#bd3bd;ff4         #bd3ca               
#bd3dh;ff4         #be3cd;ff4           
#be3ce         #be3dj         #be3da    
#bf3bf;ff4         #bf3bg         #bf3bh
         #bh3ai     ,mark--             
#aj3ac;ff4         #aa3bd               
#ad3bb;ff4     ,luke--         #b3ad    
#f3bg;f4         #f3cb;f4         #f3cf 
#aj3f         #aj3cg         #aa3i;ff4  
#ab3ah         #ab3ba;ff4         #ab3cb
         #ab3ej         #ac3a;ff4       
#af3bb;f4         #af3be         #ag3e  
#ag3bj         #ag3ba         #ag3cd    
#ah3a         #ah3aj;f4         #ba3aa  
#ba3be         #bb3ae         #bb3ag    
#bb3ai;ff4         #bb3bj         #bb3cb
         #bc3ad         #bc3bh          
#bc3ce         #bc3ci         #bd3df;f4 
#bd3dg     ,john--         #c3e         
#c3ad         #c3bj;f4         #c3be    
#c3cj         #d3ad;f4         #d3ba;f4 

#d3bd         #e3dc         #f3bh;f4    
#f3bi         #f3fc         #g3ch       
#h3bh         #h3ea         #i3d        
#aj3ab;f4         #ad3f                 
#ad3ae1ba         #ad3bc         #ae3aj 
#af3b         #ah3bb         #ah3cf     
#bj3bb         #bj3bc         #ba3ae    
,acts--         #a3c         #a3bc;ff4  
#d3cd         #e3bi         #aa3bf      
#ac3b         #ad3bb     ,romans--      
#a3ag         #a3bd         #b3c        
#b3d         #b3f         #c3h          
#c3be         #e3c         #e3d         
#e3h;f4         #f3d         #f3h       
#f3ab         #g3g         #g3ad-ai     
#g3ah         #g3ai         #g3bb       
#g3bd;f4         #h3a         #h3b      
#h3bf         #h3bh         #h3cb       
#h3cd         #h3cf         #i3c        
#i3e         #aj3i;ff4         #aj3ad   
#aa3bj         #ab3d         #ab3h      
#ab3ad;f4         #ac3a         #ac3c;f4
         #ac3d         #ac3ab;f4        
#ad3a         #ad3f         #ad3h;f4    
#ad3bc         #ae3d     ,i4            

,corinthians--         #a3cj            
#b3af         #c3a         #c3e         
#c3bc         #e3g         #aj3c        
#aj3d         #aj3f         #aj3ab      
#aj3ac         #aj3ag         #aj3cj;f4 
#aj3ca         #aa3ba;f4                
#aa3bc;ff4         #aa3be         #aa3bf
         #ab         #ab3f              
#ab3bb;ff4         #ab3bf         #ac3c 
#ae3ee;ff4     ,,ii4 ,corinthians--     
#c3g         #c3ag         #d3b         
#e3bj         #aj3cj;f4         #ab3g   
,galatians--         #b3bj         #c3b 
#c3bh         #e3f         #e3ac        
#e3ag         #e3bd         #f3b        
#f3aj     ,ephesians--         #c3bj    
#d3e         #d3ae;f4         #e3ae     
#e3bb;ff4         #f3e         #f3g     
#f3ag     ,philippians--         #a3ba  
#b3d;ff4         #b3ab     ,colossians--
         #b3af         #c3c         #c3e
         #c3ag         #c3ah;ff4        
#c3bb         #d3a     ,,ii4            
,thessalonians #b3c;f4     ,i4          
,timothy--         #a3b;ff4         #a3i

         #d3a;ff4         #f3a          
#f3ag     ,,ii4 ,timothy #c3a;ff4       
,titus--         #a3ad         #b3h;f4  
#b3a-aj         #c3a         #c3e       
,hebrews--         #e3f1aj         #h3ac
         #i3f;ff4         #i3af;f4      
#i3bd         #aa3a         #aa3f       
#aa3bd;ff4         #ab3a         #ab3c  
#ab3d;ff4         #ab3f         #ac3ae  
,james--         #a3f         #a3ab     
#b3aj         #d3c         #e3af     ,i4
 ,peter--         #b3g         #b3i     
#b3aa         #b3ac         #b3ad;f4    
#b3af         #b3ah;f4         #b3ai;ff4
         #c3c         #c3f;ff4          
#c3bj;f4         #d3a         #d3ab     
#d3ah         #d3ai         #e3g        
#e3i     ,,ii4 ,peter--         #a3aj   
#b3h     ,i4 ,john--         #a3i       
#b3a f4         #b3bg         #c3i      
#c3ai;ff4     ,revelation--         #a3f
         #e3aj         #ac3ag           
#ag3d