diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:17:59 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:17:59 -0700 |
| commit | e4f8bc55c9dc85e011f6ee7fa98a4bed5c295d9a (patch) | |
| tree | 94357fc808baced471fa008e078fbca012ae7af3 | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 1911-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 46018 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 1911-h/1911-h.htm | 2186 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 1911.txt | 2007 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 1911.zip | bin | 0 -> 44366 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/clbty10.txt | 2069 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/clbty10.zip | bin | 0 -> 43077 bytes |
9 files changed, 6278 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/1911-h.zip b/1911-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3219da3 --- /dev/null +++ b/1911-h.zip diff --git a/1911-h/1911-h.htm b/1911-h/1911-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..41ad0a5 --- /dev/null +++ b/1911-h/1911-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2186 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + Concerning Christian Liberty, by Martin Luther + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Concerning Christian Liberty, by Martin Luther + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Concerning Christian Liberty + With Letter Of Martin Luther To Pope Leo X. + +Author: Martin Luther + +Release Date: February 25, 2006 [EBook #1911] +Last Updated: February 4, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CONCERNING CHRISTIAN LIBERTY *** + + + + +Produced by Elizabeth T. Knuth and David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h1> + CONCERNING CHRISTIAN LIBERTY + </h1> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + by Martin Luther + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h2> + Contents + </h2> + <table summary="" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto"> + <tr> + <td> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0001"> LETTER OF MARTIN LUTHER TO POPE LEO X. + </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> CONCERNING CHRISTIAN LIBERTY </a> + </p> + </td> + </tr> + </table> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0001" id="link2H_4_0001"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h2> + LETTER OF MARTIN LUTHER TO POPE LEO X. + </h2> + <p> + Among those monstrous evils of this age with which I have now for three + years been waging war, I am sometimes compelled to look to you and to call + you to mind, most blessed father Leo. In truth, since you alone are + everywhere considered as being the cause of my engaging in war, I cannot + at any time fail to remember you; and although I have been compelled by + the causeless raging of your impious flatterers against me to appeal from + your seat to a future council—fearless of the futile decrees of your + predecessors Pius and Julius, who in their foolish tyranny prohibited such + an action—yet I have never been so alienated in feeling from your + Blessedness as not to have sought with all my might, in diligent prayer + and crying to God, all the best gifts for you and for your see. But those + who have hitherto endeavoured to terrify me with the majesty of your name + and authority, I have begun quite to despise and triumph over. One thing I + see remaining which I cannot despise, and this has been the reason of my + writing anew to your Blessedness: namely, that I find that blame is cast + on me, and that it is imputed to me as a great offence, that in my + rashness I am judged to have spared not even your person. + </p> + <p> + Now, to confess the truth openly, I am conscious that, whenever I have had + to mention your person, I have said nothing of you but what was honourable + and good. If I had done otherwise, I could by no means have approved my + own conduct, but should have supported with all my power the judgment of + those men concerning me, nor would anything have pleased me better, than + to recant such rashness and impiety. I have called you Daniel in Babylon; + and every reader thoroughly knows with what distinguished zeal I defended + your conspicuous innocence against Silvester, who tried to stain it. + Indeed, the published opinion of so many great men and the repute of your + blameless life are too widely famed and too much reverenced throughout the + world to be assailable by any man, of however great name, or by any arts. + I am not so foolish as to attack one whom everybody praises; nay, it has + been and always will be my desire not to attack even those whom public + repute disgraces. I am not delighted at the faults of any man, since I am + very conscious myself of the great beam in my own eye, nor can I be the + first to cast a stone at the adulteress. + </p> + <p> + I have indeed inveighed sharply against impious doctrines, and I have not + been slack to censure my adversaries on account, not of their bad morals, + but of their impiety. And for this I am so far from being sorry that I + have brought my mind to despise the judgments of men and to persevere in + this vehement zeal, according to the example of Christ, who, in His zeal, + calls His adversaries a generation of vipers, blind, hypocrites, and + children of the devil. Paul, too, charges the sorcerer with being a child + of the devil, full of all subtlety and all malice; and defames certain + persons as evil workers, dogs, and deceivers. In the opinion of those + delicate-eared persons, nothing could be more bitter or intemperate than + Paul's language. What can be more bitter than the words of the prophets? + The ears of our generation have been made so delicate by the senseless + multitude of flatterers that, as soon as we perceive that anything of ours + is not approved of, we cry out that we are being bitterly assailed; and + when we can repel the truth by no other pretence, we escape by attributing + bitterness, impatience, intemperance, to our adversaries. What would be + the use of salt if it were not pungent, or of the edge of the sword if it + did not slay? Accursed is the man who does the work of the Lord + deceitfully. + </p> + <p> + Wherefore, most excellent Leo, I beseech you to accept my vindication, + made in this letter, and to persuade yourself that I have never thought + any evil concerning your person; further, that I am one who desires that + eternal blessing may fall to your lot, and that I have no dispute with any + man concerning morals, but only concerning the word of truth. In all other + things I will yield to any one, but I neither can nor will forsake and + deny the word. He who thinks otherwise of me, or has taken in my words in + another sense, does not think rightly, and has not taken in the truth. + </p> + <p> + Your see, however, which is called the Court of Rome, and which neither + you nor any man can deny to be more corrupt than any Babylon or Sodom, and + quite, as I believe, of a lost, desperate, and hopeless impiety, this I + have verily abominated, and have felt indignant that the people of Christ + should be cheated under your name and the pretext of the Church of Rome; + and so I have resisted, and will resist, as long as the spirit of faith + shall live in me. Not that I am striving after impossibilities, or hoping + that by my labours alone, against the furious opposition of so many + flatterers, any good can be done in that most disordered Babylon; but that + I feel myself a debtor to my brethren, and am bound to take thought for + them, that fewer of them may be ruined, or that their ruin may be less + complete, by the plagues of Rome. For many years now, nothing else has + overflowed from Rome into the world—as you are not ignorant—than + the laying waste of goods, of bodies, and of souls, and the worst examples + of all the worst things. These things are clearer than the light to all + men; and the Church of Rome, formerly the most holy of all Churches, has + become the most lawless den of thieves, the most shameless of all + brothels, the very kingdom of sin, death, and hell; so that not even + antichrist, if he were to come, could devise any addition to its + wickedness. + </p> + <p> + Meanwhile you, Leo, are sitting like a lamb in the midst of wolves, like + Daniel in the midst of lions, and, with Ezekiel, you dwell among + scorpions. What opposition can you alone make to these monstrous evils? + Take to yourself three or four of the most learned and best of the + cardinals. What are these among so many? You would all perish by poison + before you could undertake to decide on a remedy. It is all over with the + Court of Rome; the wrath of God has come upon her to the uttermost. She + hates councils; she dreads to be reformed; she cannot restrain the madness + of her impiety; she fills up the sentence passed on her mother, of whom it + is said, "We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed; let us + forsake her." It had been your duty and that of your cardinals to apply a + remedy to these evils, but this gout laughs at the physician's hand, and + the chariot does not obey the reins. Under the influence of these + feelings, I have always grieved that you, most excellent Leo, who were + worthy of a better age, have been made pontiff in this. For the Roman + Court is not worthy of you and those like you, but of Satan himself, who + in truth is more the ruler in that Babylon than you are. + </p> + <p> + Oh, would that, having laid aside that glory which your most abandoned + enemies declare to be yours, you were living rather in the office of a + private priest or on your paternal inheritance! In that glory none are + worthy to glory, except the race of Iscariot, the children of perdition. + For what happens in your court, Leo, except that, the more wicked and + execrable any man is, the more prosperously he can use your name and + authority for the ruin of the property and souls of men, for the + multiplication of crimes, for the oppression of faith and truth and of the + whole Church of God? Oh, Leo! in reality most unfortunate, and sitting on + a most perilous throne, I tell you the truth, because I wish you well; for + if Bernard felt compassion for his Anastasius at a time when the Roman + see, though even then most corrupt, was as yet ruling with better hope + than now, why should not we lament, to whom so much further corruption and + ruin has been added in three hundred years? + </p> + <p> + Is it not true that there is nothing under the vast heavens more corrupt, + more pestilential, more hateful, than the Court of Rome? She incomparably + surpasses the impiety of the Turks, so that in very truth she, who was + formerly the gate of heaven, is now a sort of open mouth of hell, and such + a mouth as, under the urgent wrath of God, cannot be blocked up; one + course alone being left to us wretched men: to call back and save some + few, if we can, from that Roman gulf. + </p> + <p> + Behold, Leo, my father, with what purpose and on what principle it is that + I have stormed against that seat of pestilence. I am so far from having + felt any rage against your person that I even hoped to gain favour with + you and to aid you in your welfare by striking actively and vigorously at + that your prison, nay, your hell. For whatever the efforts of all minds + can contrive against the confusion of that impious Court will be + advantageous to you and to your welfare, and to many others with you. + Those who do harm to her are doing your office; those who in every way + abhor her are glorifying Christ; in short, those are Christians who are + not Romans. + </p> + <p> + But, to say yet more, even this never entered my heart: to inveigh against + the Court of Rome or to dispute at all about her. For, seeing all remedies + for her health to be desperate, I looked on her with contempt, and, giving + her a bill of divorcement, said to her, "He that is unjust, let him be + unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still," giving + myself up to the peaceful and quiet study of sacred literature, that by + this I might be of use to the brethren living about me. + </p> + <p> + While I was making some advance in these studies, Satan opened his eyes + and goaded on his servant John Eccius, that notorious adversary of Christ, + by the unchecked lust for fame, to drag me unexpectedly into the arena, + trying to catch me in one little word concerning the primacy of the Church + of Rome, which had fallen from me in passing. That boastful Thraso, + foaming and gnashing his teeth, proclaimed that he would dare all things + for the glory of God and for the honour of the holy apostolic seat; and, + being puffed up respecting your power, which he was about to misuse, he + looked forward with all certainty to victory; seeking to promote, not so + much the primacy of Peter, as his own pre-eminence among the theologians + of this age; for he thought it would contribute in no slight degree to + this, if he were to lead Luther in triumph. The result having proved + unfortunate for the sophist, an incredible rage torments him; for he feels + that whatever discredit to Rome has arisen through me has been caused by + the fault of himself alone. + </p> + <p> + Suffer me, I pray you, most excellent Leo, both to plead my own cause, and + to accuse your true enemies. I believe it is known to you in what way + Cardinal Cajetan, your imprudent and unfortunate, nay unfaithful, legate, + acted towards me. When, on account of my reverence for your name, I had + placed myself and all that was mine in his hands, he did not so act as to + establish peace, which he could easily have established by one little + word, since I at that time promised to be silent and to make an end of my + case, if he would command my adversaries to do the same. But that man of + pride, not content with this agreement, began to justify my adversaries, + to give them free licence, and to order me to recant, a thing which was + certainly not in his commission. Thus indeed, when the case was in the + best position, it came through his vexatious tyranny into a much worse + one. Therefore whatever has followed upon this is the fault not of Luther, + but entirely of Cajetan, since he did not suffer me to be silent and + remain quiet, which at that time I was entreating for with all my might. + What more was it my duty to do? + </p> + <p> + Next came Charles Miltitz, also a nuncio from your Blessedness. He, though + he went up and down with much and varied exertion, and omitted nothing + which could tend to restore the position of the cause thrown into + confusion by the rashness and pride of Cajetan, had difficulty, even with + the help of that very illustrious prince the Elector Frederick, in at last + bringing about more than one familiar conference with me. In these I again + yielded to your great name, and was prepared to keep silence, and to + accept as my judge either the Archbishop of Treves, or the Bishop of + Naumburg; and thus it was done and concluded. While this was being done + with good hope of success, lo! that other and greater enemy of yours, + Eccius, rushed in with his Leipsic disputation, which he had undertaken + against Carlstadt, and, having taken up a new question concerning the + primacy of the Pope, turned his arms unexpectedly against me, and + completely overthrew the plan for peace. Meanwhile Charles Miltitz was + waiting, disputations were held, judges were being chosen, but no decision + was arrived at. And no wonder! for by the falsehoods, pretences, and arts + of Eccius the whole business was brought into such thorough disorder, + confusion, and festering soreness, that, whichever way the sentence might + lean, a greater conflagration was sure to arise; for he was seeking, not + after truth, but after his own credit. In this case too I omitted nothing + which it was right that I should do. + </p> + <p> + I confess that on this occasion no small part of the corruptions of Rome + came to light; but, if there was any offence in this, it was the fault of + Eccius, who, in taking on him a burden beyond his strength, and in + furiously aiming at credit for himself, unveiled to the whole world the + disgrace of Rome. + </p> + <p> + Here is that enemy of yours, Leo, or rather of your Court; by his example + alone we may learn that an enemy is not more baneful than a flatterer. For + what did he bring about by his flattery, except evils which no king could + have brought about? At this day the name of the Court of Rome stinks in + the nostrils of the world, the papal authority is growing weak, and its + notorious ignorance is evil spoken of. We should hear none of these + things, if Eccius had not disturbed the plans of Miltitz and myself for + peace. He feels this clearly enough himself in the indignation he shows, + too late and in vain, against the publication of my books. He ought to + have reflected on this at the time when he was all mad for renown, and was + seeking in your cause nothing but his own objects, and that with the + greatest peril to you. The foolish man hoped that, from fear of your name, + I should yield and keep silence; for I do not think he presumed on his + talents and learning. Now, when he sees that I am very confident and speak + aloud, he repents too late of his rashness, and sees—if indeed he + does see it—that there is One in heaven who resists the proud, and + humbles the presumptuous. + </p> + <p> + Since then we were bringing about by this disputation nothing but the + greater confusion of the cause of Rome, Charles Miltitz for the third time + addressed the Fathers of the Order, assembled in chapter, and sought their + advice for the settlement of the case, as being now in a most troubled and + perilous state. Since, by the favour of God, there was no hope of + proceeding against me by force, some of the more noted of their number + were sent to me, and begged me at least to show respect to your person and + to vindicate in a humble letter both your innocence and my own. They said + that the affair was not as yet in a position of extreme hopelessness, if + Leo X., in his inborn kindliness, would put his hand to it. On this I, who + have always offered and wished for peace, in order that I might devote + myself to calmer and more useful pursuits, and who for this very purpose + have acted with so much spirit and vehemence, in order to put down by the + strength and impetuosity of my words, as well as of my feelings, men whom + I saw to be very far from equal to myself—I, I say, not only gladly + yielded, but even accepted it with joy and gratitude, as the greatest + kindness and benefit, if you should think it right to satisfy my hopes. + </p> + <p> + Thus I come, most blessed Father, and in all abasement beseech you to put + to your hand, if it is possible, and impose a curb to those flatterers who + are enemies of peace, while they pretend peace. But there is no reason, + most blessed Father, why any one should assume that I am to utter a + recantation, unless he prefers to involve the case in still greater + confusion. Moreover, I cannot bear with laws for the interpretation of the + word of God, since the word of God, which teaches liberty in all other + things, ought not to be bound. Saving these two things, there is nothing + which I am not able, and most heartily willing, to do or to suffer. I hate + contention; I will challenge no one; in return I wish not to be + challenged; but, being challenged, I will not be dumb in the cause of + Christ my Master. For your Blessedness will be able by one short and easy + word to call these controversies before you and suppress them, and to + impose silence and peace on both sides—a word which I have ever + longed to hear. + </p> + <p> + Therefore, Leo, my Father, beware of listening to those sirens who make + you out to be not simply a man, but partly a god, so that you can command + and require whatever you will. It will not happen so, nor will you + prevail. You are the servant of servants, and more than any other man, in + a most pitiable and perilous position. Let not those men deceive you who + pretend that you are lord of the world; who will not allow any one to be a + Christian without your authority; who babble of your having power over + heaven, hell, and purgatory. These men are your enemies and are seeking + your soul to destroy it, as Isaiah says, "My people, they that call thee + blessed are themselves deceiving thee." They are in error who raise you + above councils and the universal Church; they are in error who attribute + to you alone the right of interpreting Scripture. All these men are + seeking to set up their own impieties in the Church under your name, and + alas! Satan has gained much through them in the time of your predecessors. + </p> + <p> + In brief, trust not in any who exalt you, but in those who humiliate you. + For this is the judgment of God: "He hath cast down the mighty from their + seat, and hath exalted the humble." See how unlike Christ was to His + successors, though all will have it that they are His vicars. I fear that + in truth very many of them have been in too serious a sense His vicars, + for a vicar represents a prince who is absent. Now if a pontiff rules + while Christ is absent and does not dwell in his heart, what else is he + but a vicar of Christ? And then what is that Church but a multitude + without Christ? What indeed is such a vicar but antichrist and an idol? + How much more rightly did the Apostles speak, who call themselves servants + of a present Christ, not the vicars of an absent one! + </p> + <p> + Perhaps I am shamelessly bold in seeming to teach so great a head, by whom + all men ought to be taught, and from whom, as those plagues of yours + boast, the thrones of judges receive their sentence; but I imitate St. + Bernard in his book concerning Considerations addressed to Eugenius, a + book which ought to be known by heart by every pontiff. I do this, not + from any desire to teach, but as a duty, from that simple and faithful + solicitude which teaches us to be anxious for all that is safe for our + neighbours, and does not allow considerations of worthiness or + unworthiness to be entertained, being intent only on the dangers or + advantage of others. For since I know that your Blessedness is driven and + tossed by the waves at Rome, so that the depths of the sea press on you + with infinite perils, and that you are labouring under such a condition of + misery that you need even the least help from any the least brother, I do + not seem to myself to be acting unsuitably if I forget your majesty till I + shall have fulfilled the office of charity. I will not flatter in so + serious and perilous a matter; and if in this you do not see that I am + your friend and most thoroughly your subject, there is One to see and + judge. + </p> + <p> + In fine, that I may not approach you empty-handed, blessed Father, I bring + with me this little treatise, published under your name, as a good omen of + the establishment of peace and of good hope. By this you may perceive in + what pursuits I should prefer and be able to occupy myself to more profit, + if I were allowed, or had been hitherto allowed, by your impious + flatterers. It is a small matter, if you look to its exterior, but, unless + I mistake, it is a summary of the Christian life put together in small + compass, if you apprehend its meaning. I, in my poverty, have no other + present to make you, nor do you need anything else than to be enriched by + a spiritual gift. I commend myself to your Paternity and Blessedness, whom + may the Lord Jesus preserve for ever. Amen. + </p> + <p> + Wittenberg, 6th September, 1520. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CONCERNING CHRISTIAN LIBERTY + </h2> + <p> + Christian faith has appeared to many an easy thing; nay, not a few even + reckon it among the social virtues, as it were; and this they do because + they have not made proof of it experimentally, and have never tasted of + what efficacy it is. For it is not possible for any man to write well + about it, or to understand well what is rightly written, who has not at + some time tasted of its spirit, under the pressure of tribulation; while + he who has tasted of it, even to a very small extent, can never write, + speak, think, or hear about it sufficiently. For it is a living fountain, + springing up into eternal life, as Christ calls it in John iv. + </p> + <p> + Now, though I cannot boast of my abundance, and though I know how poorly I + am furnished, yet I hope that, after having been vexed by various + temptations, I have attained some little drop of faith, and that I can + speak of this matter, if not with more elegance, certainly with more + solidity, than those literal and too subtle disputants who have hitherto + discoursed upon it without understanding their own words. That I may open + then an easier way for the ignorant—for these alone I am trying to + serve—I first lay down these two propositions, concerning spiritual + liberty and servitude:— + </p> + <p> + A Christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to none; a + Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to every + one. + </p> + <p> + Although these statements appear contradictory, yet, when they are found + to agree together, they will make excellently for my purpose. They are + both the statements of Paul himself, who says, "Though I be free from all + men, yet have I made myself servant unto all" (1 Cor. ix. 19), and "Owe no + man anything, but to love one another" (Rom. xiii. 8). Now love is by its + own nature dutiful and obedient to the beloved object. Thus even Christ, + though Lord of all things, was yet made of a woman; made under the law; at + once free and a servant; at once in the form of God and in the form of a + servant. + </p> + <p> + Let us examine the subject on a deeper and less simple principle. Man is + composed of a twofold nature, a spiritual and a bodily. As regards the + spiritual nature, which they name the soul, he is called the spiritual, + inward, new man; as regards the bodily nature, which they name the flesh, + he is called the fleshly, outward, old man. The Apostle speaks of this: + "Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day" + (2 Cor. iv. 16). The result of this diversity is that in the Scriptures + opposing statements are made concerning the same man, the fact being that + in the same man these two men are opposed to one another; the flesh + lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh (Gal. v. 17). + </p> + <p> + We first approach the subject of the inward man, that we may see by what + means a man becomes justified, free, and a true Christian; that is, a + spiritual, new, and inward man. It is certain that absolutely none among + outward things, under whatever name they may be reckoned, has any + influence in producing Christian righteousness or liberty, nor, on the + other hand, unrighteousness or slavery. This can be shown by an easy + argument. + </p> + <p> + What can it profit the soul that the body should be in good condition, + free, and full of life; that it should eat, drink, and act according to + its pleasure; when even the most impious slaves of every kind of vice are + prosperous in these matters? Again, what harm can ill-health, bondage, + hunger, thirst, or any other outward evil, do to the soul, when even the + most pious of men and the freest in the purity of their conscience, are + harassed by these things? Neither of these states of things has to do with + the liberty or the slavery of the soul. + </p> + <p> + And so it will profit nothing that the body should be adorned with sacred + vestments, or dwell in holy places, or be occupied in sacred offices, or + pray, fast, and abstain from certain meats, or do whatever works can be + done through the body and in the body. Something widely different will be + necessary for the justification and liberty of the soul, since the things + I have spoken of can be done by any impious person, and only hypocrites + are produced by devotion to these things. On the other hand, it will not + at all injure the soul that the body should be clothed in profane raiment, + should dwell in profane places, should eat and drink in the ordinary + fashion, should not pray aloud, and should leave undone all the things + above mentioned, which may be done by hypocrites. + </p> + <p> + And, to cast everything aside, even speculation, meditations, and whatever + things can be performed by the exertions of the soul itself, are of no + profit. One thing, and one alone, is necessary for life, justification, + and Christian liberty; and that is the most holy word of God, the Gospel + of Christ, as He says, "I am the resurrection and the life; he that + believeth in Me shall not die eternally" (John xi. 25), and also, "If the + Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (John viii. 36), and, + "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out + of the mouth of God" (Matt. iv. 4). + </p> + <p> + Let us therefore hold it for certain and firmly established that the soul + can do without everything except the word of God, without which none at + all of its wants are provided for. But, having the word, it is rich and + wants for nothing, since that is the word of life, of truth, of light, of + peace, of justification, of salvation, of joy, of liberty, of wisdom, of + virtue, of grace, of glory, and of every good thing. It is on this account + that the prophet in a whole Psalm (Psalm cxix.), and in many other places, + sighs for and calls upon the word of God with so many groanings and words. + </p> + <p> + Again, there is no more cruel stroke of the wrath of God than when He + sends a famine of hearing His words (Amos viii. 11), just as there is no + greater favour from Him than the sending forth of His word, as it is said, + "He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their + destructions" (Psalm cvii. 20). Christ was sent for no other office than + that of the word; and the order of Apostles, that of bishops, and that of + the whole body of the clergy, have been called and instituted for no + object but the ministry of the word. + </p> + <p> + But you will ask, What is this word, and by what means is it to be used, + since there are so many words of God? I answer, The Apostle Paul (Rom. i.) + explains what it is, namely the Gospel of God, concerning His Son, + incarnate, suffering, risen, and glorified, through the Spirit, the + Sanctifier. To preach Christ is to feed the soul, to justify it, to set it + free, and to save it, if it believes the preaching. For faith alone and + the efficacious use of the word of God, bring salvation. "If thou shalt + confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart + that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Rom. x. 9); + and again, "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one + that believeth" (Rom. x. 4), and "The just shall live by faith" (Rom. i. + 17). For the word of God cannot be received and honoured by any works, but + by faith alone. Hence it is clear that as the soul needs the word alone + for life and justification, so it is justified by faith alone, and not by + any works. For if it could be justified by any other means, it would have + no need of the word, nor consequently of faith. + </p> + <p> + But this faith cannot consist at all with works; that is, if you imagine + that you can be justified by those works, whatever they are, along with + it. For this would be to halt between two opinions, to worship Baal, and + to kiss the hand to him, which is a very great iniquity, as Job says. + Therefore, when you begin to believe, you learn at the same time that all + that is in you is utterly guilty, sinful, and damnable, according to that + saying, "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. iii. + 23), and also: "There is none righteous, no, not one; they are all gone + out of the way; they are together become unprofitable: there is none that + doeth good, no, not one" (Rom. iii. 10-12). When you have learnt this, you + will know that Christ is necessary for you, since He has suffered and + risen again for you, that, believing on Him, you might by this faith + become another man, all your sins being remitted, and you being justified + by the merits of another, namely of Christ alone. + </p> + <p> + Since then this faith can reign only in the inward man, as it is said, + "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness" (Rom. x. 10); and since + it alone justifies, it is evident that by no outward work or labour can + the inward man be at all justified, made free, and saved; and that no + works whatever have any relation to him. And so, on the other hand, it is + solely by impiety and incredulity of heart that he becomes guilty and a + slave of sin, deserving condemnation, not by any outward sin or work. + Therefore the first care of every Christian ought to be to lay aside all + reliance on works, and strengthen his faith alone more and more, and by it + grow in the knowledge, not of works, but of Christ Jesus, who has suffered + and risen again for him, as Peter teaches (1 Peter v.) when he makes no + other work to be a Christian one. Thus Christ, when the Jews asked Him + what they should do that they might work the works of God, rejected the + multitude of works, with which He saw that they were puffed up, and + commanded them one thing only, saying, "This is the work of God: that ye + believe on Him whom He hath sent, for Him hath God the Father sealed" + (John vi. 27, 29). + </p> + <p> + Hence a right faith in Christ is an incomparable treasure, carrying with + it universal salvation and preserving from all evil, as it is said, "He + that believeth and is baptised shall be saved; but he that believeth not + shall be damned" (Mark xvi. 16). Isaiah, looking to this treasure, + predicted, "The consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness. For + the Lord God of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined (verbum + abbreviatum et consummans), in the midst of the land" (Isa. x. 22, 23). As + if he said, "Faith, which is the brief and complete fulfilling of the law, + will fill those who believe with such righteousness that they will need + nothing else for justification." Thus, too, Paul says, "For with the heart + man believeth unto righteousness" (Rom. x. 10). + </p> + <p> + But you ask how it can be the fact that faith alone justifies, and affords + without works so great a treasure of good things, when so many works, + ceremonies, and laws are prescribed to us in the Scriptures? I answer, + Before all things bear in mind what I have said: that faith alone without + works justifies, sets free, and saves, as I shall show more clearly below. + </p> + <p> + Meanwhile it is to be noted that the whole Scripture of God is divided + into two parts: precepts and promises. The precepts certainly teach us + what is good, but what they teach is not forthwith done. For they show us + what we ought to do, but do not give us the power to do it. They were + ordained, however, for the purpose of showing man to himself, that through + them he may learn his own impotence for good and may despair of his own + strength. For this reason they are called the Old Testament, and are so. + </p> + <p> + For example, "Thou shalt not covet," is a precept by which we are all + convicted of sin, since no man can help coveting, whatever efforts to the + contrary he may make. In order therefore that he may fulfil the precept, + and not covet, he is constrained to despair of himself and to seek + elsewhere and through another the help which he cannot find in himself; as + it is said, "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in Me is thine + help" (Hosea xiii. 9). Now what is done by this one precept is done by + all; for all are equally impossible of fulfilment by us. + </p> + <p> + Now when a man has through the precepts been taught his own impotence, and + become anxious by what means he may satisfy the law—for the law must + be satisfied, so that no jot or tittle of it may pass away, otherwise he + must be hopelessly condemned—then, being truly humbled and brought + to nothing in his own eyes, he finds in himself no resource for + justification and salvation. + </p> + <p> + Then comes in that other part of Scripture, the promises of God, which + declare the glory of God, and say, "If you wish to fulfil the law, and, as + the law requires, not to covet, lo! believe in Christ, in whom are + promised to you grace, justification, peace, and liberty." All these + things you shall have, if you believe, and shall be without them if you do + not believe. For what is impossible for you by all the works of the law, + which are many and yet useless, you shall fulfil in an easy and summary + way through faith, because God the Father has made everything to depend on + faith, so that whosoever has it has all things, and he who has it not has + nothing. "For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have + mercy upon all" (Rom. xi. 32). Thus the promises of God give that which + the precepts exact, and fulfil what the law commands; so that all is of + God alone, both the precepts and their fulfilment. He alone commands; He + alone also fulfils. Hence the promises of God belong to the New Testament; + nay, are the New Testament. + </p> + <p> + Now, since these promises of God are words of holiness, truth, + righteousness, liberty, and peace, and are full of universal goodness, the + soul, which cleaves to them with a firm faith, is so united to them, nay, + thoroughly absorbed by them, that it not only partakes in, but is + penetrated and saturated by, all their virtues. For if the touch of Christ + was healing, how much more does that most tender spiritual touch, nay, + absorption of the word, communicate to the soul all that belongs to the + word! In this way therefore the soul, through faith alone, without works, + is from the word of God justified, sanctified, endued with truth, peace, + and liberty, and filled full with every good thing, and is truly made the + child of God, as it is said, "To them gave He power to become the sons of + God, even to them that believe on His name" (John i. 12). + </p> + <p> + From all this it is easy to understand why faith has such great power, and + why no good works, nor even all good works put together, can compare with + it, since no work can cleave to the word of God or be in the soul. Faith + alone and the word reign in it; and such as is the word, such is the soul + made by it, just as iron exposed to fire glows like fire, on account of + its union with the fire. It is clear then that to a Christian man his + faith suffices for everything, and that he has no need of works for + justification. But if he has no need of works, neither has he need of the + law; and if he has no need of the law, he is certainly free from the law, + and the saying is true, "The law is not made for a righteous man" (1 Tim. + i. 9). This is that Christian liberty, our faith, the effect of which is, + not that we should be careless or lead a bad life, but that no one should + need the law or works for justification and salvation. + </p> + <p> + Let us consider this as the first virtue of faith; and let us look also to + the second. This also is an office of faith: that it honours with the + utmost veneration and the highest reputation Him in whom it believes, + inasmuch as it holds Him to be truthful and worthy of belief. For there is + no honour like that reputation of truth and righteousness with which we + honour Him in whom we believe. What higher credit can we attribute to any + one than truth and righteousness, and absolute goodness? On the other + hand, it is the greatest insult to brand any one with the reputation of + falsehood and unrighteousness, or to suspect him of these, as we do when + we disbelieve him. + </p> + <p> + Thus the soul, in firmly believing the promises of God, holds Him to be + true and righteous; and it can attribute to God no higher glory than the + credit of being so. The highest worship of God is to ascribe to Him truth, + righteousness, and whatever qualities we must ascribe to one in whom we + believe. In doing this the soul shows itself prepared to do His whole + will; in doing this it hallows His name, and gives itself up to be dealt + with as it may please God. For it cleaves to His promises, and never + doubts that He is true, just, and wise, and will do, dispose, and provide + for all things in the best way. Is not such a soul, in this its faith, + most obedient to God in all things? What commandment does there remain + which has not been amply fulfilled by such an obedience? What fulfilment + can be more full than universal obedience? Now this is not accomplished by + works, but by faith alone. + </p> + <p> + On the other hand, what greater rebellion, impiety, or insult to God can + there be, than not to believe His promises? What else is this, than either + to make God a liar, or to doubt His truth—that is, to attribute + truth to ourselves, but to God falsehood and levity? In doing this, is not + a man denying God and setting himself up as an idol in his own heart? What + then can works, done in such a state of impiety, profit us, were they even + angelic or apostolic works? Rightly hath God shut up all, not in wrath nor + in lust, but in unbelief, in order that those who pretend that they are + fulfilling the law by works of purity and benevolence (which are social + and human virtues) may not presume that they will therefore be saved, but, + being included in the sin of unbelief, may either seek mercy, or be justly + condemned. + </p> + <p> + But when God sees that truth is ascribed to Him, and that in the faith of + our hearts He is honoured with all the honour of which He is worthy, then + in return He honours us on account of that faith, attributing to us truth + and righteousness. For faith does truth and righteousness in rendering to + God what is His; and therefore in return God gives glory to our + righteousness. It is true and righteous that God is true and righteous; + and to confess this and ascribe these attributes to Him, this it is to be + true and righteous. Thus He says, "Them that honour Me I will honour, and + they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed" (1 Sam. ii. 30). And so + Paul says that Abraham's faith was imputed to him for righteousness, + because by it he gave glory to God; and that to us also, for the same + reason, it shall be imputed for righteousness, if we believe (Rom. iv.). + </p> + <p> + The third incomparable grace of faith is this: that it unites the soul to + Christ, as the wife to the husband, by which mystery, as the Apostle + teaches, Christ and the soul are made one flesh. Now if they are one + flesh, and if a true marriage—nay, by far the most perfect of all + marriages—is accomplished between them (for human marriages are but + feeble types of this one great marriage), then it follows that all they + have becomes theirs in common, as well good things as evil things; so that + whatsoever Christ possesses, that the believing soul may take to itself + and boast of as its own, and whatever belongs to the soul, that Christ + claims as His. + </p> + <p> + If we compare these possessions, we shall see how inestimable is the gain. + Christ is full of grace, life, and salvation; the soul is full of sin, + death, and condemnation. Let faith step in, and then sin, death, and hell + will belong to Christ, and grace, life, and salvation to the soul. For, if + He is a Husband, He must needs take to Himself that which is His wife's, + and at the same time, impart to His wife that which is His. For, in giving + her His own body and Himself, how can He but give her all that is His? + And, in taking to Himself the body of His wife, how can He but take to + Himself all that is hers? + </p> + <p> + In this is displayed the delightful sight, not only of communion, but of a + prosperous warfare, of victory, salvation, and redemption. For, since + Christ is God and man, and is such a Person as neither has sinned, nor + dies, nor is condemned, nay, cannot sin, die, or be condemned, and since + His righteousness, life, and salvation are invincible, eternal, and + almighty,—when I say, such a Person, by the wedding-ring of faith, + takes a share in the sins, death, and hell of His wife, nay, makes them + His own, and deals with them no otherwise than as if they were His, and as + if He Himself had sinned; and when He suffers, dies, and descends to hell, + that He may overcome all things, and since sin, death, and hell cannot + swallow Him up, they must needs be swallowed up by Him in stupendous + conflict. For His righteousness rises above the sins of all men; His life + is more powerful than all death; His salvation is more unconquerable than + all hell. + </p> + <p> + Thus the believing soul, by the pledge of its faith in Christ, becomes + free from all sin, fearless of death, safe from hell, and endowed with the + eternal righteousness, life, and salvation of its Husband Christ. Thus He + presents to Himself a glorious bride, without spot or wrinkle, cleansing + her with the washing of water by the word; that is, by faith in the word + of life, righteousness, and salvation. Thus He betrothes her unto Himself + "in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in judgment, and in + loving-kindness, and in mercies" (Hosea ii. 19, 20). + </p> + <p> + Who then can value highly enough these royal nuptials? Who can comprehend + the riches of the glory of this grace? Christ, that rich and pious + Husband, takes as a wife a needy and impious harlot, redeeming her from + all her evils and supplying her with all His good things. It is impossible + now that her sins should destroy her, since they have been laid upon + Christ and swallowed up in Him, and since she has in her Husband Christ a + righteousness which she may claim as her own, and which she can set up + with confidence against all her sins, against death and hell, saying, "If + I have sinned, my Christ, in whom I believe, has not sinned; all mine is + His, and all His is mine," as it is written, "My beloved is mine, and I am + His" (Cant. ii. 16). This is what Paul says: "Thanks be to God, which + giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ," victory over sin and + death, as he says, "The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is + the law" (1 Cor. xv. 56, 57). + </p> + <p> + From all this you will again understand why so much importance is + attributed to faith, so that it alone can fulfil the law and justify + without any works. For you see that the First Commandment, which says, + "Thou shalt worship one God only," is fulfilled by faith alone. If you + were nothing but good works from the soles of your feet to the crown of + your head, you would not be worshipping God, nor fulfilling the First + Commandment, since it is impossible to worship God without ascribing to + Him the glory of truth and of universal goodness, as it ought in truth to + be ascribed. Now this is not done by works, but only by faith of heart. It + is not by working, but by believing, that we glorify God, and confess Him + to be true. On this ground faith alone is the righteousness of a Christian + man, and the fulfilling of all the commandments. For to him who fulfils + the first the task of fulfilling all the rest is easy. + </p> + <p> + Works, since they are irrational things, cannot glorify God, although they + may be done to the glory of God, if faith be present. But at present we + are inquiring, not into the quality of the works done, but into him who + does them, who glorifies God, and brings forth good works. This is faith + of heart, the head and the substance of all our righteousness. Hence that + is a blind and perilous doctrine which teaches that the commandments are + fulfilled by works. The commandments must have been fulfilled previous to + any good works, and good works follow their fulfillment, as we shall see. + </p> + <p> + But, that we may have a wider view of that grace which our inner man has + in Christ, we must know that in the Old Testament God sanctified to + Himself every first-born male. The birthright was of great value, giving a + superiority over the rest by the double honour of priesthood and kingship. + For the first-born brother was priest and lord of all the rest. + </p> + <p> + Under this figure was foreshown Christ, the true and only First-born of + God the Father and of the Virgin Mary, and a true King and Priest, not in + a fleshly and earthly sense. For His kingdom is not of this world; it is + in heavenly and spiritual things that He reigns and acts as Priest; and + these are righteousness, truth, wisdom, peace, salvation, etc. Not but + that all things, even those of earth and hell, are subject to Him—for + otherwise how could He defend and save us from them?—but it is not + in these, nor by these, that His kingdom stands. + </p> + <p> + So, too, His priesthood does not consist in the outward display of + vestments and gestures, as did the human priesthood of Aaron and our + ecclesiastical priesthood at this day, but in spiritual things, wherein, + in His invisible office, He intercedes for us with God in heaven, and + there offers Himself, and performs all the duties of a priest, as Paul + describes Him to the Hebrews under the figure of Melchizedek. Nor does He + only pray and intercede for us; He also teaches us inwardly in the spirit + with the living teachings of His Spirit. Now these are the two special + offices of a priest, as is figured to us in the case of fleshly priests by + visible prayers and sermons. + </p> + <p> + As Christ by His birthright has obtained these two dignities, so He + imparts and communicates them to every believer in Him, under that law of + matrimony of which we have spoken above, by which all that is the + husband's is also the wife's. Hence all we who believe on Christ are kings + and priests in Christ, as it is said, "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal + priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth + the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous + light" (1 Peter ii. 9). + </p> + <p> + These two things stand thus. First, as regards kingship, every Christian + is by faith so exalted above all things that, in spiritual power, he is + completely lord of all things, so that nothing whatever can do him any + hurt; yea, all things are subject to him, and are compelled to be + subservient to his salvation. Thus Paul says, "All things work together + for good to them who are the called" (Rom. viii. 28), and also, "Whether + life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours; and + ye are Christ's" (1 Cor. iii. 22, 23). + </p> + <p> + Not that in the sense of corporeal power any one among Christians has been + appointed to possess and rule all things, according to the mad and + senseless idea of certain ecclesiastics. That is the office of kings, + princes, and men upon earth. In the experience of life we see that we are + subjected to all things, and suffer many things, even death. Yea, the more + of a Christian any man is, to so many the more evils, sufferings, and + deaths is he subject, as we see in the first place in Christ the + First-born, and in all His holy brethren. + </p> + <p> + This is a spiritual power, which rules in the midst of enemies, and is + powerful in the midst of distresses. And this is nothing else than that + strength is made perfect in my weakness, and that I can turn all things to + the profit of my salvation; so that even the cross and death are compelled + to serve me and to work together for my salvation. This is a lofty and + eminent dignity, a true and almighty dominion, a spiritual empire, in + which there is nothing so good, nothing so bad, as not to work together + for my good, if only I believe. And yet there is nothing of which I have + need—for faith alone suffices for my salvation—unless that in + it faith may exercise the power and empire of its liberty. This is the + inestimable power and liberty of Christians. + </p> + <p> + Nor are we only kings and the freest of all men, but also priests for + ever, a dignity far higher than kingship, because by that priesthood we + are worthy to appear before God, to pray for others, and to teach one + another mutually the things which are of God. For these are the duties of + priests, and they cannot possibly be permitted to any unbeliever. Christ + has obtained for us this favour, if we believe in Him: that just as we are + His brethren and co-heirs and fellow-kings with Him, so we should be also + fellow-priests with Him, and venture with confidence, through the spirit + of faith, to come into the presence of God, and cry, "Abba, Father!" and + to pray for one another, and to do all things which we see done and + figured in the visible and corporeal office of priesthood. But to an + unbelieving person nothing renders service or work for good. He himself is + in servitude to all things, and all things turn out for evil to him, + because he uses all things in an impious way for his own advantage, and + not for the glory of God. And thus he is not a priest, but a profane + person, whose prayers are turned into sin, nor does he ever appear in the + presence of God, because God does not hear sinners. + </p> + <p> + Who then can comprehend the loftiness of that Christian dignity which, by + its royal power, rules over all things, even over death, life, and sin, + and, by its priestly glory, is all-powerful with God, since God does what + He Himself seeks and wishes, as it is written, "He will fulfil the desire + of them that fear Him; He also will hear their cry, and will save them"? + (Psalm cxlv. 19). This glory certainly cannot be attained by any works, + but by faith only. + </p> + <p> + From these considerations any one may clearly see how a Christian man is + free from all things; so that he needs no works in order to be justified + and saved, but receives these gifts in abundance from faith alone. Nay, + were he so foolish as to pretend to be justified, set free, saved, and + made a Christian, by means of any good work, he would immediately lose + faith, with all its benefits. Such folly is prettily represented in the + fable where a dog, running along in the water and carrying in his mouth a + real piece of meat, is deceived by the reflection of the meat in the + water, and, in trying with open mouth to seize it, loses the meat and its + image at the same time. + </p> + <p> + Here you will ask, "If all who are in the Church are priests, by what + character are those whom we now call priests to be distinguished from the + laity?" I reply, By the use of these words, "priest," "clergy," "spiritual + person," "ecclesiastic," an injustice has been done, since they have been + transferred from the remaining body of Christians to those few who are + now, by hurtful custom, called ecclesiastics. For Holy Scripture makes no + distinction between them, except that those who are now boastfully called + popes, bishops, and lords, it calls ministers, servants, and stewards, who + are to serve the rest in the ministry of the word, for teaching the faith + of Christ and the liberty of believers. For though it is true that we are + all equally priests, yet we cannot, nor, if we could, ought we all to, + minister and teach publicly. Thus Paul says, "Let a man so account of us + as of the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God" (1 + Cor. iv. 1). + </p> + <p> + This bad system has now issued in such a pompous display of power and such + a terrible tyranny that no earthly government can be compared to it, as if + the laity were something else than Christians. Through this perversion of + things it has happened that the knowledge of Christian grace, of faith, of + liberty, and altogether of Christ, has utterly perished, and has been + succeeded by an intolerable bondage to human works and laws; and, + according to the Lamentations of Jeremiah, we have become the slaves of + the vilest men on earth, who abuse our misery to all the disgraceful and + ignominious purposes of their own will. + </p> + <p> + Returning to the subject which we had begun, I think it is made clear by + these considerations that it is not sufficient, nor a Christian course, to + preach the works, life, and words of Christ in a historic manner, as facts + which it suffices to know as an example how to frame our life, as do those + who are now held the best preachers, and much less so to keep silence + altogether on these things and to teach in their stead the laws of men and + the decrees of the Fathers. There are now not a few persons who preach and + read about Christ with the object of moving the human affections to + sympathise with Christ, to indignation against the Jews, and other + childish and womanish absurdities of that kind. + </p> + <p> + Now preaching ought to have the object of promoting faith in Him, so that + He may not only be Christ, but a Christ for you and for me, and that what + is said of Him, and what He is called, may work in us. And this faith is + produced and is maintained by preaching why Christ came, what He has + brought us and given to us, and to what profit and advantage He is to be + received. This is done when the Christian liberty which we have from + Christ Himself is rightly taught, and we are shown in what manner all we + Christians are kings and priests, and how we are lords of all things, and + may be confident that whatever we do in the presence of God is pleasing + and acceptable to Him. + </p> + <p> + Whose heart would not rejoice in its inmost core at hearing these things? + Whose heart, on receiving so great a consolation, would not become sweet + with the love of Christ, a love to which it can never attain by any laws + or works? Who can injure such a heart, or make it afraid? If the + consciousness of sin or the horror of death rush in upon it, it is + prepared to hope in the Lord, and is fearless of such evils, and + undisturbed, until it shall look down upon its enemies. For it believes + that the righteousness of Christ is its own, and that its sin is no longer + its own, but that of Christ; but, on account of its faith in Christ, all + its sin must needs be swallowed up from before the face of the + righteousness of Christ, as I have said above. It learns, too, with the + Apostle, to scoff at death and sin, and to say, "O death, where is thy + sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the + strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the + victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. xv. 55-57). For death is + swallowed up in victory, not only the victory of Christ, but ours also, + since by faith it becomes ours, and in it we too conquer. + </p> + <p> + Let it suffice to say this concerning the inner man and its liberty, and + concerning that righteousness of faith which needs neither laws nor good + works; nay, they are even hurtful to it, if any one pretends to be + justified by them. + </p> + <p> + And now let us turn to the other part: to the outward man. Here we shall + give an answer to all those who, taking offence at the word of faith and + at what I have asserted, say, "If faith does everything, and by itself + suffices for justification, why then are good works commanded? Are we then + to take our ease and do no works, content with faith?" Not so, impious + men, I reply; not so. That would indeed really be the case, if we were + thoroughly and completely inner and spiritual persons; but that will not + happen until the last day, when the dead shall be raised. As long as we + live in the flesh, we are but beginning and making advances in that which + shall be completed in a future life. On this account the Apostle calls + that which we have in this life the firstfruits of the Spirit (Rom. viii. + 23). In future we shall have the tenths, and the fullness of the Spirit. + To this part belongs the fact I have stated before: that the Christian is + the servant of all and subject to all. For in that part in which he is + free he does no works, but in that in which he is a servant he does all + works. Let us see on what principle this is so. + </p> + <p> + Although, as I have said, inwardly, and according to the spirit, a man is + amply enough justified by faith, having all that he requires to have, + except that this very faith and abundance ought to increase from day to + day, even till the future life, still he remains in this mortal life upon + earth, in which it is necessary that he should rule his own body and have + intercourse with men. Here then works begin; here he must not take his + ease; here he must give heed to exercise his body by fastings, watchings, + labour, and other regular discipline, so that it may be subdued to the + spirit, and obey and conform itself to the inner man and faith, and not + rebel against them nor hinder them, as is its nature to do if it is not + kept under. For the inner man, being conformed to God and created after + the image of God through faith, rejoices and delights itself in Christ, in + whom such blessings have been conferred on it, and hence has only this + task before it: to serve God with joy and for nought in free love. + </p> + <p> + But in doing this he comes into collision with that contrary will in his + own flesh, which is striving to serve the world and to seek its own + gratification. This the spirit of faith cannot and will not bear, but + applies itself with cheerfulness and zeal to keep it down and restrain it, + as Paul says, "I delight in the law of God after the inward man; but I see + another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and bringing + me into captivity to the law of sin" (Rom. vii. 22, 23), and again, "I + keep under my body, and bring it unto subjection, lest that by any means, + when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (1 Cor. ix. + 27), and "They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the + affections and lusts" (Gal. v. 24). + </p> + <p> + These works, however, must not be done with any notion that by them a man + can be justified before God—for faith, which alone is righteousness + before God, will not bear with this false notion—but solely with + this purpose: that the body may be brought into subjection, and be + purified from its evil lusts, so that our eyes may be turned only to + purging away those lusts. For when the soul has been cleansed by faith and + made to love God, it would have all things to be cleansed in like manner, + and especially its own body, so that all things might unite with it in the + love and praise of God. Thus it comes that, from the requirements of his + own body, a man cannot take his ease, but is compelled on its account to + do many good works, that he may bring it into subjection. Yet these works + are not the means of his justification before God; he does them out of + disinterested love to the service of God; looking to no other end than to + do what is well-pleasing to Him whom he desires to obey most dutifully in + all things. + </p> + <p> + On this principle every man may easily instruct himself in what measure, + and with what distinctions, he ought to chasten his own body. He will + fast, watch, and labour, just as much as he sees to suffice for keeping + down the wantonness and concupiscence of the body. But those who pretend + to be justified by works are looking, not to the mortification of their + lusts, but only to the works themselves; thinking that, if they can + accomplish as many works and as great ones as possible, all is well with + them, and they are justified. Sometimes they even injure their brain, and + extinguish nature, or at least make it useless. This is enormous folly, + and ignorance of Christian life and faith, when a man seeks, without + faith, to be justified and saved by works. + </p> + <p> + To make what we have said more easily understood, let us set it forth + under a figure. The works of a Christian man, who is justified and saved + by his faith out of the pure and unbought mercy of God, ought to be + regarded in the same light as would have been those of Adam and Eve in + paradise and of all their posterity if they had not sinned. Of them it is + said, "The Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to + dress it and to keep it" (Gen. ii. 15). Now Adam had been created by God + just and righteous, so that he could not have needed to be justified and + made righteous by keeping the garden and working in it; but, that he might + not be unemployed, God gave him the business of keeping and cultivating + paradise. These would have indeed been works of perfect freedom, being + done for no object but that of pleasing God, and not in order to obtain + justification, which he already had to the full, and which would have been + innate in us all. + </p> + <p> + So it is with the works of a believer. Being by his faith replaced afresh + in paradise and created anew, he does not need works for his + justification, but that he may not be idle, but may exercise his own body + and preserve it. His works are to be done freely, with the sole object of + pleasing God. Only we are not yet fully created anew in perfect faith and + love; these require to be increased, not, however, through works, but + through themselves. + </p> + <p> + A bishop, when he consecrates a church, confirms children, or performs any + other duty of his office, is not consecrated as bishop by these works; + nay, unless he had been previously consecrated as bishop, not one of those + works would have any validity; they would be foolish, childish, and + ridiculous. Thus a Christian, being consecrated by his faith, does good + works; but he is not by these works made a more sacred person, or more a + Christian. That is the effect of faith alone; nay, unless he were + previously a believer and a Christian, none of his works would have any + value at all; they would really be impious and damnable sins. + </p> + <p> + True, then, are these two sayings: "Good works do not make a good man, but + a good man does good works"; "Bad works do not make a bad man, but a bad + man does bad works." Thus it is always necessary that the substance or + person should be good before any good works can be done, and that good + works should follow and proceed from a good person. As Christ says, "A + good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring + forth good fruit" (Matt. vii. 18). Now it is clear that the fruit does not + bear the tree, nor does the tree grow on the fruit; but, on the contrary, + the trees bear the fruit, and the fruit grows on the trees. + </p> + <p> + As then trees must exist before their fruit, and as the fruit does not + make the tree either good or bad, but on the contrary, a tree of either + kind produces fruit of the same kind, so must first the person of the man + be good or bad before he can do either a good or a bad work; and his works + do not make him bad or good, but he himself makes his works either bad or + good. + </p> + <p> + We may see the same thing in all handicrafts. A bad or good house does not + make a bad or good builder, but a good or bad builder makes a good or bad + house. And in general no work makes the workman such as it is itself; but + the workman makes the work such as he is himself. Such is the case, too, + with the works of men. Such as the man himself is, whether in faith or in + unbelief, such is his work: good if it be done in faith; bad if in + unbelief. But the converse is not true that, such as the work is, such the + man becomes in faith or in unbelief. For as works do not make a believing + man, so neither do they make a justified man; but faith, as it makes a man + a believer and justified, so also it makes his works good. + </p> + <p> + Since then works justify no man, but a man must be justified before he can + do any good work, it is most evident that it is faith alone which, by the + mere mercy of God through Christ, and by means of His word, can worthily + and sufficiently justify and save the person; and that a Christian man + needs no work, no law, for his salvation; for by faith he is free from all + law, and in perfect freedom does gratuitously all that he does, seeking + nothing either of profit or of salvation—since by the grace of God + he is already saved and rich in all things through his faith—but + solely that which is well-pleasing to God. + </p> + <p> + So, too, no good work can profit an unbeliever to justification and + salvation; and, on the other hand, no evil work makes him an evil and + condemned person, but that unbelief, which makes the person and the tree + bad, makes his works evil and condemned. Wherefore, when any man is made + good or bad, this does not arise from his works, but from his faith or + unbelief, as the wise man says, "The beginning of sin is to fall away from + God"; that is, not to believe. Paul says, "He that cometh to God must + believe" (Heb. xi. 6); and Christ says the same thing: "Either make the + tree good and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit + corrupt" (Matt. xii. 33),—as much as to say, He who wishes to have + good fruit will begin with the tree, and plant a good one; even so he who + wishes to do good works must begin, not by working, but by believing, + since it is this which makes the person good. For nothing makes the person + good but faith, nor bad but unbelief. + </p> + <p> + It is certainly true that, in the sight of men, a man becomes good or evil + by his works; but here "becoming" means that it is thus shown and + recognised who is good or evil, as Christ says, "By their fruits ye shall + know them" (Matt. vii. 20). But all this stops at appearances and + externals; and in this matter very many deceive themselves, when they + presume to write and teach that we are to be justified by good works, and + meanwhile make no mention even of faith, walking in their own ways, ever + deceived and deceiving, going from bad to worse, blind leaders of the + blind, wearying themselves with many works, and yet never attaining to + true righteousness, of whom Paul says, "Having a form of godliness, but + denying the power thereof, ever learning and never able to come to the + knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. iii. 5, 7). + </p> + <p> + He then who does not wish to go astray, with these blind ones, must look + further than to the works of the law or the doctrine of works; nay, must + turn away his sight from works, and look to the person, and to the manner + in which it may be justified. Now it is justified and saved, not by works + or laws, but by the word of God—that is, by the promise of His grace—so + that the glory may be to the Divine majesty, which has saved us who + believe, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according + to His mercy, by the word of His grace. + </p> + <p> + From all this it is easy to perceive on what principle good works are to + be cast aside or embraced, and by what rule all teachings put forth + concerning works are to be understood. For if works are brought forward as + grounds of justification, and are done under the false persuasion that we + can pretend to be justified by them, they lay on us the yoke of necessity, + and extinguish liberty along with faith, and by this very addition to + their use they become no longer good, but really worthy of condemnation. + For such works are not free, but blaspheme the grace of God, to which + alone it belongs to justify and save through faith. Works cannot + accomplish this, and yet, with impious presumption, through our folly, + they take it on themselves to do so; and thus break in with violence upon + the office and glory of grace. + </p> + <p> + We do not then reject good works; nay, we embrace them and teach them in + the highest degree. It is not on their own account that we condemn them, + but on account of this impious addition to them and the perverse notion of + seeking justification by them. These things cause them to be only good in + outward show, but in reality not good, since by them men are deceived and + deceive others, like ravening wolves in sheep's clothing. + </p> + <p> + Now this leviathan, this perverted notion about works, is invincible when + sincere faith is wanting. For those sanctified doers of works cannot but + hold it till faith, which destroys it, comes and reigns in the heart. + Nature cannot expel it by her own power; nay, cannot even see it for what + it is, but considers it as a most holy will. And when custom steps in + besides, and strengthens this pravity of nature, as has happened by means + of impious teachers, then the evil is incurable, and leads astray + multitudes to irreparable ruin. Therefore, though it is good to preach and + write about penitence, confession, and satisfaction, yet if we stop there, + and do not go on to teach faith, such teaching is without doubt deceitful + and devilish. For Christ, speaking by His servant John, not only said, + "Repent ye," but added, "for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. iii. + 2). + </p> + <p> + For not one word of God only, but both, should be preached; new and old + things should be brought out of the treasury, as well the voice of the law + as the word of grace. The voice of the law should be brought forward, that + men may be terrified and brought to a knowledge of their sins, and thence + be converted to penitence and to a better manner of life. But we must not + stop here; that would be to wound only and not to bind up, to strike and + not to heal, to kill and not to make alive, to bring down to hell and not + to bring back, to humble and not to exalt. Therefore the word of grace and + of the promised remission of sin must also be preached, in order to teach + and set up faith, since without that word contrition, penitence, and all + other duties, are performed and taught in vain. + </p> + <p> + There still remain, it is true, preachers of repentance and grace, but + they do not explain the law and the promises of God to such an end, and in + such a spirit, that men may learn whence repentance and grace are to come. + For repentance comes from the law of God, but faith or grace from the + promises of God, as it is said, "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by + the word of God" (Rom. x. 17), whence it comes that a man, when humbled + and brought to the knowledge of himself by the threatenings and terrors of + the law, is consoled and raised up by faith in the Divine promise. Thus + "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" (Psalm + xxx. 5). Thus much we say concerning works in general, and also concerning + those which the Christian practises with regard to his own body. + </p> + <p> + Lastly, we will speak also of those works which he performs towards his + neighbour. For man does not live for himself alone in this mortal body, in + order to work on its account, but also for all men on earth; nay, he lives + only for others, and not for himself. For it is to this end that he brings + his own body into subjection, that he may be able to serve others more + sincerely and more freely, as Paul says, "None of us liveth to himself, + and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; + and whether we die, we die unto the Lord" (Rom. xiv. 7, 8). Thus it is + impossible that he should take his ease in this life, and not work for the + good of his neighbours, since he must needs speak, act, and converse among + men, just as Christ was made in the likeness of men and found in fashion + as a man, and had His conversation among men. + </p> + <p> + Yet a Christian has need of none of these things for justification and + salvation, but in all his works he ought to entertain this view and look + only to this object—that he may serve and be useful to others in all + that he does; having nothing before his eyes but the necessities and the + advantage of his neighbour. Thus the Apostle commands us to work with our + own hands, that we may have to give to those that need. He might have + said, that we may support ourselves; but he tells us to give to those that + need. It is the part of a Christian to take care of his own body for the + very purpose that, by its soundness and well-being, he may be enabled to + labour, and to acquire and preserve property, for the aid of those who are + in want, that thus the stronger member may serve the weaker member, and we + may be children of God, thoughtful and busy one for another, bearing one + another's burdens, and so fulfilling the law of Christ. + </p> + <p> + Here is the truly Christian life, here is faith really working by love, + when a man applies himself with joy and love to the works of that freest + servitude in which he serves others voluntarily and for nought, himself + abundantly satisfied in the fulness and riches of his own faith. + </p> + <p> + Thus, when Paul had taught the Philippians how they had been made rich by + that faith in Christ in which they had obtained all things, he teaches + them further in these words: "If there be therefore any consolation in + Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any + bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the + same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through + strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better + than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also + on the things of others" (Phil. ii. 1-4). + </p> + <p> + In this we see clearly that the Apostle lays down this rule for a + Christian life: that all our works should be directed to the advantage of + others, since every Christian has such abundance through his faith that + all his other works and his whole life remain over and above wherewith to + serve and benefit his neighbour of spontaneous goodwill. + </p> + <p> + To this end he brings forward Christ as an example, saying, "Let this mind + be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, + thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no + reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the + likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, + and became obedient unto death" (Phil. ii. 5-8). This most wholesome + saying of the Apostle has been darkened to us by men who, totally + misunderstanding the expressions "form of God," "form of a servant," + "fashion," "likeness of men," have transferred them to the natures of + Godhead and manhood. Paul's meaning is this: Christ, when He was full of + the form of God and abounded in all good things, so that He had no need of + works or sufferings to be just and saved—for all these things He had + from the very beginning—yet was not puffed up with these things, and + did not raise Himself above us and arrogate to Himself power over us, + though He might lawfully have done so, but, on the contrary, so acted in + labouring, working, suffering, and dying, as to be like the rest of men, + and no otherwise than a man in fashion and in conduct, as if He were in + want of all things and had nothing of the form of God; and yet all this He + did for our sakes, that He might serve us, and that all the works He + should do under that form of a servant might become ours. + </p> + <p> + Thus a Christian, like Christ his Head, being full and in abundance + through his faith, ought to be content with this form of God, obtained by + faith; except that, as I have said, he ought to increase this faith till + it be perfected. For this faith is his life, justification, and salvation, + preserving his person itself and making it pleasing to God, and bestowing + on him all that Christ has, as I have said above, and as Paul affirms: + "The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of + God" (Gal. ii. 20). Though he is thus free from all works, yet he ought to + empty himself of this liberty, take on him the form of a servant, be made + in the likeness of men, be found in fashion as a man, serve, help, and in + every way act towards his neighbour as he sees that God through Christ has + acted and is acting towards him. All this he should do freely, and with + regard to nothing but the good pleasure of God, and he should reason thus:— + </p> + <p> + Lo! my God, without merit on my part, of His pure and free mercy, has + given to me, an unworthy, condemned, and contemptible creature all the + riches of justification and salvation in Christ, so that I no longer am in + want of anything, except of faith to believe that this is so. For such a + Father, then, who has overwhelmed me with these inestimable riches of His, + why should I not freely, cheerfully, and with my whole heart, and from + voluntary zeal, do all that I know will be pleasing to Him and acceptable + in His sight? I will therefore give myself as a sort of Christ, to my + neighbour, as Christ has given Himself to me; and will do nothing in this + life except what I see will be needful, advantageous, and wholesome for my + neighbour, since by faith I abound in all good things in Christ. + </p> + <p> + Thus from faith flow forth love and joy in the Lord, and from love a + cheerful, willing, free spirit, disposed to serve our neighbour + voluntarily, without taking any account of gratitude or ingratitude, + praise or blame, gain or loss. Its object is not to lay men under + obligations, nor does it distinguish between friends and enemies, or look + to gratitude or ingratitude, but most freely and willingly spends itself + and its goods, whether it loses them through ingratitude, or gains + goodwill. For thus did its Father, distributing all things to all men + abundantly and freely, making His sun to rise upon the just and the + unjust. Thus, too, the child does and endures nothing except from the free + joy with which it delights through Christ in God, the Giver of such great + gifts. + </p> + <p> + You see, then, that, if we recognize those great and precious gifts, as + Peter says, which have been given to us, love is quickly diffused in our + hearts through the Spirit, and by love we are made free, joyful, + all-powerful, active workers, victors over all our tribulations, servants + to our neighbour, and nevertheless lords of all things. But, for those who + do not recognise the good things given to them through Christ, Christ has + been born in vain; such persons walk by works, and will never attain the + taste and feeling of these great things. Therefore just as our neighbour + is in want, and has need of our abundance, so we too in the sight of God + were in want, and had need of His mercy. And as our heavenly Father has + freely helped us in Christ, so ought we freely to help our neighbour by + our body and works, and each should become to other a sort of Christ, so + that we may be mutually Christs, and that the same Christ may be in all of + us; that is, that we may be truly Christians. + </p> + <p> + Who then can comprehend the riches and glory of the Christian life? It can + do all things, has all things, and is in want of nothing; is lord over + sin, death, and hell, and at the same time is the obedient and useful + servant of all. But alas! it is at this day unknown throughout the world; + it is neither preached nor sought after, so that we are quite ignorant + about our own name, why we are and are called Christians. We are certainly + called so from Christ, who is not absent, but dwells among us—provided, + that is, that we believe in Him and are reciprocally and mutually one the + Christ of the other, doing to our neighbour as Christ does to us. But now, + in the doctrine of men, we are taught only to seek after merits, rewards, + and things which are already ours, and we have made of Christ a taskmaster + far more severe than Moses. + </p> + <p> + The Blessed Virgin beyond all others, affords us an example of the same + faith, in that she was purified according to the law of Moses, and like + all other women, though she was bound by no such law and had no need of + purification. Still she submitted to the law voluntarily and of free love, + making herself like the rest of women, that she might not offend or throw + contempt on them. She was not justified by doing this; but, being already + justified, she did it freely and gratuitously. Thus ought our works too to + be done, and not in order to be justified by them; for, being first + justified by faith, we ought to do all our works freely and cheerfully for + the sake of others. + </p> + <p> + St. Paul circumcised his disciple Timothy, not because he needed + circumcision for his justification, but that he might not offend or + contemn those Jews, weak in the faith, who had not yet been able to + comprehend the liberty of faith. On the other hand, when they contemned + liberty and urged that circumcision was necessary for justification, he + resisted them, and would not allow Titus to be circumcised. For, as he + would not offend or contemn any one's weakness in faith, but yielded for + the time to their will, so, again, he would not have the liberty of faith + offended or contemned by hardened self-justifiers, but walked in a middle + path, sparing the weak for the time, and always resisting the hardened, + that he might convert all to the liberty of faith. On the same principle + we ought to act, receiving those that are weak in the faith, but boldly + resisting these hardened teachers of works, of whom we shall hereafter + speak at more length. + </p> + <p> + Christ also, when His disciples were asked for the tribute money, asked of + Peter whether the children of a king were not free from taxes. Peter + agreed to this; yet Jesus commanded him to go to the sea, saying, "Lest we + should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the + fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt + find a piece of money; that take, and give unto them for Me and thee" + (Matt. xvii. 27). + </p> + <p> + This example is very much to our purpose; for here Christ calls Himself + and His disciples free men and children of a King, in want of nothing; and + yet He voluntarily submits and pays the tax. Just as far, then, as this + work was necessary or useful to Christ for justification or salvation, so + far do all His other works or those of His disciples avail for + justification. They are really free and subsequent to justification, and + only done to serve others and set them an example. + </p> + <p> + Such are the works which Paul inculcated, that Christians should be + subject to principalities and powers and ready to every good work (Titus + iii. 1), not that they may be justified by these things—for they are + already justified by faith—but that in liberty of spirit they may + thus be the servants of others and subject to powers, obeying their will + out of gratuitous love. + </p> + <p> + Such, too, ought to have been the works of all colleges, monasteries, and + priests; every one doing the works of his own profession and state of + life, not in order to be justified by them, but in order to bring his own + body into subjection, as an example to others, who themselves also need to + keep under their bodies, and also in order to accommodate himself to the + will of others, out of free love. But we must always guard most carefully + against any vain confidence or presumption of being justified, gaining + merit, or being saved by these works, this being the part of faith alone, + as I have so often said. + </p> + <p> + Any man possessing this knowledge may easily keep clear of danger among + those innumerable commands and precepts of the Pope, of bishops, of + monasteries, of churches, of princes, and of magistrates, which some + foolish pastors urge on us as being necessary for justification and + salvation, calling them precepts of the Church, when they are not so at + all. For the Christian freeman will speak thus: I will fast, I will pray, + I will do this or that which is commanded me by men, not as having any + need of these things for justification or salvation, but that I may thus + comply with the will of the Pope, of the bishop, of such a community or + such a magistrate, or of my neighbour as an example to him; for this cause + I will do and suffer all things, just as Christ did and suffered much more + for me, though He needed not at all to do so on His own account, and made + Himself for my sake under the law, when He was not under the law. And + although tyrants may do me violence or wrong in requiring obedience to + these things, yet it will not hurt me to do them, so long as they are not + done against God. + </p> + <p> + From all this every man will be able to attain a sure judgment and + faithful discrimination between all works and laws, and to know who are + blind and foolish pastors, and who are true and good ones. For whatsoever + work is not directed to the sole end either of keeping under the body, or + of doing service to our neighbour—provided he require nothing + contrary to the will of God—is no good or Christian work. Hence I + greatly fear that at this day few or no colleges, monasteries, altars, or + ecclesiastical functions are Christian ones; and the same may be said of + fasts and special prayers to certain saints. I fear that in all these + nothing is being sought but what is already ours; while we fancy that by + these things our sins are purged away and salvation is attained, and thus + utterly do away with Christian liberty. This comes from ignorance of + Christian faith and liberty. + </p> + <p> + This ignorance and this crushing of liberty are diligently promoted by the + teaching of very many blind pastors, who stir up and urge the people to a + zeal for these things, praising them and puffing them up with their + indulgences, but never teaching faith. Now I would advise you, if you have + any wish to pray, to fast, or to make foundations in churches, as they + call it, to take care not to do so with the object of gaining any + advantage, either temporal or eternal. You will thus wrong your faith, + which alone bestows all things on you, and the increase of which, either + by working or by suffering, is alone to be cared for. What you give, give + freely and without price, that others may prosper and have increase from + you and your goodness. Thus you will be a truly good man and a Christian. + For what to you are your goods and your works, which are done over and + above for the subjection of the body, since you have abundance for + yourself through your faith, in which God has given you all things? + </p> + <p> + We give this rule: the good things which we have from God ought to flow + from one to another and become common to all, so that every one of us may, + as it were, put on his neighbour, and so behave towards him as if he were + himself in his place. They flowed and do flow from Christ to us; He put us + on, and acted for us as if He Himself were what we are. From us they flow + to those who have need of them; so that my faith and righteousness ought + to be laid down before God as a covering and intercession for the sins of + my neighbour, which I am to take on myself, and so labour and endure + servitude in them, as if they were my own; for thus has Christ done for + us. This is true love and the genuine truth of Christian life. But only + there is it true and genuine where there is true and genuine faith. Hence + the Apostle attributes to charity this quality: that she seeketh not her + own. + </p> + <p> + We conclude therefore that a Christian man does not live in himself, but + in Christ and in his neighbour, or else is no Christian: in Christ by + faith; in his neighbour by love. By faith he is carried upwards above + himself to God, and by love he sinks back below himself to his neighbour, + still always-abiding in God and His love, as Christ says, "Verily I say + unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God + ascending and descending upon the Son of man" (John i. 51). + </p> + <p> + Thus much concerning liberty, which, as you see, is a true and spiritual + liberty, making our hearts free from all sins, laws, and commandments, as + Paul says, "The law is not made for a righteous man" (1 Tim. i. 9), and + one which surpasses all other external liberties, as far as heaven is + above earth. May Christ make us to understand and preserve this liberty. + Amen. + </p> + <p> + Finally, for the sake of those to whom nothing can be stated so well but + that they misunderstand and distort it, we must add a word, in case they + can understand even that. There are very many persons who, when they hear + of this liberty of faith, straightway turn it into an occasion of licence. + They think that everything is now lawful for them, and do not choose to + show themselves free men and Christians in any other way than by their + contempt and reprehension of ceremonies, of traditions, of human laws; as + if they were Christians merely because they refuse to fast on stated days, + or eat flesh when others fast, or omit the customary prayers; scoffing at + the precepts of men, but utterly passing over all the rest that belongs to + the Christian religion. On the other hand, they are most pertinaciously + resisted by those who strive after salvation solely by their observance of + and reverence for ceremonies, as if they would be saved merely because + they fast on stated days, or abstain from flesh, or make formal prayers; + talking loudly of the precepts of the Church and of the Fathers, and not + caring a straw about those things which belong to our genuine faith. Both + these parties are plainly culpable, in that, while they neglect matters + which are of weight and necessary for salvation, they contend noisily + about such as are without weight and not necessary. + </p> + <p> + How much more rightly does the Apostle Paul teach us to walk in the middle + path, condemning either extreme and saying, "Let not him that eateth + despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him + that eateth" (Rom. xiv. 3)! You see here how the Apostle blames those who, + not from religious feeling, but in mere contempt, neglect and rail at + ceremonial observances, and teaches them not to despise, since this + "knowledge puffeth up." Again, he teaches the pertinacious upholders of + these things not to judge their opponents. For neither party observes + towards the other that charity which edifieth. In this matter we must + listen to Scripture, which teaches us to turn aside neither to the right + hand nor to the left, but to follow those right precepts of the Lord which + rejoice the heart. For just as a man is not righteous merely because he + serves and is devoted to works and ceremonial rites, so neither will he be + accounted righteous merely because he neglects and despises them. + </p> + <p> + It is not from works that we are set free by the faith of Christ, but from + the belief in works, that is from foolishly presuming to seek + justification through works. Faith redeems our consciences, makes them + upright, and preserves them, since by it we recognise the truth that + justification does not depend on our works, although good works neither + can nor ought to be absent, just as we cannot exist without food and drink + and all the functions of this mortal body. Still it is not on them that + our justification is based, but on faith; and yet they ought not on that + account to be despised or neglected. Thus in this world we are compelled + by the needs of this bodily life; but we are not hereby justified. "My + kingdom is not hence, nor of this world," says Christ; but He does not + say, "My kingdom is not here, nor in this world." Paul, too, says, "Though + we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh" (2 Cor. x. 3), and + "The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of + God" (Gal. ii. 20). Thus our doings, life, and being, in works and + ceremonies, are done from the necessities of this life, and with the + motive of governing our bodies; but yet we are not justified by these + things, but by the faith of the Son of God. + </p> + <p> + The Christian must therefore walk in the middle path, and set these two + classes of men before his eyes. He may meet with hardened and obstinate + ceremonialists, who, like deaf adders, refuse to listen to the truth of + liberty, and cry up, enjoin, and urge on us their ceremonies, as if they + could justify us without faith. Such were the Jews of old, who would not + understand, that they might act well. These men we must resist, do just + the contrary to what they do, and be bold to give them offence, lest by + this impious notion of theirs they should deceive many along with + themselves. Before the eyes of these men it is expedient to eat flesh, to + break fasts, and to do in behalf of the liberty of faith things which they + hold to be the greatest sins. We must say of them, "Let them alone; they + be blind leaders of the blind" (Matt. xv. 14). In this way Paul also would + not have Titus circumcised, though these men urged it; and Christ defended + the Apostles, who had plucked ears of corn on the Sabbath day; and many + like instances. + </p> + <p> + Or else we may meet with simple-minded and ignorant persons, weak in the + faith, as the Apostle calls them, who are as yet unable to apprehend that + liberty of faith, even if willing to do so. These we must spare, lest they + should be offended. We must bear with their infirmity, till they shall be + more fully instructed. For since these men do not act thus from hardened + malice, but only from weakness of faith, therefore, in order to avoid + giving them offence, we must keep fasts and do other things which they + consider necessary. This is required of us by charity, which injures no + one, but serves all men. It is not the fault of these persons that they + are weak, but that of their pastors, who by the snares and weapons of + their own traditions have brought them into bondage and wounded their + souls when they ought to have been set free and healed by the teaching of + faith and liberty. Thus the Apostle says, "If meat make my brother to + offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth" (1 Cor. viii. 13); + and again, "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is + nothing unclean of itself; but to him that esteemeth anything to be + unclean, to him it is unclean. It is evil for that man who eateth with + offence" (Rom. xiv. 14, 20). + </p> + <p> + Thus, though we ought boldly to resist those teachers of tradition, and + though the laws of the pontiffs, by which they make aggressions on the + people of God, deserve sharp reproof, yet we must spare the timid crowd, + who are held captive by the laws of those impious tyrants, till they are + set free. Fight vigorously against the wolves, but on behalf of the sheep, + not against the sheep. And this you may do by inveighing against the laws + and lawgivers, and yet at the same time observing these laws with the + weak, lest they be offended, until they shall themselves recognise the + tyranny, and understand their own liberty. If you wish to use your + liberty, do it secretly, as Paul says, "Hast thou faith? have it to + thyself before God" (Rom. xiv. 22). But take care not to use it in the + presence of the weak. On the other hand, in the presence of tyrants and + obstinate opposers, use your liberty in their despite, and with the utmost + pertinacity, that they too may understand that they are tyrants, and their + laws useless for justification, nay that they had no right to establish + such laws. + </p> + <p> + Since then we cannot live in this world without ceremonies and works, + since the hot and inexperienced period of youth has need of being + restrained and protected by such bonds, and since every one is bound to + keep under his own body by attention to these things, therefore the + minister of Christ must be prudent and faithful in so ruling and teaching + the people of Christ, in all these matters, that no root of bitterness may + spring up among them, and so many be defiled, as Paul warned the Hebrews; + that is, that they may not lose the faith, and begin to be defiled by a + belief in works as the means of justification. This is a thing which + easily happens, and defiles very many, unless faith be constantly + inculcated along with works. It is impossible to avoid this evil, when + faith is passed over in silence, and only the ordinances of men are + taught, as has been done hitherto by the pestilent, impious, and + soul-destroying traditions of our pontiffs and opinions of our + theologians. An infinite number of souls have been drawn down to hell by + these snares, so that you may recognise the work of antichrist. + </p> + <p> + In brief, as poverty is imperilled amid riches, honesty amid business, + humility amid honours, abstinence amid feasting, purity amid pleasures, so + is justification by faith imperilled among ceremonies. Solomon says, "Can + a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?" (Prov. vi. + 27). And yet as we must live among riches, business, honours, pleasures, + feastings, so must we among ceremonies, that is among perils. Just as + infant boys have the greatest need of being cherished in the bosoms and by + the care of girls, that they may not die, and yet, when they are grown, + there is peril to their salvation in living among girls, so inexperienced + and fervid young men require to be kept in and restrained by the barriers + of ceremonies, even were they of iron, lest their weak minds should rush + headlong into vice. And yet it would be death to them to persevere in + believing that they can be justified by these things. They must rather be + taught that they have been thus imprisoned, not with the purpose of their + being justified or gaining merit in this way, but in order that they might + avoid wrong-doing, and be more easily instructed in that righteousness + which is by faith, a thing which the headlong character of youth would not + bear unless it were put under restraint. + </p> + <p> + Hence in the Christian life ceremonies are to be no otherwise looked upon + than as builders and workmen look upon those preparations for building or + working which are not made with any view of being permanent or anything in + themselves, but only because without them there could be no building and + no work. When the structure is completed, they are laid aside. Here you + see that we do not contemn these preparations, but set the highest value + on them; a belief in them we do contemn, because no one thinks that they + constitute a real and permanent structure. If any one were so manifestly + out of his senses as to have no other object in life but that of setting + up these preparations with all possible expense, diligence, and + perseverance, while he never thought of the structure itself, but pleased + himself and made his boast of these useless preparations and props, should + we not all pity his madness and think that, at the cost thus thrown away, + some great building might have been raised? + </p> + <p> + Thus, too, we do not contemn works and ceremonies—nay, we set the + highest value on them; but we contemn the belief in works, which no one + should consider to constitute true righteousness, as do those hypocrites + who employ and throw away their whole life in the pursuit of works, and + yet never attain to that for the sake of which the works are done. As the + Apostle says, they are "ever learning and never able to come to the + knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. iii. 7). They appear to wish to build, + they make preparations, and yet they never do build; and thus they + continue in a show of godliness, but never attain to its power. + </p> + <p> + Meanwhile they please themselves with this zealous pursuit, and even dare + to judge all others, whom they do not see adorned with such a glittering + display of works; while, if they had been imbued with faith, they might + have done great things for their own and others' salvation, at the same + cost which they now waste in abuse of the gifts of God. But since human + nature and natural reason, as they call it, are naturally superstitious, + and quick to believe that justification can be attained by any laws or + works proposed to them, and since nature is also exercised and confirmed + in the same view by the practice of all earthly lawgivers, she can never + of her own power free herself from this bondage to works, and come to a + recognition of the liberty of faith. + </p> + <p> + We have therefore need to pray that God will lead us and make us taught of + God, that is, ready to learn from God; and will Himself, as He has + promised, write His law in our hearts; otherwise there is no hope for us. + For unless He himself teach us inwardly this wisdom hidden in a mystery, + nature cannot but condemn it and judge it to be heretical. She takes + offence at it, and it seems folly to her, just as we see that it happened + of old in the case of the prophets and Apostles, and just as blind and + impious pontiffs, with their flatterers, do now in my case and that of + those who are like me, upon whom, together with ourselves, may God at + length have mercy, and lift up the light of His countenance upon them, + that we may know His way upon earth and His saving health among all + nations, who is blessed for evermore. Amen. In the year of the Lord MDXX. + </p> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Concerning Christian Liberty, by Martin Luther + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CONCERNING CHRISTIAN LIBERTY *** + +***** This file should be named 1911-h.htm or 1911-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/1/1911/ + +Produced by Elizabeth T. Knuth and David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + </body> +</html> diff --git a/1911.txt b/1911.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5ad14f4 --- /dev/null +++ b/1911.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2007 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Concerning Christian Liberty, by Martin Luther + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Concerning Christian Liberty + With Letter Of Martin Luther To Pope Leo X. + +Author: Martin Luther + +Release Date: February 25, 2006 [EBook #1911] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CONCERNING CHRISTIAN LIBERTY *** + + + + +Produced by Elizabeth T. Knuth and David Widger + + + + + +CONCERNING CHRISTIAN LIBERTY + +by Martin Luther + + + + +LETTER OF MARTIN LUTHER TO POPE LEO X. + +Among those monstrous evils of this age with which I have now for three +years been waging war, I am sometimes compelled to look to you and to +call you to mind, most blessed father Leo. In truth, since you alone are +everywhere considered as being the cause of my engaging in war, I cannot +at any time fail to remember you; and although I have been compelled +by the causeless raging of your impious flatterers against me to appeal +from your seat to a future council--fearless of the futile decrees +of your predecessors Pius and Julius, who in their foolish tyranny +prohibited such an action--yet I have never been so alienated in feeling +from your Blessedness as not to have sought with all my might, in +diligent prayer and crying to God, all the best gifts for you and for +your see. But those who have hitherto endeavoured to terrify me with the +majesty of your name and authority, I have begun quite to despise and +triumph over. One thing I see remaining which I cannot despise, and this +has been the reason of my writing anew to your Blessedness: namely, that +I find that blame is cast on me, and that it is imputed to me as a great +offence, that in my rashness I am judged to have spared not even your +person. + +Now, to confess the truth openly, I am conscious that, whenever I have +had to mention your person, I have said nothing of you but what was +honourable and good. If I had done otherwise, I could by no means have +approved my own conduct, but should have supported with all my power the +judgment of those men concerning me, nor would anything have pleased +me better, than to recant such rashness and impiety. I have called +you Daniel in Babylon; and every reader thoroughly knows with what +distinguished zeal I defended your conspicuous innocence against +Silvester, who tried to stain it. Indeed, the published opinion of so +many great men and the repute of your blameless life are too widely +famed and too much reverenced throughout the world to be assailable by +any man, of however great name, or by any arts. I am not so foolish as +to attack one whom everybody praises; nay, it has been and always will +be my desire not to attack even those whom public repute disgraces. I am +not delighted at the faults of any man, since I am very conscious myself +of the great beam in my own eye, nor can I be the first to cast a stone +at the adulteress. + +I have indeed inveighed sharply against impious doctrines, and I have +not been slack to censure my adversaries on account, not of their bad +morals, but of their impiety. And for this I am so far from being sorry +that I have brought my mind to despise the judgments of men and to +persevere in this vehement zeal, according to the example of Christ, +who, in His zeal, calls His adversaries a generation of vipers, blind, +hypocrites, and children of the devil. Paul, too, charges the sorcerer +with being a child of the devil, full of all subtlety and all malice; +and defames certain persons as evil workers, dogs, and deceivers. In the +opinion of those delicate-eared persons, nothing could be more bitter or +intemperate than Paul's language. What can be more bitter than the words +of the prophets? The ears of our generation have been made so delicate +by the senseless multitude of flatterers that, as soon as we perceive +that anything of ours is not approved of, we cry out that we are being +bitterly assailed; and when we can repel the truth by no other pretence, +we escape by attributing bitterness, impatience, intemperance, to our +adversaries. What would be the use of salt if it were not pungent, or of +the edge of the sword if it did not slay? Accursed is the man who does +the work of the Lord deceitfully. + +Wherefore, most excellent Leo, I beseech you to accept my vindication, +made in this letter, and to persuade yourself that I have never thought +any evil concerning your person; further, that I am one who desires that +eternal blessing may fall to your lot, and that I have no dispute with +any man concerning morals, but only concerning the word of truth. In all +other things I will yield to any one, but I neither can nor will forsake +and deny the word. He who thinks otherwise of me, or has taken in my +words in another sense, does not think rightly, and has not taken in the +truth. + +Your see, however, which is called the Court of Rome, and which neither +you nor any man can deny to be more corrupt than any Babylon or Sodom, +and quite, as I believe, of a lost, desperate, and hopeless impiety, +this I have verily abominated, and have felt indignant that the people +of Christ should be cheated under your name and the pretext of the +Church of Rome; and so I have resisted, and will resist, as long as +the spirit of faith shall live in me. Not that I am striving after +impossibilities, or hoping that by my labours alone, against the furious +opposition of so many flatterers, any good can be done in that most +disordered Babylon; but that I feel myself a debtor to my brethren, and +am bound to take thought for them, that fewer of them may be ruined, or +that their ruin may be less complete, by the plagues of Rome. For many +years now, nothing else has overflowed from Rome into the world--as +you are not ignorant--than the laying waste of goods, of bodies, and of +souls, and the worst examples of all the worst things. These things are +clearer than the light to all men; and the Church of Rome, formerly the +most holy of all Churches, has become the most lawless den of thieves, +the most shameless of all brothels, the very kingdom of sin, death, and +hell; so that not even antichrist, if he were to come, could devise any +addition to its wickedness. + +Meanwhile you, Leo, are sitting like a lamb in the midst of wolves, +like Daniel in the midst of lions, and, with Ezekiel, you dwell among +scorpions. What opposition can you alone make to these monstrous evils? +Take to yourself three or four of the most learned and best of the +cardinals. What are these among so many? You would all perish by poison +before you could undertake to decide on a remedy. It is all over with +the Court of Rome; the wrath of God has come upon her to the uttermost. +She hates councils; she dreads to be reformed; she cannot restrain the +madness of her impiety; she fills up the sentence passed on her mother, +of whom it is said, "We would have healed Babylon, but she is not +healed; let us forsake her." It had been your duty and that of your +cardinals to apply a remedy to these evils, but this gout laughs at the +physician's hand, and the chariot does not obey the reins. Under the +influence of these feelings, I have always grieved that you, most +excellent Leo, who were worthy of a better age, have been made pontiff +in this. For the Roman Court is not worthy of you and those like you, +but of Satan himself, who in truth is more the ruler in that Babylon +than you are. + +Oh, would that, having laid aside that glory which your most abandoned +enemies declare to be yours, you were living rather in the office of a +private priest or on your paternal inheritance! In that glory none are +worthy to glory, except the race of Iscariot, the children of perdition. +For what happens in your court, Leo, except that, the more wicked and +execrable any man is, the more prosperously he can use your name +and authority for the ruin of the property and souls of men, for the +multiplication of crimes, for the oppression of faith and truth and +of the whole Church of God? Oh, Leo! in reality most unfortunate, and +sitting on a most perilous throne, I tell you the truth, because I wish +you well; for if Bernard felt compassion for his Anastasius at a time +when the Roman see, though even then most corrupt, was as yet ruling +with better hope than now, why should not we lament, to whom so much +further corruption and ruin has been added in three hundred years? + +Is it not true that there is nothing under the vast heavens more +corrupt, more pestilential, more hateful, than the Court of Rome? She +incomparably surpasses the impiety of the Turks, so that in very truth +she, who was formerly the gate of heaven, is now a sort of open mouth +of hell, and such a mouth as, under the urgent wrath of God, cannot be +blocked up; one course alone being left to us wretched men: to call back +and save some few, if we can, from that Roman gulf. + +Behold, Leo, my father, with what purpose and on what principle it is +that I have stormed against that seat of pestilence. I am so far from +having felt any rage against your person that I even hoped to gain +favour with you and to aid you in your welfare by striking actively and +vigorously at that your prison, nay, your hell. For whatever the efforts +of all minds can contrive against the confusion of that impious Court +will be advantageous to you and to your welfare, and to many others with +you. Those who do harm to her are doing your office; those who in every +way abhor her are glorifying Christ; in short, those are Christians who +are not Romans. + +But, to say yet more, even this never entered my heart: to inveigh +against the Court of Rome or to dispute at all about her. For, seeing +all remedies for her health to be desperate, I looked on her with +contempt, and, giving her a bill of divorcement, said to her, "He that +is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him +be filthy still," giving myself up to the peaceful and quiet study of +sacred literature, that by this I might be of use to the brethren living +about me. + +While I was making some advance in these studies, Satan opened his +eyes and goaded on his servant John Eccius, that notorious adversary of +Christ, by the unchecked lust for fame, to drag me unexpectedly into the +arena, trying to catch me in one little word concerning the primacy of +the Church of Rome, which had fallen from me in passing. That boastful +Thraso, foaming and gnashing his teeth, proclaimed that he would dare +all things for the glory of God and for the honour of the holy apostolic +seat; and, being puffed up respecting your power, which he was about +to misuse, he looked forward with all certainty to victory; seeking to +promote, not so much the primacy of Peter, as his own pre-eminence among +the theologians of this age; for he thought it would contribute in no +slight degree to this, if he were to lead Luther in triumph. The result +having proved unfortunate for the sophist, an incredible rage torments +him; for he feels that whatever discredit to Rome has arisen through me +has been caused by the fault of himself alone. + +Suffer me, I pray you, most excellent Leo, both to plead my own cause, +and to accuse your true enemies. I believe it is known to you in what +way Cardinal Cajetan, your imprudent and unfortunate, nay unfaithful, +legate, acted towards me. When, on account of my reverence for your +name, I had placed myself and all that was mine in his hands, he did not +so act as to establish peace, which he could easily have established by +one little word, since I at that time promised to be silent and to make +an end of my case, if he would command my adversaries to do the same. +But that man of pride, not content with this agreement, began to justify +my adversaries, to give them free licence, and to order me to recant, a +thing which was certainly not in his commission. Thus indeed, when the +case was in the best position, it came through his vexatious tyranny +into a much worse one. Therefore whatever has followed upon this is the +fault not of Luther, but entirely of Cajetan, since he did not suffer me +to be silent and remain quiet, which at that time I was entreating for +with all my might. What more was it my duty to do? + +Next came Charles Miltitz, also a nuncio from your Blessedness. He, +though he went up and down with much and varied exertion, and omitted +nothing which could tend to restore the position of the cause thrown +into confusion by the rashness and pride of Cajetan, had difficulty, +even with the help of that very illustrious prince the Elector +Frederick, in at last bringing about more than one familiar conference +with me. In these I again yielded to your great name, and was prepared +to keep silence, and to accept as my judge either the Archbishop of +Treves, or the Bishop of Naumburg; and thus it was done and concluded. +While this was being done with good hope of success, lo! that other and +greater enemy of yours, Eccius, rushed in with his Leipsic disputation, +which he had undertaken against Carlstadt, and, having taken up a +new question concerning the primacy of the Pope, turned his arms +unexpectedly against me, and completely overthrew the plan for peace. +Meanwhile Charles Miltitz was waiting, disputations were held, judges +were being chosen, but no decision was arrived at. And no wonder! for +by the falsehoods, pretences, and arts of Eccius the whole business was +brought into such thorough disorder, confusion, and festering soreness, +that, whichever way the sentence might lean, a greater conflagration was +sure to arise; for he was seeking, not after truth, but after his own +credit. In this case too I omitted nothing which it was right that I +should do. + +I confess that on this occasion no small part of the corruptions of Rome +came to light; but, if there was any offence in this, it was the fault +of Eccius, who, in taking on him a burden beyond his strength, and in +furiously aiming at credit for himself, unveiled to the whole world the +disgrace of Rome. + +Here is that enemy of yours, Leo, or rather of your Court; by his +example alone we may learn that an enemy is not more baneful than a +flatterer. For what did he bring about by his flattery, except evils +which no king could have brought about? At this day the name of the +Court of Rome stinks in the nostrils of the world, the papal authority +is growing weak, and its notorious ignorance is evil spoken of. We +should hear none of these things, if Eccius had not disturbed the plans +of Miltitz and myself for peace. He feels this clearly enough himself in +the indignation he shows, too late and in vain, against the publication +of my books. He ought to have reflected on this at the time when he was +all mad for renown, and was seeking in your cause nothing but his own +objects, and that with the greatest peril to you. The foolish man hoped +that, from fear of your name, I should yield and keep silence; for I +do not think he presumed on his talents and learning. Now, when he sees +that I am very confident and speak aloud, he repents too late of his +rashness, and sees--if indeed he does see it--that there is One in +heaven who resists the proud, and humbles the presumptuous. + +Since then we were bringing about by this disputation nothing but the +greater confusion of the cause of Rome, Charles Miltitz for the third +time addressed the Fathers of the Order, assembled in chapter, and +sought their advice for the settlement of the case, as being now in a +most troubled and perilous state. Since, by the favour of God, there +was no hope of proceeding against me by force, some of the more noted of +their number were sent to me, and begged me at least to show respect to +your person and to vindicate in a humble letter both your innocence +and my own. They said that the affair was not as yet in a position of +extreme hopelessness, if Leo X., in his inborn kindliness, would put his +hand to it. On this I, who have always offered and wished for peace, in +order that I might devote myself to calmer and more useful pursuits, and +who for this very purpose have acted with so much spirit and vehemence, +in order to put down by the strength and impetuosity of my words, as +well as of my feelings, men whom I saw to be very far from equal to +myself--I, I say, not only gladly yielded, but even accepted it with joy +and gratitude, as the greatest kindness and benefit, if you should think +it right to satisfy my hopes. + +Thus I come, most blessed Father, and in all abasement beseech you +to put to your hand, if it is possible, and impose a curb to those +flatterers who are enemies of peace, while they pretend peace. But there +is no reason, most blessed Father, why any one should assume that I am +to utter a recantation, unless he prefers to involve the case in +still greater confusion. Moreover, I cannot bear with laws for the +interpretation of the word of God, since the word of God, which teaches +liberty in all other things, ought not to be bound. Saving these two +things, there is nothing which I am not able, and most heartily willing, +to do or to suffer. I hate contention; I will challenge no one; in +return I wish not to be challenged; but, being challenged, I will not be +dumb in the cause of Christ my Master. For your Blessedness will be able +by one short and easy word to call these controversies before you and +suppress them, and to impose silence and peace on both sides--a word +which I have ever longed to hear. + +Therefore, Leo, my Father, beware of listening to those sirens who +make you out to be not simply a man, but partly a god, so that you can +command and require whatever you will. It will not happen so, nor will +you prevail. You are the servant of servants, and more than any other +man, in a most pitiable and perilous position. Let not those men deceive +you who pretend that you are lord of the world; who will not allow any +one to be a Christian without your authority; who babble of your having +power over heaven, hell, and purgatory. These men are your enemies and +are seeking your soul to destroy it, as Isaiah says, "My people, they +that call thee blessed are themselves deceiving thee." They are in error +who raise you above councils and the universal Church; they are in error +who attribute to you alone the right of interpreting Scripture. All +these men are seeking to set up their own impieties in the Church under +your name, and alas! Satan has gained much through them in the time of +your predecessors. + +In brief, trust not in any who exalt you, but in those who humiliate +you. For this is the judgment of God: "He hath cast down the mighty from +their seat, and hath exalted the humble." See how unlike Christ was to +His successors, though all will have it that they are His vicars. I fear +that in truth very many of them have been in too serious a sense His +vicars, for a vicar represents a prince who is absent. Now if a pontiff +rules while Christ is absent and does not dwell in his heart, what +else is he but a vicar of Christ? And then what is that Church but a +multitude without Christ? What indeed is such a vicar but antichrist +and an idol? How much more rightly did the Apostles speak, who call +themselves servants of a present Christ, not the vicars of an absent +one! + +Perhaps I am shamelessly bold in seeming to teach so great a head, by +whom all men ought to be taught, and from whom, as those plagues of +yours boast, the thrones of judges receive their sentence; but I imitate +St. Bernard in his book concerning Considerations addressed to Eugenius, +a book which ought to be known by heart by every pontiff. I do this, not +from any desire to teach, but as a duty, from that simple and faithful +solicitude which teaches us to be anxious for all that is safe for +our neighbours, and does not allow considerations of worthiness or +unworthiness to be entertained, being intent only on the dangers or +advantage of others. For since I know that your Blessedness is driven +and tossed by the waves at Rome, so that the depths of the sea press +on you with infinite perils, and that you are labouring under such a +condition of misery that you need even the least help from any the least +brother, I do not seem to myself to be acting unsuitably if I forget +your majesty till I shall have fulfilled the office of charity. I will +not flatter in so serious and perilous a matter; and if in this you do +not see that I am your friend and most thoroughly your subject, there is +One to see and judge. + +In fine, that I may not approach you empty-handed, blessed Father, I +bring with me this little treatise, published under your name, as a good +omen of the establishment of peace and of good hope. By this you may +perceive in what pursuits I should prefer and be able to occupy myself +to more profit, if I were allowed, or had been hitherto allowed, by your +impious flatterers. It is a small matter, if you look to its exterior, +but, unless I mistake, it is a summary of the Christian life put +together in small compass, if you apprehend its meaning. I, in my +poverty, have no other present to make you, nor do you need anything +else than to be enriched by a spiritual gift. I commend myself to your +Paternity and Blessedness, whom may the Lord Jesus preserve for ever. +Amen. + +Wittenberg, 6th September, 1520. + + + + +CONCERNING CHRISTIAN LIBERTY + +Christian faith has appeared to many an easy thing; nay, not a few even +reckon it among the social virtues, as it were; and this they do because +they have not made proof of it experimentally, and have never tasted of +what efficacy it is. For it is not possible for any man to write well +about it, or to understand well what is rightly written, who has not at +some time tasted of its spirit, under the pressure of tribulation; while +he who has tasted of it, even to a very small extent, can never +write, speak, think, or hear about it sufficiently. For it is a living +fountain, springing up into eternal life, as Christ calls it in John iv. + +Now, though I cannot boast of my abundance, and though I know how poorly +I am furnished, yet I hope that, after having been vexed by various +temptations, I have attained some little drop of faith, and that I can +speak of this matter, if not with more elegance, certainly with more +solidity, than those literal and too subtle disputants who have hitherto +discoursed upon it without understanding their own words. That I may +open then an easier way for the ignorant--for these alone I am trying +to serve--I first lay down these two propositions, concerning spiritual +liberty and servitude:-- + +A Christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to none; a +Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to every +one. + +Although these statements appear contradictory, yet, when they are found +to agree together, they will make excellently for my purpose. They are +both the statements of Paul himself, who says, "Though I be free from +all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all" (1 Cor. ix. 19), and +"Owe no man anything, but to love one another" (Rom. xiii. 8). Now love +is by its own nature dutiful and obedient to the beloved object. Thus +even Christ, though Lord of all things, was yet made of a woman; made +under the law; at once free and a servant; at once in the form of God +and in the form of a servant. + +Let us examine the subject on a deeper and less simple principle. Man is +composed of a twofold nature, a spiritual and a bodily. As regards the +spiritual nature, which they name the soul, he is called the spiritual, +inward, new man; as regards the bodily nature, which they name the +flesh, he is called the fleshly, outward, old man. The Apostle speaks of +this: "Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day +by day" (2 Cor. iv. 16). The result of this diversity is that in the +Scriptures opposing statements are made concerning the same man, +the fact being that in the same man these two men are opposed to one +another; the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against +the flesh (Gal. v. 17). + +We first approach the subject of the inward man, that we may see by what +means a man becomes justified, free, and a true Christian; that is, a +spiritual, new, and inward man. It is certain that absolutely none +among outward things, under whatever name they may be reckoned, has any +influence in producing Christian righteousness or liberty, nor, on the +other hand, unrighteousness or slavery. This can be shown by an easy +argument. + +What can it profit the soul that the body should be in good condition, +free, and full of life; that it should eat, drink, and act according to +its pleasure; when even the most impious slaves of every kind of vice +are prosperous in these matters? Again, what harm can ill-health, +bondage, hunger, thirst, or any other outward evil, do to the soul, +when even the most pious of men and the freest in the purity of their +conscience, are harassed by these things? Neither of these states of +things has to do with the liberty or the slavery of the soul. + +And so it will profit nothing that the body should be adorned with +sacred vestments, or dwell in holy places, or be occupied in sacred +offices, or pray, fast, and abstain from certain meats, or do whatever +works can be done through the body and in the body. Something widely +different will be necessary for the justification and liberty of the +soul, since the things I have spoken of can be done by any impious +person, and only hypocrites are produced by devotion to these things. On +the other hand, it will not at all injure the soul that the body should +be clothed in profane raiment, should dwell in profane places, should +eat and drink in the ordinary fashion, should not pray aloud, and +should leave undone all the things above mentioned, which may be done by +hypocrites. + +And, to cast everything aside, even speculation, meditations, and +whatever things can be performed by the exertions of the soul itself, +are of no profit. One thing, and one alone, is necessary for life, +justification, and Christian liberty; and that is the most holy word of +God, the Gospel of Christ, as He says, "I am the resurrection and the +life; he that believeth in Me shall not die eternally" (John xi. 25), +and also, "If the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" +(John viii. 36), and, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every +word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. iv. 4). + +Let us therefore hold it for certain and firmly established that the +soul can do without everything except the word of God, without which +none at all of its wants are provided for. But, having the word, it is +rich and wants for nothing, since that is the word of life, of truth, of +light, of peace, of justification, of salvation, of joy, of liberty, of +wisdom, of virtue, of grace, of glory, and of every good thing. It is +on this account that the prophet in a whole Psalm (Psalm cxix.), and in +many other places, sighs for and calls upon the word of God with so many +groanings and words. + +Again, there is no more cruel stroke of the wrath of God than when He +sends a famine of hearing His words (Amos viii. 11), just as there is +no greater favour from Him than the sending forth of His word, as it is +said, "He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their +destructions" (Psalm cvii. 20). Christ was sent for no other office than +that of the word; and the order of Apostles, that of bishops, and that +of the whole body of the clergy, have been called and instituted for no +object but the ministry of the word. + +But you will ask, What is this word, and by what means is it to be used, +since there are so many words of God? I answer, The Apostle Paul (Rom. +i.) explains what it is, namely the Gospel of God, concerning His Son, +incarnate, suffering, risen, and glorified, through the Spirit, the +Sanctifier. To preach Christ is to feed the soul, to justify it, to set +it free, and to save it, if it believes the preaching. For faith alone +and the efficacious use of the word of God, bring salvation. "If thou +shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine +heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Rom. +x. 9); and again, "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to +every one that believeth" (Rom. x. 4), and "The just shall live by +faith" (Rom. i. 17). For the word of God cannot be received and honoured +by any works, but by faith alone. Hence it is clear that as the soul +needs the word alone for life and justification, so it is justified by +faith alone, and not by any works. For if it could be justified by any +other means, it would have no need of the word, nor consequently of +faith. + +But this faith cannot consist at all with works; that is, if you imagine +that you can be justified by those works, whatever they are, along with +it. For this would be to halt between two opinions, to worship Baal, and +to kiss the hand to him, which is a very great iniquity, as Job says. +Therefore, when you begin to believe, you learn at the same time that +all that is in you is utterly guilty, sinful, and damnable, according to +that saying, "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. +iii. 23), and also: "There is none righteous, no, not one; they are all +gone out of the way; they are together become unprofitable: there is +none that doeth good, no, not one" (Rom. iii. 10-12). When you have +learnt this, you will know that Christ is necessary for you, since He +has suffered and risen again for you, that, believing on Him, you might +by this faith become another man, all your sins being remitted, and you +being justified by the merits of another, namely of Christ alone. + +Since then this faith can reign only in the inward man, as it is said, +"With the heart man believeth unto righteousness" (Rom. x. 10); and +since it alone justifies, it is evident that by no outward work or +labour can the inward man be at all justified, made free, and saved; and +that no works whatever have any relation to him. And so, on the other +hand, it is solely by impiety and incredulity of heart that he becomes +guilty and a slave of sin, deserving condemnation, not by any outward +sin or work. Therefore the first care of every Christian ought to be to +lay aside all reliance on works, and strengthen his faith alone more +and more, and by it grow in the knowledge, not of works, but of Christ +Jesus, who has suffered and risen again for him, as Peter teaches +(1 Peter v.) when he makes no other work to be a Christian one. Thus +Christ, when the Jews asked Him what they should do that they might work +the works of God, rejected the multitude of works, with which He saw +that they were puffed up, and commanded them one thing only, saying, +"This is the work of God: that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent, for +Him hath God the Father sealed" (John vi. 27, 29). + +Hence a right faith in Christ is an incomparable treasure, carrying with +it universal salvation and preserving from all evil, as it is said, "He +that believeth and is baptised shall be saved; but he that believeth +not shall be damned" (Mark xvi. 16). Isaiah, looking to this treasure, +predicted, "The consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness. +For the Lord God of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined +(verbum abbreviatum et consummans), in the midst of the land" (Isa. +x. 22, 23). As if he said, "Faith, which is the brief and complete +fulfilling of the law, will fill those who believe with such +righteousness that they will need nothing else for justification." Thus, +too, Paul says, "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness" +(Rom. x. 10). + +But you ask how it can be the fact that faith alone justifies, and +affords without works so great a treasure of good things, when so many +works, ceremonies, and laws are prescribed to us in the Scriptures? +I answer, Before all things bear in mind what I have said: that faith +alone without works justifies, sets free, and saves, as I shall show +more clearly below. + +Meanwhile it is to be noted that the whole Scripture of God is divided +into two parts: precepts and promises. The precepts certainly teach us +what is good, but what they teach is not forthwith done. For they show +us what we ought to do, but do not give us the power to do it. They +were ordained, however, for the purpose of showing man to himself, that +through them he may learn his own impotence for good and may despair of +his own strength. For this reason they are called the Old Testament, and +are so. + +For example, "Thou shalt not covet," is a precept by which we are all +convicted of sin, since no man can help coveting, whatever efforts to +the contrary he may make. In order therefore that he may fulfil the +precept, and not covet, he is constrained to despair of himself and +to seek elsewhere and through another the help which he cannot find in +himself; as it is said, "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in +Me is thine help" (Hosea xiii. 9). Now what is done by this one precept +is done by all; for all are equally impossible of fulfilment by us. + +Now when a man has through the precepts been taught his own impotence, +and become anxious by what means he may satisfy the law--for the +law must be satisfied, so that no jot or tittle of it may pass away, +otherwise he must be hopelessly condemned--then, being truly humbled and +brought to nothing in his own eyes, he finds in himself no resource for +justification and salvation. + +Then comes in that other part of Scripture, the promises of God, which +declare the glory of God, and say, "If you wish to fulfil the law, and, +as the law requires, not to covet, lo! believe in Christ, in whom are +promised to you grace, justification, peace, and liberty." All these +things you shall have, if you believe, and shall be without them if you +do not believe. For what is impossible for you by all the works of the +law, which are many and yet useless, you shall fulfil in an easy and +summary way through faith, because God the Father has made everything to +depend on faith, so that whosoever has it has all things, and he who has +it not has nothing. "For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that +He might have mercy upon all" (Rom. xi. 32). Thus the promises of God +give that which the precepts exact, and fulfil what the law commands; +so that all is of God alone, both the precepts and their fulfilment. He +alone commands; He alone also fulfils. Hence the promises of God belong +to the New Testament; nay, are the New Testament. + +Now, since these promises of God are words of holiness, truth, +righteousness, liberty, and peace, and are full of universal goodness, +the soul, which cleaves to them with a firm faith, is so united to them, +nay, thoroughly absorbed by them, that it not only partakes in, but +is penetrated and saturated by, all their virtues. For if the touch of +Christ was healing, how much more does that most tender spiritual touch, +nay, absorption of the word, communicate to the soul all that belongs to +the word! In this way therefore the soul, through faith alone, without +works, is from the word of God justified, sanctified, endued with truth, +peace, and liberty, and filled full with every good thing, and is truly +made the child of God, as it is said, "To them gave He power to become +the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John i. 12). + +From all this it is easy to understand why faith has such great power, +and why no good works, nor even all good works put together, can compare +with it, since no work can cleave to the word of God or be in the soul. +Faith alone and the word reign in it; and such as is the word, such is +the soul made by it, just as iron exposed to fire glows like fire, on +account of its union with the fire. It is clear then that to a Christian +man his faith suffices for everything, and that he has no need of works +for justification. But if he has no need of works, neither has he need +of the law; and if he has no need of the law, he is certainly free from +the law, and the saying is true, "The law is not made for a righteous +man" (1 Tim. i. 9). This is that Christian liberty, our faith, the +effect of which is, not that we should be careless or lead a bad life, +but that no one should need the law or works for justification and +salvation. + +Let us consider this as the first virtue of faith; and let us look also +to the second. This also is an office of faith: that it honours with the +utmost veneration and the highest reputation Him in whom it believes, +inasmuch as it holds Him to be truthful and worthy of belief. For there +is no honour like that reputation of truth and righteousness with which +we honour Him in whom we believe. What higher credit can we attribute +to any one than truth and righteousness, and absolute goodness? On +the other hand, it is the greatest insult to brand any one with the +reputation of falsehood and unrighteousness, or to suspect him of these, +as we do when we disbelieve him. + +Thus the soul, in firmly believing the promises of God, holds Him to be +true and righteous; and it can attribute to God no higher glory than +the credit of being so. The highest worship of God is to ascribe to Him +truth, righteousness, and whatever qualities we must ascribe to one in +whom we believe. In doing this the soul shows itself prepared to do His +whole will; in doing this it hallows His name, and gives itself up to +be dealt with as it may please God. For it cleaves to His promises, and +never doubts that He is true, just, and wise, and will do, dispose, and +provide for all things in the best way. Is not such a soul, in this its +faith, most obedient to God in all things? What commandment does there +remain which has not been amply fulfilled by such an obedience? What +fulfilment can be more full than universal obedience? Now this is not +accomplished by works, but by faith alone. + +On the other hand, what greater rebellion, impiety, or insult to God +can there be, than not to believe His promises? What else is this, than +either to make God a liar, or to doubt His truth--that is, to attribute +truth to ourselves, but to God falsehood and levity? In doing this, +is not a man denying God and setting himself up as an idol in his own +heart? What then can works, done in such a state of impiety, profit us, +were they even angelic or apostolic works? Rightly hath God shut up +all, not in wrath nor in lust, but in unbelief, in order that those +who pretend that they are fulfilling the law by works of purity and +benevolence (which are social and human virtues) may not presume +that they will therefore be saved, but, being included in the sin of +unbelief, may either seek mercy, or be justly condemned. + +But when God sees that truth is ascribed to Him, and that in the faith +of our hearts He is honoured with all the honour of which He is worthy, +then in return He honours us on account of that faith, attributing to +us truth and righteousness. For faith does truth and righteousness in +rendering to God what is His; and therefore in return God gives glory +to our righteousness. It is true and righteous that God is true and +righteous; and to confess this and ascribe these attributes to Him, this +it is to be true and righteous. Thus He says, "Them that honour Me I +will honour, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed" (1 Sam. +ii. 30). And so Paul says that Abraham's faith was imputed to him for +righteousness, because by it he gave glory to God; and that to us +also, for the same reason, it shall be imputed for righteousness, if we +believe (Rom. iv.). + +The third incomparable grace of faith is this: that it unites the soul +to Christ, as the wife to the husband, by which mystery, as the Apostle +teaches, Christ and the soul are made one flesh. Now if they are one +flesh, and if a true marriage--nay, by far the most perfect of all +marriages--is accomplished between them (for human marriages are but +feeble types of this one great marriage), then it follows that all they +have becomes theirs in common, as well good things as evil things; so +that whatsoever Christ possesses, that the believing soul may take to +itself and boast of as its own, and whatever belongs to the soul, that +Christ claims as His. + +If we compare these possessions, we shall see how inestimable is the +gain. Christ is full of grace, life, and salvation; the soul is full of +sin, death, and condemnation. Let faith step in, and then sin, death, +and hell will belong to Christ, and grace, life, and salvation to the +soul. For, if He is a Husband, He must needs take to Himself that which +is His wife's, and at the same time, impart to His wife that which is +His. For, in giving her His own body and Himself, how can He but give +her all that is His? And, in taking to Himself the body of His wife, how +can He but take to Himself all that is hers? + +In this is displayed the delightful sight, not only of communion, but of +a prosperous warfare, of victory, salvation, and redemption. For, since +Christ is God and man, and is such a Person as neither has sinned, nor +dies, nor is condemned, nay, cannot sin, die, or be condemned, and since +His righteousness, life, and salvation are invincible, eternal, and +almighty,--when I say, such a Person, by the wedding-ring of faith, +takes a share in the sins, death, and hell of His wife, nay, makes them +His own, and deals with them no otherwise than as if they were His, and +as if He Himself had sinned; and when He suffers, dies, and descends to +hell, that He may overcome all things, and since sin, death, and +hell cannot swallow Him up, they must needs be swallowed up by Him in +stupendous conflict. For His righteousness rises above the sins of all +men; His life is more powerful than all death; His salvation is more +unconquerable than all hell. + +Thus the believing soul, by the pledge of its faith in Christ, becomes +free from all sin, fearless of death, safe from hell, and endowed with +the eternal righteousness, life, and salvation of its Husband Christ. +Thus He presents to Himself a glorious bride, without spot or wrinkle, +cleansing her with the washing of water by the word; that is, by faith +in the word of life, righteousness, and salvation. Thus He betrothes her +unto Himself "in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in judgment, and in +loving-kindness, and in mercies" (Hosea ii. 19, 20). + +Who then can value highly enough these royal nuptials? Who can +comprehend the riches of the glory of this grace? Christ, that rich and +pious Husband, takes as a wife a needy and impious harlot, redeeming +her from all her evils and supplying her with all His good things. It +is impossible now that her sins should destroy her, since they have +been laid upon Christ and swallowed up in Him, and since she has in her +Husband Christ a righteousness which she may claim as her own, and which +she can set up with confidence against all her sins, against death and +hell, saying, "If I have sinned, my Christ, in whom I believe, has not +sinned; all mine is His, and all His is mine," as it is written, "My +beloved is mine, and I am His" (Cant. ii. 16). This is what Paul says: +"Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus +Christ," victory over sin and death, as he says, "The sting of death is +sin, and the strength of sin is the law" (1 Cor. xv. 56, 57). + +From all this you will again understand why so much importance is +attributed to faith, so that it alone can fulfil the law and justify +without any works. For you see that the First Commandment, which says, +"Thou shalt worship one God only," is fulfilled by faith alone. If you +were nothing but good works from the soles of your feet to the crown of +your head, you would not be worshipping God, nor fulfilling the First +Commandment, since it is impossible to worship God without ascribing to +Him the glory of truth and of universal goodness, as it ought in truth +to be ascribed. Now this is not done by works, but only by faith of +heart. It is not by working, but by believing, that we glorify God, and +confess Him to be true. On this ground faith alone is the righteousness +of a Christian man, and the fulfilling of all the commandments. For to +him who fulfils the first the task of fulfilling all the rest is easy. + +Works, since they are irrational things, cannot glorify God, although +they may be done to the glory of God, if faith be present. But at +present we are inquiring, not into the quality of the works done, but +into him who does them, who glorifies God, and brings forth good +works. This is faith of heart, the head and the substance of all our +righteousness. Hence that is a blind and perilous doctrine which teaches +that the commandments are fulfilled by works. The commandments must have +been fulfilled previous to any good works, and good works follow their +fulfillment, as we shall see. + +But, that we may have a wider view of that grace which our inner man +has in Christ, we must know that in the Old Testament God sanctified to +Himself every first-born male. The birthright was of great value, giving +a superiority over the rest by the double honour of priesthood and +kingship. For the first-born brother was priest and lord of all the +rest. + +Under this figure was foreshown Christ, the true and only First-born of +God the Father and of the Virgin Mary, and a true King and Priest, not +in a fleshly and earthly sense. For His kingdom is not of this world; it +is in heavenly and spiritual things that He reigns and acts as Priest; +and these are righteousness, truth, wisdom, peace, salvation, etc. +Not but that all things, even those of earth and hell, are subject to +Him--for otherwise how could He defend and save us from them?--but it is +not in these, nor by these, that His kingdom stands. + +So, too, His priesthood does not consist in the outward display of +vestments and gestures, as did the human priesthood of Aaron and our +ecclesiastical priesthood at this day, but in spiritual things, wherein, +in His invisible office, He intercedes for us with God in heaven, and +there offers Himself, and performs all the duties of a priest, as Paul +describes Him to the Hebrews under the figure of Melchizedek. Nor does +He only pray and intercede for us; He also teaches us inwardly in the +spirit with the living teachings of His Spirit. Now these are the two +special offices of a priest, as is figured to us in the case of fleshly +priests by visible prayers and sermons. + +As Christ by His birthright has obtained these two dignities, so He +imparts and communicates them to every believer in Him, under that law +of matrimony of which we have spoken above, by which all that is the +husband's is also the wife's. Hence all we who believe on Christ are +kings and priests in Christ, as it is said, "Ye are a chosen generation, +a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should +show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into +His marvellous light" (1 Peter ii. 9). + +These two things stand thus. First, as regards kingship, every Christian +is by faith so exalted above all things that, in spiritual power, he is +completely lord of all things, so that nothing whatever can do him +any hurt; yea, all things are subject to him, and are compelled to be +subservient to his salvation. Thus Paul says, "All things work together +for good to them who are the called" (Rom. viii. 28), and also, "Whether +life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours; and +ye are Christ's" (1 Cor. iii. 22, 23). + +Not that in the sense of corporeal power any one among Christians has +been appointed to possess and rule all things, according to the mad and +senseless idea of certain ecclesiastics. That is the office of kings, +princes, and men upon earth. In the experience of life we see that we +are subjected to all things, and suffer many things, even death. +Yea, the more of a Christian any man is, to so many the more evils, +sufferings, and deaths is he subject, as we see in the first place in +Christ the First-born, and in all His holy brethren. + +This is a spiritual power, which rules in the midst of enemies, and is +powerful in the midst of distresses. And this is nothing else than that +strength is made perfect in my weakness, and that I can turn all things +to the profit of my salvation; so that even the cross and death are +compelled to serve me and to work together for my salvation. This is +a lofty and eminent dignity, a true and almighty dominion, a spiritual +empire, in which there is nothing so good, nothing so bad, as not to +work together for my good, if only I believe. And yet there is nothing +of which I have need--for faith alone suffices for my salvation--unless +that in it faith may exercise the power and empire of its liberty. This +is the inestimable power and liberty of Christians. + +Nor are we only kings and the freest of all men, but also priests for +ever, a dignity far higher than kingship, because by that priesthood we +are worthy to appear before God, to pray for others, and to teach one +another mutually the things which are of God. For these are the duties +of priests, and they cannot possibly be permitted to any unbeliever. +Christ has obtained for us this favour, if we believe in Him: that just +as we are His brethren and co-heirs and fellow-kings with Him, so we +should be also fellow-priests with Him, and venture with confidence, +through the spirit of faith, to come into the presence of God, and cry, +"Abba, Father!" and to pray for one another, and to do all things +which we see done and figured in the visible and corporeal office of +priesthood. But to an unbelieving person nothing renders service or work +for good. He himself is in servitude to all things, and all things turn +out for evil to him, because he uses all things in an impious way for +his own advantage, and not for the glory of God. And thus he is not a +priest, but a profane person, whose prayers are turned into sin, nor +does he ever appear in the presence of God, because God does not hear +sinners. + +Who then can comprehend the loftiness of that Christian dignity which, +by its royal power, rules over all things, even over death, life, and +sin, and, by its priestly glory, is all-powerful with God, since God +does what He Himself seeks and wishes, as it is written, "He will fulfil +the desire of them that fear Him; He also will hear their cry, and will +save them"? (Psalm cxlv. 19). This glory certainly cannot be attained by +any works, but by faith only. + +From these considerations any one may clearly see how a Christian +man is free from all things; so that he needs no works in order to be +justified and saved, but receives these gifts in abundance from faith +alone. Nay, were he so foolish as to pretend to be justified, set +free, saved, and made a Christian, by means of any good work, he would +immediately lose faith, with all its benefits. Such folly is prettily +represented in the fable where a dog, running along in the water +and carrying in his mouth a real piece of meat, is deceived by the +reflection of the meat in the water, and, in trying with open mouth to +seize it, loses the meat and its image at the same time. + +Here you will ask, "If all who are in the Church are priests, by what +character are those whom we now call priests to be distinguished from +the laity?" I reply, By the use of these words, "priest," "clergy," +"spiritual person," "ecclesiastic," an injustice has been done, since +they have been transferred from the remaining body of Christians to +those few who are now, by hurtful custom, called ecclesiastics. For Holy +Scripture makes no distinction between them, except that those who are +now boastfully called popes, bishops, and lords, it calls ministers, +servants, and stewards, who are to serve the rest in the ministry of the +word, for teaching the faith of Christ and the liberty of believers. For +though it is true that we are all equally priests, yet we cannot, nor, +if we could, ought we all to, minister and teach publicly. Thus Paul +says, "Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ and +stewards of the mysteries of God" (1 Cor. iv. 1). + +This bad system has now issued in such a pompous display of power and +such a terrible tyranny that no earthly government can be compared to +it, as if the laity were something else than Christians. Through this +perversion of things it has happened that the knowledge of Christian +grace, of faith, of liberty, and altogether of Christ, has utterly +perished, and has been succeeded by an intolerable bondage to human +works and laws; and, according to the Lamentations of Jeremiah, we have +become the slaves of the vilest men on earth, who abuse our misery to +all the disgraceful and ignominious purposes of their own will. + +Returning to the subject which we had begun, I think it is made clear by +these considerations that it is not sufficient, nor a Christian course, +to preach the works, life, and words of Christ in a historic manner, as +facts which it suffices to know as an example how to frame our life, as +do those who are now held the best preachers, and much less so to keep +silence altogether on these things and to teach in their stead the laws +of men and the decrees of the Fathers. There are now not a few persons +who preach and read about Christ with the object of moving the human +affections to sympathise with Christ, to indignation against the Jews, +and other childish and womanish absurdities of that kind. + +Now preaching ought to have the object of promoting faith in Him, so +that He may not only be Christ, but a Christ for you and for me, and +that what is said of Him, and what He is called, may work in us. And +this faith is produced and is maintained by preaching why Christ came, +what He has brought us and given to us, and to what profit and advantage +He is to be received. This is done when the Christian liberty which we +have from Christ Himself is rightly taught, and we are shown in what +manner all we Christians are kings and priests, and how we are lords of +all things, and may be confident that whatever we do in the presence of +God is pleasing and acceptable to Him. + +Whose heart would not rejoice in its inmost core at hearing these +things? Whose heart, on receiving so great a consolation, would not +become sweet with the love of Christ, a love to which it can never +attain by any laws or works? Who can injure such a heart, or make it +afraid? If the consciousness of sin or the horror of death rush in upon +it, it is prepared to hope in the Lord, and is fearless of such evils, +and undisturbed, until it shall look down upon its enemies. For it +believes that the righteousness of Christ is its own, and that its sin +is no longer its own, but that of Christ; but, on account of its faith +in Christ, all its sin must needs be swallowed up from before the face +of the righteousness of Christ, as I have said above. It learns, too, +with the Apostle, to scoff at death and sin, and to say, "O death, where +is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, +and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth +us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. xv. 55-57). For +death is swallowed up in victory, not only the victory of Christ, but +ours also, since by faith it becomes ours, and in it we too conquer. + +Let it suffice to say this concerning the inner man and its liberty, and +concerning that righteousness of faith which needs neither laws nor +good works; nay, they are even hurtful to it, if any one pretends to be +justified by them. + +And now let us turn to the other part: to the outward man. Here we shall +give an answer to all those who, taking offence at the word of faith and +at what I have asserted, say, "If faith does everything, and by itself +suffices for justification, why then are good works commanded? Are we +then to take our ease and do no works, content with faith?" Not so, +impious men, I reply; not so. That would indeed really be the case, if +we were thoroughly and completely inner and spiritual persons; but that +will not happen until the last day, when the dead shall be raised. As +long as we live in the flesh, we are but beginning and making advances +in that which shall be completed in a future life. On this account the +Apostle calls that which we have in this life the firstfruits of the +Spirit (Rom. viii. 23). In future we shall have the tenths, and the +fullness of the Spirit. To this part belongs the fact I have stated +before: that the Christian is the servant of all and subject to all. For +in that part in which he is free he does no works, but in that in which +he is a servant he does all works. Let us see on what principle this is +so. + +Although, as I have said, inwardly, and according to the spirit, a man +is amply enough justified by faith, having all that he requires to have, +except that this very faith and abundance ought to increase from day +to day, even till the future life, still he remains in this mortal life +upon earth, in which it is necessary that he should rule his own body +and have intercourse with men. Here then works begin; here he must not +take his ease; here he must give heed to exercise his body by fastings, +watchings, labour, and other regular discipline, so that it may be +subdued to the spirit, and obey and conform itself to the inner man and +faith, and not rebel against them nor hinder them, as is its nature to +do if it is not kept under. For the inner man, being conformed to God +and created after the image of God through faith, rejoices and delights +itself in Christ, in whom such blessings have been conferred on it, and +hence has only this task before it: to serve God with joy and for nought +in free love. + +But in doing this he comes into collision with that contrary will in +his own flesh, which is striving to serve the world and to seek its own +gratification. This the spirit of faith cannot and will not bear, but +applies itself with cheerfulness and zeal to keep it down and restrain +it, as Paul says, "I delight in the law of God after the inward man; but +I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and +bringing me into captivity to the law of sin" (Rom. vii. 22, 23), and +again, "I keep under my body, and bring it unto subjection, lest that +by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a +castaway" (1 Cor. ix. 27), and "They that are Christ's have crucified +the flesh, with the affections and lusts" (Gal. v. 24). + +These works, however, must not be done with any notion that by them a +man can be justified before God--for faith, which alone is righteousness +before God, will not bear with this false notion--but solely with this +purpose: that the body may be brought into subjection, and be purified +from its evil lusts, so that our eyes may be turned only to purging away +those lusts. For when the soul has been cleansed by faith and made to +love God, it would have all things to be cleansed in like manner, and +especially its own body, so that all things might unite with it in the +love and praise of God. Thus it comes that, from the requirements of his +own body, a man cannot take his ease, but is compelled on its account +to do many good works, that he may bring it into subjection. Yet these +works are not the means of his justification before God; he does them +out of disinterested love to the service of God; looking to no other +end than to do what is well-pleasing to Him whom he desires to obey most +dutifully in all things. + +On this principle every man may easily instruct himself in what measure, +and with what distinctions, he ought to chasten his own body. He will +fast, watch, and labour, just as much as he sees to suffice for keeping +down the wantonness and concupiscence of the body. But those who pretend +to be justified by works are looking, not to the mortification of their +lusts, but only to the works themselves; thinking that, if they can +accomplish as many works and as great ones as possible, all is well with +them, and they are justified. Sometimes they even injure their brain, +and extinguish nature, or at least make it useless. This is enormous +folly, and ignorance of Christian life and faith, when a man seeks, +without faith, to be justified and saved by works. + +To make what we have said more easily understood, let us set it forth +under a figure. The works of a Christian man, who is justified and saved +by his faith out of the pure and unbought mercy of God, ought to be +regarded in the same light as would have been those of Adam and Eve in +paradise and of all their posterity if they had not sinned. Of them it +is said, "The Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden +to dress it and to keep it" (Gen. ii. 15). Now Adam had been created by +God just and righteous, so that he could not have needed to be justified +and made righteous by keeping the garden and working in it; but, that +he might not be unemployed, God gave him the business of keeping and +cultivating paradise. These would have indeed been works of perfect +freedom, being done for no object but that of pleasing God, and not in +order to obtain justification, which he already had to the full, and +which would have been innate in us all. + +So it is with the works of a believer. Being by his faith replaced +afresh in paradise and created anew, he does not need works for his +justification, but that he may not be idle, but may exercise his own +body and preserve it. His works are to be done freely, with the sole +object of pleasing God. Only we are not yet fully created anew in +perfect faith and love; these require to be increased, not, however, +through works, but through themselves. + +A bishop, when he consecrates a church, confirms children, or performs +any other duty of his office, is not consecrated as bishop by these +works; nay, unless he had been previously consecrated as bishop, not one +of those works would have any validity; they would be foolish, childish, +and ridiculous. Thus a Christian, being consecrated by his faith, does +good works; but he is not by these works made a more sacred person, or +more a Christian. That is the effect of faith alone; nay, unless he were +previously a believer and a Christian, none of his works would have any +value at all; they would really be impious and damnable sins. + +True, then, are these two sayings: "Good works do not make a good man, +but a good man does good works"; "Bad works do not make a bad man, but a +bad man does bad works." Thus it is always necessary that the substance +or person should be good before any good works can be done, and that +good works should follow and proceed from a good person. As Christ says, +"A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree +bring forth good fruit" (Matt. vii. 18). Now it is clear that the fruit +does not bear the tree, nor does the tree grow on the fruit; but, on the +contrary, the trees bear the fruit, and the fruit grows on the trees. + +As then trees must exist before their fruit, and as the fruit does not +make the tree either good or bad, but on the contrary, a tree of either +kind produces fruit of the same kind, so must first the person of the +man be good or bad before he can do either a good or a bad work; and his +works do not make him bad or good, but he himself makes his works either +bad or good. + +We may see the same thing in all handicrafts. A bad or good house does +not make a bad or good builder, but a good or bad builder makes a good +or bad house. And in general no work makes the workman such as it is +itself; but the workman makes the work such as he is himself. Such +is the case, too, with the works of men. Such as the man himself is, +whether in faith or in unbelief, such is his work: good if it be done +in faith; bad if in unbelief. But the converse is not true that, such as +the work is, such the man becomes in faith or in unbelief. For as works +do not make a believing man, so neither do they make a justified man; +but faith, as it makes a man a believer and justified, so also it makes +his works good. + +Since then works justify no man, but a man must be justified before he +can do any good work, it is most evident that it is faith alone which, +by the mere mercy of God through Christ, and by means of His word, +can worthily and sufficiently justify and save the person; and that a +Christian man needs no work, no law, for his salvation; for by faith he +is free from all law, and in perfect freedom does gratuitously all that +he does, seeking nothing either of profit or of salvation--since by +the grace of God he is already saved and rich in all things through his +faith--but solely that which is well-pleasing to God. + +So, too, no good work can profit an unbeliever to justification and +salvation; and, on the other hand, no evil work makes him an evil and +condemned person, but that unbelief, which makes the person and the tree +bad, makes his works evil and condemned. Wherefore, when any man is made +good or bad, this does not arise from his works, but from his faith or +unbelief, as the wise man says, "The beginning of sin is to fall away +from God"; that is, not to believe. Paul says, "He that cometh to God +must believe" (Heb. xi. 6); and Christ says the same thing: "Either make +the tree good and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and +his fruit corrupt" (Matt. xii. 33),--as much as to say, He who wishes to +have good fruit will begin with the tree, and plant a good one; even +so he who wishes to do good works must begin, not by working, but by +believing, since it is this which makes the person good. For nothing +makes the person good but faith, nor bad but unbelief. + +It is certainly true that, in the sight of men, a man becomes good or +evil by his works; but here "becoming" means that it is thus shown and +recognised who is good or evil, as Christ says, "By their fruits ye +shall know them" (Matt. vii. 20). But all this stops at appearances and +externals; and in this matter very many deceive themselves, when they +presume to write and teach that we are to be justified by good works, +and meanwhile make no mention even of faith, walking in their own ways, +ever deceived and deceiving, going from bad to worse, blind leaders of +the blind, wearying themselves with many works, and yet never attaining +to true righteousness, of whom Paul says, "Having a form of godliness, +but denying the power thereof, ever learning and never able to come to +the knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. iii. 5, 7). + +He then who does not wish to go astray, with these blind ones, must look +further than to the works of the law or the doctrine of works; nay, +must turn away his sight from works, and look to the person, and to the +manner in which it may be justified. Now it is justified and saved, not +by works or laws, but by the word of God--that is, by the promise of His +grace--so that the glory may be to the Divine majesty, which has saved +us who believe, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but +according to His mercy, by the word of His grace. + +From all this it is easy to perceive on what principle good works are +to be cast aside or embraced, and by what rule all teachings put forth +concerning works are to be understood. For if works are brought forward +as grounds of justification, and are done under the false persuasion +that we can pretend to be justified by them, they lay on us the yoke +of necessity, and extinguish liberty along with faith, and by this very +addition to their use they become no longer good, but really worthy of +condemnation. For such works are not free, but blaspheme the grace of +God, to which alone it belongs to justify and save through faith. Works +cannot accomplish this, and yet, with impious presumption, through +our folly, they take it on themselves to do so; and thus break in with +violence upon the office and glory of grace. + +We do not then reject good works; nay, we embrace them and teach them in +the highest degree. It is not on their own account that we condemn them, +but on account of this impious addition to them and the perverse notion +of seeking justification by them. These things cause them to be only +good in outward show, but in reality not good, since by them men are +deceived and deceive others, like ravening wolves in sheep's clothing. + +Now this leviathan, this perverted notion about works, is invincible +when sincere faith is wanting. For those sanctified doers of works +cannot but hold it till faith, which destroys it, comes and reigns in +the heart. Nature cannot expel it by her own power; nay, cannot even see +it for what it is, but considers it as a most holy will. And when +custom steps in besides, and strengthens this pravity of nature, as has +happened by means of impious teachers, then the evil is incurable, and +leads astray multitudes to irreparable ruin. Therefore, though it is +good to preach and write about penitence, confession, and satisfaction, +yet if we stop there, and do not go on to teach faith, such teaching +is without doubt deceitful and devilish. For Christ, speaking by His +servant John, not only said, "Repent ye," but added, "for the kingdom of +heaven is at hand" (Matt. iii. 2). + +For not one word of God only, but both, should be preached; new and old +things should be brought out of the treasury, as well the voice of +the law as the word of grace. The voice of the law should be brought +forward, that men may be terrified and brought to a knowledge of their +sins, and thence be converted to penitence and to a better manner of +life. But we must not stop here; that would be to wound only and not to +bind up, to strike and not to heal, to kill and not to make alive, to +bring down to hell and not to bring back, to humble and not to exalt. +Therefore the word of grace and of the promised remission of sin must +also be preached, in order to teach and set up faith, since without +that word contrition, penitence, and all other duties, are performed and +taught in vain. + +There still remain, it is true, preachers of repentance and grace, but +they do not explain the law and the promises of God to such an end, and +in such a spirit, that men may learn whence repentance and grace are to +come. For repentance comes from the law of God, but faith or grace +from the promises of God, as it is said, "Faith cometh by hearing, and +hearing by the word of God" (Rom. x. 17), whence it comes that a man, +when humbled and brought to the knowledge of himself by the threatenings +and terrors of the law, is consoled and raised up by faith in the Divine +promise. Thus "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the +morning" (Psalm xxx. 5). Thus much we say concerning works in general, +and also concerning those which the Christian practises with regard to +his own body. + +Lastly, we will speak also of those works which he performs towards his +neighbour. For man does not live for himself alone in this mortal body, +in order to work on its account, but also for all men on earth; nay, he +lives only for others, and not for himself. For it is to this end that +he brings his own body into subjection, that he may be able to serve +others more sincerely and more freely, as Paul says, "None of us liveth +to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live +unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord" (Rom. xiv. 7, +8). Thus it is impossible that he should take his ease in this life, and +not work for the good of his neighbours, since he must needs speak, act, +and converse among men, just as Christ was made in the likeness of men +and found in fashion as a man, and had His conversation among men. + +Yet a Christian has need of none of these things for justification and +salvation, but in all his works he ought to entertain this view and look +only to this object--that he may serve and be useful to others in all +that he does; having nothing before his eyes but the necessities and the +advantage of his neighbour. Thus the Apostle commands us to work with +our own hands, that we may have to give to those that need. He might +have said, that we may support ourselves; but he tells us to give to +those that need. It is the part of a Christian to take care of his own +body for the very purpose that, by its soundness and well-being, he may +be enabled to labour, and to acquire and preserve property, for the aid +of those who are in want, that thus the stronger member may serve the +weaker member, and we may be children of God, thoughtful and busy one +for another, bearing one another's burdens, and so fulfilling the law of +Christ. + +Here is the truly Christian life, here is faith really working by love, +when a man applies himself with joy and love to the works of that freest +servitude in which he serves others voluntarily and for nought, himself +abundantly satisfied in the fulness and riches of his own faith. + +Thus, when Paul had taught the Philippians how they had been made +rich by that faith in Christ in which they had obtained all things, +he teaches them further in these words: "If there be therefore any +consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of +the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be +like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let +nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind +let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his +own things, but every man also on the things of others" (Phil. ii. 1-4). + +In this we see clearly that the Apostle lays down this rule for a +Christian life: that all our works should be directed to the advantage +of others, since every Christian has such abundance through his faith +that all his other works and his whole life remain over and above +wherewith to serve and benefit his neighbour of spontaneous goodwill. + +To this end he brings forward Christ as an example, saying, "Let this +mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form +of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of +no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made +in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled +Himself, and became obedient unto death" (Phil. ii. 5-8). This most +wholesome saying of the Apostle has been darkened to us by men who, +totally misunderstanding the expressions "form of God," "form of a +servant," "fashion," "likeness of men," have transferred them to the +natures of Godhead and manhood. Paul's meaning is this: Christ, when He +was full of the form of God and abounded in all good things, so that He +had no need of works or sufferings to be just and saved--for all these +things He had from the very beginning--yet was not puffed up with these +things, and did not raise Himself above us and arrogate to Himself power +over us, though He might lawfully have done so, but, on the contrary, +so acted in labouring, working, suffering, and dying, as to be like the +rest of men, and no otherwise than a man in fashion and in conduct, as +if He were in want of all things and had nothing of the form of God; and +yet all this He did for our sakes, that He might serve us, and that all +the works He should do under that form of a servant might become ours. + +Thus a Christian, like Christ his Head, being full and in abundance +through his faith, ought to be content with this form of God, obtained +by faith; except that, as I have said, he ought to increase this faith +till it be perfected. For this faith is his life, justification, and +salvation, preserving his person itself and making it pleasing to God, +and bestowing on him all that Christ has, as I have said above, and +as Paul affirms: "The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the +faith of the Son of God" (Gal. ii. 20). Though he is thus free from all +works, yet he ought to empty himself of this liberty, take on him the +form of a servant, be made in the likeness of men, be found in fashion +as a man, serve, help, and in every way act towards his neighbour as he +sees that God through Christ has acted and is acting towards him. +All this he should do freely, and with regard to nothing but the good +pleasure of God, and he should reason thus:-- + +Lo! my God, without merit on my part, of His pure and free mercy, has +given to me, an unworthy, condemned, and contemptible creature all the +riches of justification and salvation in Christ, so that I no longer +am in want of anything, except of faith to believe that this is so. +For such a Father, then, who has overwhelmed me with these inestimable +riches of His, why should I not freely, cheerfully, and with my whole +heart, and from voluntary zeal, do all that I know will be pleasing to +Him and acceptable in His sight? I will therefore give myself as a sort +of Christ, to my neighbour, as Christ has given Himself to me; and will +do nothing in this life except what I see will be needful, advantageous, +and wholesome for my neighbour, since by faith I abound in all good +things in Christ. + +Thus from faith flow forth love and joy in the Lord, and from love +a cheerful, willing, free spirit, disposed to serve our neighbour +voluntarily, without taking any account of gratitude or ingratitude, +praise or blame, gain or loss. Its object is not to lay men under +obligations, nor does it distinguish between friends and enemies, or +look to gratitude or ingratitude, but most freely and willingly spends +itself and its goods, whether it loses them through ingratitude, or +gains goodwill. For thus did its Father, distributing all things to all +men abundantly and freely, making His sun to rise upon the just and the +unjust. Thus, too, the child does and endures nothing except from the +free joy with which it delights through Christ in God, the Giver of such +great gifts. + +You see, then, that, if we recognize those great and precious gifts, as +Peter says, which have been given to us, love is quickly diffused in +our hearts through the Spirit, and by love we are made free, joyful, +all-powerful, active workers, victors over all our tribulations, +servants to our neighbour, and nevertheless lords of all things. But, +for those who do not recognise the good things given to them through +Christ, Christ has been born in vain; such persons walk by works, and +will never attain the taste and feeling of these great things. Therefore +just as our neighbour is in want, and has need of our abundance, so we +too in the sight of God were in want, and had need of His mercy. And as +our heavenly Father has freely helped us in Christ, so ought we freely +to help our neighbour by our body and works, and each should become to +other a sort of Christ, so that we may be mutually Christs, and that +the same Christ may be in all of us; that is, that we may be truly +Christians. + +Who then can comprehend the riches and glory of the Christian life? It +can do all things, has all things, and is in want of nothing; is lord +over sin, death, and hell, and at the same time is the obedient and +useful servant of all. But alas! it is at this day unknown throughout +the world; it is neither preached nor sought after, so that we are quite +ignorant about our own name, why we are and are called Christians. We +are certainly called so from Christ, who is not absent, but dwells among +us--provided, that is, that we believe in Him and are reciprocally and +mutually one the Christ of the other, doing to our neighbour as Christ +does to us. But now, in the doctrine of men, we are taught only to seek +after merits, rewards, and things which are already ours, and we have +made of Christ a taskmaster far more severe than Moses. + +The Blessed Virgin beyond all others, affords us an example of the same +faith, in that she was purified according to the law of Moses, and like +all other women, though she was bound by no such law and had no need +of purification. Still she submitted to the law voluntarily and of free +love, making herself like the rest of women, that she might not offend +or throw contempt on them. She was not justified by doing this; but, +being already justified, she did it freely and gratuitously. Thus ought +our works too to be done, and not in order to be justified by them; for, +being first justified by faith, we ought to do all our works freely and +cheerfully for the sake of others. + +St. Paul circumcised his disciple Timothy, not because he needed +circumcision for his justification, but that he might not offend or +contemn those Jews, weak in the faith, who had not yet been able to +comprehend the liberty of faith. On the other hand, when they contemned +liberty and urged that circumcision was necessary for justification, he +resisted them, and would not allow Titus to be circumcised. For, as he +would not offend or contemn any one's weakness in faith, but yielded +for the time to their will, so, again, he would not have the liberty of +faith offended or contemned by hardened self-justifiers, but walked in +a middle path, sparing the weak for the time, and always resisting the +hardened, that he might convert all to the liberty of faith. On the same +principle we ought to act, receiving those that are weak in the faith, +but boldly resisting these hardened teachers of works, of whom we shall +hereafter speak at more length. + +Christ also, when His disciples were asked for the tribute money, asked +of Peter whether the children of a king were not free from taxes. Peter +agreed to this; yet Jesus commanded him to go to the sea, saying, "Lest +we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up +the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth thou +shalt find a piece of money; that take, and give unto them for Me and +thee" (Matt. xvii. 27). + +This example is very much to our purpose; for here Christ calls Himself +and His disciples free men and children of a King, in want of nothing; +and yet He voluntarily submits and pays the tax. Just as far, then, +as this work was necessary or useful to Christ for justification or +salvation, so far do all His other works or those of His disciples avail +for justification. They are really free and subsequent to justification, +and only done to serve others and set them an example. + +Such are the works which Paul inculcated, that Christians should be +subject to principalities and powers and ready to every good work (Titus +iii. 1), not that they may be justified by these things--for they are +already justified by faith--but that in liberty of spirit they may thus +be the servants of others and subject to powers, obeying their will out +of gratuitous love. + +Such, too, ought to have been the works of all colleges, monasteries, +and priests; every one doing the works of his own profession and state +of life, not in order to be justified by them, but in order to bring his +own body into subjection, as an example to others, who themselves +also need to keep under their bodies, and also in order to accommodate +himself to the will of others, out of free love. But we must always +guard most carefully against any vain confidence or presumption of being +justified, gaining merit, or being saved by these works, this being the +part of faith alone, as I have so often said. + +Any man possessing this knowledge may easily keep clear of danger among +those innumerable commands and precepts of the Pope, of bishops, of +monasteries, of churches, of princes, and of magistrates, which some +foolish pastors urge on us as being necessary for justification and +salvation, calling them precepts of the Church, when they are not so +at all. For the Christian freeman will speak thus: I will fast, I will +pray, I will do this or that which is commanded me by men, not as having +any need of these things for justification or salvation, but that I +may thus comply with the will of the Pope, of the bishop, of such a +community or such a magistrate, or of my neighbour as an example to him; +for this cause I will do and suffer all things, just as Christ did and +suffered much more for me, though He needed not at all to do so on His +own account, and made Himself for my sake under the law, when He was +not under the law. And although tyrants may do me violence or wrong in +requiring obedience to these things, yet it will not hurt me to do them, +so long as they are not done against God. + +From all this every man will be able to attain a sure judgment and +faithful discrimination between all works and laws, and to know who +are blind and foolish pastors, and who are true and good ones. For +whatsoever work is not directed to the sole end either of keeping under +the body, or of doing service to our neighbour--provided he require +nothing contrary to the will of God--is no good or Christian work. Hence +I greatly fear that at this day few or no colleges, monasteries, altars, +or ecclesiastical functions are Christian ones; and the same may be said +of fasts and special prayers to certain saints. I fear that in all these +nothing is being sought but what is already ours; while we fancy that +by these things our sins are purged away and salvation is attained, and +thus utterly do away with Christian liberty. This comes from ignorance +of Christian faith and liberty. + +This ignorance and this crushing of liberty are diligently promoted by +the teaching of very many blind pastors, who stir up and urge the people +to a zeal for these things, praising them and puffing them up with their +indulgences, but never teaching faith. Now I would advise you, if you +have any wish to pray, to fast, or to make foundations in churches, as +they call it, to take care not to do so with the object of gaining any +advantage, either temporal or eternal. You will thus wrong your faith, +which alone bestows all things on you, and the increase of which, either +by working or by suffering, is alone to be cared for. What you give, +give freely and without price, that others may prosper and have increase +from you and your goodness. Thus you will be a truly good man and a +Christian. For what to you are your goods and your works, which are done +over and above for the subjection of the body, since you have abundance +for yourself through your faith, in which God has given you all things? + +We give this rule: the good things which we have from God ought to flow +from one to another and become common to all, so that every one of us +may, as it were, put on his neighbour, and so behave towards him as if +he were himself in his place. They flowed and do flow from Christ to us; +He put us on, and acted for us as if He Himself were what we are. +From us they flow to those who have need of them; so that my faith +and righteousness ought to be laid down before God as a covering and +intercession for the sins of my neighbour, which I am to take on myself, +and so labour and endure servitude in them, as if they were my own; for +thus has Christ done for us. This is true love and the genuine truth +of Christian life. But only there is it true and genuine where there +is true and genuine faith. Hence the Apostle attributes to charity this +quality: that she seeketh not her own. + +We conclude therefore that a Christian man does not live in himself, but +in Christ and in his neighbour, or else is no Christian: in Christ by +faith; in his neighbour by love. By faith he is carried upwards +above himself to God, and by love he sinks back below himself to his +neighbour, still always-abiding in God and His love, as Christ says, +"Verily I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the +angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man" (John i. +51). + +Thus much concerning liberty, which, as you see, is a true and spiritual +liberty, making our hearts free from all sins, laws, and commandments, +as Paul says, "The law is not made for a righteous man" (1 Tim. i. 9), +and one which surpasses all other external liberties, as far as heaven +is above earth. May Christ make us to understand and preserve this +liberty. Amen. + +Finally, for the sake of those to whom nothing can be stated so well but +that they misunderstand and distort it, we must add a word, in case they +can understand even that. There are very many persons who, when they +hear of this liberty of faith, straightway turn it into an occasion of +licence. They think that everything is now lawful for them, and do not +choose to show themselves free men and Christians in any other way than +by their contempt and reprehension of ceremonies, of traditions, of +human laws; as if they were Christians merely because they refuse +to fast on stated days, or eat flesh when others fast, or omit the +customary prayers; scoffing at the precepts of men, but utterly passing +over all the rest that belongs to the Christian religion. On the other +hand, they are most pertinaciously resisted by those who strive after +salvation solely by their observance of and reverence for ceremonies, +as if they would be saved merely because they fast on stated days, +or abstain from flesh, or make formal prayers; talking loudly of the +precepts of the Church and of the Fathers, and not caring a straw about +those things which belong to our genuine faith. Both these parties +are plainly culpable, in that, while they neglect matters which are of +weight and necessary for salvation, they contend noisily about such as +are without weight and not necessary. + +How much more rightly does the Apostle Paul teach us to walk in the +middle path, condemning either extreme and saying, "Let not him that +eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not +judge him that eateth" (Rom. xiv. 3)! You see here how the Apostle +blames those who, not from religious feeling, but in mere contempt, +neglect and rail at ceremonial observances, and teaches them not to +despise, since this "knowledge puffeth up." Again, he teaches the +pertinacious upholders of these things not to judge their opponents. For +neither party observes towards the other that charity which edifieth. In +this matter we must listen to Scripture, which teaches us to turn aside +neither to the right hand nor to the left, but to follow those right +precepts of the Lord which rejoice the heart. For just as a man is +not righteous merely because he serves and is devoted to works and +ceremonial rites, so neither will he be accounted righteous merely +because he neglects and despises them. + +It is not from works that we are set free by the faith of Christ, but +from the belief in works, that is from foolishly presuming to seek +justification through works. Faith redeems our consciences, makes them +upright, and preserves them, since by it we recognise the truth that +justification does not depend on our works, although good works neither +can nor ought to be absent, just as we cannot exist without food and +drink and all the functions of this mortal body. Still it is not on them +that our justification is based, but on faith; and yet they ought not +on that account to be despised or neglected. Thus in this world we +are compelled by the needs of this bodily life; but we are not hereby +justified. "My kingdom is not hence, nor of this world," says Christ; +but He does not say, "My kingdom is not here, nor in this world." Paul, +too, says, "Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh" +(2 Cor. x. 3), and "The life which I now live in the flesh I live by +the faith of the Son of God" (Gal. ii. 20). Thus our doings, life, and +being, in works and ceremonies, are done from the necessities of this +life, and with the motive of governing our bodies; but yet we are not +justified by these things, but by the faith of the Son of God. + +The Christian must therefore walk in the middle path, and set these two +classes of men before his eyes. He may meet with hardened and obstinate +ceremonialists, who, like deaf adders, refuse to listen to the truth of +liberty, and cry up, enjoin, and urge on us their ceremonies, as if they +could justify us without faith. Such were the Jews of old, who would not +understand, that they might act well. These men we must resist, do just +the contrary to what they do, and be bold to give them offence, lest +by this impious notion of theirs they should deceive many along with +themselves. Before the eyes of these men it is expedient to eat flesh, +to break fasts, and to do in behalf of the liberty of faith things which +they hold to be the greatest sins. We must say of them, "Let them alone; +they be blind leaders of the blind" (Matt. xv. 14). In this way Paul +also would not have Titus circumcised, though these men urged it; +and Christ defended the Apostles, who had plucked ears of corn on the +Sabbath day; and many like instances. + +Or else we may meet with simple-minded and ignorant persons, weak in +the faith, as the Apostle calls them, who are as yet unable to apprehend +that liberty of faith, even if willing to do so. These we must spare, +lest they should be offended. We must bear with their infirmity, till +they shall be more fully instructed. For since these men do not act thus +from hardened malice, but only from weakness of faith, therefore, in +order to avoid giving them offence, we must keep fasts and do other +things which they consider necessary. This is required of us by charity, +which injures no one, but serves all men. It is not the fault of these +persons that they are weak, but that of their pastors, who by the snares +and weapons of their own traditions have brought them into bondage and +wounded their souls when they ought to have been set free and healed by +the teaching of faith and liberty. Thus the Apostle says, "If meat make +my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth" (1 +Cor. viii. 13); and again, "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, +that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him that esteemeth +anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. It is evil for that man +who eateth with offence" (Rom. xiv. 14, 20). + +Thus, though we ought boldly to resist those teachers of tradition, and +though the laws of the pontiffs, by which they make aggressions on the +people of God, deserve sharp reproof, yet we must spare the timid crowd, +who are held captive by the laws of those impious tyrants, till they +are set free. Fight vigorously against the wolves, but on behalf of the +sheep, not against the sheep. And this you may do by inveighing against +the laws and lawgivers, and yet at the same time observing these laws +with the weak, lest they be offended, until they shall themselves +recognise the tyranny, and understand their own liberty. If you wish to +use your liberty, do it secretly, as Paul says, "Hast thou faith? have +it to thyself before God" (Rom. xiv. 22). But take care not to use it in +the presence of the weak. On the other hand, in the presence of tyrants +and obstinate opposers, use your liberty in their despite, and with the +utmost pertinacity, that they too may understand that they are tyrants, +and their laws useless for justification, nay that they had no right to +establish such laws. + +Since then we cannot live in this world without ceremonies and works, +since the hot and inexperienced period of youth has need of being +restrained and protected by such bonds, and since every one is bound +to keep under his own body by attention to these things, therefore +the minister of Christ must be prudent and faithful in so ruling and +teaching the people of Christ, in all these matters, that no root of +bitterness may spring up among them, and so many be defiled, as Paul +warned the Hebrews; that is, that they may not lose the faith, and begin +to be defiled by a belief in works as the means of justification. This +is a thing which easily happens, and defiles very many, unless faith be +constantly inculcated along with works. It is impossible to avoid this +evil, when faith is passed over in silence, and only the ordinances of +men are taught, as has been done hitherto by the pestilent, impious, +and soul-destroying traditions of our pontiffs and opinions of our +theologians. An infinite number of souls have been drawn down to hell by +these snares, so that you may recognise the work of antichrist. + +In brief, as poverty is imperilled amid riches, honesty amid business, +humility amid honours, abstinence amid feasting, purity amid pleasures, +so is justification by faith imperilled among ceremonies. Solomon says, +"Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?" +(Prov. vi. 27). And yet as we must live among riches, business, honours, +pleasures, feastings, so must we among ceremonies, that is among perils. +Just as infant boys have the greatest need of being cherished in the +bosoms and by the care of girls, that they may not die, and yet, when +they are grown, there is peril to their salvation in living among +girls, so inexperienced and fervid young men require to be kept in and +restrained by the barriers of ceremonies, even were they of iron, lest +their weak minds should rush headlong into vice. And yet it would be +death to them to persevere in believing that they can be justified +by these things. They must rather be taught that they have been thus +imprisoned, not with the purpose of their being justified or gaining +merit in this way, but in order that they might avoid wrong-doing, and +be more easily instructed in that righteousness which is by faith, a +thing which the headlong character of youth would not bear unless it +were put under restraint. + +Hence in the Christian life ceremonies are to be no otherwise looked +upon than as builders and workmen look upon those preparations for +building or working which are not made with any view of being permanent +or anything in themselves, but only because without them there could be +no building and no work. When the structure is completed, they are laid +aside. Here you see that we do not contemn these preparations, but set +the highest value on them; a belief in them we do contemn, because no +one thinks that they constitute a real and permanent structure. If any +one were so manifestly out of his senses as to have no other object +in life but that of setting up these preparations with all possible +expense, diligence, and perseverance, while he never thought of the +structure itself, but pleased himself and made his boast of these +useless preparations and props, should we not all pity his madness and +think that, at the cost thus thrown away, some great building might have +been raised? + +Thus, too, we do not contemn works and ceremonies--nay, we set the +highest value on them; but we contemn the belief in works, which no one +should consider to constitute true righteousness, as do those hypocrites +who employ and throw away their whole life in the pursuit of works, and +yet never attain to that for the sake of which the works are done. As +the Apostle says, they are "ever learning and never able to come to the +knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. iii. 7). They appear to wish to build, +they make preparations, and yet they never do build; and thus they +continue in a show of godliness, but never attain to its power. + +Meanwhile they please themselves with this zealous pursuit, and even +dare to judge all others, whom they do not see adorned with such a +glittering display of works; while, if they had been imbued with faith, +they might have done great things for their own and others' salvation, +at the same cost which they now waste in abuse of the gifts of God. But +since human nature and natural reason, as they call it, are naturally +superstitious, and quick to believe that justification can be attained +by any laws or works proposed to them, and since nature is also +exercised and confirmed in the same view by the practice of all earthly +lawgivers, she can never of her own power free herself from this bondage +to works, and come to a recognition of the liberty of faith. + +We have therefore need to pray that God will lead us and make us taught +of God, that is, ready to learn from God; and will Himself, as He has +promised, write His law in our hearts; otherwise there is no hope for +us. For unless He himself teach us inwardly this wisdom hidden in a +mystery, nature cannot but condemn it and judge it to be heretical. She +takes offence at it, and it seems folly to her, just as we see that it +happened of old in the case of the prophets and Apostles, and just as +blind and impious pontiffs, with their flatterers, do now in my case and +that of those who are like me, upon whom, together with ourselves, may +God at length have mercy, and lift up the light of His countenance upon +them, that we may know His way upon earth and His saving health among +all nations, who is blessed for evermore. Amen. In the year of the Lord +MDXX. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Concerning Christian Liberty, by Martin Luther + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CONCERNING CHRISTIAN LIBERTY *** + +***** This file should be named 1911.txt or 1911.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/1/1911/ + +Produced by Elizabeth T. Knuth and David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/1911.zip b/1911.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5f9876f --- /dev/null +++ b/1911.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2969823 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #1911 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1911) diff --git a/old/clbty10.txt b/old/clbty10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8107626 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/clbty10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2069 @@ +Project Gutenberg Etext Concerning Christian Liberty, by Luther +#6 in our series by Martin Luther + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. We need your donations. + + +Concerning Christian Liberty + +by Martin Luther + +October, 1999 [Etext #1911] + + +Project Gutenberg Etext Concerning Christian Liberty, by Luther +*****This file should be named clbty10.txt or clbty10.zip****** + +Corrected EDITIONS of our etexts get a new NUMBER, clbty11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, clbty10a.txt + + +Project Gutenberg Etexts are usually created from multiple editions, +all of which are in the Public Domain in the United States, unless a +copyright notice is included. Therefore, we usually do NOT keep any +of these books in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +We are now trying to release all our books one month in advance +of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. + +Please note: neither this list nor its contents are final till +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg Etexts is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. To be sure you have an +up to date first edition [xxxxx10x.xxx] please check file sizes +in the first week of the next month. Since our ftp program has +a bug in it that scrambles the date [tried to fix and failed] a +look at the file size will have to do, but we will try to see a +new copy has at least one byte more or less. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours +to get any etext selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. This +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If our value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour this year as we release thirty-six text +files per month, or 432 more Etexts in 1999 for a total of 2000+ +If these reach just 10% of the computerized population, then the +total should reach over 200 billion Etexts given away this year. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away One Trillion Etext +Files by December 31, 2001. [10,000 x 100,000,000 = 1 Trillion] +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only ~5% of the present number of computer users. + +At our revised rates of production, we will reach only one-third +of that goal by the end of 2001, or about 3,333 Etexts unless we +manage to get some real funding; currently our funding is mostly +from Michael Hart's salary at Carnegie-Mellon University, and an +assortment of sporadic gifts; this salary is only good for a few +more years, so we are looking for something to replace it, as we +don't want Project Gutenberg to be so dependent on one person. + +We need your donations more than ever! + + +All donations should be made to "Project Gutenberg/CMU": and are +tax deductible to the extent allowable by law. (CMU = Carnegie- +Mellon University). + +For these and other matters, please mail to: + +Project Gutenberg +P. O. Box 2782 +Champaign, IL 61825 + +When all other email fails. . .try our Executive Director: +Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com> +hart@pobox.com forwards to hart@prairienet.org and archive.org +if your mail bounces from archive.org, I will still see it, if +it bounces from prairienet.org, better resend later on. . . . + +We would prefer to send you this information by email. + +****** + +To access Project Gutenberg etexts, use any Web browser +to view http://promo.net/pg. This site lists Etexts by +author and by title, and includes information about how +to get involved with Project Gutenberg. You could also +download our past Newsletters, or subscribe here. This +is one of our major sites, please email hart@pobox.com, +for a more complete list of our various sites. + +To go directly to the etext collections, use FTP or any +Web browser to visit a Project Gutenberg mirror (mirror +sites are available on 7 continents; mirrors are listed +at http://promo.net/pg). + +Mac users, do NOT point and click, typing works better. + +Example FTP session: + +ftp sunsite.unc.edu +login: anonymous +password: your@login +cd pub/docs/books/gutenberg +cd etext90 through etext99 +dir [to see files] +get or mget [to get files. . .set bin for zip files] +GET GUTINDEX.?? [to get a year's listing of books, e.g., GUTINDEX.99] +GET GUTINDEX.ALL [to get a listing of ALL books] + +*** + +**Information prepared by the Project Gutenberg legal advisor** + +(Three Pages) + + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this etext, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you can distribute copies of this etext if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS ETEXT +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +etext, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this etext by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this etext on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM ETEXTS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etext, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG- +tm etexts, is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor +Michael S. Hart through the Project Gutenberg Association at +Carnegie-Mellon University (the "Project"). Among other +things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this etext +under the Project's "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +To create these etexts, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's etexts and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other etext medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] the Project (and any other party you may receive this +etext from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etext) disclaims all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this etext within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS ETEXT IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE ETEXT OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold the Project, its directors, +officers, members and agents harmless from all liability, cost +and expense, including legal fees, that arise directly or +indirectly from any of the following that you do or cause: +[1] distribution of this etext, [2] alteration, modification, +or addition to the etext, or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this etext electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + etext or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this etext in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word pro- + cessing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The etext, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The etext may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the etext (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + etext in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the etext refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Project of 20% of the + net profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Association/Carnegie-Mellon + University" within the 60 days following each + date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) + your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution +you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Carnegie-Mellon University". + +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +Concerning Christian Liberty + +by Martin Luther + + + + +CONCERNING CHRISTIAN LIBERTY + +LETTER OF MARTIN LUTHER TO POPE LEO X + +Among those monstrous evils of this age with which I have now for +three years been waging war, I am sometimes compelled to look to +you and to call you to mind, most blessed father Leo. In truth, +since you alone are everywhere considered as being the cause of +my engaging in war, I cannot at any time fail to remember you; +and although I have been compelled by the causeless raging of +your impious flatterers against me to appeal from your seat to a +future council--fearless of the futile decrees of your +predecessors Pius and Julius, who in their foolish tyranny +prohibited such an action--yet I have never been so alienated in +feeling from your Blessedness as not to have sought with all my +might, in diligent prayer and crying to God, all the best gifts +for you and for your see. But those who have hitherto endeavoured +to terrify me with the majesty of your name and authority, I have +begun quite to despise and triumph over. One thing I see +remaining which I cannot despise, and this has been the reason of +my writing anew to your Blessedness: namely, that I find that +blame is cast on me, and that it is imputed to me as a great +offence, that in my rashness I am judged to have spared not even +your person. + +Now, to confess the truth openly, I am conscious that, whenever I +have had to mention your person, I have said nothing of you but +what was honourable and good. If I had done otherwise, I could by +no means have approved my own conduct, but should have supported +with all my power the judgment of those men concerning me, nor +would anything have pleased me better, than to recant such +rashness and impiety. I have called you Daniel in Babylon; and +every reader thoroughly knows with what distinguished zeal I +defended your conspicuous innocence against Silvester, who tried +to stain it. Indeed, the published opinion of so many great men +and the repute of your blameless life are too widely famed and +too much reverenced throughout the world to be assailable by any +man, of however great name, or by any arts. I am not so foolish +as to attack one whom everybody praises; nay, it has been and +always will be my desire not to attack even those whom public +repute disgraces. I am not delighted at the faults of any man, +since I am very conscious myself of the great beam in my own eye, +nor can I be the first to cast a stone at the adulteress. + +I have indeed inveighed sharply against impious doctrines, and I +have not been slack to censure my adversaries on account, not of +their bad morals, but of their impiety. And for this I am so far +from being sorry that I have brought my mind to despise the +judgments of men and to persevere in this vehement zeal, +according to the example of Christ, who, in His zeal, calls His +adversaries a generation of vipers, blind, hypocrites, and +children of the devil. Paul, too, charges the sorcerer with being +a child of the devil, full of all subtlety and all malice; and +defames certain persons as evil workers, dogs, and deceivers. In +the opinion of those delicate-eared persons, nothing could be +more bitter or intemperate than Paul's language. What can be more +bitter than the words of the prophets? The ears of our generation +have been made so delicate by the senseless multitude of +flatterers that, as soon as we perceive that anything of ours is +not approved of, we cry out that we are being bitterly assailed; +and when we can repel the truth by no other pretence, we escape +by attributing bitterness, impatience, intemperance, to our +adversaries. What would be the use of salt if it were not +pungent, or of the edge of the sword if it did not slay? Accursed +is the man who does the work of the Lord deceitfully. + +Wherefore, most excellent Leo, I beseech you to accept my +vindication, made in this letter, and to persuade yourself that I +have never thought any evil concerning your person; further, that +I am one who desires that eternal blessing may fall to your lot, +and that I have no dispute with any man concerning morals, but +only concerning the word of truth. In all other things I will +yield to any one, but I neither can nor will forsake and deny the +word. He who thinks otherwise of me, or has taken in my words in +another sense, does not think rightly, and has not taken in the +truth. + +Your see, however, which is called the Court of Rome, and which +neither you nor any man can deny to be more corrupt than any +Babylon or Sodom, and quite, as I believe, of a lost, desperate, +and hopeless impiety, this I have verily abominated, and have +felt indignant that the people of Christ should be cheated under +your name and the pretext of the Church of Rome; and so I have +resisted, and will resist, as long as the spirit of faith shall +live in me. Not that I am striving after impossibilities, or +hoping that by my labours alone, against the furious opposition +of so many flatterers, any good can be done in that most +disordered Babylon; but that I feel myself a debtor to my +brethren, and am bound to take thought for them, that fewer of +them may be ruined, or that their ruin may be less complete, by +the plagues of Rome. For many years now, nothing else has +overflowed from Rome into the world--as you are not +ignorant--than the laying waste of goods, of bodies, and of +souls, and the worst examples of all the worst things. These +things are clearer than the light to all men; and the Church of +Rome, formerly the most holy of all Churches, has become the most +lawless den of thieves, the most shameless of all brothels, the +very kingdom of sin, death, and hell; so that not even +antichrist, if he were to come, could devise any addition to its +wickedness. + +Meanwhile you, Leo, are sitting like a lamb in the midst of +wolves, like Daniel in the midst of lions, and, with Ezekiel, you +dwell among scorpions. What opposition can you alone make to +these monstrous evils? Take to yourself three or four of the most +learned and best of the cardinals. What are these among so many? +You would all perish by poison before you could undertake to +decide on a remedy. It is all over with the Court of Rome; the +wrath of God has come upon her to the uttermost. She hates +councils; she dreads to be reformed; she cannot restrain the +madness of her impiety; she fills up the sentence passed on her +mother, of whom it is said, "We would have healed Babylon, but +she is not healed; let us forsake her." It had been your duty and +that of your cardinals to apply a remedy to these evils, but this +gout laughs at the physician's hand, and the chariot does not +obey the reins. Under the influence of these feelings, I have +always grieved that you, most excellent Leo, who were worthy of a +better age, have been made pontiff in this. For the Roman Court +is not worthy of you and those like you, but of Satan himself, +who in truth is more the ruler in that Babylon than you are. + +Oh, would that, having laid aside that glory which your most +abandoned enemies declare to be yours, you were living rather in +the office of a private priest or on your paternal inheritance! +In that glory none are worthy to glory, except the race of +Iscariot, the children of perdition. For what happens in your +court, Leo, except that, the more wicked and execrable any man +is, the more prosperously he can use your name and authority for +the ruin of the property and souls of men, for the multiplication +of crimes, for the oppression of faith and truth and of the whole +Church of God? Oh, Leo! in reality most unfortunate, and sitting +on a most perilous throne, I tell you the truth, because I wish +you well; for if Bernard felt compassion for his Anastasius at a +time when the Roman see, though even then most corrupt, was as +yet ruling with better hope than now, why should not we lament, +to whom so much further corruption and ruin has been added in +three hundred years? + +Is it not true that there is nothing under the vast heavens more +corrupt, more pestilential, more hateful, than the Court of Rome? +She incomparably surpasses the impiety of the Turks, so that in +very truth she, who was formerly the gate of heaven, is now a +sort of open mouth of hell, and such a mouth as, under the urgent +wrath of God, cannot be blocked up; one course alone being left +to us wretched men: to call back and save some few, if we can, +from that Roman gulf. + +Behold, Leo, my father, with what purpose and on what principle +it is that I have stormed against that seat of pestilence. I am +so far from having felt any rage against your person that I even +hoped to gain favour with you and to aid you in your welfare by +striking actively and vigorously at that your prison, nay, your +hell. For whatever the efforts of all minds can contrive against +the confusion of that impious Court will be advantageous to you +and to your welfare, and to many others with you. Those who do +harm to her are doing your office; those who in every way abhor +her are glorifying Christ; in short, those are Christians who are +not Romans. + +But, to say yet more, even this never entered my heart: to +inveigh against the Court of Rome or to dispute at all about her. +For, seeing all remedies for her health to be desperate, I looked +on her with contempt, and, giving her a bill of divorcement, said +to her, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that +is filthy, let him be filthy still," giving myself up to the +peaceful and quiet study of sacred literature, that by this I +might be of use to the brethren living about me. + +While I was making some advance in these studies, Satan opened +his eyes and goaded on his servant John Eccius, that notorious +adversary of Christ, by the unchecked lust for fame, to drag me +unexpectedly into the arena, trying to catch me in one little +word concerning the primacy of the Church of Rome, which had +fallen from me in passing. That boastful Thraso, foaming and +gnashing his teeth, proclaimed that he would dare all things for +the glory of God and for the honour of the holy apostolic seat; +and, being puffed up respecting your power, which he was about to +misuse, he looked forward with all certainty to victory; seeking +to promote, not so much the primacy of Peter, as his own +pre-eminence among the theologians of this age; for he thought it +would contribute in no slight degree to this, if he were to lead +Luther in triumph. The result having proved unfortunate for the +sophist, an incredible rage torments him; for he feels that +whatever discredit to Rome has arisen through me has been caused +by the fault of himself alone. + +Suffer me, I pray you, most excellent Leo, both to plead my own +cause, and to accuse your true enemies. I believe it is known to +you in what way Cardinal Cajetan, your imprudent and unfortunate, +nay unfaithful, legate, acted towards me. When, on account of my +reverence for your name, I had placed myself and all that was +mine in his hands, he did not so act as to establish peace, which +he could easily have established by one little word, since I at +that time promised to be silent and to make an end of my case, if +he would command my adversaries to do the same. But that man of +pride, not content with this agreement, began to justify my +adversaries, to give them free licence, and to order me to +recant, a thing which was certainly not in his commission. Thus +indeed, when the case was in the best position, it came through +his vexatious tyranny into a much worse one. Therefore whatever +has followed upon this is the fault not of Luther, but entirely +of Cajetan, since he did not suffer me to be silent and remain +quiet, which at that time I was entreating for with all my might. +What more was it my duty to do? + +Next came Charles Miltitz, also a nuncio from your Blessedness. +He, though he went up and down with much and varied exertion, and +omitted nothing which could tend to restore the position of the +cause thrown into confusion by the rashness and pride of Cajetan, +had difficulty, even with the help of that very illustrious +prince the Elector Frederick, in at last bringing about more than +one familiar conference with me. In these I again yielded to your +great name, and was prepared to keep silence, and to accept as my +judge either the Archbishop of Treves, or the Bishop of Naumburg; +and thus it was done and concluded. While this was being done +with good hope of success, lo! that other and greater enemy of +yours, Eccius, rushed in with his Leipsic disputation, which he +had undertaken against Carlstadt, and, having taken up a new +question concerning the primacy of the Pope, turned his arms +unexpectedly against me, and completely overthrew the plan for +peace. Meanwhile Charles Miltitz was waiting, disputations were +held, judges were being chosen, but no decision was arrived at. +And no wonder! for by the falsehoods, pretences, and arts of +Eccius the whole business was brought into such thorough +disorder, confusion, and festering soreness, that, whichever way +the sentence might lean, a greater conflagration was sure to +arise; for he was seeking, not after truth, but after his own +credit. In this case too I omitted nothing which it was right +that I should do. + +I confess that on this occasion no small part of the corruptions +of Rome came to light; but, if there was any offence in this, it +was the fault of Eccius, who, in taking on him a burden beyond +his strength, and in furiously aiming at credit for himself, +unveiled to the whole world the disgrace of Rome. + +Here is that enemy of yours, Leo, or rather of your Court; by his +example alone we may learn that an enemy is not more baneful than +a flatterer. For what did he bring about by his flattery, except +evils which no king could have brought about? At this day the +name of the Court of Rome stinks in the nostrils of the world, +the papal authority is growing weak, and its notorious ignorance +is evil spoken of. We should hear none of these things, if Eccius +had not disturbed the plans of Miltitz and myself for peace. He +feels this clearly enough himself in the indignation he shows, +too late and in vain, against the publication of my books. He +ought to have reflected on this at the time when he was all mad +for renown, and was seeking in your cause nothing but his own +objects, and that with the greatest peril to you. The foolish man +hoped that, from fear of your name, I should yield and keep +silence; for I do not think he presumed on his talents and +learning. Now, when he sees that I am very confident and speak +aloud, he repents too late of his rashness, and sees--if indeed +he does see it--that there is One in heaven who resists the +proud, and humbles the presumptuous. + +Since then we were bringing about by this disputation nothing but +the greater confusion of the cause of Rome, Charles Miltitz for +the third time addressed the Fathers of the Order, assembled in +chapter, and sought their advice for the settlement of the case, +as being now in a most troubled and perilous state. Since, by the +favour of God, there was no hope of proceeding against me by +force, some of the more noted of their number were sent to me, +and begged me at least to show respect to your person and to +vindicate in a humble letter both your innocence and my own. They +said that the affair was not as yet in a position of extreme +hopelessness, if Leo X., in his inborn kindliness, would put his +hand to it. On this I, who have always offered and wished for +peace, in order that I might devote myself to calmer and more +useful pursuits, and who for this very purpose have acted with so +much spirit and vehemence, in order to put down by the strength +and impetuosity of my words, as well as of my feelings, men whom +I saw to be very far from equal to myself--I, I say, not only +gladly yielded, but even accepted it with joy and gratitude, as +the greatest kindness and benefit, if you should think it right +to satisfy my hopes. + +Thus I come, most blessed Father, and in all abasement beseech +you to put to your hand, if it is possible, and impose a curb to +those flatterers who are enemies of peace, while they pretend +peace. But there is no reason, most blessed Father, why any one +should assume that I am to utter a recantation, unless he prefers +to involve the case in still greater confusion. Moreover, I +cannot bear with laws for the interpretation of the word of God, +since the word of God, which teaches liberty in all other things, +ought not to be bound. Saving these two things, there is nothing +which I am not able, and most heartily willing, to do or to +suffer. I hate contention; I will challenge no one; in return I +wish not to be challenged; but, being challenged, I will not be +dumb in the cause of Christ my Master. For your Blessedness will +be able by one short and easy word to call these controversies +before you and suppress them, and to impose silence and peace on +both sides--a word which I have ever longed to hear. + +Therefore, Leo, my Father, beware of listening to those sirens +who make you out to be not simply a man, but partly a god, so +that you can command and require whatever you will. It will not +happen so, nor will you prevail. You are the servant of servants, +and more than any other man, in a most pitiable and perilous +position. Let not those men deceive you who pretend that you are +lord of the world; who will not allow any one to be a Christian +without your authority; who babble of your having power over +heaven, hell, and purgatory. These men are your enemies and are +seeking your soul to destroy it, as Isaiah says, "My people, they +that call thee blessed are themselves deceiving thee." They are +in error who raise you above councils and the universal Church; +they are in error who attribute to you alone the right of +interpreting Scripture. All these men are seeking to set up their +own impieties in the Church under your name, and alas! Satan has +gained much through them in the time of your predecessors. + +In brief, trust not in any who exalt you, but in those who +humiliate you. For this is the judgment of God: "He hath cast +down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble." +See how unlike Christ was to His successors, though all will have +it that they are His vicars. I fear that in truth very many of +them have been in too serious a sense His vicars, for a vicar +represents a prince who is absent. Now if a pontiff rules while +Christ is absent and does not dwell in his heart, what else is he +but a vicar of Christ? And then what is that Church but a +multitude without Christ? What indeed is such a vicar but +antichrist and an idol? How much more rightly did the Apostles +speak, who call themselves servants of a present Christ, not the +vicars of an absent one! + +Perhaps I am shamelessly bold in seeming to teach so great a +head, by whom all men ought to be taught, and from whom, as those +plagues of yours boast, the thrones of judges receive their +sentence; but I imitate St. Bernard in his book concerning +Considerations addressed to Eugenius, a book which ought to be +known by heart by every pontiff. I do this, not from any desire +to teach, but as a duty, from that simple and faithful solicitude +which teaches us to be anxious for all that is safe for our +neighbours, and does not allow considerations of worthiness or +unworthiness to be entertained, being intent only on the dangers +or advantage of others. For since I know that your Blessedness is +driven and tossed by the waves at Rome, so that the depths of the +sea press on you with infinite perils, and that you are labouring +under such a condition of misery that you need even the least +help from any the least brother, I do not seem to myself to be +acting unsuitably if I forget your majesty till I shall have +fulfilled the office of charity. I will not flatter in so serious +and perilous a matter; and if in this you do not see that I am +your friend and most thoroughly your subject, there is One to see +and judge. + +In fine, that I may not approach you empty-handed, blessed +Father, I bring with me this little treatise, published under +your name, as a good omen of the establishment of peace and of +good hope. By this you may perceive in what pursuits I should +prefer and be able to occupy myself to more profit, if I were +allowed, or had been hitherto allowed, by your impious +flatterers. It is a small matter, if you look to its exterior, +but, unless I mistake, it is a summary of the Christian life put +together in small compass, if you apprehend its meaning. I, in my +poverty, have no other present to make you, nor do you need +anything else than to be enriched by a spiritual gift. I commend +myself to your Paternity and Blessedness, whom may the Lord Jesus +preserve for ever. Amen. + +Wittenberg, 6th September, 1520. + + +CONCERNING CHRISTIAN LIBERTY + +Christian faith has appeared to many an easy thing; nay, not a +few even reckon it among the social virtues, as it were; and this +they do because they have not made proof of it experimentally, +and have never tasted of what efficacy it is. For it is not +possible for any man to write well about it, or to understand +well what is rightly written, who has not at some time tasted of +its spirit, under the pressure of tribulation; while he who has +tasted of it, even to a very small extent, can never write, +speak, think, or hear about it sufficiently. For it is a living +fountain, springing up into eternal life, as Christ calls it in +John iv. + +Now, though I cannot boast of my abundance, and though I know how +poorly I am furnished, yet I hope that, after having been vexed +by various temptations, I have attained some little drop of +faith, and that I can speak of this matter, if not with more +elegance, certainly with more solidity, than those literal and +too subtle disputants who have hitherto discoursed upon it +without understanding their own words. That I may open then an +easier way for the ignorant--for these alone I am trying to +serve--I first lay down these two propositions, concerning +spiritual liberty and servitude:-- + +A Christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to +none; a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and +subject to every one. + +Although these statements appear contradictory, yet, when they +are found to agree together, they will make excellently for my +purpose. They are both the statements of Paul himself, who says, +"Though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant +unto all" (1 Cor. ix. 19), and "Owe no man anything, but to love +one another" (Rom. xiii. 8). Now love is by its own nature +dutiful and obedient to the beloved object. Thus even Christ, +though Lord of all things, was yet made of a woman; made under +the law; at once free and a servant; at once in the form of God +and in the form of a servant. + +Let us examine the subject on a deeper and less simple principle. +Man is composed of a twofold nature, a spiritual and a bodily. As +regards the spiritual nature, which they name the soul, he is +called the spiritual, inward, new man; as regards the bodily +nature, which they name the flesh, he is called the fleshly, +outward, old man. The Apostle speaks of this: "Though our outward +man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day" (2 Cor. iv. +16). The result of this diversity is that in the Scriptures +opposing statements are made concerning the same man, the fact +being that in the same man these two men are opposed to one +another; the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit +against the flesh (Gal. v. 17). + +We first approach the subject of the inward man, that we may see +by what means a man becomes justified, free, and a true +Christian; that is, a spiritual, new, and inward man. It is +certain that absolutely none among outward things, under whatever +name they may be reckoned, has any influence in producing +Christian righteousness or liberty, nor, on the other hand, +unrighteousness or slavery. This can be shown by an easy +argument. + +What can it profit the soul that the body should be in good +condition, free, and full of life; that it should eat, drink, and +act according to its pleasure; when even the most impious slaves +of every kind of vice are prosperous in these matters? Again, +what harm can ill-health, bondage, hunger, thirst, or any other +outward evil, do to the soul, when even the most pious of men and +the freest in the purity of their conscience, are harassed by +these things? Neither of these states of things has to do with +the liberty or the slavery of the soul. + +And so it will profit nothing that the body should be adorned +with sacred vestments, or dwell in holy places, or be occupied in +sacred offices, or pray, fast, and abstain from certain meats, or +do whatever works can be done through the body and in the body. +Something widely different will be necessary for the +justification and liberty of the soul, since the things I have +spoken of can be done by any impious person, and only hypocrites +are produced by devotion to these things. On the other hand, it +will not at all injure the soul that the body should be clothed +in profane raiment, should dwell in profane places, should eat +and drink in the ordinary fashion, should not pray aloud, and +should leave undone all the things above mentioned, which may be +done by hypocrites. + +And, to cast everything aside, even speculation, meditations, and +whatever things can be performed by the exertions of the soul +itself, are of no profit. One thing, and one alone, is necessary +for life, justification, and Christian liberty; and that is the +most holy word of God, the Gospel of Christ, as He says, "I am +the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in Me shall not +die eternally" (John xi. 25), and also, "If the Son shall make +you free, ye shall be free indeed" (John viii. 36), and, "Man +shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth +out of the mouth of God" (Matt. iv. 4). + +Let us therefore hold it for certain and firmly established that +the soul can do without everything except the word of God, +without which none at all of its wants are provided for. But, +having the word, it is rich and wants for nothing, since that is +the word of life, of truth, of light, of peace, of justification, +of salvation, of joy, of liberty, of wisdom, of virtue, of grace, +of glory, and of every good thing. It is on this account that the +prophet in a whole Psalm (Psalm cxix.), and in many other places, +sighs for and calls upon the word of God with so many groanings +and words. + +Again, there is no more cruel stroke of the wrath of God than +when He sends a famine of hearing His words (Amos viii. 11), just +as there is no greater favour from Him than the sending forth of +His word, as it is said, "He sent His word and healed them, and +delivered them from their destructions" (Psalm cvii. 20). Christ +was sent for no other office than that of the word; and the order +of Apostles, that of bishops, and that of the whole body of the +clergy, have been called and instituted for no object but the +ministry of the word. + +But you will ask, What is this word, and by what means is it to +be used, since there are so many words of God? I answer, The +Apostle Paul (Rom. i.) explains what it is, namely the Gospel of +God, concerning His Son, incarnate, suffering, risen, and +glorified, through the Spirit, the Sanctifier. To preach Christ +is to feed the soul, to justify it, to set it free, and to save +it, if it believes the preaching. For faith alone and the +efficacious use of the word of God, bring salvation. "If thou +shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in +thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be +saved" (Rom. x. 9); and again, "Christ is the end of the law for +righteousness to every one that believeth" (Rom. x. 4), and "The +just shall live by faith" (Rom. i. 17). For the word of God +cannot be received and honoured by any works, but by faith alone. +Hence it is clear that as the soul needs the word alone for life +and justification, so it is justified by faith alone, and not by +any works. For if it could be justified by any other means, it +would have no need of the word, nor consequently of faith. + +But this faith cannot consist at all with works; that is, if you +imagine that you can be justified by those works, whatever they +are, along with it. For this would be to halt between two +opinions, to worship Baal, and to kiss the hand to him, which is +a very great iniquity, as Job says. Therefore, when you begin to +believe, you learn at the same time that all that is in you is +utterly guilty, sinful, and damnable, according to that saying, +"All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. iii. +23), and also: "There is none righteous, no, not one; they are +all gone out of the way; they are together become unprofitable: +there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (Rom. iii. 10—12). +When you have learnt this, you will know that Christ is necessary +for you, since He has suffered and risen again for you, that, +believing on Him, you might by this faith become another man, all +your sins being remitted, and you being justified by the merits +of another, namely of Christ alone. + +Since then this faith can reign only in the inward man, as it is +said, "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness" (Rom. x. +10); and since it alone justifies, it is evident that by no +outward work or labour can the inward man be at all justified, +made free, and saved; and that no works whatever have any +relation to him. And so, on the other hand, it is solely by +impiety and incredulity of heart that he becomes guilty and a +slave of sin, deserving condemnation, not by any outward sin or +work. Therefore the first care of every Christian ought to be to +lay aside all reliance on works, and strengthen his faith alone +more and more, and by it grow in the knowledge, not of works, but +of Christ Jesus, who has suffered and risen again for him, as +Peter teaches (1 Peter v.) when he makes no other work to be a +Christian one. Thus Christ, when the Jews asked Him what they +should do that they might work the works of God, rejected the +multitude of works, with which He saw that they were puffed up, +and commanded them one thing only, saying, "This is the work of +God: that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent, for Him hath God +the Father sealed" (John vi. 27, 29). + +Hence a right faith in Christ is an incomparable treasure, +carrying with it universal salvation and preserving from all +evil, as it is said, "He that believeth and is baptised shall be +saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark xvi. 16). +Isaiah, looking to this treasure, predicted, "The consumption +decreed shall overflow with righteousness. For the Lord God of +hosts shall make a consumption, even determined (verbum +abbreviatum et consummans), in the midst of the land" (Isa. x. +22, 23). As if he said, "Faith, which is the brief and complete +fulfilling of the law, will fill those who believe with such +righteousness that they will need nothing else for +justification." Thus, too, Paul says, "For with the heart man +believeth unto righteousness" (Rom. x. 10). + +But you ask how it can be the fact that faith alone justifies, +and affords without works so great a treasure of good things, +when so many works, ceremonies, and laws are prescribed to us in +the Scriptures? I answer, Before all things bear in mind what I +have said: that faith alone without works justifies, sets free, +and saves, as I shall show more clearly below. + +Meanwhile it is to be noted that the whole Scripture of God is +divided into two parts: precepts and promises. The precepts +certainly teach us what is good, but what they teach is not +forthwith done. For they show us what we ought to do, but do not +give us the power to do it. They were ordained, however, for the +purpose of showing man to himself, that through them he may learn +his own impotence for good and may despair of his own strength. +For this reason they are called the Old Testament, and are so. + +For example, "Thou shalt not covet," is a precept by which we are +all convicted of sin, since no man can help coveting, whatever +efforts to the contrary he may make. In order therefore that he +may fulfil the precept, and not covet, he is constrained to +despair of himself and to seek elsewhere and through another the +help which he cannot find in himself; as it is said, "O Israel, +thou hast destroyed thyself; but in Me is thine help" (Hosea +xiii. 9). Now what is done by this one precept is done by all; +for all are equally impossible of fulfilment by us. + +Now when a man has through the precepts been taught his own +impotence, and become anxious by what means he may satisfy the +law--for the law must be satisfied, so that no jot or tittle of +it may pass away, otherwise he must be hopelessly +condemned--then, being truly humbled and brought to nothing in +his own eyes, he finds in himself no resource for justification +and salvation. + +Then comes in that other part of Scripture, the promises of God, +which declare the glory of God, and say, "If you wish to fulfil +the law, and, as the law requires, not to covet, lo! believe in +Christ, in whom are promised to you grace, justification, peace, +and liberty." All these things you shall have, if you believe, +and shall be without them if you do not believe. For what is +impossible for you by all the works of the law, which are many +and yet useless, you shall fulfil in an easy and summary way +through faith, because God the Father has made everything to +depend on faith, so that whosoever has it has all things, and he +who has it not has nothing. "For God hath concluded them all in +unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all" (Rom. xi. 32). Thus +the promises of God give that which the precepts exact, and +fulfil what the law commands; so that all is of God alone, both +the precepts and their fulfilment. He alone commands; He alone +also fulfils. Hence the promises of God belong to the New +Testament; nay, are the New Testament. + +Now, since these promises of God are words of holiness, truth, +righteousness, liberty, and peace, and are full of universal +goodness, the soul, which cleaves to them with a firm faith, is +so united to them, nay, thoroughly absorbed by them, that it not +only partakes in, but is penetrated and saturated by, all their +virtues. For if the touch of Christ was healing, how much more +does that most tender spiritual touch, nay, absorption of the +word, communicate to the soul all that belongs to the word! In +this way therefore the soul, through faith alone, without works, +is from the word of God justified, sanctified, endued with truth, +peace, and liberty, and filled full with every good thing, and is +truly made the child of God, as it is said, "To them gave He +power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His +name" (John i. 12). + +>From all this it is easy to understand why faith has such great +power, and why no good works, nor even all good works put +together, can compare with it, since no work can cleave to the +word of God or be in the soul. Faith alone and the word reign in +it; and such as is the word, such is the soul made by it, just as +iron exposed to fire glows like fire, on account of its union +with the fire. It is clear then that to a Christian man his faith +suffices for everything, and that he has no need of works for +justification. But if he has no need of works, neither has he +need of the law; and if he has no need of the law, he is +certainly free from the law, and the saying is true, "The law is +not made for a righteous man" (1 Tim. i. 9). This is that +Christian liberty, our faith, the effect of which is, not that we +should be careless or lead a bad life, but that no one should +need the law or works for justification and salvation. + +Let us consider this as the first virtue of faith; and let us +look also to the second. This also is an office of faith: that it +honours with the utmost veneration and the highest reputation Him +in whom it believes, inasmuch as it holds Him to be truthful and +worthy of belief. For there is no honour like that reputation of +truth and righteousness with which we honour Him in whom we +believe. What higher credit can we attribute to any one than +truth and righteousness, and absolute goodness? On the other +hand, it is the greatest insult to brand any one with the +reputation of falsehood and unrighteousness, or to suspect him of +these, as we do when we disbelieve him. + +Thus the soul, in firmly believing the promises of God, holds Him +to be true and righteous; and it can attribute to God no higher +glory than the credit of being so. The highest worship of God is +to ascribe to Him truth, righteousness, and whatever qualities we +must ascribe to one in whom we believe. In doing this the soul +shows itself prepared to do His whole will; in doing this it +hallows His name, and gives itself up to be dealt with as it may +please God. For it cleaves to His promises, and never doubts that +He is true, just, and wise, and will do, dispose, and provide for +all things in the best way. Is not such a soul, in this its +faith, most obedient to God in all things? What commandment does +there remain which has not been amply fulfilled by such an +obedience? What fulfilment can be more full than universal +obedience? Now this is not accomplished by works, but by faith +alone. + +On the other hand, what greater rebellion, impiety, or insult to +God can there be, than not to believe His promises? What else is +this, than either to make God a liar, or to doubt His truth--that +is, to attribute truth to ourselves, but to God falsehood and +levity? In doing this, is not a man denying God and setting +himself up as an idol in his own heart? What then can works, done +in such a state of impiety, profit us, were they even angelic or +apostolic works? Rightly hath God shut up all, not in wrath nor +in lust, but in unbelief, in order that those who pretend that +they are fulfilling the law by works of purity and benevolence +(which are social and human virtues) may not presume that they +will therefore be saved, but, being included in the sin of +unbelief, may either seek mercy, or be justly condemned. + +But when God sees that truth is ascribed to Him, and that in the +faith of our hearts He is honoured with all the honour of which +He is worthy, then in return He honours us on account of that +faith, attributing to us truth and righteousness. For faith does +truth and righteousness in rendering to God what is His; and +therefore in return God gives glory to our righteousness. It is +true and righteous that God is true and righteous; and to confess +this and ascribe these attributes to Him, this it is to be true +and righteous. Thus He says, "Them that honour Me I will honour, +and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed" (1 Sam. ii. +30). And so Paul says that Abraham's faith was imputed to him for +righteousness, because by it he gave glory to God; and that to us +also, for the same reason, it shall be imputed for righteousness, +if we believe (Rom. iv.). + +The third incomparable grace of faith is this: that it unites the +soul to Christ, as the wife to the husband, by which mystery, as +the Apostle teaches, Christ and the soul are made one flesh. Now +if they are one flesh, and if a true marriage--nay, by far the +most perfect of all marriages--is accomplished between them (for +human marriages are but feeble types of this one great marriage), +then it follows that all they have becomes theirs in common, as +well good things as evil things; so that whatsoever Christ +possesses, that the believing soul may take to itself and boast +of as its own, and whatever belongs to the soul, that Christ +claims as His. + +If we compare these possessions, we shall see how inestimable is +the gain. Christ is full of grace, life, and salvation; the soul +is full of sin, death, and condemnation. Let faith step in, and +then sin, death, and hell will belong to Christ, and grace, life, +and salvation to the soul. For, if He is a Husband, He must needs +take to Himself that which is His wife's, and at the same time, +impart to His wife that which is His. For, in giving her His own +body and Himself, how can He but give her all that is His? And, +in taking to Himself the body of His wife, how can He but take to +Himself all that is hers? + +In this is displayed the delightful sight, not only of communion, +but of a prosperous warfare, of victory, salvation, and +redemption. For, since Christ is God and man, and is such a +Person as neither has sinned, nor dies, nor is condemned, nay, +cannot sin, die, or be condemned, and since His righteousness, +life, and salvation are invincible, eternal, and almighty,--when +I say, such a Person, by the wedding-ring of faith, takes a share +in the sins, death, and hell of His wife, nay, makes them His +own, and deals with them no otherwise than as if they were His, +and as if He Himself had sinned; and when He suffers, dies, and +descends to hell, that He may overcome all things, and since sin, +death, and hell cannot swallow Him up, they must needs be +swallowed up by Him in stupendous conflict. For His righteousness +rises above the sins of all men; His life is more powerful than +all death; His salvation is more unconquerable than all hell. + +Thus the believing soul, by the pledge of its faith in Christ, +becomes free from all sin, fearless of death, safe from hell, and +endowed with the eternal righteousness, life, and salvation of +its Husband Christ. Thus He presents to Himself a glorious bride, +without spot or wrinkle, cleansing her with the washing of water +by the word; that is, by faith in the word of life, +righteousness, and salvation. Thus He betrothes her unto Himself +"in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in judgment, and in +lovingkindness, and in mercies" (Hosea ii. 19, 20). + +Who then can value highly enough these royal nuptials? Who can +comprehend the riches of the glory of this grace? Christ, that +rich and pious Husband, takes as a wife a needy and impious +harlot, redeeming her from all her evils and supplying her with +all His good things. It is impossible now that her sins should +destroy her, since they have been laid upon Christ and swallowed +up in Him, and since she has in her Husband Christ a +righteousness which she may claim as her own, and which she can +set up with confidence against all her sins, against death and +hell, saying, "If I have sinned, my Christ, in whom I believe, +has not sinned; all mine is His, and all His is mine," as it is +written, "My beloved is mine, and I am His" (Cant. ii. 16). This +is what Paul says: "Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory +through our Lord Jesus Christ," victory over sin and death, as he +says, "The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the +law" (1 Cor. xv. 56, 57). + +>From all this you will again understand why so much importance is +attributed to faith, so that it alone can fulfil the law and +justify without any works. For you see that the First +Commandment, which says, "Thou shalt worship one God only," is +fulfilled by faith alone. If you were nothing but good works from +the soles of your feet to the crown of your head, you would not +be worshipping God, nor fulfilling the First Commandment, since +it is impossible to worship God without ascribing to Him the +glory of truth and of universal goodness, as it ought in truth to +be ascribed. Now this is not done by works, but only by faith of +heart. It is not by working, but by believing, that we glorify +God, and confess Him to be true. On this ground faith alone is +the righteousness of a Christian man, and the fulfilling of all +the commandments. For to him who fulfils the first the task of +fulfilling all the rest is easy. + +Works, since they are irrational things, cannot glorify God, +although they may be done to the glory of God, if faith be +present. But at present we are inquiring, not into the quality of +the works done, but into him who does them, who glorifies God, +and brings forth good works. This is faith of heart, the head and +the substance of all our righteousness. Hence that is a blind and +perilous doctrine which teaches that the commandments are +fulfilled by works. The commandments must have been fulfilled +previous to any good works, and good works follow their +fulfillment, as we shall see. + +But, that we may have a wider view of that grace which our inner +man has in Christ, we must know that in the Old Testament God +sanctified to Himself every first-born male. The birthright was +of great value, giving a superiority over the rest by the double +honour of priesthood and kingship. For the first-born brother was +priest and lord of all the rest. + +Under this figure was foreshown Christ, the true and only +First-born of God the Father and of the Virgin Mary, and a true +King and Priest, not in a fleshly and earthly sense. For His +kingdom is not of this world; it is in heavenly and spiritual +things that He reigns and acts as Priest; and these are +righteousness, truth, wisdom, peace, salvation, etc. Not but that +all things, even those of earth and hell, are subject to Him--for +otherwise how could He defend and save us from them?--but it is +not in these, nor by these, that His kingdom stands. + +So, too, His priesthood does not consist in the outward display +of vestments and gestures, as did the human priesthood of Aaron +and our ecclesiastical priesthood at this day, but in spiritual +things, wherein, in His invisible office, He intercedes for us +with God in heaven, and there offers Himself, and performs all +the duties of a priest, as Paul describes Him to the Hebrews +under the figure of Melchizedek. Nor does He only pray and +intercede for us; He also teaches us inwardly in the spirit with +the living teachings of His Spirit. Now these are the two special +offices of a priest, as is figured to us in the case of fleshly +priests by visible prayers and sermons. + +As Christ by His birthright has obtained these two dignities, so +He imparts and communicates them to every believer in Him, under +that law of matrimony of which we have spoken above, by which all +that is the husband's is also the wife's. Hence all we who +believe on Christ are kings and priests in Christ, as it is said, +"Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a +peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him who +hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light" (1 +Peter ii. 9). + +These two things stand thus. First, as regards kingship, every +Christian is by faith so exalted above all things that, in +spiritual power, he is completely lord of all things, so that +nothing whatever can do him any hurt; yea, all things are subject +to him, and are compelled to be subservient to his salvation. +Thus Paul says, "All things work together for good to them who +are the called" (Rom. viii. 28), and also, "Whether life, or +death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours; and +ye are Christ's" (1 Cor. iii. 22, 23). + +Not that in the sense of corporeal power any one among Christians +has been appointed to possess and rule all things, according to +the mad and senseless idea of certain ecclesiastics. That is the +office of kings, princes, and men upon earth. In the experience +of life we see that we are subjected to all things, and suffer +many things, even death. Yea, the more of a Christian any man is, +to so many the more evils, sufferings, and deaths is he subject, +as we see in the first place in Christ the First-born, and in all +His holy brethren. + +This is a spiritual power, which rules in the midst of enemies, +and is powerful in the midst of distresses. And this is nothing +else than that strength is made perfect in my weakness, and that +I can turn all things to the profit of my salvation; so that even +the cross and death are compelled to serve me and to work +together for my salvation. This is a lofty and eminent dignity, a +true and almighty dominion, a spiritual empire, in which there is +nothing so good, nothing so bad, as not to work together for my +good, if only I believe. And yet there is nothing of which I have +need--for faith alone suffices for my salvation--unless that in +it faith may exercise the power and empire of its liberty. This +is the inestimable power and liberty of Christians. + +Nor are we only kings and the freest of all men, but also priests +for ever, a dignity far higher than kingship, because by that +priesthood we are worthy to appear before God, to pray for +others, and to teach one another mutually the things which are of +God. For these are the duties of priests, and they cannot +possibly be permitted to any unbeliever. Christ has obtained for +us this favour, if we believe in Him: that just as we are His +brethren and co-heirs and fellow-kings with Him, so we should be +also fellow-priests with Him, and venture with confidence, +through the spirit of faith, to come into the presence of God, +and cry, "Abba, Father!" and to pray for one another, and to do +all things which we see done and figured in the visible and +corporeal office of priesthood. But to an unbelieving person +nothing renders service or work for good. He himself is in +servitude to all things, and all things turn out for evil to him, +because he uses all things in an impious way for his own +advantage, and not for the glory of God. And thus he is not a +priest, but a profane person, whose prayers are turned into sin, +nor does he ever appear in the presence of God, because God does +not hear sinners. + +Who then can comprehend the loftiness of that Christian dignity +which, by its royal power, rules over all things, even over +death, life, and sin, and, by its priestly glory, is all-powerful +with God, since God does what He Himself seeks and wishes, as it +is written, "He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him; He +also will hear their cry, and will save them"? (Psalm cxlv. 19). +This glory certainly cannot be attained by any works, but by +faith only. + +>From these considerations any one may clearly see how a Christian +man is free from all things; so that he needs no works in order +to be justified and saved, but receives these gifts in abundance +from faith alone. Nay, were he so foolish as to pretend to be +justified, set free, saved, and made a Christian, by means of any +good work, he would immediately lose faith, with all its +benefits. Such folly is prettily represented in the fable where a +dog, running along in the water and carrying in his mouth a real +piece of meat, is deceived by the reflection of the meat in the +water, and, in trying with open mouth to seize it, loses the meat +and its image at the same time. + +Here you will ask, "If all who are in the Church are priests, by +what character are those whom we now call priests to be +distinguished from the laity?" I reply, By the use of these +words, "priest," "clergy," " spiritual person," "ecclesiastic," +an injustice has been done, since they have been transferred from +the remaining body of Christians to those few who are now, by +hurtful custom, called ecclesiastics. For Holy Scripture makes no +distinction between them, except that those who are now +boastfully called popes, bishops, and lords, it calls ministers, +servants, and stewards, who are to serve the rest in the ministry +of the word, for teaching the faith of Christ and the liberty of +believers. For though it is true that we are all equally priests, +yet we cannot, nor, if we could, ought we all to, minister and +teach publicly. Thus Paul says, "Let a man so account of us as of +the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God" (1 +Cor. iv. 1). + +This bad system has now issued in such a pompous display of power +and such a terrible tyranny that no earthly government can be +compared to it, as if the laity were something else than +Christians. Through this perversion of things it has happened +that the knowledge of Christian grace, of faith, of liberty, and +altogether of Christ, has utterly perished, and has been +succeeded by an intolerable bondage to human works and laws; and, +according to the Lamentations of Jeremiah, we have become the +slaves of the vilest men on earth, who abuse our misery to all +the disgraceful and ignominious purposes of their own will. + +Returning to the subject which we had begun, I think it is made +clear by these considerations that it is not sufficient, nor a +Christian course, to preach the works, life, and words of Christ +in a historic manner, as facts which it suffices to know as an +example how to frame our life, as do those who are now held the +best preachers, and much less so to keep silence altogether on +these things and to teach in their stead the laws of men and the +decrees of the Fathers. There are now not a few persons who +preach and read about Christ with the object of moving the human +affections to sympathise with Christ, to indignation against the +Jews, and other childish and womanish absurdities of that kind. + +Now preaching ought to have the object of promoting faith in Him, +so that He may not only be Christ, but a Christ for you and for +me, and that what is said of Him, and what He is called, may work +in us. And this faith is produced and is maintained by preaching +why Christ came, what He has brought us and given to us, and to +what profit and advantage He is to be received. This is done when +the Christian liberty which we have from Christ Himself is +rightly taught, and we are shown in what manner all we Christians +are kings and priests, and how we are lords of all things, and +may be confident that whatever we do in the presence of God is +pleasing and acceptable to Him. + +Whose heart would not rejoice in its inmost core at hearing these +things? Whose heart, on receiving so great a consolation, would +not become sweet with the love of Christ, a love to which it can +never attain by any laws or works? Who can injure such a heart, +or make it afraid? If the consciousness of sin or the horror of +death rush in upon it, it is prepared to hope in the Lord, and is +fearless of such evils, and undisturbed, until it shall look down +upon its enemies. For it believes that the righteousness of +Christ is its own, and that its sin is no longer its own, but +that of Christ; but, on account of its faith in Christ, all its +sin must needs be swallowed up from before the face of the +righteousness of Christ, as I have said above. It learns, too, +with the Apostle, to scoff at death and sin, and to say, "O +death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The +sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But +thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord +Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. xv. 55-57). For death is swallowed up in +victory, not only the victory of Christ, but ours also, since by +faith it becomes ours, and in it we too conquer. + +Let it suffice to say this concerning the inner man and its +liberty, and concerning that righteousness of faith which needs +neither laws nor good works; nay, they are even hurtful to it, if +any one pretends to be justified by them. + +And now let us turn to the other part: to the outward man. Here +we shall give an answer to all those who, taking offence at the +word of faith and at what I have asserted, say, "If faith does +everything, and by itself suffices for justification, why then +are good works commanded? Are we then to take our ease and do no +works, content with faith?" Not so, impious men, I reply; not so. +That would indeed really be the case, if we were thoroughly and +completely inner and spiritual persons; but that will not happen +until the last day, when the dead shall be raised. As long as we +live in the flesh, we are but beginning and making advances in +that which shall be completed in a future life. On this account +the Apostle calls that which we have in this life the firstfruits +of the Spirit (Rom. viii. 23). In future we shall have the +tenths, and the fullness of the Spirit. To this part belongs the +fact I have stated before: that the Christian is the servant of +all and subject to all. For in that part in which he is free he +does no works, but in that in which he is a servant he does all +works. Let us see on what principle this is so. + +Although, as I have said, inwardly, and according to the spirit, +a man is amply enough justified by faith, having all that he +requires to have, except that this very faith and abundance ought +to increase from day to day, even till the future life, still he +remains in this mortal life upon earth, in which it is necessary +that he should rule his own body and have intercourse with men. +Here then works begin; here he must not take his ease; here he +must give heed to exercise his body by fastings, watchings, +labour, and other regular discipline, so that it may be subdued +to the spirit, and obey and conform itself to the inner man and +faith, and not rebel against them nor hinder them, as is its +nature to do if it is not kept under. For the inner man, being +conformed to God and created after the image of God through +faith, rejoices and delights itself in Christ, in whom such +blessings have been conferred on it, and hence has only this task +before it: to serve God with joy and for nought in free love. + +But in doing this he comes into collision with that contrary will +in his own flesh, which is striving to serve the world and to +seek its own gratification. This the spirit of faith cannot and +will not bear, but applies itself with cheerfulness and zeal to +keep it down and restrain it, as Paul says, "I delight in the law +of God after the inward man; but I see another law in my members, +warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity +to the law of sin" (Rom. vii. 22, 23), and again, "I keep under +my body, and bring it unto subjection, lest that by any means, +when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (1 +Cor. ix. 27), and "They that are Christ's have crucified the +flesh, with the affections and lusts" (Gal. v. 24). + +These works, however, must not be done with any notion that by +them a man can be justified before God—for faith, which alone is +righteousness before God, will not bear with this false +notion--but solely with this purpose: that the body may be +brought into subjection, and be purified from its evil lusts, so +that our eyes may be turned only to purging away those lusts. For +when the soul has been cleansed by faith and made to love God, it +would have all things to be cleansed in like manner, and +especially its own body, so that all things might unite with it +in the love and praise of God. Thus it comes that, from the +requirements of his own body, a man cannot take his ease, but is +compelled on its account to do many good works, that he may bring +it into subjection. Yet these works are not the means of his +justification before God; he does them out of disinterested love +to the service of God; looking to no other end than to do what is +well-pleasing to Him whom he desires to obey most dutifully in +all things. + +On this principle every man may easily instruct himself in what +measure, and with what distinctions, he ought to chasten his own +body. He will fast, watch, and labour, just as much as he sees to +suffice for keeping down the wantonness and concupiscence of the +body. But those who pretend to be justified by works are looking, +not to the mortification of their lusts, but only to the works +themselves; thinking that, if they can accomplish as many works +and as great ones as possible, all is well with them, and they +are justified. Sometimes they even injure their brain, and +extinguish nature, or at least make it useless. This is enormous +folly, and ignorance of Christian life and faith, when a man +seeks, without faith, to be justified and saved by works. + +To make what we have said more easily understood, let us set it +forth under a figure. The works of a Christian man, who is +justified and saved by his faith out of the pure and unbought +mercy of God, ought to be regarded in the same light as would +have been those of Adam and Eve in paradise and of all their +posterity if they had not sinned. Of them it is said, "The Lord +God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it +and to keep it" (Gen. ii. 15). Now Adam had been created by God +just and righteous, so that he could not have needed to be +justified and made righteous by keeping the garden and working in +it; but, that he might not be unemployed, God gave him the +business of keeping and cultivating paradise. These would have +indeed been works of perfect freedom, being done for no object +but that of pleasing God, and not in order to obtain +justification, which he already had to the full, and which would +have been innate in us all. + +So it is with the works of a believer. Being by his faith +replaced afresh in paradise and created anew, he does not need +works for his justification, but that he may not be idle, but may +exercise his own body and preserve it. His works are to be done +freely, with the sole object of pleasing God. Only we are not yet +fully created anew in perfect faith and love; these require to be +increased, not, however, through works, but through themselves. + +A bishop, when he consecrates a church, confirms children, or +performs any other duty of his office, is not consecrated as +bishop by these works; nay, unless he had been previously +consecrated as bishop, not one of those works would have any +validity; they would be foolish, childish, and ridiculous. Thus a +Christian, being consecrated by his faith, does good works; but +he is not by these works made a more sacred person, or more a +Christian. That is the effect of faith alone; nay, unless he were +previously a believer and a Christian, none of his works would +have any value at all; they would really be impious and damnable +sins. + +True, then, are these two sayings: "Good works do not make a good +man, but a good man does good works"; "Bad works do not make a +bad man, but a bad man does bad works." Thus it is always +necessary that the substance or person should be good before any +good works can be done, and that good works should follow and +proceed from a good person. As Christ says, "A good tree cannot +bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth +good fruit" (Matt. vii. 18). Now it is clear that the fruit does +not bear the tree, nor does the tree grow on the fruit; but, on +the contrary, the trees bear the fruit, and the fruit grows on +the trees. + +As then trees must exist before their fruit, and as the fruit +does not make the tree either good or bad, but on the contrary, a +tree of either kind produces fruit of the same kind, so must +first the person of the man be good or bad before he can do +either a good or a bad work; and his works do not make him bad or +good, but he himself makes his works either bad or good. + +We may see the same thing in all handicrafts. A bad or good house +does not make a bad or good builder, but a good or bad builder +makes a good or bad house. And in general no work makes the +workman such as it is itself; but the workman makes the work such +as he is himself. Such is the case, too, with the works of men. +Such as the man himself is, whether in faith or in unbelief, such +is his work: good if it be done in faith; bad if in unbelief. But +the converse is not true that, such as the work is, such the man +becomes in faith or in unbelief. For as works do not make a +believing man, so neither do they make a justified man; but +faith, as it makes a man a believer and justified, so also it +makes his works good. + +Since then works justify no man, but a man must be justified +before he can do any good work, it is most evident that it is +faith alone which, by the mere mercy of God through Christ, and +by means of His word, can worthily and sufficiently justify and +save the person; and that a Christian man needs no work, no law, +for his salvation; for by faith he is free from all law, and in +perfect freedom does gratuitously all that he does, seeking +nothing either of profit or of salvation--since by the grace of +God he is already saved and rich in all things through his +faith--but solely that which is well-pleasing to God. + +So, too, no good work can profit an unbeliever to justification +and salvation; and, on the other hand, no evil work makes him an +evil and condemned person, but that unbelief, which makes the +person and the tree bad, makes his works evil and condemned. +Wherefore, when any man is made good or bad, this does not arise +from his works, but from his faith or unbelief, as the wise man +says, "The beginning of sin is to fall away from God"; that is, +not to believe. Paul says, "He that cometh to God must believe" +(Heb. xi. 6); and Christ says the same thing: "Either make the +tree good and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and +his fruit corrupt" (Matt. xii. 33),--as much as to say, He who +wishes to have good fruit will begin with the tree, and plant a +good one; even so he who wishes to do good works must begin, not +by working, but by believing, since it is this which makes the +person good. For nothing makes the person good but faith, nor bad +but unbelief. + +It is certainly true that, in the sight of men, a man becomes +good or evil by his works; but here "becoming" means that it is +thus shown and recognised who is good or evil, as Christ says, +"By their fruits ye shall know them" (Matt. vii. 20). But all +this stops at appearances and externals; and in this matter very +many deceive themselves, when they presume to write and teach +that we are to be justified by good works, and meanwhile make no +mention even of faith, walking in their own ways, ever deceived +and deceiving, going from bad to worse, blind leaders of the +blind, wearying themselves with many works, and yet never +attaining to true righteousness, of whom Paul says, "Having a +form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, ever learning +and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. +iii. 5, 7). + +He then who does not wish to go astray, with these blind ones, +must look further than to the works of the law or the doctrine of +works; nay, must turn away his sight from works, and look to the +person, and to the manner in which it may be justified. Now it is +justified and saved, not by works or laws, but by the word of +God--that is, by the promise of His grace--so that the glory may +be to the Divine majesty, which has saved us who believe, not by +works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His +mercy, by the word of His grace. + +>From all this it is easy to perceive on what principle good works +are to be cast aside or embraced, and by what rule all teachings +put forth concerning works are to be understood. For if works are +brought forward as grounds of justification, and are done under +the false persuasion that we can pretend to be justified by them, +they lay on us the yoke of necessity, and extinguish liberty +along with faith, and by this very addition to their use they +become no longer good, but really worthy of condemnation. For +such works are not free, but blaspheme the grace of God, to which +alone it belongs to justify and save through faith. Works cannot +accomplish this, and yet, with impious presumption, through our +folly, they take it on themselves to do so; and thus break in +with violence upon the office and glory of grace. + +We do not then reject good works; nay, we embrace them and teach +them in the highest degree. It is not on their own account that +we condemn them, but on account of this impious addition to them +and the perverse notion of seeking justification by them. These +things cause them to be only good in outward show, but in reality +not good, since by them men are deceived and deceive others, like +ravening wolves in sheep's clothing. + +Now this leviathan, this perverted notion about works, is +invincible when sincere faith is wanting. For those sanctified +doers of works cannot but hold it till faith, which destroys it, +comes and reigns in the heart. Nature cannot expel it by her own +power; nay, cannot even see it for what it is, but considers it +as a most holy will. And when custom steps in besides, and +strengthens this pravity of nature, as has happened by means of +impious teachers, then the evil is incurable, and leads astray +multitudes to irreparable ruin. Therefore, though it is good to +preach and write about penitence, confession, and satisfaction, +yet if we stop there, and do not go on to teach faith, such +teaching is without doubt deceitful and devilish. For Christ, +speaking by His servant John, not only said, "Repent ye," but +added, "for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. iii. 2). + +For not one word of God only, but both, should be preached; new +and old things should be brought out of the treasury, as well the +voice of the law as the word of grace. The voice of the law +should be brought forward, that men may be terrified and brought +to a knowledge of their sins, and thence be converted to +penitence and to a better manner of life. But we must not stop +here; that would be to wound only and not to bind up, to strike +and not to heal, to kill and not to make alive, to bring down to +hell and not to bring back, to humble and not to exalt. Therefore +the word of grace and of the promised remission of sin must also +be preached, in order to teach and set up faith, since without +that word contrition, penitence, and all other duties, are +performed and taught in vain. + +There still remain, it is true, preachers of repentance and +grace, but they do not explain the law and the promises of God to +such an end, and in such a spirit, that men may learn whence +repentance and grace are to come. For repentance comes from the +law of God, but faith or grace from the promises of God, as it is +said, "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" +(Rom. x. 17), whence it comes that a man, when humbled and +brought to the knowledge of himself by the threatenings and +terrors of the law, is consoled and raised up by faith in the +Divine promise. Thus "weeping may endure for a night, but joy +cometh in the morning" (Psalm xxx. 5). Thus much we say +concerning works in general, and also concerning those which the +Christian practises with regard to his own body. + +Lastly, we will speak also of those works which he performs +towards his neighbour. For man does not live for himself alone in +this mortal body, in order to work on its account, but also for +all men on earth; nay, he lives only for others, and not for +himself. For it is to this end that he brings his own body into +subjection, that he may be able to serve others more sincerely +and more freely, as Paul says, "None of us liveth to himself, and +no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the +Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord" (Rom. xiv. 7, 8). +Thus it is impossible that he should take his ease in this life, +and not work for the good of his neighbours, since he must needs +speak, act, and converse among men, just as Christ was made in +the likeness of men and found in fashion as a man, and had His +conversation among men. + +Yet a Christian has need of none of these things for +justification and salvation, but in all his works he ought to +entertain this view and look only to this object--that he may +serve and be useful to others in all that he does; having nothing +before his eyes but the necessities and the advantage of his +neighbour. Thus the Apostle commands us to work with our own +hands, that we may have to give to those that need. He might have +said, that we may support ourselves; but he tells us to give to +those that need. It is the part of a Christian to take care of +his own body for the very purpose that, by its soundness and +well-being, he may be enabled to labour, and to acquire and +preserve property, for the aid of those who are in want, that +thus the stronger member may serve the weaker member, and we may +be children of God, thoughtful and busy one for another, bearing +one another's burdens, and so fulfilling the law of Christ. + +Here is the truly Christian life, here is faith really working by +love, when a man applies himself with joy and love to the works +of that freest servitude in which he serves others voluntarily +and for nought, himself abundantly satisfied in the fulness and +riches of his own faith. + +Thus, when Paul had taught the Philippians how they had been made +rich by that faith in Christ in which they had obtained all +things, he teaches them further in these words: "If there be +therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if +any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil +ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of +one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or +vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better +than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every +man also on the things of others" (Phil. ii. 1-4). + +In this we see clearly that the Apostle lays down this rule for a +Christian life: that all our works should be directed to the +advantage of others, since every Christian has such abundance +through his faith that all his other works and his whole life +remain over and above wherewith to serve and benefit his +neighbour of spontaneous goodwill. + +To this end he brings forward Christ as an example, saying, "Let +this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being +in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, +but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of +a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found +in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto +death" (Phil. ii. 5-8). This most wholesome saying of the Apostle +has been darkened to us by men who, totally misunderstanding the +expressions "form of God," "form of a servant," "fashion," +"likeness of men," have transferred them to the natures of +Godhead and manhood. Paul's meaning is this: Christ, when He was +full of the form of God and abounded in all good things, so that +He had no need of works or sufferings to be just and saved--for +all these things He had from the very beginning--yet was not +puffed up with these things, and did not raise Himself above us +and arrogate to Himself power over us, though He might lawfully +have done so, but, on the contrary, so acted in labouring, +working, suffering, and dying, as to be like the rest of men, and +no otherwise than a man in fashion and in conduct, as if He were +in want of all things and had nothing of the form of God; and yet +all this He did for our sakes, that He might serve us, and that +all the works He should do under that form of a servant might +become ours. + +Thus a Christian, like Christ his Head, being full and in +abundance through his faith, ought to be content with this form +of God, obtained by faith; except that, as I have said, he ought +to increase this faith till it be perfected. For this faith is +his life, justification, and salvation, preserving his person +itself and making it pleasing to God, and bestowing on him all +that Christ has, as I have said above, and as Paul affirms: "The +life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son +of God" (Gal. ii. 20). Though he is thus free from all works, yet +he ought to empty himself of this liberty, take on him the form +of a servant, be made in the likeness of men, be found in fashion +as a man, serve, help, and in every way act towards his neighbour +as he sees that God through Christ has acted and is acting +towards him. All this he should do freely, and with regard to +nothing but the good pleasure of God, and he should reason +thus:-- + +Lo! my God, without merit on my part, of His pure and free mercy, +has given to me, an unworthy, condemned, and contemptible +creature all the riches of justification and salvation in Christ, +so that I no longer am in want of anything, except of faith to +believe that this is so. For such a Father, then, who has +overwhelmed me with these inestimable riches of His, why should I +not freely, cheerfully, and with my whole heart, and from +voluntary zeal, do all that I know will be pleasing to Him and +acceptable in His sight? I will therefore give myself as a sort +of Christ, to my neighbour, as Christ has given Himself to me; +and will do nothing in this life except what I see will be +needful, advantageous, and wholesome for my neighbour, since by +faith I abound in all good things in Christ. + +Thus from faith flow forth love and joy in the Lord, and from +love a cheerful, willing, free spirit, disposed to serve our +neighbour voluntarily, without taking any account of gratitude or +ingratitude, praise or blame, gain or loss. Its object is not to +lay men under obligations, nor does it distinguish between +friends and enemies, or look to gratitude or ingratitude, but +most freely and willingly spends itself and its goods, whether it +loses them through ingratitude, or gains goodwill. For thus did +its Father, distributing all things to all men abundantly and +freely, making His sun to rise upon the just and the unjust. +Thus, too, the child does and endures nothing except from the +free joy with which it delights through Christ in God, the Giver +of such great gifts. + +You see, then, that, if we recognize those great and precious +gifts, as Peter says, which have been given to us, love is +quickly diffused in our hearts through the Spirit, and by love we +are made free, joyful, all-powerful, active workers, victors over +all our tribulations, servants to our neighbour, and nevertheless +lords of all things. But, for those who do not recognise the good +things given to them through Christ, Christ has been born in +vain; such persons walk by works, and will never attain the taste +and feeling of these great things. Therefore just as our +neighbour is in want, and has need of our abundance, so we too in +the sight of God were in want, and had need of His mercy. And as +our heavenly Father has freely helped us in Christ, so ought we +freely to help our neighbour by our body and works, and each +should become to other a sort of Christ, so that we may be +mutually Christs, and that the same Christ may be in all of us; +that is, that we may be truly Christians. + +Who then can comprehend the riches and glory of the Christian +life? It can do all things, has all things, and is in want of +nothing; is lord over sin, death, and hell, and at the same time +is the obedient and useful servant of all. But alas! it is at +this day unknown throughout the world; it is neither preached nor +sought after, so that we are quite ignorant about our own name, +why we are and are called Christians. We are certainly called so +from Christ, who is not absent, but dwells among us--provided, +that is, that we believe in Him and are reciprocally and mutually +one the Christ of the other, doing to our neighbour as Christ +does to us. But now, in the doctrine of men, we are taught only +to seek after merits, rewards, and things which are already ours, +and we have made of Christ a taskmaster far more severe than +Moses. + +The Blessed Virgin beyond all others, affords us an example of +the same faith, in that she was purified according to the law of +Moses, and like all other women, though she was bound by no such +law and had no need of purification. Still she submitted to the +law voluntarily and of free love, making herself like the rest of +women, that she might not offend or throw contempt on them. She +was not justified by doing this; but, being already justified, +she did it freely and gratuitously. Thus ought our works too to +be done, and not in order to be justified by them; for, being +first justified by faith, we ought to do all our works freely and +cheerfully for the sake of others. + +St. Paul circumcised his disciple Timothy, not because he needed +circumcision for his justification, but that he might not offend +or contemn those Jews, weak in the faith, who had not yet been +able to comprehend the liberty of faith. On the other hand, when +they contemned liberty and urged that circumcision was necessary +for justification, he resisted them, and would not allow Titus to +be circumcised. For, as he would not offend or contemn any one's +weakness in faith, but yielded for the time to their will, so, +again, he would not have the liberty of faith offended or +contemned by hardened self-justifiers, but walked in a middle +path, sparing the weak for the time, and always resisting the +hardened, that he might convert all to the liberty of faith. On +the same principle we ought to act, receiving those that are weak +in the faith, but boldly resisting these hardened teachers of +works, of whom we shall hereafter speak at more length. + +Christ also, when His disciples were asked for the tribute money, +asked of Peter whether the children of a king were not free from +taxes. Peter agreed to this; yet Jesus commanded him to go to the +sea, saying, "Lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and +cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when +thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt find a piece of money; that +take, and give unto them for Me and thee" (Matt. xvii. 27). + +This example is very much to our purpose; for here Christ calls +Himself and His disciples free men and children of a King, in +want of nothing; and yet He voluntarily submits and pays the tax. +Just as far, then, as this work was necessary or useful to Christ +for justification or salvation, so far do all His other works or +those of His disciples avail for justification. They are really +free and subsequent to justification, and only done to serve +others and set them an example. + +Such are the works which Paul inculcated, that Christians should +be subject to principalities and powers and ready to every good +work (Titus iii. 1), not that they may be justified by these +things--for they are already justified by faith--but that in +liberty of spirit they may thus be the servants of others and +subject to powers, obeying their will out of gratuitous love. + +Such, too, ought to have been the works of all colleges, +monasteries, and priests; every one doing the works of his own +profession and state of life, not in order to be justified by +them, but in order to bring his own body into subjection, as an +example to others, who themselves also need to keep under their +bodies, and also in order to accommodate himself to the will of +others, out of free love. But we must always guard most carefully +against any vain confidence or presumption of being justified, +gaining merit, or being saved by these works, this being the part +of faith alone, as I have so often said. + +Any man possessing this knowledge may easily keep clear of danger +among those innumerable commands and precepts of the Pope, of +bishops, of monasteries, of churches, of princes, and of +magistrates, which some foolish pastors urge on us as being +necessary for justification and salvation, calling them precepts +of the Church, when they are not so at all. For the Christian +freeman will speak thus: I will fast, I will pray, I will do this +or that which is commanded me by men, not as having any need of +these things for justification or salvation, but that I may thus +comply with the will of the Pope, of the bishop, of such a +community or such a magistrate, or of my neighbour as an example +to him; for this cause I will do and suffer all things, just as +Christ did and suffered much more for me, though He needed not at +all to do so on His own account, and made Himself for my sake +under the law, when He was not under the law. And although +tyrants may do me violence or wrong in requiring obedience to +these things, yet it will not hurt me to do them, so long as they +are not done against God. + +>From all this every man will be able to attain a sure judgment +and faithful discrimination between all works and laws, and to +know who are blind and foolish pastors, and who are true and good +ones. For whatsoever work is not directed to the sole end either +of keeping under the body, or of doing service to our +neighbour--provided he require nothing contrary to the will of +God--is no good or Christian work. Hence I greatly fear that at +this day few or no colleges, monasteries, altars, or +ecclesiastical functions are Christian ones; and the same may be +said of fasts and special prayers to certain saints. I fear that +in all these nothing is being sought but what is already ours; +while we fancy that by these things our sins are purged away and +salvation is attained, and thus utterly do away with Christian +liberty. This comes from ignorance of Christian faith and +liberty. + +This ignorance and this crushing of liberty are diligently +promoted by the teaching of very many blind pastors, who stir up +and urge the people to a zeal for these things, praising them and +puffing them up with their indulgences, but never teaching faith. +Now I would advise you, if you have any wish to pray, to fast, or +to make foundations in churches, as they call it, to take care +not to do so with the object of gaining any advantage, either +temporal or eternal. You will thus wrong your faith, which alone +bestows all things on you, and the increase of which, either by +working or by suffering, is alone to be cared for. What you give, +give freely and without price, that others may prosper and have +increase from you and your goodness. Thus you will be a truly +good man and a Christian. For what to you are your goods and your +works, which are done over and above for the subjection of the +body, since you have abundance for yourself through your faith, +in which God has given you all things? + +We give this rule: the good things which we have from God ought +to flow from one to another and become common to all, so that +every one of us may, as it were, put on his neighbour, and so +behave towards him as if he were himself in his place. They +flowed and do flow from Christ to us; He put us on, and acted for +us as if He Himself were what we are. From us they flow to those +who have need of them; so that my faith and righteousness ought +to be laid down before God as a covering and intercession for the +sins of my neighbour, which I am to take on myself, and so labour +and endure servitude in them, as if they were my own; for thus +has Christ done for us. This is true love and the genuine truth +of Christian life. But only there is it true and genuine where +there is true and genuine faith. Hence the Apostle attributes to +charity this quality: that she seeketh not her own. + +We conclude therefore that a Christian man does not live in +himself, but in Christ and in his neighbour, or else is no +Christian: in Christ by faith; in his neighbour by love. By faith +he is carried upwards above himself to God, and by love he sinks +back below himself to his neighbour, still always-abiding in God +and His love, as Christ says, "Verily I say unto you, Hereafter +ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and +descending upon the Son of man" (John i. 51). + +Thus much concerning liberty, which, as you see, is a true and +spiritual liberty, making our hearts free from all sins, laws, +and commandments, as Paul says, "The law is not made for a +righteous man" (1 Tim. i. 9), and one which surpasses all other +external liberties, as far as heaven is above earth. May Christ +make us to understand and preserve this liberty. Amen. + +Finally, for the sake of those to whom nothing can be stated so +well but that they misunderstand and distort it, we must add a +word, in case they can understand even that. There are very many +persons who, when they hear of this liberty of faith, straightway +turn it into an occasion of licence. They think that everything +is now lawful for them, and do not choose to show themselves free +men and Christians in any other way than by their contempt and +reprehension of ceremonies, of traditions, of human laws; as if +they were Christians merely because they refuse to fast on stated +days, or eat flesh when others fast, or omit the customary +prayers; scoffing at the precepts of men, but utterly passing +over all the rest that belongs to the Christian religion. On the +other hand, they are most pertinaciously resisted by those who +strive after salvation solely by their observance of and +reverence for ceremonies, as if they would be saved merely +because they fast on stated days, or abstain from flesh, or make +formal prayers; talking loudly of the precepts of the Church and +of the Fathers, and not caring a straw about those things which +belong to our genuine faith. Both these parties are plainly +culpable, in that, while they neglect matters which are of weight +and necessary for salvation, they contend noisily about such as +are without weight and not necessary. + +How much more rightly does the Apostle Paul teach us to walk in +the middle path, condemning either extreme and saying, "Let not +him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him +which eateth not judge him that eateth" (Rom. xiv. 3)! You see +here how the Apostle blames those who, not from religious +feeling, but in mere contempt, neglect and rail at ceremonial +observances, and teaches them not to despise, since this +"knowledge puffeth up." Again, he teaches the pertinacious +upholders of these things not to judge their opponents. For +neither party observes towards the other that charity which +edifieth. In this matter we must listen to Scripture, which +teaches us to turn aside neither to the right hand nor to the +left, but to follow those right precepts of the Lord which +rejoice the heart. For just as a man is not righteous merely +because he serves and is devoted to works and ceremonial rites, +so neither will he be accounted righteous merely because he +neglects and despises them. + +It is not from works that we are set free by the faith of Christ, +but from the belief in works, that is from foolishly presuming to +seek justification through works. Faith redeems our consciences, +makes them upright, and preserves them, since by it we recognise +the truth that justification does not depend on our works, +although good works neither can nor ought to be absent, just as +we cannot exist without food and drink and all the functions of +this mortal body. Still it is not on them that our justification +is based, but on faith; and yet they ought not on that account to +be despised or neglected. Thus in this world we are compelled by +the needs of this bodily life; but we are not hereby justified. +"My kingdom is not hence, nor of this world," says Christ; but He +does not say, "My kingdom is not here, nor in this world." Paul, +too, says, "Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the +flesh" (2 Cor. x. 3), and "The life which I now live in the flesh +I live by the faith of the Son of God" (Gal. ii. 20). Thus our +doings, life, and being, in works and ceremonies, are done from +the necessities of this life, and with the motive of governing +our bodies; but yet we are not justified by these things, but by +the faith of the Son of God. + +The Christian must therefore walk in the middle path, and set +these two classes of men before his eyes. He may meet with +hardened and obstinate ceremonialists, who, like deaf adders, +refuse to listen to the truth of liberty, and cry up, enjoin, and +urge on us their ceremonies, as if they could justify us without +faith. Such were the Jews of old, who would not understand, that +they might act well. These men we must resist, do just the +contrary to what they do, and be bold to give them offence, lest +by this impious notion of theirs they should deceive many along +with themselves. Before the eyes of these men it is expedient to +eat flesh, to break fasts, and to do in behalf of the liberty of +faith things which they hold to be the greatest sins. We must say +of them, "Let them alone; they be blind leaders of the blind" +(Matt. xv. 14). In this way Paul also would not have Titus +circumcised, though these men urged it; and Christ defended the +Apostles, who had plucked ears of corn on the Sabbath day; and +many like instances. + +Or else we may meet with simple-minded and ignorant persons, weak +in the faith, as the Apostle calls them, who are as yet unable to +apprehend that liberty of faith, even if willing to do so. These +we must spare, lest they should be offended. We must bear with +their infirmity, till they shall be more fully instructed. For +since these men do not act thus from hardened malice, but only +from weakness of faith, therefore, in order to avoid giving them +offence, we must keep fasts and do other things which they +consider necessary. This is required of us by charity, which +injures no one, but serves all men. It is not the fault of these +persons that they are weak, but that of their pastors, who by the +snares and weapons of their own traditions have brought them into +bondage and wounded their souls when they ought to have been set +free and healed by the teaching of faith and liberty. Thus the +Apostle says, "If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no +flesh while the world standeth" (1 Cor. viii. 13); and again, "I +know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing +unclean of itself; but to him that esteemeth anything to be +unclean, to him it is unclean. It is evil for that man who eateth +with offence" (Rom. xiv. 14, 20). + +Thus, though we ought boldly to resist those teachers of +tradition, and though the laws of the pontiffs, by which they +make aggressions on the people of God, deserve sharp reproof, yet +we must spare the timid crowd, who are held captive by the laws +of those impious tyrants, till they are set free. Fight +vigorously against the wolves, but on behalf of the sheep, not +against the sheep. And this you may do by inveighing against the +laws and lawgivers, and yet at the same time observing these laws +with the weak, lest they be offended, until they shall themselves +recognise the tyranny, and understand their own liberty. If you +wish to use your liberty, do it secretly, as Paul says, "Hast +thou faith? have it to thyself before God" (Rom. xiv. 22). But +take care not to use it in the presence of the weak. On the other +hand, in the presence of tyrants and obstinate opposers, use your +liberty in their despite, and with the utmost pertinacity, that +they too may understand that they are tyrants, and their laws +useless for justification, nay that they had no right to +establish such laws. + +Since then we cannot live in this world without ceremonies and +works, since the hot and inexperienced period of youth has need +of being restrained and protected by such bonds, and since every +one is bound to keep under his own body by attention to these +things, therefore the minister of Christ must be prudent and +faithful in so ruling and teaching the people of Christ, in all +these matters, that no root of bitterness may spring up among +them, and so many be defiled, as Paul warned the Hebrews; that +is, that they may not lose the faith, and begin to be defiled by +a belief in works as the means of justification. This is a thing +which easily happens, and defiles very many, unless faith be +constantly inculcated along with works. It is impossible to avoid +this evil, when faith is passed over in silence, and only the +ordinances of men are taught, as has been done hitherto by the +pestilent, impious, and soul-destroying traditions of our +pontiffs and opinions of our theologians. An infinite number of +souls have been drawn down to hell by these snares, so that you +may recognise the work of antichrist. + +In brief, as poverty is imperilled amid riches, honesty amid +business, humility amid honours, abstinence amid feasting, purity +amid pleasures, so is justification by faith imperilled among +ceremonies. Solomon says, "Can a man take fire in his bosom, and +his clothes not be burned?" (Prov. vi. 27). And yet as we must +live among riches, business, honours, pleasures, feastings, so +must we among ceremonies, that is among perils. Just as infant +boys have the greatest need of being cherished in the bosoms and +by the care of girls, that they may not die, and yet, when they +are grown, there is peril to their salvation in living among +girls, so inexperienced and fervid young men require to be kept +in and restrained by the barriers of ceremonies, even were they +of iron, lest their weak minds should rush headlong into vice. +And yet it would be death to them to persevere in believing that +they can be justified by these things. They must rather be taught +that they have been thus imprisoned, not with the purpose of +their being justified or gaining merit in this way, but in order +that they might avoid wrong-doing, and be more easily instructed +in that righteousness which is by faith, a thing which the +headlong character of youth would not bear unless it were put +under restraint. + +Hence in the Christian life ceremonies are to be no otherwise +looked upon than as builders and workmen look upon those +preparations for building or working which are not made with any +view of being permanent or anything in themselves, but only +because without them there could be no building and no work. When +the structure is completed, they are laid aside. Here you see +that we do not contemn these preparations, but set the highest +value on them; a belief in them we do contemn, because no one +thinks that they constitute a real and permanent structure. If +any one were so manifestly out of his senses as to have no other +object in life but that of setting up these preparations with all +possible expense, diligence, and perseverance, while he never +thought of the structure itself, but pleased himself and made his +boast of these useless preparations and props, should we not all +pity his madness and think that, at the cost thus thrown away, +some great building might have been raised? + +Thus, too, we do not contemn works and ceremonies--nay, we set +the highest value on them; but we contemn the belief in works, +which no one should consider to constitute true righteousness, as +do those hypocrites who employ and throw away their whole life in +the pursuit of works, and yet never attain to that for the sake +of which the works are done. As the Apostle says, they are "ever +learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 +Tim. iii. 7). They appear to wish to build, they make +preparations, and yet they never do build; and thus they continue +in a show of godliness, but never attain to its power. + +Meanwhile they please themselves with this zealous pursuit, and +even dare to judge all others, whom they do not see adorned with +such a glittering display of works; while, if they had been +imbued with faith, they might have done great things for their +own and others' salvation, at the same cost which they now waste +in abuse of the gifts of God. But since human nature and natural +reason, as they call it, are naturally superstitious, and quick +to believe that justification can be attained by any laws or +works proposed to them, and since nature is also exercised and +confirmed in the same view by the practice of all earthly +lawgivers, she can never of her own power free herself from this +bondage to works, and come to a recognition of the liberty of +faith. + +We have therefore need to pray that God will lead us and make us +taught of God, that is, ready to learn from God; and will +Himself, as He has promised, write His law in our hearts; +otherwise there is no hope for us. For unless He himself teach us +inwardly this wisdom hidden in a mystery, nature cannot but +condemn it and judge it to be heretical. She takes offence at it, +and it seems folly to her, just as we see that it happened of old +in the case of the prophets and Apostles, and just as blind and +impious pontiffs, with their flatterers, do now in my case and +that of those who are like me, upon whom, together with +ourselves, may God at length have mercy, and lift up the light of +His countenance upon them, that we may know His way upon earth +and His saving health among all nations, who is blessed for +evermore. Amen. In the year of the Lord MDXX. + + + + + +This text was converted to ascii format for Project Wittenberg by +Elizabeth T. Knuth and is in the public domain. You may freely +distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct any comments +or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther Library at +Concordia Theological Seminary. + +E-mail: cosmithb@ash.palni.edu +Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA +Phone: (219) 452-2123 Fax: (219) 452-2126 + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg Etext Concerning Christian Liberty, by Luther + diff --git a/old/clbty10.zip b/old/clbty10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a914530 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/clbty10.zip |