The Liberty of a Christian, Treatise
¶ A Treatiſe of Martyne Luther touching Chriſtian liberty.
MAny men hauehave beene of opinion that Chriſtian faith is an eaſie matter, yea of them alſo not a few hauehave accompted it in the number of Vertues, euen as a companion of vertue it ſelf. And this hauehave they done, becauſe they hauehave had no tryall thereof by any proofe, nor hauehave at any time taſted of what force & power it is: whereas it cannot be poſſible that any man may bée able to write pithily, or vnderſtand effectually the things that are written concerning the ſame truly, vnleſſe being pinched at ſome one time or another with ſome croſſe of tribulation, he hath felt the inward ſpirit thereof: But who ſo hath had but a meane taſte of the ſame, can neuer poſſibly bee ſatisfied with writing, ſpeaking, thinking, and hearing thereof. For it is a liuely ſpring vntounto euerlaſting life, John 4.according as Chriſt calleth it in the fourth of Iohn. Wherein my ſelfe, albeit I make no vaunt of my ſtore, and withall doe acknowledge the weakneſſe of mine imbecillity, yet doe neuertheleſſe truſt, that by meanes of ſundry and greeuous temptations wherewith I hauehave bin turmoyled, I hauehave attained no ſmall dramme of Faith. And that I am thereof able to treat (though not ſo eloquently, yet certes more ſubſtantially) than thoſe literall and ouer ſubtill ſchoolemen hauehave hitherto yet diſputed, as men altogether ignorant in the things which themſelues hauehave written. To the end therfore I may diſcouer a more eaſie way to the vnlettered to wade herein (to whoſe capacities I doe only apply my ſelfe) I doe ſet downe firſt theſe two propoſitions touching the fréedome and bondage of the ſpirit.
The popoſitions.1 A Chriſtian man is a moſt free Lord of all, ſubiect to none.
2 A Chriſtian man is a moſt dutifull ſeruant of all, ſubiect to all.
Although theſe two propoſitions ſo me to be méere contraries, yet when they ſhall be found to hauehave in them a certaine ſwéet agréement, they will auaile very much for our preſent purpoſe. For Saint Paul is the Author of them both, namely, in his firſt Epiſtle to the Corinths the twelfth Chapter, Being otherwiſe free, 1 Cor. 12.I made my ſelfe ſeruant of all. And in the thirteenth to the Romans.Rom. 13. Owe nothing to any man, but that ye louelove one another. But louelove is naturally dutifull, and humbly obedient to the thing that is loued, Euen ſo Chriſt, though Lord of all, yet being borne of a woman, was made vnderunder the law, both frée altogether, and a ſeruant, at one ſelfe time in the ſhape of God, and in the ſhape of a ſeruant.
Let vsus enter into ſome higher & more déepe conſideration of thoſe ſayings. Man doth conſiſt of two natures, to wit, ſpirituall, and corporall. In reſpect of the ſpirituall nature (which ſome doe tearme to be the ſoule) hee is called ſpirituall, inward, and of the new man: In reſpect of the corporall (which ſome call the fleſh) hee is called the carnall, outward, and the old man. Of the which the Apoſtle in the ſecond to the Corinthians,2 Cor 4. the fourth Chapter. Although our outward man be corruptible, yet our inward man is renued day by day. So that it commeth to paſſe through this diuerſity, that in the Scriptures two contraries are affirmed of one ſelfe ſame man, becauſe that theſe two men being within the ſame one man, doe kéepe continuall battayle againſt each other, Whileſt the fleſh doeth couet againſt the ſpirit, Gala. 5.and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh, as in the Epiſtle to the Galathians the fift Chapter.
In what things Chriſtian liberty.Firſt therefore let vsus examine the inward man, and ſée by what reaſon hée may bée made iuſt, frée, and a true Chriſtian, that is to ſay, ſpirituall, new, and an inward man. And it is certaine, that no externall thing at all (how glorious title ſoeuer it beare) is in any reſpect auayleable to the attayning of Chriſtian righteouſneſſe, or fréedome, as neyther of any value to the procuring of vnryghteouſneſſe or bondage, which is prooued by a very eaſie demonſtration. For what auayleth it to the ſoule, if the body bee in good lyking, health, and full of life: If it eate, drinke, and doe fréely what it liſteth, when as euen the moſt wicked abiectes, bondeſlaues of all miſchiefe, doe enioy the ſame? Againe, what loſſe doeth the ſoule ſuſtaine by ſickneſſe, impriſonment, ſcarſitie of foode, thirſt, or by any other externall diſaduantage, when as the very reprobate, & ſuch as be cleare voyde of all good conſcience, are moleſted with the ſame. None of all thoſe externall caſualties doe extende to the fréedome, or bondage, of the ſoule. In like manner it ſhall bee to ſmall purpoſe, if the body bee garniſhed with gay Coapes, ſuch as Prieſts doe weare, or bee conuerſant in holy ſanctuaries, or bee exerciſed in holy Maſſe and Mattens, or if it pray. faſt, abſtaine from certaine meats, or doe inure it ſelfe to what ſo euer exerciſe wrought and poſſible to be wrought by the body and in the body. To the fréedome and righteouſneſſe of the ſoule is requiſite matter of farre greater importance, whereas thoſe externall things aforeſaid, may happen vntounto the moſt wicked, by practiſing of the which, they become no better than plaine hypocrites. Contrariwiſe, it ſhall nothing preiudice the ſoule, to hauehave the body clad with vnhallowed garments, to frequent prophane places, to eat and drinke of all ſorts of meat without choiſe, not to bleat out prayer by note, yea to paſſe ouer all thoſe works aforeſaid, which may bée performed by the very Hipocrites.
Bee it alſo that wee reiect all things, yea, euen ſpeculations, meditations, and whatſoeuer may bee done by the endeauour of the ſoule, it profiteth nothing. One thing,Gods word neceſſary for the ſoule. yea and that onelyonly and alone is néedfull to the attainment of life, righteouſneſſe, and Chriſtian liberty, which is the ſacred word of GOD the Goſpell of Ieſu Chriſt, according to the Teſtimony of Chriſt himſelfe in the eleuenth Chapter of Iohn. I am the reſurrection and life, Iohn 11.hee that beleeueth im me, ſhall not dye for euer. And in the eighth Chapter of Iohn. If the Sonne make you free, Iohn 8.you ſhall bee truly free. And in the fourth Chapter of Mathew.Matth. 4. Man liueth not by bread only, but by eueryevery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Let vsus therefore take this for a ſtrong and an vndoubted Bulwarke, that the ſoule may want all things except the word of GOD, without the which nothing in the world can preſerue her in ſafety: But hauing the word, ſhee is rich, deſtitute of nothing, for as much as the word of GOD is the word of life, of light, of peace, righteouſneſſe, ſaluation, ioy, fréedome, wiſdome, power, grace, glory, and ineſtimably the treaſure incomparable of all goodneſſe. And this is it that mooued the Prophet in all his Octonary and in many other places,Dauid. with ſo many déepe ſighes and gronings to ſkriche out, and to call vponupon the word of God.Famine of Gods word an horrible plague. Amos. Againe, neither is there any more horrible a plague of Gods wrath, than whiles he ſendeth famine of hearing hys word. As he ſpeaketh in Amos: as neither is there any greater grace than if he ſpred abroad his word, as is ſpecified in the 107 Pſalm.Pſal. 107. He ſent his word, & healed them, & deliuered them from their deſtruction. Neither was Chriſt ſent to any other miniſtry, then the miniſtry of the word, nor is the Apoſtolicall Biſhopricke, and whole order Eccleſiaſticall, called and inſtituted otherwiſe, than to the miniſtry of the word.
Which is the word of God.But thou wilt demand, what word of God is this, and after what manner muſt it be vſed, conſidering there bee ſo many words of God? I anſwere, the Apoſtle in the firſt to the Romanes doth expreſſe the ſame,Rom. 1. namely, the Goſpell of God concerning his ſonne incarnate, crucifyed, riſen againe, and glorified by the holy Ghoſt the ſanctifyer. For Chriſt hath preached, that is to ſay, hath fedde the ſoule, hath iuſtified, deliuered, and ſaued the ſoule, if ſhe beléeue his doctrine, for Fayth only is the ſafe and effectuall vſe of Gods word, as to the Romans the tenth. If thou confeſſe with thy mouth, and beleeue with the heart, Rom. 10.that GOD hath rayſed him from the dead, thou ſhalt be ſaued. And againe, The end of the law is Chriſt, vntounto righteouſneſſe to all them that doe beleeue. And to the Romans the firſt,Rom. 1. The iuſt man ſhall liue by his owne faith, for the word of God cannot be comprehended and embraced by any workes, but by faith only. Euen ſo it is manifeſt, that as the Soule hath néed of the only word, to obtaine righteouſneſſe and life,Faith only iuſtifieth. euen ſo it is iuſtifyed by onelyonly faith, and no workes; for if it might be iuſtifyed by any other meanes, then ſhould it not ſtande in néede of the word, and ſo conſequently no néede of faith. But this faith cannot conſiſt altogether with workes, that is to ſay, if thou preſume to be iuſtifyed together with workes, whatſoeuer they be, for this were euen to halt on both legges, to worſhip Baal, and to kiſſe the hand, which of all other is abhominable, as witneſſeth Iob. Therefore,Iob. when thou beginneſt to beléeue, thou doeſt learne withall, that all things in thée are altogether blameworthy, ſinfull, and damnable, according to that ſaying of the Apoſtle in the ſecond to the Romans,Rom. 2. All hauehave ſinned, and hauehave need of the glory of God. And to the Romans, 3. There is none that doth good, all hauehave declined out of the way, they are altogether become vnprofitable: for if thou know this once, thou ſhalt know that it is neceſſary for thée to hold faſt Chriſt, that beléeuing on him, who hath ſuffered for thee, and is riſen againe, thou maieſt be made another man through this faith, being made frée from all thy Sinnes, and iuſtified by the merits of Ieſu Chriſt onelyonly.
Therefore, for as much as this fayth cannot beare dominion in any, but in the inward man, according to the teſtimony of Paul in the tenth to the Romans,Rom. 10. With the heart we doe beleeue vntounto righteouſneſſe. And for as much as this faith only doth iuſtifie, it is euident that the inward man cannot in any wiſe be iuſtified, made frée,Man is not iuſtified by any externall thing. and ſaued by any externall worke or exerciſe, and that works whatſoeuer, auaile nothing thereunto, as on the contrary through impiety, and only vnbeliefe of the heart, man is made guilty, and the bondſlaue of ſinne, and not by any externall ſinne or worke. And therefore the firſt and principall care of eueryevery Chriſtian man ought to bée in this eſpecially, that ſetting aſide all vaine confidence of workes, hee ſtrengthen his faith more and more, and by daily increaſings grow in knowledge, not of works, but of Chriſt Ieſu crucified for him, and riſen againe, as Peter in the laſt of his firſt Epiſtle teacheth, for as much,1 Pet. ult. as none other worke doth make a true Chriſtian man. So Chriſt in the ſixt of Iohn, when the Iewes aſked a queſtion what they ſhould doe to doe the works of God? excluding the multitude of works, wherewith he perceiued them to ſwell, and puft vp in pride, did preſcribe vntounto them one only rule, ſaying, This is the worke of God, Iohn 9.to beleeue on him whom he hath ſent, for him God the father hath ſealed. From hence right faith in Chriſt duly procéeding,Faith a treaſure ineſtimable. is a treaſure ineſtimable, contayning in it ſelfe all ſaluation, and preſeruing from all euill, as in the laſt of Marke,Mark. 16. He that beleeueth and is baptiſed, ſhall be ſaued, he that beleeueth not, ſhall be damned, which treaſure Eſay inwardly regarding, did in the tenth of his Prophecy ſay, The decréed conſumption ouerfloweth with righteouſneſſe, and the Lord of hoaſts ſhall perfectly fulfill the thing that he hath determined in the middeſt of the whole world, as if he had ſaid, Faith which is a briefe and ſummary fulneſſe of the Law, ſhall repleniſh the beléeuers with ſo great righteouſneſſe, that they ſhall not hauehave néed of any other helpe to attaine righteouſneſſe: and the ſame doth Paul teſtifie in the tenth to the Romanes,Rom. 10. For with the heart wee beleeue vntounto righteouſneſſe. But thou doeſt aſke by what meanes it commeth to paſſe, that faith only may iuſtifie, & giuegive ſuch a treaſure of ſo great goodneſſe without works, ſéeing that ye whole ſcriptures doe preſcribe vntounto vsus ſo many works, ſo many ceremonies, and ſo many lawes? I do anſwer, aboue all things be mindfull of this chiefely that hath bin ſpoken of before, to wit, yt only faith without works doth iuſtifie, doth deliuer, and doth ſaue, which we will make more manifeſt hereafter. In the meane time ſeale vp this, that the whole Scripture of God is diuided into two branches, namely,The Scriptures hauehave commandements and promiſes. commandements and promiſes. Indéed the cōmandemēts do teach good things, but ye things that are taught by thē are not forthwith performed, for they do pronoūce what we ought to do, but do not giuegive power to doe the ſame, but are inſtituted to this end, to diſcouer man to himſelf, by meanes wherof, man may know his own diſability towards the good, & ſo deſpaire of his owne ſtrength: and for this cauſe they are called the old Teſtament, and ſo they be indéed. As for example, Thou ſhalt not couet, is a Cōmandement, by the which we are conuinced all to be ſinners, becauſe man cannot chooſe but couet, whatſoeuer his endeuour be to the contrary, And therfore, that he may not couet, & ſo cōſequently fulfil ye cōmandement, he is cōpelled to deſpaire of himſelfe, & to ſéeke elſewhere for helpe of another, which he is not able to finde in himſelf,Oſee. as Oſee ſaith, Thy deſtruction cōmeth of thy ſelfe, O Iſrael, & thy health only frō me. All the commandements be equally impoſſible to be accompliſhed by vsus.The obſeruatiō of which one cōmandement, is generall to be obſerued in all ye reſt, for all ye cōmandemēts are in all reſpects alike impoſſible vntounto vsus, & beyond our reach. Now when man is taught his own weakneſſe by ye cōmandements, & thereby brought into perplexity, how hee may be able to accōpliſh ye law, knowing yt the law muſt be ſo of al parts accōpliſhed, yt no one iot ſo much,The Law muſt be ſatisfied. or title thereof may be pretermitted, otherwiſe in danger of eternall damnatiō irrecouerable, being thē truly humbled, and embaſed to nought in his owne eyes, he findeth nothing in himſelfe, whereby hee may bee iuſtified, and come to ſaluation. Loe, here commeth the other branch of the Scripture, namely, the promiſes of God, which doe bring the glad tidings of the glory of God, & ſpeak on this wiſe. It thou wilt fulfill the Law, and not couet, as the Law requireth, behold here a remedy, Beleeue in Chriſt, in whom be promiſed vntounto the, grace, righteouſneſſe, peace, fréedome, and in whom thou ſhalt hauehave all things if thou beléeue, and without whom thou ſhalt lack all things if thou doſt not beléeue, for that which is impoſſible to thée in all the works of the Law (which be many, and yet vnauayleable to ſaluation) thou ſhalt very eaſily,We accompliſh all by faith. and briefely atchieue and bring to paſſe through faith, becauſe God the father hath ſo eſtabliſhed all things in faith, that whoſoeuer hauehave faith, may poſſeſſe all things, and whoſoeuer lacketh faith, may poſſeſſe nothing,Rom 11. for God hath ſhut vp all things vnderunder vnbeleefe, that he might hauehave mercy on all. God only commandeth, and performeth.On this wiſe the promiſes of God doe giuegive fréely vntounto vsus, that which the commandements doe exact of vsus perforce, and doe fullfill that, which the law doth ſtraitly command: that ſo all things may belong vntounto God only, as well the commandements, as alſo the performance of the ſame. OnelyOnly God commandeth, only God performeth, and therefore Gods promiſes hauehave relation to the new Teſtament, yea rather are the new Teſtament it ſelfe.
For as much therefore as the promiſes of God be holy wordes, true, iuſt, peaceable, and full of all goodneſſe, it commeth to paſſe,The firſt arme of faith. that the ſoule which doth cleaue ſtedfaſtly to the ſame, with an vnſhaken faith, is become ſo vnited vntounto them, yea is alſo wholly ſo ſwallowed vp of them, that it doth not only partake thereof, but is throughly gorged, and made drunken with all the power and force of the ſame: for if the touching of Chriſt did giuegive health, how much more ſhall a very tender féeling of the word in the ſpirit? nay rather a through ſwallowing down of the word, communicate to the ſoule all things that appertaine to the word. By this meanes therefore, the Soule through faith onelyonly without workes, beléeuing in the word of God, is iuſtified, ſanctified, pacifyed, deliuered, and repleniſhed with all goodneſſe, and it is truly made the daughter of God, as it is ſaid in the firſt of Iohn, He gaue thē power to be made the ſonnes of God, Iohn. 1.euen them that doe beleeue in his name.
By this it may be eaſily perceiued, from whence ſaith hath receiued ſo great force, and why neither any one, nor all good works are comparable vntounto her, becauſe no worke can cleaue faſt vntounto Gods word, nor be within the ſoule, wherin faith only, & the word, do reigne & gouern, for ſuch as …word is, ſuch becommeth the ſoule, made by force of the word, euen as a fiery plate of iron doth glimmer like vntounto fire, by meanes of vniting the fire and the plate together, ſo that it is manifeſt, that to a Chriſtian man faith ſufficeth only for all, and that he néedeth no works to bée iuſtified by. Now if he néed no works, thē alſo hée néeds not the law: if he hauehave no néed of the law, ſurely he is then frée from the law. So this alſo is true. The law is not made for the righteous man, and this is ye ſame Chriſtian liberty. Our faith which doth worke in vsus, not to be idlers, nor to giuegive our ſelues to luſt and euill life, but that wée bee not tyed to a neceſſity of obſeruing the law, or doing works, to ye end to obtaine righteouſnes,Another arme of faith. or ſaluation therby. Let this be the firſt arme of faith, & let vsus ſée another, for this alſo is the duty of faith, that it reuerence him on whom it beleeueth, with a moſt godly and earneſt bent affection, to wit, that it accompt him true, & worthy to be beléeued, for there is no honor like vntounto the opiniō conceiued of truth and righteouſnes,The greateſt honor wherewith we do moſt highly eſtéeme of him whom we doe beléeue, for what are we able to aſcribe to any perſon, more thā truth, righteouſnes, & goodneſſe, of all parts perfect and abſolute? Contrariwiſe, it is a deteſtable reproach, to conceiue a ſecret opinion of a man to be falſe,The greateſt reproach. faithleſſe, and wicked. So the ſoule, as long as it beleeueth ſtedfaſtly in God that maketh the promiſe, doth accompt him true & righteous, than which opinion can nothing be more acceptable to God. This is the higheſt honor of God, to aſcribe vntounto him truth, iuſtice, & whatſoeuer elſe ought to bee yeelded to him whom we doe beléeue: this man yeeldeth himſelfe ready to execute all his will: this man doth ſanctifie his name: this man ſuffereth himſelfe to be exerciſed,Perfect obedience. according to the will & pleaſure of God, becauſe cleauing firmely to his promiſes, he doubteth not but that he is true, iuſt, wiſe, & wil do, diſpoſe, and gouerne all things for the beſt: but is not ſuch a ſoule by the ſame his faith moſt humbly obedient to God in all things? what commandement remayneth then, which this obedience hath not ſufficiently ſatisfied? what fulneſſe can be more abſolute, than all manner of humble obedience? but this obedience cōmeth not by workes, but by faith only, and beléeuing the promiſes. On the other ſide, what Rebellion? what impiety?Rebellion. what greater reproach can there bee vntounto God, thā not to beléeue him whē he promiſeth? for what is this elſe, than either to make God a lier? or to be doubtfull of his truth? that is to ſay, to aſcribe truth to himſelfe, and to condemne God of vanity & lying? wherein doth he not deny God, and make to himſelfe an image of himſelfe in his owne heart? what auayle déeds (I pray you) wrought in this vnbeléefe? though they ſéeme neuer ſo Angelicall, or Apoſtolicall? And therefore very well did God cō clude all, not in wrath & luſt, but in vnbeliefe, leſt ſuch as faine that they hauehave fulfilled the law through chaſte and méek works of ye law (ſuch be vertues humane and ciuill) ſhould preſume vponupon their ſaluation, when as being ſhut vp in the ſinne of vnbeleefe, they muſt either ſéeke for mercy, or to be damned through iuſtice. But whē God doth ſée truth to be aſcribed vntounto him,God doth honour them that beleeue on him. & that he is worſhipped with the faith of our heart, which is as much honor as he deſireth, then doth hee honour vsus againe, & imputeth vntounto vsus truth & righteouſnes for this faithes ſake: for faith, in yelding to God his own, doth work truth & righteouſnes, and therfore God doth recōpence our righteouſnes again with glory, for it is true and iuſt, yt God is true & iuſt. So alſo, to aſcribe vntounto God iuſtice & truth, & to cōfeſſe ye ſame, is to be true and iuſt.1 King 5. To this effect we read in the 1 of the Kings, the 5 Chapter, Whoſoeuer doth honor me, I will glorify him: and whoſoeuer doth deſpiſe me, ſhal be naught ſet by. The ſame alſo pronounceth Paul to the Romans,Rom. 4. the 4 Chap. That to Abraham his owne faith was imputed vntounto righteouſnes, becauſe through the ſame he gaue vntounto God ye glory moſt abſolutely, & that if we beléeue, faith ſhal be imputed for the ſame cauſe vntounto vsus for righteouſnes. The third arme of faith,The third arme of faith. which is a iewell ineſtimable, is this, that it coupleth the ſoule with Chriſt, euen as the ſpouſe with her husband.The vniting of the ſoule vntounto her ſpouſe By which ſacrament (as Paul …eacheth) Chriſt & the ſoule are made one fleſh. If they be one fleſh, then is there a …rue mariage betwixt them, yea, rather, a mariage of all other moſt perfect, abſo…utely accompliſhed betwixt them (for the mariages betwixt man & wife be but ſlen…er figures of this vnion) whereupō it fol…oweth, that all things are cōmon betwixt thē, as well good as bad, ſo that whatſo…er Chriſt doth poſſeſſe, the faithfull ſoule may boldly preſume vponupon the ſame, & triumph ouer them, as though they were his own. Likewiſe, whatſoeuer appertaineth …o the ſoule, the ſame may Chriſt chalenge vntounto himſelfe, as if they were his owne. Let vsus cōpare theſe together, & wee ſhall perceiue ineſtimable treaſure. Chriſt is full of all grace, life, and ſauing health the ſoule is fraught full of all ſinne,Behold ineſtimable treaſures. death, and damnation. Now let faith come betwixt theſe two, and it ſhall come to paſſe, that Chriſt ſhall be loaden with ſinne, with death, and with hell, but vntounto the ſoule ſhall be imputed grace, life, and ſaluation, for it behooueth Chriſt, if hee bee the huſband, to accept, and ioyntly poſſeſſe the things appertaining to his ſpouſe, and withall, to communicate to his ſpouſe the things that appertaine to his poſſeſſion, for he that giueth unto her his body, and himſelfe wholly, how can it be, but that he muſt giuegive her all things elſe withall? and he that is poſſeſſed of the ſpouſe, how doth he not withall poſſeſſe alſo the things appertayning to the ſpouſe? Here commeth loe to the view, a moſt ſwéet ſpectacle, not onelyonly of communion, but of a comfortable battell of victory of ſaluation and redemption.
For in as much as Chriſt is God and Man, and ſuch a perſon, as neuer yet ſinned, neuer dyeth, nor is damned, yea ſuch a one, as neither can ſinne, no… dye, nor be damned, and that his iuſtice his life, his ſauing health, is vnvanquiſhable, euerlaſting and omnipotent, when as (I ſay) ſuch a perſon doth communicate to himſelfe, yea rather doth wedde (as his owne) the ſinne, death, and damnation of his ſpouſe through the weddid Kyng and vnion of Fayth. And that the caſe now ſtandeth none otherwiſe, then as if they were his owne proper peculiar, euen as it himſelfe had ſinned, were trauelling, dying, and deſcending into hell, to bring all things in ſubiection: And that ſinne, death, and hell could not ſwallow him, being all of neceſſity cleane ſwallowed vp in him by a miraculous conflict (for his righteouſnes is greater than the ſinnes of all men: his life ſurmounteth in power all death, his ſauing health is more victorious than all hell) euen ſo the faithfull ſoule, through the aſſuredneſſe of her faith in Chriſt her huſband, is deliuered from all ſinnes, made ſafe from death, garded from hell, and endowed with the euerlaſting righteouſneſſe, life, & ſauing health of her huſband Chriſt. On this wiſe Chriſt doth cople her vntounto himſelfe a glorious Spouſe without ſpotte and wrinckle, clenſing her with the fountaine in the word of life, that is to ſay, through faith, the word of life, of righteouſneſſe, and of ſaluation. Euen ſo doth he marry her vntounto himſelfe in faith in mercy, and compaſſions, in iuſtice and iudgement, as he teſtifieth in the ſecond of Oſée.Oſe 2. The Maieſtie of this royall marriage.
Wherefore who is able to value the roialtie of this mariage accordingly? who is able to comprehend the glorious riches of this grace? where this rich and louing husband Chriſt doth take vntounto wife this poore and wicked Harlot, redéeming her from all euils, and garniſhing her with all his owne Iewels. For it is impoſſible now, that her owne ſinnes ſhould deſtroy her, ſithens they are laid vponupon Chriſts ſhoulders, and ſwallowed vp in him, ſithens alſo it doth now poſſeſſe the ſame righteouſneſſe in her husband Chriſt, of the which ſhe may now embolden her ſelfe, and preſume vponupon them as in her owne right againſt all her owne ſinnes, againſt death and hell, and may with confidence encounter the enemy, and ſay, if I hauehave ſinned, yet my ſwéet husband Chriſt, in whom I doe beléeue, hath not ſinned, all whoſe riches are mine, and all mine are his: As in the Canticle of Salomon. My welbeloued husband to mee, and I vntounto him This is that Paul ſpeaketh of in the firſt to the Corinths the fiftéenth Chapter.Cor. 1. the 15. chapter. Thanked be God which hath giuen vsus victory through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord: Euen the victory ouer ſin & death. And in the ſame place he bringeth in, that ſinne is the ſting of Death, but the force of ſin is the law.
Hereof therefore you doe vnderſtand againe,For what cauſe faith is ſo much eſteemed. what the cauſe is that faith is ſo highly commended: that it is able alone to fulfill the law, & to iuſtifie without any helpe of workes: For thou doſt perceiue how the firſt commandement,The true worſhip of God. Thou ſhalt worſhip one God only, is now accompliſhed by Faith only: For if thou were nothing els frō the ſole of the foot, to ye crown of the head but good workes, yet ſhouldſt thou not be iuſt, nor ſhouldeſt thou worſhip God, nor fulfill the firſt commandement, for as much as God cannot be worſhipped, vnleſſe the praiſe and glory of all truth and all goodneſſe be truly aſcribed vntounto him: but this cannot works bring to paſſe, only the faith of the heart muſt atchieue this. For wee doe glorify and confeſſe him to be true, not by working, but by beléeuing. In this reſpect Faith only is the righteouſneſſe of a Chriſtian man, and the accompliſhment of all the Commandents: For hee that doth accompliſh the firſt Commandement, doth fulfill all the reſt with no labour at all. For works being things without ſenſe, cannot glorify God, though they may be practiſed to Gods glory, being ioyned with faith. But wee, at this preſent, enquire not the works wrought, of what quality they be: but we doe enquire of the perſon that maketh ye works, that glorifieth and bringeth foorth the works:Faith maeeth works And the ſame is the very Fayth of the heart, the head and ſubſtance of all our righteouſneſſe: whereupon it followeth, that the doctrine that teacheth the ſatisfaction of the law by meanes of works, is blinde and perilous, for as much as before all works, it behooueth that all the Commandements bee accompliſhed, and that works doe follow after this fulfilling of the law, as wee ſhall heare more at large afterwards.
But to the end wee may more manifeſtly behold this grace which this our inward man doth poſſeſſe in Chriſt, it is to be obſerued, that in the old Teſtament,The prerogatiue of the firſt birth. God did ſanctify to himſelfe the firſt borne of eueryevery mankinde, & the firſt brith was wonderfully eſtéemed, ſurmounting all other in double honour: Namely, in the Prieſthood, and in the kingdome, for the firſt begotten brother was Prieſt & Lord of all other: vnderunder which ſhadow Chriſt was prefigured vntounto vsus, the true and only firſt begotten of God the Father, & of the virgin Mary, and the true King and Prieſt:Whereof the kingdome of Chriſt doth conſiſt. but not according to the fleſh and the world, for his kingdome is not of this world, he raigneth and ſanctifieth in ſpirituall and heauenly things which are righteouſnes, truth, wiſdō, peace, ſaluatiō, &c. Not as though all things of this world and of hell, were not alſo in ſubiection vntounto him (otherwiſe how could he preſerue and defend vsus from them all) but becauſe his kingdome doth conſiſt neither in them nor of them. Euen ſo neither his Prieſthood doth conſiſt in outward pompe of apparell and geſtures (ſuch as the humane Prieſthood of Aaron was,Chriſts Prieſthood. and as our eccleſiaſticall Prieſthood is at this day) but in ſpirituall things, by the which he doth make interceſſion for vsus vntounto God the father in heauen, by a certaine inuiſible office, and there doth offer vp himſelfe, and performeth all things that behooued a Prieſt to doe.Prieſtly office. Paul to the Hebrues. Euen as Paul doth deſcribe him by a figure of Melchiſedech in his Epiſtle to the Hebrues. Neither doth he only pray, and make interceſſion for vsus, but alſo doth teach & inſtruct vsus, inwardly in ſpirit with the liuely doctrine of his ſpirit, which two are ye peculiar properties of a Prieſt, which alſo is figured in carnall Prieſts by praiers & viſible preachings.How it is to be taken that faithfull Chriſtians be Prieſts.
And euen as Chriſt by his firſt birth did obtaine theſe two dignities, ſo doth he impart and communicate the ſame to eueryevery his faithfull ſpouſe, by the right of the foreſaid mariage, wherby they are al ſpouſes, whoſoeuer are eſpouſed to ye huſband. And hereof commeth it, that we all that beléeue in Chriſt are Prieſts and kings in Chriſt, as in the firſt of Peter the ſecond Chapter, You be a choſen kindred, 1 Pet. ….a people of adoption, a kingly prieſthood, and a prieſtly kingdome, to the end you ſhould ſhew forth his power, who hath caled you from darkneſſe, into his maruellous light: which two are thus to be taken.
Firſt as concerning the kingdome,Chriſtian kings. eueryevery faithfull Chriſtian through Fayth is ſo aduanced aboue all other things, that in ſpirituall power he is become Lord ouer all, ſo that none of all the creatures can doe him any harme at all: Nay rather all things are made ſubiect vntounto him, and compelled to ſerue for his ſafety, according to the teſtimony of Paul in the eight to the Romans.Rom. 8. All things doe worke together to the elect to good. Likewiſe in the firſt to the Corinthians, the third Chapter. All things are yours, 1 Cor. 3.whether it be life or death, things preſent, or things to come, Note.but you are Chriſts. Not that to eueryevery Chriſtian, all préeminence is giuen in bodily power to poſſeſſe and rule ouer all things (which furious frenſie hath bewitched many our Prelates eueryevery where) for this dominion is proper to Kings, Princes, and Potentates of the earth: whereas the very vſe and manner of our liues, doth ſufficently teach vsus, that we are ſubiect to all, that we doe endure many tribulations, yea, & euen die ye death. Nay, rather, by how much a Chriſtian doth excell in Chriſtianity, by ſo much the more is he ſubiect vntounto all inconueniences, vexations, and deaths, as wee may eaſily ſée in the very flower of ye firſt borne Chriſt himſelfe and all his holy brethren.The ſpirituall kingdome. This power is ſpirituall, which doth beare dominion euen in the middeſt of enemies, and is mighty euen amiddeſt the very tortures, which is nothing elſe in effect, but that power is made perfect in weakneſſe, and that in all things I may make gaine for my ſafety: inſomuch, that the croſſe and death it ſelfe may bee compelled to ſerue for my behoofe, and to worke my ſaluation: and this is that high and notable dignity, yea, that true & omnipotent power, the ſpirituall kingdome, wherein nothing is ſo good, nothing ſo bad, which ſhall not worke to my good, ſo that I beléeue. And yet hauehave I néed of nothing (ſithens only faith doth ſuffice to ſaluation) but that faith may in the ſame exerciſe her force, & the dominion of her liberty. Behold now this is that ineſtimable power and liberty of Chriſtians.
So alſo we be not only moſt frée kings of all other, but we be Prieſts alſo for euer,We be Prieſts for euer. which doth farre ſurpaſſe all kingdomes: For through our Prieſthood we are made worthy to appeare before God, to plead and pray for other men, & one to inſtruct the other the things that are of God. For theſe be the offices peculiar vntounto Prieſts, which can in no wiſe be committed to any vnbeléeuer. Such a prerogatiue hath Chriſt obtained for vsus, that as ioynt brethren, coheires, and ioyntkings, ſo alſo we ſhould be vntounto him ioyntprieſts, preſuming boldly with confidence through the ſpirit of Faith to preach vntounto the preſence of God, and to cry vntounto him Abba Father, and to pray for each other, and to doe all things yt we ſee to be executed & figured by the viſible and corporall function of the Prieſts But vntounto the vnbeléeuer nothing ſerueth or worketh vntounto good,All things euill to the vnbeleeuer. but hee is become ſeruant of all other, to whom all things turne vntounto euill, becauſe he doth wickedly employ all his endeauor for his owne behoofe, and not to the glory of God. And by this meanes he is neither Prieſt but prophane, whoſe prayer turneth vntounto ſinne, nor doth appeare before God, becauſe God doth not heare ſinners. Wherfore who is able to comprehend the preheminence of Chriſtiā dignity? which through her own kingly power executeth dominion ouer all things, ouer death, life, ſinne, &c. and which through her prieſtly glory is able to work all things in ye ſight of God, becauſe God doth bring to paſſe ye things for the which he doth pray & wiſh, as it is written, He ſhall worke the will of them that feare him, & ſhall heare their petitions, & ſhall ſaue them, To this glory ſurely is no poſſible acceſſe by working, but onelyonly by faith and beliefe.
By the premiſſes may eueryevery man eaſily perceiue,The liberty of Chriſtians. by what meanes a Chriſtian man is frée from all, and Lord ouer all: ſo that to become iuſt and ſaued, he ſhall not néed any works at all, but through faith only obtaineth all thoſe things ſufficiently: who if he would be ſo mad, as to preſume to be made a iuſt, a frée, and a ſafe Chriſtian, by force of any good work, he ſhould ſurely loſe his faith forthwith, together with all his good works, which folly is aptly moralized in that fable of Eſop, where the Dogge ſwimmeth in the water, & carrying fleſh in his mouth, deluded with the ſhadow of the ſame fleſh glittering in the water, whiles gaping with open mouth, he ſnatcheth after the ſhadow, he both loſeth the true fleſh, and the ſhadow withall.
Héere you will aſke of me, If all be Prieſts that bee in Chriſts Church: by what title then may they (whom wee call commonly Prieſts now) bee diſcerned from Lay men? I doe anſwere: There is a great iniury committed againſt theſe words, to witte, Prieſt, Clarke, Spirituall, Eccleſiaſticall, whiles they be tranſlated from all the reſt of the Chriſtians, and be abridged to theſe few, which through euill cuſtome are tearmed Church men: For holy ſcripture doth make no difference betwixt them, ſauing that it entituleth them by the names of Miniſters, Seruants, and Stewards, which doe now vaunt themſelues to be Popes, Biſhoppes, and Lords, which ought to miniſter to others in preaching the word, to teach the faith of Chriſt and Chriſtian liberty: For albeit this be true, that wée be all Prieſts indifferently, yet can wée not all, nor yet ought we all miniſter & teach publiquely, though we were all able to doe ſo: For ſo doth Paul teach in his firſt to the Corinths, the fourth Chapter. Let men ſo eſteeme of vsus, 1 Cor. c. 4.as miniſters of Chriſt, and Stewards of the myſteries of God.
To what iſſue the miniſtry Eccleſiaſticall is come.But this Stewardſhip is now enhaunced vntounto ſo mighty a Potentate & pompe of power, and vntounto a certaine terrible tyranne, that no kingdomes of the Gentiles, ne yet any Empyres of the whole world are not able to counteruaile the ſame in ſtatelineſſe. As though lay people were a certaine ſomewhat beſides and no Chriſtians at all. Through which peruerſeneſſe it is come to paſſe, that the true knowledge of Chriſtian grace, Chriſtian faith, and Chriſtian liberty, yea of Chriſt himſelfe, is come wholly to vtter ruine, whiles, in the meane ſpace, an importable clogge and intolerable bondage of mens workes and traditions are crawled vp in his place, and we (according to Ieremies lamentations) are become vaſſalles of the moſt vileſt varlettes of the world, which doe abuſe our miſery to worke all infamous filthineſſe, and ſhamefull reproaches of their beaſtly licentiouſneſſe.
But to returne to our purpoſe againe.How Chriſt ought to be preached. I ſuppoſe that by the foreſaid demonſtrations it is made manifeſt, that it ſufficeth not to a true Chriſtian man to preach the workes, life, and doctrine of Chriſt, after an hiſtoricall manner, and vtter the ſame, as in telling of tales, as though to know them to bee patternes of framing our liues, were enough (like as they vſe to preach which are now accompted the beſt) much leſſe if it bee vtterly concealed, and inſtéede thereof mens conſtitutions and traditions bee taught to ſupply the place. There bée ſome now a dayes, and they not a few, which to this purpoſe doe preach and teach Chriſt, that they may mooue the affections of the people to bewaile the paſſion and torments which Chriſt ſuffered, and to bee diſpleaſant againſt the Iewes, and ſuch other childiſh and fond matters of no great importance. But Chriſt ought to be preached to this end, that faith in him may encreaſe, that it may appeare, that it is not enough, that there is a Chriſt, but that hee may bee a Chriſt (which is a Sauiour) vntounto thee and vntounto me: And that he doth work the ſame in vsus, which is mētioned of him, & is agréeable to the name whereby hee is named: which faith ſpringeth, floriſheth, and is preſerued by this, if the preaching doe notifie the cauſe wherefore Chriſt came, what he brought with him, what he gaue, and to what vſe and purpoſe hee is to be embraced. And this commeth to paſſe, where Chriſtian liberty (which we doe attaine by him) is truly taught: and by what meanes all wee Chriſtians are Kings and Prieſts: wherein alſo wee be Lords ouer all: and vponupon what this our affiance (that whatſoeuer wee doe is well pleaſing and acceptable to GOD) is grounded, as I hauehave ſaid before.
For whoſe heart hearing theſe things will not melt for very ioy,The fruit of true preaching and waxe rauiſhed in louelove of Chriſt, hauing receiued ſo great a conſolation? to the which louelove hee can neuer poſſibly attaine by any lawes or workes at all: what is hee that can hurt ſuch a heart, or may apall the ſame with feare? If conſcience of ſinne doe ruſh vponupon him, or horror of death amaze him, loe, it is ready to truſt in the Lord, nor is afraid for any ſuch euill noiſe, nor is diſquieted, vntill it do deſpiſe the enemies, for it beléeueth that Chriſts righteouſneſſe is become his owne righteouſneſſe, and that his ſinne is now no longer his owne, but Chriſts ſinne. But it behoueth that all ſinne bée ſwallowed vp at the very ſight of Chriſt, through the faith of Chriſt, as hath béene declared before, and learne now with the Apoſtle, to treade vponupon, and triumph ouer ſinne and death, and to ſay, Death, where is thy ſting? Death, where is thy victorie? the ſting of Death is ſinne, but the power of ſinne is the Law. God be thanked, who hath giuen vsus victory through Ieſus our Lord, for death is ſwallowed vp through the conqueſt, not of Chriſt onelyonly, but our owne alſo, becauſe it commeth to paſſe by our Faith, that the conqueſt is made ours, and that in the ſame wee doe ouercome.
Let this ſuffice touching the inward man, touching his freedome, & touching the principall righteouſneſſe of Faith, which neither neede th…awes nor workes, which will turne to his deſtruction that dare preſume to be iuſtified by them. Now let vsus returne to the other part, to witte, the outward man: For in this treatie anſwere ſhall be made to all them,The demand of them which doe not conceiue Luther, yea rather which doe not conceiue what faith is. who being offended with the word of Faith, and with the things that hauehave béene ſpoken of before, doe reply on this wiſe againſt vsus. If Faith doe accompliſh all things, and if Faith bée onelyonly and alone ſufficient vntounto righteouſneſſe, to what end then are wée commanded to doe good déedes? we may goe play vsus then, and worke no working at all, being furniſhed ſufficiently with faith, I doe anſwere, Not ſo yee vngodly, not ſo. In déede this matter would euen ſo fare, as you ſay, if we were perfectly and altogether the inward and ſpirituall men: which wée cannot bée in any wiſe, before the laſt day at the riſing again of the dead. So long as wée be clothed with this mortall fleſh, wée doe but beginne and procéede outward in our courſe towards perfection, which will bée conſummated in the life to come. And for this cauſe, the Apoſtle in the eight to the Romanes,Rom. 8. doth call this the firſt fruits of the Spirit, which we doe enioy in this life, the tenth and fulneſſe of which ſpirit we ſhall receiue in the life to come. To this belongeth that whereof we ſpak before, namely, that a Chriſtian man is ſeruant of all, and ſubiect to all, for in this that hee is frée, hee worketh nothing, but in this, that he is a ſeruant, hee worketh all things. Now let vsus ſée how theſe two will ſtand together. Albeit man bee ſufficiently iuſtified by faith in the inward Man Spiritually, as I ſayd before, enioying all that hee ought to hauehave, ſauing that hee muſt by daily encreaſings enlarge this ſame faith, and riches of grace, vntill he be vnclothed of his fleſh, yet remayneth ſtill in this mortall life, vponupon the face of the earth, wherein he muſt of very neceſſity nouriſh his owne body,From whence works take their beginning and be conuerſant amongſt men. And euen here now works doe begin to take their entrance. Héere we may not giuegive our ſelues to idleneſſe. Here now we muſt apply our ſelues earneſtly to exerciſe this body with faſtings, watchings, labours, and other moderate diſciplines, to bring it in ſubiection to the ſpirit, that it may become obedient to faith, and conforme it ſelfe to the inward man, & yt it rebell not, nor hinder the ſpirit, following therein his owne naturall inclination, if it be not otherwiſe tamed: for the inward man being alike faſhioned vntounto God, and created after the image of God, through faith, is both ioyfull, and comfortable, for the louelove he hath to Chriſt,The only worke of the inward man. in whom he is endued with ſo many good things, whereupon in this only doth it occupy it ſelfe, namely, to ſerue the Lord with a frée louelove, with ioy, and thanks.
Now whiles it is exerciſed in this courſe, behold in her owne fleſh it findeth a contrary will, which trauelleth altogether to ſerue the world, and to ſéeke the things that are her owne, which the ſpirit of Faith cannot away withall, nor is able to endure it, and therefore with valiant courage attempteth to ſubdue and tame this rebellious will, as Paul witneſſeth in the ſeuenth to the Romans, I am delighted with the Law of God in mine inward man, but I ſee another Law in my members, rebelling againſt the Law of my minde, & leading me captiue into the law of ſinne. And in another place, I do chaſtiſe my body, & bring it into ſubiection, leſt whiles I preach to others, I my ſelfe may be found a caſtaway. And in the fifth to the Galath.Galath. 5. They that are of Chriſt hauehave crucified the fleſh, and the concupiſcences thereof.
Of what minde wee ought to be in doing good works.But neither we may do theſe workes in any wiſe, being of the opinion that man may bee iuſtified through them in the ſight of God. For this falſe opinion is not tolerable in ye eye of Faith, which Faith is the only righteouſneſſe before God. But in theſe workes wee muſt bee of the minde, ſo to bring the fleſh into ſubiection, and to cleanſe the euill concupiſcences thereof, that it may not bend the view of the eye to any thing elſe, than to the mortifying of euill concupiſcence and luſt: For when the ſoule is waſhed cleane through faith, and made the dearling of Chriſt, it would alſo deſire that all things elſe, yea, and her owne body chiefely might be purged together withall, to the end all things in her might louelove, and glorifie God together, whereby it commeth to paſſe, that man through an enforcing neceſſity of the fleſh, may not giuegive himſelfe to idleneſſe, & for that cauſe is conſtrayned to doe many good things, to the end hee may bring his body into ſubiection. And yet theſe works are not of ſuch power, as to bee able to worke mans iuſtification before God. But man of a very pure louelove, doth worke the ſame, to the ſeruice and obedience of God, beholding in them nothing elſe than Gods good will, vntounto the which he would moſt willingly and dutifully yéeld alhumbie obedience in all things.
By this meanes eueryevery man may eaſily direct himſelfe,How the body ought to be chaſtiſed. Note. how he ought moſt orderly (as the ſaying is) and moſt commodiouſly attemper his owne body, for hée ſhall faſt ſo much, watch and labour to much, as ſhall ſeeme moſt expedient, for the taming of the wantonneſſe and licentiouſneſſe of his body. But thoſe that doe vaunt to be iuſtified by works, doe regard not ye mortificatiō of ye fleſh, and the luſts thereof, but the works thēſelues, being of opiniō, that if they do very many, & great good déeds, they are thereby in good caſe, & are become iuſt therewith: ſomtime hurting the braines, and deſtroying nature vtterly, or at leaſt making it vnprofitable. And this is a wōderful folly, & groſſe ignorance of Chriſtian life, and of Chriſtian faith, to hauehave a will to bee iuſtified and ſaued by works without faith.
A notable ſimilitude.But to the end that which we hauehave ſaid may more eaſily be conceiued, let vsus make demonſtration therof by ſimilitudes. The works of a Chriſtian man being iuſtified and ſaued through his owne faith, by the mere and frée mercy of God, ought to bee of none other value and eſtimation, than the workes of Adam and Eue, and all their children ſhould hauehave bin in Paradiſe if they had neuer ſinned, of whom God ſpake in the ſecond of Geneſis on this wiſe,Gen. 2. God did place man, whom he created, into Paradiſe, that hee might worke and manure the ſame. But God created Adam iuſt and perfect, and without ſinne, ſo that he ſhould not hauehave néed to bee iuſtified and made perfect by any his owne worke, endeauour, and ſafe kéeping. But to the end he ſhould not be idle, God enioyned him this worke, to manure Paradiſe, and to kéepe it, which works had bin truly moſt frée, wrought in reſpect of nothing, but of Gods good pleaſure only, and not to procure righteouſnes thereby, wherewith he was fully endued already, and which alſo ſhould hauehave bin ioyntly in the creation of vsus all.
To the ſame effect bee the workes of the faithfull beléeuer,Faith doth reſtore into Paradiſe. who through his owne faith being reſtored againe into Paradiſe, and created againe of new, néedeth no workes to become, or made iuſt thereby. But becauſe he ſhould not bee idle, but manure his owne body, and kéepe it, he muſt doe ſuch works of fréedome in reſpect of Gods good will onelyonly, ſauing that is not yet fully created againe anew with perfect faith and louelove, which behooueth to be encreaſed daily, yet not by force of workes, but of their owne ſtrength. Take yet another example.Another examples An holy Biſhop conſecrating a Church, Biſhopping children, or executing ſome other parcell of his function, is not himſelfe conſecrated a Biſhop by force of thoſe exerciſes, nay rather vnleſſe he had bin a conſecrated Biſhop before, none of al theſe works could hauehave béene to any purpoſe, but accompted rather childiſh, altogether fooliſh and apiſh. Euen ſo a Chriſtian man, being firſt conſecrated by his owne faith, doth worke good works indéed, yet is hée made thereby neuer a deale the more holy, or the more a Chriſtian, for this is the work of faith only, yea rather, vnleſſe hée did firſt beléeue, and were a Chriſtian before, all his works would not be worth a ſtraw, but rather very wicked, and damnable ſinnes.
And for this cauſe theſe two ſayings bée true,Two notable ſayings. namely, Good workes doe not make a good man, but a good man doth make the workes to bee good. And euill workes doe not make an euill man, but an euill man doth make the workes to be euill, ſo that it behooueth alwayes, that the ſubſtance or perſon bee good firſt, before all good works, and that good works follow then by order, and procéed from a good perſon, as Chriſt himſelfe witneſſeth. An euill tree doth not bring good fruit, and a good tree doth not bring euill fruit. For it is euidently knowne by experience, that the fruit doth not beare the trée, and that the trée doth not grow in the fruit, but contrariwiſe, the trées doe beare the fruits, and the fruit doth grow in the trées. Therefore, as it is neceſſary that the trée bee firſt before the fruit, and that the fruit doth not make the trées good or euill: But contrarily, ſuch as the trée is, ſuch is the fruit, ſo is it neceſſary, that the perſon, or man himſelfe be either good or badde firſt, before hee make a good or bad worke, and that his workes make him neither good nor badde, but the man himſelfe maketh his owne workes good or badde.
Semblable héereunto may wée ſée in all occupations.Another example. An euill houſe or a good houſe doth not make an euill or a good Carpenter, but a good or bad Carpenter maketh a good or badde houſe. And ſo generally in all kindes of manuall occupations and ſciences, no péece of worke doth make the Artificer good or bad, but ſuch as the Artificer is, ſuch worke maketh he: euen ſo fareth it in the caſe of mēs works. Such as the perſon is either in faith or in vnbeléefe, ſuch is his work, if either done in faith, and ſo good, or done in vnbeléefe, & ſo euill. But contrariwiſe, it is not ſo, to wit, ſuch as the worke is, ſuch is the perſon, made in faith or vnbeléefe, for as workes doe not make a man to be a beléeuer, ſo neither doe they make a man righteous.Only faith iuſtifieth. But faith, as it maketh man beléeuing and righteous, ſo doth it make his works to be good. For as much therefore as works doe not iuſtifie any man, and that it behooueth man to be righteous before he worke any good worke: it appeareth moſt manifeſtly, that faith onelyonly by the mere mercy of God through Chriſt Ieſu in his word, doth make worthy, and ſufficiently iuſtifie, and ſaue the perſon: and that a Chriſtian man néedeth no worke nor law at all, thereby to attaine ſaluation, for that through faith hee is frée from all law, and doth fréely worke all things that he worketh of his owne mere good will, reſpecting therein neither profit, nor ſaluation, but only the good will of God, for as much as he is now already fully repleniſhed, and made ſafe by the grace of God through his owne faith.
Euen ſo no good worke auaileth to righteouſneſſe and ſaluation to the vnbeléeuing perſon. On the other ſide,The vnbeleeuing perſon is not made euill by works. no euill worke maketh him euill or damnable, but his owne vnbeléefe, which both maketh the trée euill, and withall, maketh the workes euill and damnable, whereupon in this, that any perſon is made good or badde, he doth not receiue this being good or badde by works, but this his good or euill taketh beginning from the roote of faith or vnbeleefe, as the wiſe man recordeth, The beginning of ſin is to fall from God, which is in effect, to be vnbeléeuing.Heb. 11. And Paul in the 11 to the Hebrewes, It behooueth him that commeth to God, to beleeue. The ſame alſo ſpeaketh Chriſt, Either make the tree good, and the fruit thereof good, or make the tree euill, and the fruit thereof euill, as if he might ſay, who ſo will make good fruits, muſt begin at ye trée firſt, & plant vponupon a good ſtock, ſo who ſo will make good works, muſt begin, not at the working, but at the beléeuing, which beléefe doth make ye perſon good, for nothing maketh the perſon good, but faith, nor any thing maketh him euill, but vnbeléefe.Works do make a man good, but that is in the ſight of men. Matth 7. Indéed this is true, that by works man is made good or euill in the iudgemēt of men, but this is as much in effect, as to doe it to vnderſtand, and let it be knowne who bee good, or who bee euill, whereof Chriſt ſpeaketh in the ſeuenth of Matthew, You ſhall know them by their fruits. But this knowledge conſiſteth only in ſhew, and outward appearance, & ſemblance, wherein many are deceiued that preſume to teach and preſcribe, wherby men may bee iuſtified in the meane time, making not once ſo much mention of Faith at all, masking ſtill in their own miſmaze,The originall of ſome mens errour. alwayes deceiued, and deceiuing others, going forward from worſe vntounto worſe, blind guides of the blind, wearying themſelues with a multitude of works, & yet neuer attaining to true righteouſnes, of whom Paul writeth in the 1.1 Tim. 3. to Tim. the 3. Chap. Hauing indeed an vtter ſhew of holines, but denying the power thereof, alwayes learning, but neuer attaining to the knowledge of the truth. Therefore behooueth him yt will not wāder out of the way, with theſe blind guides, to enter into a déeper cōſideratiō, thā the vtter ſhew of workes, of lawes, & doctrines of workes, but muſt rather with a quite contrary aſpect pry into the perſon, and note diligently the reaſon, whereby man is iuſtified: and here ſhall he finde, that man is iuſtified and ſaued, not by workes, nor by the law, but by the word of God, that is to ſay, by the promiſe of his grace, and by faith, that ſo the glory thereof may redound to the maieſty of God, Who hath ſaued vsus that beleeue, not by the works of righteouſneſſe which wee hauehave done, but according to his owne mercy, through the word of his owne grace.Rules to vnderſtand the doctrines of many.
Wherby it remaineth eaſie to be knowne in what reſpect good works are to be reiected or embraced, & in what ſenſe all ye doctrines of men touching workes ought to be vnderſtood: for if workes be compared to righteouſneſſe, and be practiſed by a peruerſe Leuiathan, and of that falſe perſwaſion, to preſume vponupon ye obtaining true iuſtification therby, they do now enforce a neceſſity vnauoidable, & do vtterly extinguiſh liberty & faith withall, and ſo euen by this meanes are now no more good, but méerely damnable, for they be not now frée, but blaſphemous to the grace of God, whoſe onelyonly property is through faith to iuſtifie and ſaue, which things workes doe affect to bring to paſſe, not of any their ability, but by a wicked foolehardineſſe only, iſſuing from our own groſſe ignorance: by reaſon whereof they doe violently ruſhe, and intrude into the office of grace and the glory thereof.The reaſon of Luthers Doctrine. For this cauſe therefore wée doe not reiect good workes, but rather doe moſt hartely embrace and teach them: Neither doe wée condemne them in reſpect of themſelues, but in reſpect of the wicked addition giuen vntounto them, and peruerſe opinion conceiued of them, in thattayning of righteouſneſſe: whereby it commeth to paſſe, that they appeare good onelyonly in ſhew, being not good in déede, and in truth, thereby being themſelues deceiued, and deceiuing others alſo, as rauening wolues clothed in ſhéepes skinnes.
And this Leuiathan and peruerſe opinion in workes cannot poſſibly be reclaymed, where pure faith wanteth,The work of Leuiathan. nor is remoueable from theſe holy workemen before that Faith the vanquiſher thereof come in place and beare dominion in the heart. Nature is not of it ſelfe forcible enough to expell it, no not ſo much as to take notice therof, but eſtéemeth it in place of a moſt holy will: wheras if cuſtome preuaile, & take déep rooting in this peruerſeneſſe of nature (as is already brought to paſſe through wicked teachers) it is an incurable diſeaſe, and leadeth aſtray innumerable people into deſtruction vnrecouerable. And therfore albeit it be a commendable thing to preach & write gloriouſly of repentance, confeſſion, and ſatiſfaction, yet if they ſurceaſe here, and procéede no further, euen to ye inſtructing of faith: ſuch doctrine doubtleſſe is deceiueable and deuiliſh: For euen ſo Chriſt with his beloued Iohn did not only ſay, Repent yee of your ſinnes: But added alſo the word of faith, For, the kingdō of heauē is at hand.
Preachers muſt exhort to Faith.For the one part of Gods word ought not to be preached alone but both together muſt be taught: both new and old muſt be deliuered out of this treaſury, aſwel the voyce of the Law, as the word of Grace. The voyce of the Law muſt be vttered, that the people may be terrified, and framed to know their ſinnes, and thereby be turned to repentance, and amendment of their former life. But here forthwith muſt not ſtay be made: for this were only to wound, and not miniſter playſter: to lance, and not to heale: to kill, and not to quicken: to lead vntounto hell gates, and not to deliuer from thence: to throw downe altogether, and not raiſe vp. Wherefore the word of grace alſo, & the word of promiſed forgiuenes, ought likewiſe to be preached, to inſtruct & raiſe vp the faith, without the which in vaine is the doctrine of the law, of contrition, of repentance, & of all other things alſo practiſed and preached.
Indéed there remaine as yet certaine preachers of Repentance and Grace,From whence repentance or Faith doe proceed. but they doe not diſcloſe the law, and the promiſes of God, in that liuely ſpirit & force as others capacities may attaine to the true fountaines and ſpring head of Repentance and Grace. For Repentance procéedeth from out the law of God, but faith or Grace doth iſſue frō Gods promiſe. As the Apoſtle witneſſeth in the tenth to the Romans. Faith commeth by hearing, Rom. 10.but hearing commeth of the word of Chriſt: Wherefore it commeth to paſſe, that man receiueth conſolation, and is raiſed vp through Faith of Gods promiſes, who otherwiſe through the threatnings and terrours of Gods Law, is brought low, and throwne downe into the knowledge of himſelfe.Pſalm. 29. Whereof the Pſalmiſt in the xxix. Pſalme. Mourning ſhall dwell vntill the euening, and ioyfulneſſe vntill the morning.
Let this ſuffice to hauehave béene ſpoken of works in generall,Of works towards our neighbours. and of thoſe works alſo which a Chriſtian man doth exerciſe towards his owne body. Laſtly, wee will ſpeak of thoſe workes which ye Chriſtian doth employ to the vſe of his neighbour. For man doth not liue vntounto himſelfe only in this mortall body, to worke in the ſame, but to all men generally vponupon the earth, Nay rather man liueth only to other men, and not to himſelfe: For to this end doth hee keepe his body in ſubiection, that he may thereby more ſincerely and fréely ſerue to the neceſſities of others. As witneſſeth Paul in the 14. to the Romans.Rom. 14. No man liueth to himſelfe, and no man dyeth to himſelfe. For he that liueth, liueth vntounto God, and hee that dyeth, dyeth vntounto God. It is not poſſible therefore, that in this life man ſhould be idle and vnfruitfull towards his neighbours. For of very neceſſity he muſt talke, worke, and bee conuerſant amongſt man. Euen as Chriſt made to our likeneſſe in properties, Baruch. 3. A Chriſtian muſt apply himſelfe to all men.was found to bee as man, and conuerſant amongſt men. as Baruch teſtifieth in his third Chapter.
And yet he néedeth none of all theſe to procure righteouſneſſe and ſaluation. And therefore in all his works behooueth him to be ſo framed in minde, and to direct his whole affection only to miniſter to the neceſſities of others, to ſéeke the commodity of others, in all his déeds, hauing regard to nothing elſe, than to the behoofe and profit of his neighbour. For euen ſo ye Apoſtle commandeth vsus to worke with our hands, that we may hauehave wherewith to reléeue the neceſſity of our brethren: whereas otherwiſe he might hauehave ſaid,To what end the body muſt be cheriſhed. to hauehave wherwith to cheriſh our own bodies: but let him giuegive (ſaith he) to him that is in néed: For the property of true Chriſtianity is, to regard the ſtate of his owne body, to this end, that through health & well preſeruing the ſame, he may be able to labour to gaine riches, and to employ them to the reléefe of the néedy. That ſo ye ſtrōg member may helpe the weake member, and that we may be the ſonnes of God, carefull, and trauelling each for other, bearing one anothers burthen, and by this meanes fulfilling the law of Chriſt. Behold here the true Chriſtian life, this is the natural liuely faith,The true Chriſtian faith. effectuall through louelove: that is to ſay, when it breaketh forth into the worke of moſt frée ſeruice, with ioy & louelove, wherin he doth fréely and of his owne accord, miniſter to others, reknowledging it ſelf fully ſatiſfied with the abundance and riches of his own faith.
After the ſame maner when Paul had made euident to the Philippians, how rich they were made through the faith of Chriſt, in ye which they had receiued plenteouſneſſe of all things, he giueth vntounto thē another leſſon, and ſaith, If you hauehave receiued any conſolation of Chriſt, if any comfort of louelove, if any fellowſhip of the holy ghoſt, fulfil then my ioy, that ye may be al of one mind, & be endued all with the like louelove, being alike minded, & thinking all one thing, eſteeming nothing of your ſelues through cōtention or vaine glory, but ſtriuing to excel ech other in humility, eueryevery one regarding not the things of his own, but the neceſſities of others. Loe here by this rule of the Apoſtle, wée ſée plainely the life of true Chriſtians to conſiſt in this, that all their workes be directed to the commoditie of others, for as much as eueryevery perſon doth ſo much abound through his owne Faith, that all other workes, and all his whole life, doth ouerflowe vntounto him, wherewith he may be able to miniſter vntounto, and profit our neighbour, of a frée, and voluntary good will, and beneuolence.
And to this effect hée exciteth vntounto them Chriſt for an example, ſaying,The deprauers of the Apoſtles doctrine. Let the ſame minde be in you, which was in Chriſt Ieſu, who when hee was in the ſhape of God, thought it no robbery to be equall with God. Neuertheleſſe he made himſelfe of no reputation, taking vponupon him the ſhape of a ſeruant, and became like vntounto men, and was found in apparell as a man, he humbled himſelfe & was made obedient euen vntounto the death. For this moſt holeſome word of the Apoſtle hauehave they hidden in darkeneſſe from vsus, which were altogether ignorant in the ſpéeches of the Apoſtle, namely, The ſhape of God, the ſhape of Seruant, apparell and the likeneſſe of men, and did apply the ſame prepoſterouſly, to the natures of diuinity, and humanity: whereas Pauls meaning was, that whereas Chriſt was fully beautified with the ſhape of God, and abundantly flowing with the ſtore of all good things, ſo that he néeded not any worke, nor any paſſion to make him righteous and ſaued (for hée did abſolutely poſſeſſe all thoſe things, euē from the firſt beginning of himſelfe) yet was he not puft vp in pride with theſe, nor was lift vp aboue vsus, nor did chalenge to himſelfe a certaine power ouer vsus, albeit he might in his owne right hauehave claymed the ſame: But contrariwiſe, did ſo behaue himſelfe in labour, in workes, in ſuffering, and in doing, that he might be like vntounto other men, both in apparell & countenance, none otherwiſe, than as man, euen as if he had néeded all theſe, and had poſſeſſed no parcell of the ſhape of God: all which neuertheleſſe he vndertooke for our ſakes, to the end he might miniſter vntounto our neceſſities, and that all things might bée made ours, which hee ſhould bring to paſſe in this ſhape of a ſeruant.
Euen ſo a Chriſtian man being ful and abounding through his faith like vntounto Chriſt his head,A Chriſtian ought to conforme himſelfe to Chriſt. ought to be contented with this ſhape of God obtained through Faith (ſauing that he ought to increaſe the ſame Faith, as I ſaid before, vntill it be made perfect) for this is the life of man, his righteouſneſſe, and ſaluation, both ſauing the perſon, making him acceptable, and furniſhing him with all things whatſoeuer Chriſt doth poſſeſſe, as is before mentioned, which alſo Paul in the firſt to the Galathians doth confirme, ſaying: But in this that I liue in the fleſh I liue in the faith of the ſonne of God.Gal. 1.
And although he be on this wiſe frée frō all workes, yet in this freedome ought be neuertheleſſe to make himſelfe of no reputation, and put on the ſhape of a ſeruant, and to become like vntounto men, to be found in apparell as a man, and to miniſter, and to helpe, and by al means poſſible to worke his neighbours commodity, euen after the ſelfe ſame manner as he feeleth, that God hath done, and daily doth for him through Chriſt, and this alſo he muſt doe Gratis without all reſpect, ſauing in reſpect of Gods good pleaſure, and euen after this manner muſt hée thinke vnfainedly.
The confidence of a Chriſtian man.Behold my good God hath giuen vntounto mee moſt vnworthy and damned caitife, beyond all deſert, of his méere and frée mercy, in Chriſt Ieſu, all the treaſures of righteouſneſſe and ſaluation, ſo that henceforth I ſhall not ſtand in want of any thing at all, but of Fayth, which may firmely beléeue in Chriſt: Wherefore to this ſo louing a father, who hath ouerwhelmed mée with theſe his ineſtimable riches, why ſhould not I frankely, ioyfully, with all my heart, and with all my moſt louing and willing ſoule, yeelde all ſeruice whatſoeuer I doe know to bee well pleaſing, and is acceptable in his eyes.
Wherfore I will giuegive my ſelfe wholly a certain Chriſt vntounto my neighbour, euen as Chriſt gaue himſelfe vntounto me, and will doe nothing in this tranſitory life, but that which I ſhall perceiue to be neceſſary, commodious, and profitable for my neighbour, in as much, as I am ſufficiently enough enriched with all good things in Chriſt through Faith.
Lo here out of Faith floweth LoueLove,The fruit of Faith. Behold gentle Reader how worthily is Luther reproched. & reioycing in the Lord, and out of LoueLove floweth likewiſe a chéerefull, liberall, and frée heart to miniſter to the neceſſity of thy neighbour, frankely of thy owne accord, ſo that here now is no conſideration had of gratitude, or ingratitude, of praiſe or diſpraiſe, of vantage or of loſſe: For neither doth hee apply hereunto to winne the fauour of men, nor maketh any difference betwixt friends or foes, nor reſpecteth the thankefull or vnthankfull, but moſt frankely and with moſt gladſome cheare doth yéelde himſelfe wholy, and all that he poſſeſſeth, without regard whether he loſe the ſame in the vnthankfull, or employ it on the deſeruing: For euen ſo his father doth, diſpoſing all things to all abundantly and moſt freely, making his ſun to ſhine vponupon the good and the wicked. In like manner, the ſonne doth work and ſuffer nothing but of a frée and chearfull ioy, wherewith through Chriſt hee is delighted in God the giuer of ſo great and ineſtimable treaſures.
We ought to know how great things are giuen vsus.You ſée therefore, if wee acknowledge all thoſe things which are giuen vntounto vsus, of greateſt and higheſt price (as Peter ſaith) ye forthwith louelove is poured abroad in our hearts, by the holy Ghoſt, whereby we are frée, chearfull, omnipotent, doers, workers, and conquerour of all tribulation, ſeruants of our neighbours, yet Lords of all things notwithſtanding. But ſuch as doe not know the gifts giuen vntounto them through Chriſt, to them Chriſt is borne in vaine: ſuch wander in the way of works, and ſhall neuer attaine to the taſte and féeling of thoſe things. Therefore as our neighbour is preſſed downe with neceſſity, and wanteth of our ſtore & abundance, euen ſo were we ouerwhelmed with neceſſity in the ſight of God, and néeded altogether his mercy. Wherefore as our heauenly father did ſuccour vsus in Chriſt Ieſu fréely, euen ſo ought wee help our neighbour fréely by our body and by our workes, and eueryevery of vsus muſt be made a certaine Chriſt each to other, that wée may bee made debtours of Chriſt, and that Chriſt may bee one and the ſame in all, that is to ſay, that wée may be true Chriſtians.
Who is able therefore to comprehend the riches and glory of a Chriſtian life, which is able to doe all things,The glory of a Chriſtian life. poſſeſſeth all things, and néedeth nothing, an Empreſſe and Conquereſſe of ſinne, death, and hell, and withall an handmaid neuertheleſſe, ſeruiceable and profitable to all? but the more is the pity. This Chriſtian Iuſtification is, at this day, altogether vnknowne in the whole world, neither is it preached, nor procured, in ſo much, that we are our ſelues ignorant of …eir name, and for what cauſe we bee …éemed and called Chriſtians. True …,In what reſpect we be named Chriſtians wee hauehave receiued our denominatio… of Chriſt, not being abſent from vsus, … dwelling within vsus. That …s to ſay, whiles we beléeue in him, and …e ioyntly and mutually a certaine Chriſt eche to other, applying our ſelues to our neighbours, euen as Chriſt hath giuen himſelfe to vsus.
But in theſe our dayes we are taught by mens doctrines to ſéeke after nought elſe but deſeruings, and merites, and the things which are our own, & hauehave made of Chriſt nought elſe, but a ſharp Lawmaker, much more auſtere than Moſes was.
The holy Mother of Chriſtian example of Faith. Luke 2.Semblably, the bleſſed virgin Mary did exhibite her ſelfe a ſingular preſident of the Faith aboue al others, whiles after the manner of all other women ſhe was purified according to Moſes Law (as it is ſet down in the 2 of Luke) whereas being notwithſtanding not bound to any ſuch law, nor néeded to be purified in any ſuch wiſe, yet ſhe yéelded her ſelfe to the law of her own accord, and of a frée louelove vntounto the law, being made like vntounto other women, leſt ſhée might ſeeme to offe… … or deſpiſe them. She was not therefore made righteous for that worke, but being righteous before, ſhee did this déed ſurely, and without coactiō. In like maner ought our workes to be put in vre, not to the …nd to be iuſtified by them, for as much as being iuſtified firſt by Faith, it behooueth vsus to worke all things fréely and cheerefully for our neighbours ſake.
So alſo Paul did circumciſe his ſcholler Timothy,Paul doth teach workes. not becauſe Timothy néeded to be circumciſed vntounto righteouſneſſe: but left hee might offend or deſpiſe the Iewes that were weake in Faith, and which as yet were not capable of the fréedome of Faith. But contrariwiſe, when as the Iewes did vrge a neceſſity to be circūciſed to righteouſnes, ſetting at naught the fréedome of Faith, hee did withſtand them, and would not permit Titus to bee circumciſed, Galath. 3.Gal. 3. for as he would not willingly offend or contemne the imbecillitie or weakeneſſe of others in the Faith, applying himſelfe to their capacity for a time ſo likewiſe, would hee not giuegive place to the will of ſtiffenecked Inſticiaries, when the liberty of Faith was like to ſuffer reproch, or be deſpiſed, kéeping the midway, bearing with the weake for a ſeaſon, and alwayes ſetting himſelfe againſt the indurate, to the end he might conuert all in generality to embrace the liberty of Faith. With like affection muſt our workes bee employed, that we tolerate the weaklings in Faith, as the Apoſtle teacheth in the 14. to the Romanes, but that with courage wée reſiſt the inflexible vrgers of workes, of the which wee will treate more at large hereafter.
Likewiſe Chriſt in the 17. of Mathew, when tribute was demanded of his Diſciples,An example of our Lord Chriſt. aſked the queſtion of Saint Peter, whether the children of the Kingdome were exempt from paying Tribute, and Peter affirming that they were, did command him notwithſtanding to goe to the Sea, ſpeaking theſe words, Leſt we giuegive them cauſe of offence, goe, and the Fiſh that firſt commeth to thy hands take, and opening his mouth, thou ſhalt finde a groate, take the ſame, and giuegive it for thee and me.
This example is very much auayleable for our purpoſe. In the which, Chriſt doth call himſelfe and his Diſciples frée, and Kings ſonnes, which ſtand in néede of nothing, and yet of his owne accord ſubmitteth himſelfe, and payeth Tribute.
Therefore, by how much this worke of Chriſt was neceſſary to Chriſt, and profitable vntounto righteouſneſſe and ſaluation, euen ſo much are all the workes of his elect and faithfull auaileable to righteouſneſſe, whereas they be all following after righteouſneſſe, and freely performed onelyonly to the neceſſity and example of others.
Of the ſame condition are the workes preſcribed by Paul in the thirtéenth Chapter to the Romanes,Take hold of Luther all ye Religious, and admit him to be your teacher. and in the third to Timothy, That men ſhould bee ſubiect to the higher powers, and prepared to all good workes, not becauſe they ſhould bee iuſtified thereby, where as they bee righteous already through Faith, but that by theſe they might both bée ſubiect to others, and to the higher powers, add of a frée louelove yéelde humbly obedience to their will in the fréedome of the ſpirit.
Of this ſame ſort ought the workes of all Colledges, Monaſteries, and Prieſtes hauehave béene employed, that eueryevery of them might hauehave performed the workes of their profeſſion and eſtate to this end, that by theſe, eueryevery of them might exerciſe not righteouſnes, but the taming of his owne body, yéelding thereby example to others, who hauehave themſelues alſo néede to chaſtiſe their owne bodyes. Then alſo, that they might expreſſe humble obedience to others, applying themſelues to their commandement, of a frée louelove, hauing neuertheleſſe a ſpeciall regard alwaies to this onelyonly, to witte, that through vaine confidence, none of them preſume to be iuſtified, to merite, or to be ſaued by them, which thing is the proper and peculiar office o… Faith onelyonly, as I hauehave often ſaid before.
The knowledge of a true Chriſtian.Therefore, who ſo were furniſhed wit… this doctrine, might eaſily without danger wade in theſe infinite impoſitions an… traditions of the Pope, of Biſhops, o… Mon…keries, of Churches, of Princes an… Magiſtrates, the which ſome fooliſh paſtors doe ſo obtrude vponupon vsus, as though they were of an vnauoydable neceſſitie to bee performed, for the obtaining of righteouſneſſe and ſaluation, calling them commonly the iniunctions of the Church, being in déede nothing leſſe. For a Chriſtian man may deba…e with himſelfe on this wiſe, I will faſt I will pray, I will apply my ſelfe to all whatſoeuer is commanded by men, not becauſe I need to doe any of theſe, to procure righteouſneſſe or ſaluation by them: but becauſe I will expreſſe mine obedience herein to the Pope, to the Biſhops, to the Potentate, and to the Magiſtrate, or to my neighbour for example ſake, for this cauſe I will doe and ſuffer all things, euen as Chriſt did worke and ſuffer many greater things for my ſake, whereof he needed not to doe any one, being made for my ſake ſubiect vntounto the law, when as in deede he was not vnderunder the law. And although theſe things be exacted of me through the tyrannous force, and iniurious tyranny of the Magiſtrates, yet ſhall they be no preiudice to me, ſo lōg as they be not againſt the glory of God.
The premiſſes conſidered, it is an eaſie matter for any man to iudge certainly:The difference betwixt the good and the euill paſtors. betwixt the difference of all works, and al lawes, & know ſkilfully who be blind, and witleſſe Preachers, & who be true & faithfull paſtors. For whatſoeuer worke bée not directed to this only marke, namely, to be employed to ye chaſtiſmēt of ye body, or to ye dutiful cōſideration of ye neighbor (ſo yt it enforce not any thing directly againſt Gods glory) ſurely ye work is neither good nor Chriſtianlike. And this is the cauſe, yt I feare me much, very few Colledges at all, any Monaſteries, Altars, or any Eccleſiaſtical exerciſes at this day, be not truly Chriſtian, & that alſo as well thoſe proper & peculiar faſtings, as ye petty prayers to certain Saints be not Chriſtiā I feare me much (I ſay) yt in al theſe things regard is had of nought elſe, but yt which appertayneth to our ſelues, whiles we be thus minded, yt by meanes of theſe exerciſes, our ſins are cleanſed, & ſaluatiō obtained therby, & ſo Chriſtiā liberty is ouerthrowē the cauſe wherof procedeth frō blind ignorāce of ye true Chriſtiā faith, full of al fréedome. Which groſſe ignorāce & ſuppreſſion of liberty, very many blind & buſſardly paſtors doe earneſtly maintaine, whileſt they doe gréedily perſwade, & vrge ye people to ſuch exerciſes, aduācing them aboue Moone and Stars, & glorifying thē with their pardōs, but of faith neuer vttering ſo much as one word. But I wold wiſh thée to be wel aduiſed, that if thou hauehave wil at any time to pray, to faſt,Good aduice. or to found Churches (as they tearme it) to beware thou do not this to ye end to procure to thy ſelf any tēporal or euerlaſting cōmodity therwith: for in ſo doing, thou ſhalt be preiudiciall to thy faith, which only doth miniſter all things vntounto thée,Only faith muſt be attended vntounto. & therfore ought only be attended vntounto, yt it may be encreaſed, whether it be occupied in workes, or exerciſed with afflictions: but giuegive fréely without hope of requitall, whatſoeuer ye giueſt, that others may be reléeued, and grow in well doing through thée, and thy liberality, for this is the way to make thée a good and a true Chriſtiā man. For what ſhall auaile thée, thy goods, & thy works, whereof thou art endued with a ſurplus, ouer and beſides thoſe which do ſerue to the neceſſary chaſtiſement of the body? when as thou art ſufficiently enriched for thy neceſſities, through the Faith, in the which God hath endued thée with all plentifull ſtore.
Behold, by this rule it behooueth vsus to poure out each vponupon other, and to make common each vntounto other the goods which we hauehave receiued of God, and that every man cloath himſelfe with his neighbours eſtate, and ſo apply himſelfe to his neighbours neceſſities, euen as if wee were in ye like neceſſity our ſelues:A rule touching brotherly louelove. out of Chriſts ſtorehouſe they ouerflowed, and from him ſlow daily vntounto vsus, who hath ſo tak…n our neceſſities vponupon himſelfe, and ſo performed all things for our ſakes, as if himſelfe had béene the ſame that wee be. They flow likewiſe from vsus, vntounto them who ſtand in need of them, in ſo much, that I am bound to poure out before God my faith, and my righteouſneſſe, to couer and entreat for the ſinnes of my neighbour, the burthen of whoſe ſinnes I muſt in mine owne perſon ſuſtaine, and ſo trauell and bee afflicted in them, as if they were mine owne ſinnes, for on this wiſe was Chriſt afflicted for our ſakes, for this is the very true louelove, this is the rule of a pure Chriſtian louelove, which is in them very naturall and pure indéed, in whom dwelleth a pure and ſincere Faith indéed, whereupon, the Apoſtle in the firſt to the Corinthians, the thirtéenth Chapter, doth giuegive this ſingular prerogatiue to louelove, That it ſeeketh not the things that are her owne.
And therefore we doe conclude, that a Chriſtian man doth not liue in himſelfe, but in Chriſt,1 Cor. 13. A Chriſtian man doth liue in himſelf, and in his neighbour and in his neighbour, or that to be a Chriſtian man, is to dwell in Chriſt by Faith, and in his neighbour by louelove.
Againe, a Chriſtian man is raiſed vp aboue himſelfe to Godward by Faith, and is throwne downe beneath himſelfe, toward his neighbour by louelove, dwelling alwayes neuertheleſſe in God, and in the louelove of God, according to the ſaying of Chriſt in the firſt of Iohn, Verily, verily, I ſay vntounto you, from hencefoorth you ſhall ſee the heauens opened, and the Angels of God aſcending and deſcending vponupon the ſonne of man. And thus farre ſufficiently concerning Chriſtian liberty, which is (as you ſée) ſpirituall and true, making our hearts frée from all ſinnes, from all lawes, and commandements (as Paul witneſſeth in his firſt Epiſtle to Timothy, the firſt Chapter, The Law was not made for the iuſt man) which liberty doth as farre ſurmount all other outward and external liberties in excellencie, as the Heauens doth ſurpaſſe the Earth, which Chriſt grant vsus to vnderſtand, and enioy to our comfort, Amen.
In fine, to ſatiſfie thoſe perſons, who can neuer heare any thing, be it neuer ſo well ſpoken, but that they will depraue it by euill conceiuing, ſomewhat muſt bee annexed, if that at the leaſt they be able to conceiue the ſame.Againſt the liberty of the fleſh. There be very many, who hearing the doctrine of this Chriſtian liberty of Faith, will by and by take occaſion thereof, to maintaine the liberty of the fleſh, ſuppoſing forthwith that they may lawfully attempt all things, nor will expreſſe their liberty and Chriſtianity in any one thing elſe, than in deſpiſing, and reprouing of Ceremonies, of mens traditions and conſtitutions, as though they ought for this cauſe to bée déemed Chriſtians, becauſe they doe not faſt in the dayes appoynted for faſting, or becauſe they eate fleſh, whyleſt other doe abſtaine from fleſh, or becauſe they doe not frequent Maſſes and Mattene, or other vſuall ſeruice in the Church, diſdainefully ſcorning and ſcoffing at the ordinances of men, vtterly ſetting at naught all other things appertaining to Chriſtian Religion. Againſt whom,Againſt the confidence in workes. there is another ſort that doe with tooth and nayle bend their force, which contrariwiſe, doe endeauour to attayne ſaluation, by the onelyonly obſeruation and reuerence of Ceremonies, as though they ſhould for this cauſe be ſaued, becauſe they faſt on the faſting dayes, or abſtaine from fleſh, or inure themſelues to certaine prayers, exceſſiuely vaunting the traditions of the Church, and of the fathers, yet otherwiſe not eſtéeming the things that are proper and peculiar to our Chriſtian Faith, worth a ruſh, both which ſorts of people are ſurely altogether much blame-worthy for as much, as paſſing ouer matters of great importance, and careleſly neglecting the things neceſſarily belonging to ſaluation, they turmoyle themſelues in ſo great outrage about thoſe trifling toyes, being altogether vnneceſſary and vnprofitable.
How much more ſoundly doth Paul teach to kéepe the midde way, condemning both thoſe by pathes, ſaying, He that eateth, l…t him not deſpiſe him that eateth not: and he that eateth not, let him not iudge him that eateth. Héere you ſée, that ſuch as do neglect, and condemne the ceremonies, not of deuotion, but of mere contempt, bee accompted blame-worthy, whereas the Apoſtle teacheth them not to deſpiſe, for knowledge doth cauſe to ſwell, and to be puft vp. Againe, he exhorteth the obſtinate, that they iudge not others, for neither of them doth obſerue charity, edifying one another, wherefore in this perplexity, councell muſt bee ſought out of Scripture, which doth teach vsus, not to decline on the right, nor on the left hand, but to enſue the right iudgements of the Lord, quickning the hearts: for as no man is righteous, becauſe hée humbleth himſelfe, and is addicted to works, and rites of ceremonies, ſo neither ſhall any man hee accompted for this only cauſe righteous, becauſe he doth omit and contemne them.
For wee bée not freed through our Faith in Chriſt from workes, but from the opinions of workes, that is to ſay, from the fooliſh preſumption conceiued of Iuſtification, purchaſed by meanes of workes: for Faith doth redéeme our conſciences, … …erly kéepe and preſerue the …, wherby we attaine this knowledge, that righteouſneſſe conſiſteth not in workes, albeit workes neither can, nor ought to bee neglected As wee cannot liue to this world without food and ſuſtenance, nor without the generall preſeruation of this mortall body, yet is not our righteouſneſſe ſelled in theſe, but in Faith, for the which, the other things notwithſtanding may not bee deſpiſed, and vtterly ſhaken off. So in this world, wée bée faſt chayned to the neceſſary preſeruation of the life of this body, yet are wée not thereby made righteous, My kingdome (ſaith Chriſt) is not from hence, nor of this World, but hee ſaid not, my kingdome is not héere, nor in this world. Likewiſe Paul, Albeit wee walke in the fleſh, yet our warfare is not according to the fleſh. Gal. 1.And in the firſt to the Galathians, Whereas I doe liue in the fleſh, I liue in the faith of the ſonne of God. Euen ſo in this that we worke that we liue, and that we are exerciſed in workes and ceremonies, the neceſſity of this preſent life,How we ought to deale with the obſtinate. and the carefull regard of gouerning our bodies, doth exact it of vsus, yet are wee neuer a deale righteous by them, but in the Faith of the Sonne of God. Therefore, a Chriſtian man muſt kéepe his courſe in the midde way, and muſt paſſe away from thoſe two ſorts of people, for either hee ſhall méet with thoſe peruerſe frowardes, being indurate with theſe Ceremonies, which, like deafe Serpents,Aſpides: will not hearken vntounto the liberty of the truth, but magnifie their Ceremonies, command and enforce the obſeruation of them without Faith, as neceſſities of Iuſtification, ſuch as the Iewes were in times paſt vnwilling to come to knowledge thereby, to walke aright. Such behooueth vsus to reſiſt, to impugne them, and to offend them ſtoutly, leſt by this their wicked opinion, they draw together with themſelues many, into their falſe illuſions. In the preſence of ſuch it is conuenient to eat fleſh, to breake faſting dayes, and for the maintenance of our liberty in faith, to do other like things, which they reckon in place of moſt gréeuous ſinnes. And in this manner muſt wee ſpeake of them, Let them alone, they bee blinde themſelues, and blinde guides of the blinde, for in this reſpect Paul would not ſuffer Titus to receiue Circumciſion, though they ſtiffely vrged hereunto. So did Chriſt alſo defend his Apoſtles, when as they pluckt the eares of corne on the Sabboth day, and many ſuch like.
The ſimple.On the other ſide, we ſhal méet with the ſimple, vnlearned, ignorant, and weake in Faith (as Paul calleth them) whoſe capacities are not yet able to comprehend this libertie of Faith, though they hauehave a will thereunto. Such muſt be borne withall, leſt they be offended: and their weakneſſe muſt be fauoured, vntill they may be more fully inſtructed. For whereas thoſe perſons do not obſerue ſuch ceremonies of any grounded malice, nor are wilfully obſtinate in iudgement, but conceiue of them according to the imbecility of their Faith onelyonly, faſtings, abſtinence from choice meates, and ſuch other ceremonies, which they doe ſuppoſe to be neceſſary, muſt be obſerued for auoyding offence in them. For this doth Charitie exact of vsus, which hurteth no man but helpes vsus. For ſuch continue not weaklings through their owne default, but through the negligence of their paſtors, which with their cramps and grapling yrons of traditions, hauehave intangled euil handled, and deadly wounded them, who otherwiſe ought to hauehave béene deliuered, made whole, and reuiued with the doctrine of Faith and Chriſtian Liberty. The ſame doth the Apoſtle teach in the fourteenth Chapter to the Rom. If my meate doe offend my brother, Rom. 4.I will not eate fleſh for euer. And againe, I know that in Chriſt there is nothing defiled, but vntounto him that thinketh it to bee defiled, but it is euill to the man that eateth to the offence of his brother.
Therefore,Againſt the lawes and law-makers. although wee muſt ſtoutly withſtand thoſe teachers of Traditions, and ſharpely inueigh againſt the conſtitutions of Biſhops, wherewith they ouerrunne the people of God, yet regard muſt be had of the timorous weaklings, whom thoſe cruell bloudſuckers, doe cruelly detaine captiue with thoſe traditions, vntill they be ſet at liberty. On this wiſe encounter manfully againſt the Wolues, but for the Shéepe, and not againſt the Shéepe alſo, which thou ſhalt the better do, if thou bend thy force earneſtly againſt thoſe Lawes and Lawmakers, and yet withall thy ſelfe obſerue them in the ſight of the weake, leſt they become offended through thée, vntill themſelues may know that Tyranny, and vnderſtand their owne liberties. And if thou wilt enioy thine owne liberty, vſe it to thy ſelfe in ſecret (as Paul teacheth thée in the fourtéenth to the Rom.) Keep thou the Faith which thou haſt vntounto thy ſelfe before God, Rom. 14.but beware that thou vſe it not before the weake. Againe, before Tirants and obſtinate frowards, vſe the ſame in deſpight of them, yea, and that moſt manfully and conſtantly: That they alſo may vnderſtand their owne wickedneſſe, and their Lawes to be nothing auaileable to righteouſneſſe, as alſo that they had no authority to make ſuch lawes.
For as much therefore,To the yong in yeares. as the ſociety of this preſent life cannot be maintained in due order without ceremonies & workes: Yea rather, foraſmuch as the raging and rude age of yong perſons hath néede to be reſtrained and bridled with ſuch raines, as it were with a Snaffle, and that eueryevery man ought to chaſtiſe his own body: with the ſame exerciſes, it behoueth therefore the Miniſter of Chriſt to be prudent and faithfull, that hee may ſo inſtruct and guide Chriſts flocke in all theſe things, that their Conſcience and Faith may not be offended, and to be circumſpect, that no vnſauorie opinion, nor bitter ſmatch of loathſomneſſe may take roote in them, by meanes whereof, many may be infected, (wherof Paul did forewarne ye Hebrues) that is to ſay, leſt looſing their faith vtterly, they beginne to be defiled with vaine preſumption of workes, as though they were to bee ſaued by workes, which is a ſpéedy contagion, and doth pierce déeply into many, vnleſſe faith bee buſily and ſeriouſly enforced withall, but the diſeaſe is vnauoydable, where faith being put vp to ſilence, onelyonly traditions of men taught to bee retayned, as hath béene hitherto through ye peſtiferous, deteſtable, & ſoule-ſlaying traditions of our Prelates, and vagarant opinions of our Diuines, haling infinite ſoules to the Deuill, with theſe intricate fetters, which by plaine demonſtration doth denounce very Antechriſt himſelfe.
Danger in the ceremonies.To conclude, ſuch as is pouerty in abundance, painfulneſſe in authority, humbleneſſe in honour, abſtinence in feaſting, chaſtity in valliance, euen ſo righteouſneſſe of faith is dangerouſly beſet being ioined with ceremonies: May a man carry fire in his boſome (ſaith Salomon) and not burne his garments? And yet as in riches, in authority, in honours, in dalliance, in banquetings, ſo muſt we be conuerſant in ceremonies, that is to ſay, in dangers: yea rather as it is néedfull for yong boyes to be nurſed and cheriſhed in the laps and armes of maydens, leſt they periſh, in whom being growne to riper yeares, were no ſmall perill of ſafety to frequent the company of maydens: Euen ſo is it requiſite to lock vp ye ranging yéeres of licencious youth within the Cloyſters, yea, within iron cloſſets of ſuch ceremonies and exerciſes, whereas they may bee reſtrained and abide correction, leſt their inſolent courage draw them headlong into wickedneſſe. Which ceremonies do neuertheles procure death vntounto them, if they perſeuere in opinion to bee iuſtifiable by them, whereas they ought rather to bee inſtructed, that they were clogged with ſuch reſtraint, not for any ſuch cauſe as to bee made righteous, or to merit much thereby, but to the end, they ſhould not ruſh wilfully into vices, and ſo bee the more tractable trained to the righteouſneſſe of faith: which they would in no wiſe endure through the outrage of their youth, vnleſſe the ſame had béene tamed and brought low.
Of what eſtimation ceremonies be.Which doth argue, that ceremonies ought not to be of any other price and eſtimation in the life of a true Chriſtian man, than as amongſt Carpenters and Artificers, certaine old poſtes, logges, or platformes, are framed to direct & raiſe vp buildings by: which bee not made to the end they ſhould ſerue and remaine to any ſpeciall vſe, but becauſe without ſuch by-helpes, buildings and workes cannot eaſily bee rayſed, for when the work or building is finiſhed, thoſe deuiſes are laid aſide.
So that here you ſée, that ceremonies are not vtterly abrogated, but rather earneſtly required, but the vaine perſwaſion and preſumption of them is contemned, becauſe no man accompteth them to be a true and permanent building. If any man would bee ſo notably ſenſeleſſe, as to regard nothing elſe in his whole life, but to direct thoſe preparatiues, with all honour, with all diligence, with all continuance, and would neuer bende his cogitations to the very building it ſelfe, ſtroking, ſmoothing, and vaunting himſelfe in theſe preparatiues, and vaine rotten proppes, would not all men lament his madneſſe, and thinke within themſelues, that whiles he employed this coſt to no purpoſe, he might hauehave builded ſome matter of better ſubſtance? So now we do neither abandō ceremonies, nor works, but rather doe allow them, neuertheleſſe we doe vtterly abhorre the vaine opinion conceiued of them, leſt that any man perſwade himſelfe, that to obſerue them is the true righteouſneſſe, as Hypocrites doe, which doe abuſe and miſpend their whole life in theſe exerciſes, & neuer reach vntounto the ſubſtance, in reſpect whereof they are practized, or as ye Apoſtle ſpeaketh: Alwayes learning, and neuer comming to the knowledge of the Truth: For they ſéeme as though they had a will to build, and alwayes prepare themſelues thereunto, and yet they neuer build, perſiſting alwaies in the glittering ſhadow of godlineſſe, but neuer attaine to the power and ſubſtance thereof.
Againſt them that be notably ſuſpitious.Yet do they wonderfully flatter themſelues in theſe exerciſes, preſuming alſo arrogantly to iudge all others, whom they ſée not glittering in the like brauery of workes, whereas they might otherwiſe bee able to atchieue matters of greater importance, to the ſingular comfort of themſelues and others, with this vainely imployed oſtentation, and abuſe of Gods gifts, if they were indued with a right and true faith. But whereas the nature of man and reaſon (as they tearme it) naturall, is naturally inclined to ſuperſtition, and purſuing all Lawes and works, is proue of herſelfe to fall into vaine preſumptiō of obtaining iuſtification through them: adde moreouer herevnto, becauſe it is accuſtomed and inured to conceiue ſo highly of the ſame workes, through the vſuall admiration of all earthly lawmakers, it is not poſſible ſurely of her owne ſtrength, to cleare it ſelfe from this ſeruile bondage of workes, and to bend her force to know the liberty of faith.
Therefore it is requiſite,From whence the law of wiſdome doth proceede. that we flée to prayer, that the Lord would vouchſafe to draw vsus and make vsus inſtructed vntounto GOD, that is to ſay, apt Schollers for God, and that himſelfe will vouchſafe to write his Law in our hearts (as hee hath promiſed) otherwiſe we doe all come to confuſion. For except he doe engraffe in our ſoules this maruellous Wiſdome hidden in a myſtery, Nature cannot chooſe but condemne it, and adiudge it for an Heretique, becauſe ſhée is offended …, and appeareth fooliſh in her eyes. Euen as we ſaw to hauehave hapned in times paſt to the Prophets of GOD and the Apoſtles, and euen as the wicked blinde Prelates, and their falſe flatterers doe now vntounto mee, and others like vntounto mée, vntounto whom, and to vsus alſo, GOD bee mercifull, and ſhew the light of his countenance vponupon vsus, that wee may know his way vponupon the earth, and his ſauing health amongſt all generations. Who be bleſſed for euer and euer.
Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Martin Luther, The Liberty of a Christian (1579)