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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 |