Delivered on the Gospel on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6, 1535.
If I wanted to consider how pleasant I have made myself so far against the beautiful dear bride of the devil, which is called in German, the world, I would probably leave my preaching and writing on the way and rather wish that my name would be forgotten or never thought of, than that I should still go on and write or preach more. And in my case it would have happened quite easily.
(2) But because the blessed bridegroom and his lovely bride want to be feared and devour my Lord Jesus Christ, I must stand as if I were afraid and as if my Lord Christ had died, rotten 1500 years ago; but that my fear may not be to death and my Lord Christ's death may be to his life without harm. For measure, I hear it said, is good in all things; lest my Lord Christ be so dead, and I so perish. Therefore I also allow myself that these sermons of mine go out in honor of holy baptism, which is now in our time.
must have many enemies, and the devil and his world are almost raging against them.
Thirdly, the Anabaptists are again and still raging with the old end-Christian Anabaptists, who have baptized themselves by their own works and are still baptizing. Third, the Epicureans break in with a peculiar way of baptizing called. Nothing. And the dear holy baptism is hard pressed on all sides, so that it is necessary for us to be careful and watchful.
(4) But even though it may not be without harm, I hope that the poor, vain Christ Jesus will hold the field against the devil and all his authorities, scholars and advisors. Let him who wants to be a faithful member of the despised, glorious King, who must remain forever, and that the time of his judgment and visitation along with his kingdom will soon come, ask this with earnestness. To him, as our true eternal God and Lord, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be thanksgiving and praise forever and ever, amen.
Gospel Matth. 3, 13-17.
At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. But John rebuked him, saying: I have need that I be baptized of thee, and thou comest unto me? And Jesus answered and said, Let it be so now: so it behoveth us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he left it
to him. And when Jesus was baptized, he immediately came up out of the water. And behold, the heavens opened upon him. And John saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And behold, a voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Von der heiligen Taufe Predigten D. Mart. Luther's.
Among the most important feasts of the Lord Christ, this is also one that is called in Greek Epiphaniam Domini, the Appearance or Revelation of the Lord. It was named and instituted by the ancient holy fathers for three reasons: First, Christ was revealed by a star to the Gentiles from the East, who were called Magos (wise men), Matt. 2:2.Second, that He performed the first sign, turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana and revealing His glory to His disciples, John 2:11; and third, that He was baptized by John in the Jordan River, and the glorious revelation from heaven came upon Him, Matthew 3:16, 17. 3:16, 17. And it is no doubt not without reason that a special time of the year has been set aside in Christendom to preach the reverend sacrament of holy baptism, so that it may be well recognized and rightly honored by Christians as their highest treasure on earth, in which lies their salvation and blessedness; so that this feast should have the most distinguished name of the baptism of Christ, and this preaching of holy baptism should be done primarily at it.
2. For it is not only right and just, but also of great necessity, that this holy sacrament should be spoken of in Christendom, and that people should be well instructed that they should not hold their dear baptism in such low esteem; as has unfortunately happened hitherto, because nothing has been preached or taught about it, that baptism has been held in no esteem at all, but has been set far behind and almost forgotten; And instead of it, they have raised up our own human work and various orders and put them in its place; until it has finally come about that a shabby monk's cap has been raised and praised far above holy baptism, which of course has not happened, and no doubt all kinds of abominations and errors would have been avoided if Christians had been held up to their baptism and imagined it to be true.
(3) But the wicked devil has to cause his heartache in such a way that he takes away the true pure doctrine from the preaching chair and puts his lies and seductions in its place. In any case, God's word and work are always fortunate in the world, in that what he says and does must be nothing in the eyes of the world, but what the devil says and does is considered and exalted by the world. This certainly happens to the dear Lord in all his words and works. For this reason, God is in great need of praise and praise of His word and work for Christians, so that they may learn to consider both His word and work great and glorious and not judge them according to the world's judgment and conceit.
4 For it is true that they seem very small and contemptible, because they do not come and are not presented with great pomp and splendor. But if he adorned it with gold, pearls, velvet and silk, or had sacks of gold and silver strewn about it, or had it decorated by great, mighty, highly learned men, lords and princes, it would also be in reputation and honor, so that all the world would run and sing and say about it. But now, because he offers it so lowly and without all splendor, only through the mouth and hand of a lowly man and with such a common sign as water, it must remain despised and rejected.
(5) For the world will not and cannot hold anything that does not open its eyes and mouth. O, what is this, saith it, to dip a child in water, or to sprinkle it with a handful of water? What is it but other water to wash the feet? But this would be something if a priest came along with delicious malmsey or balsam, whose one drop cost a hundred guilders; or a great prince and bishop himself baptized with great sound and splendor, just as they baptize their bells. But because there is no such adornment and prestige, and God has nothing outwardly to baptize.
If a man does more than a handful of water, he must also suffer that it is despised by the world, for it wants to have its eyes and ears filled or to think nothing of it.
(6) And it serves him justly according to her judgment. For what is it, she says, that he is so foolish about it and does not attack it differently, if he wants to have it highly honored and considered a divine thing? If he is so great, powerful, wise and prudent, he should do it differently. But he does it also for the very reason that he makes a fool of the world in its cleverness; and because it wants to be clever and master in God's words and works, so that it cannot make any of them right or good for him, he wants to give it enough of the same, and nevertheless, through such a little despised word, accomplish such a thing in his Christians, which it can neither understand nor attain. And he does her justice again. Because she despises it for the sake of the low reputation and neither wants to hear nor see that she deprives herself of the same high divine goods as a punishment for her stubborn wickedness and is led by the devil into all kinds of error and abominations, yet under a great appearance of the divine name.
7. Because we now see that the dear Word and Sacraments are in such a state, and because we have been instructed by our own experience of the damage that has been done to Christianity, and because we still have to wait daily for such danger; especially because the disgraceful mob of Anabaptists is already breaking in everywhere, by which the devil again wants to darken and extinguish the true doctrine, after it has been cleansed and purified by God's grace, so that it shines and glows a little: On the other hand, we should honor, praise and adorn our dear baptism all the more, as much as we always can, and continue to preach it all the more diligently. Therefore, we will now speak of it again, as much as God will grant grace, for the proper instruction of the simple, so that they may recognize it correctly and make a clear distinction, and thereupon be able to judge all kinds of errors that arise against it. And first of all, to say of baptism itself, according to its nature, what it is; then of its benefits, and what it creates.
First part.
8) We divide baptism into three different parts, which are water, word and God's command or order. So that not only the water is considered as other water, but also the word, which is called God's word, with or with the water; and thirdly, God's will and power, or His command and ordinance. These are the parts that belong to the perfect essence and right definition of baptism. And they are to be considered together and with one another, and not separated or divided from one another, as making a right baptism at the same time and with one another.
(9) For it to be and be called a sacrament requires first of all an outwardly tangible sign or creature through which God acts visibly with us so that we may be certain of it. For He does not want to work with us without external means, only by mere secret inspiration or special heavenly revelation. But outward works and signs alone are not valid and do nothing, unless His word is added, through which such signs become powerful and we hear what God is working in us through such signs. But to both of these must also come a divine command, so that we may become certain of his will and work in such signs and words. Therefore, I must show such three pieces differently. For against this there will be found three kinds of teachers or masters, all of whom pervert and divide baptism.
First of all, it is the coarse cows and sows who make nothing but water out of it and can say nothing more, because: Water is water and remains water. For such a one is no better than a cow or a sow, God grant, be it a heathen, a Turk, a red spirit or a coarse Pabst; and is rightly spoken of in a beastly way. For a cow shall know no more of it than as it seeth, even water; and he that knoweth not the word of God shall not speak otherwise than a horse or ass; as the scripture, Ps. 32:9, calleth them.
(11) Such are now our shameful Anabaptist flock, the devil's apostles, who now and then go astray in countries and go against
preach to us; reproach us and all Christians, out of their high understanding, that we are such great fools and think to be saved by water. And indeed there are highly learned masters and excellent high spirits who teach us such a new high art, that water is water; who could have known or conceived such a thing, if these highly enlightened doctors had not come; he would have asked a child of seven years about it, or would have gone to school for a while with oxen and cows or to the pool with sows? They are still such dolts and gags that they can slobber nothing else against us, but, water is water, and thereafter pretend their dreamed spirits. And I am surprised, because they make such a big deal of it and despise water baptism so shamefully, why they themselves do not follow their doctrine and completely renounce it? because they still rebaptize themselves and others and punish themselves with their own deeds. For if they let our baptism, in which we have God's word and command, be nothing, then their baptism, which they themselves consider to be only water, must be much less valid.
(12) But it is the wicked devil's deceitfulness, though he be yet a gross and foolish devil, which maketh and teaseth the people with such clamor and crying, See ye not that water is water? What good is the water that even the cow drinks for the soul and washes away sin? With this the mouth of the rash rabble is opened, so that it falls shut and says: "This is true! Oh, how the devil has deceived me, that I have not seen and noticed this. This is what they call a delicious, righteous doctrine and the high art of the spirit, if it can only say that water is water. And yet the poor people are so mischievously deceived by such talk, because they puff up such things with many splendid words and great clamor, which they pretend, as if we teach that water as water bathes the soul. O dear, they say, do not believe that at all; for there you see how they deceive you, that you should trust and rely on mere water as a creature.
13. but these are called desperate traitors and evil-doers, who knowingly tear apart, separate and cut the two best baptisms.
We do not want to hear or see how we always and most of the time drive on the two pieces mentioned, by and beside the water, and then scrape against us with the only one piece and proclaim this to be a special art and spirit. Rather, I would be so wise and learned, yes, any farmer at the plow, without all art, if that should apply, so out of their own iniquity separate and tear apart from each other, what belongs together and is one essence. For who could not say after this: How should Christ be able to help me from sin and death and the devil's power? Do you yourself say that he is a man, like another man? Item: Why should I be obedient and subject to this, my father, lord or prince? what is he but I? etc. But this is not the art of a Christian, nor of a pious man, but of a desperate wicked man, who wilfully tears apart what belongs to the whole person; as that Christ is both truly man and truly God; and father and mother or prince are not only a common person, like another human being, but such a person, who carries a special office from God's word and command; therefore he gets a different nature and name, that he is not called Hans or Claus as such, but father and mother.
(14) In the same way, this mob also acts in the reverend sacrament of baptism, when they look at the water alone, as if there were no word and order of God. And do all the same, that I set a rough example, as if you saw the Elector of Saxony walking along in a black skirt and had seen the same skirt before in a tailor's room, how he had beaten it and dusted it out; and now you also wanted to confidently beat and throw it after the same, and then say: "Oh, what is it more than cloth, like other cloth! then you should see what you would do, that they would soon take you by the head and again beat your rags full and perhaps throw away the button, as a sacrilegious despiser of the prince's person; and would not
help that thou wouldest say much: I have not smitten the prince, but the cloth. For you must hear against it: Yes, it is cloth, like other cloth; but do you not see that the prince walks in it? Then it is no longer called simply a robe or cloth, but both a skirt and a man together, yes, a glorious, princely skirt, because it is worn and honored by the prince's person.
(15) I must pretend so roughly that one may see and grasp what shameful spirits are, who thus separate and separate the word from the water, so that one may regard baptism as pure water, and then destroy and break it, so that it is terrible to hear. And they pretend to do great service to God, if they can most shamefully destroy it. But how will they stand when God will say to them one day: Listen, why have you blasphemed my dear baptism so horribly and called it a dog's bath, of which I myself said that it should not be taken for mere water, but for my, that is, God's, water? For my word and command was with and in the water. For thus it is written, Go ye, and baptize all nations in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. etc. From this you should see what kind of person this water has put on, which is with it and in it, namely the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, so that it is called water of the divine majesty; this must no longer be called such water as the cow drinks. For God does not give His water, in which is His name and majesty, for the cow to drink or for the sow to bathe in, since it is not the creature or person that can be baptized and sanctified. They know this well themselves, and yet they profane and blaspheme wantonly and wantonly. Therefore they will receive all the more unbearable judgment.
(16) But we must beware of them, and learn this well, and keep it in mind, that we do not let the water and the word in holy baptism be so separated and torn asunder, and consider them plain, common water only. Otherwise, we would know that water is not baptism, as in the case of
is truly not for them, where they, according to their doctrine, consider it to be pure water and baptize it without word and command. But against this we say, because it is taken with God's word, that it can no longer be called simply water, and is not to be spoken of in this way, as they do, water is water. For it is not therefore called baptism, that it is water; but that it has God's word and command: which are the two principal things that make this water but and separate it from all other water, and make a baptism or holy sacrament of it; as we shall hereafter hear further. Now this is the first error about this sacrament of those who consider only the one part, namely pure water, and separate the best part from it, and instead, that it must be an empty shell with them.
(17) After this, there are others who, if God wills, are not so many, nor are they all so gross, but still do not consider baptism right, who nevertheless allow that water and word belong together and otherwise no baptism can be, and use the saying from St. Augustine: Accedat verbum ad elementum et fit sacramentum: the water or element and word together make a sacrament. But there is still an infirmity that they leave out the third part, namely God's command and order. And some think that it is enough that the words alone are spoken, just as one otherwise speaks a blessing over a creature: and consider it as if by such speaking or by virtue of the same words something special were made of baptism, so that it becomes a sacrament. These are even crude teachers, as the papists almost leave it at that and cannot see any further.
18 Some, however, who want to be even more subtle (astute), even though they put the two pieces, yet they also lack the third, but add another supplement to it. For they also see that it is not enough for baptism to take place if only water is taken and a word is spoken over it. Therefore they say that one more thing must be added, namely faith; they want to base this on the saying Marc. 16, 16: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved" etc. And again they draw on the saying of St. Peter.
Augustine, which stands hard by the previous one: Non quia dicitur, sed quia creditur: The sacrament is made of water and word not because it is spoken, but because it is believed etc. But this is not rightly said either; for they think from the wrong understanding of such a saying that the word and water is a sacrament, provided that those who receive it have faith; and they base baptism not on God's order, but on men, as if the word with the water should not be powerful to make baptism, unless our faith were added to it; and thus God's word and work must first receive its power and strength from us.
19 This is also a wicked, harmful error, although in this they are better than the first, in that they do not blaspheme baptism as pure water, which has also gone before and is still widely broken down. For this is the reason why the widespread, erroneous disputation about infant baptism arises, and has first of all aroused rebaptism, and is the strongest reason for the same mob to strengthen itself, so that they say: You were baptized when you were still an infant and did not believe; therefore your baptism is nothing etc. This actually means that if you do not believe, God's Word and Sacrament is nothing; but if you believe, it is something. Therefore, those who have faith receive only true baptism; but those who do not believe receive nothing but water and are not truly baptized. Therefore, when they begin to believe, they must be baptized again.
(20) Those who hold that baptism administered by heretics or unbelievers is not right are also of the same error, in which also high people, such as the holy martyr Cyprian, were of old. For there was much dispute about this, because much heresy and separation of Christianity arose and many were baptized by heretics, so that one asked: whether such baptism should also apply? Then they, even St. Cyprian himself, got so far into it that they considered it unrighteous baptism and said: Whoever would be baptized by an evil, unbelieving minister, and especially by a heretic, should be baptized differently; and therefore drew and drove out the saying of Jesus Sirach
34, 4th: Ab immundo quid mundabitur? etc.
"He who is unclean himself, what can he make clean? and he who is a liar, what can he speak truly?" Item, 3 Mos. 15, 10.: "What an unclean touches, that becomes unclean." From this they would have concluded that because he who administers the sacrament of baptism would himself be impure and without faith, baptism could not be pure, nor could he who was baptized become pure thereby; therefore it would not be a righteous baptism, although both water and word were with each other, because there was a lack of the person who was to give the baptism. Behold, this is called baptism drawn to itself, and founded and built upon men; and yet it is broken down with great efficacy, and, as I have said, hath overthrown great men, and drawn the house after it.
21 Against such errors, one should learn to know and regard baptism from God's Word correctly and perfectly. For all this comes from the fact that they do not perceive and separate from it the third part that belongs to baptism, which might well be called the first, which is called God's order and command. For by this he has taken baptism entirely to himself, and does not let you or any man do anything to it, so that it is a baptism. I am indeed the baptizer, and thou the baptized; but therefore it is not mine, nor thine, but Christ's. Summa, anyone can give and receive it, if it is already made and instituted; but no one should or can make or institute it, except he alone. For thus his words are: "Go and baptize all the Gentiles in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. He that believeth and is baptized' shall be saved. "etc. These are not the words spoken about baptism; but are words of command, thus instituting baptism. For this speaketh not the priest or minister, but he that doeth baptism, saying, Go ye and baptize: that is, There ye have my command and order, which I will and command, that ye should baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: and whosoever shall receive the word and water together, it shall be one baptism; and whosoever believeth thereby shall be saved." There is something more about the two pieces, word and water: otherwise it would still be long
2066 D-19.1^6-118. IV. Hptst. - From the Sacram. of St. Baptism supra. W. X, 2528-2530, 2067
not enough, lower into the water and speak the words: I baptize you etc., although faith would also be there if one did not have a clear certain command to do so.
(22) For it is necessary to be sure first of all where baptism comes from, or how it is administered, so that one can answer the question, "Who told you to give water and the word together? or, "Where and how are you sure that this is a holy sacrament? For if these two things were enough, I and every man could baptize when he would, yea, make as many sacraments as he would. For I would like to take a creature myself, created by God, which I wanted, and speak God's word over it; just as the papists do with their holy water, salt, fire, chrism, candles, herbs, patties, altar and church consecrations, when they say: I bless or consecrate you salt, spice, wax, chasuble, altar, cap etc. in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and read psalms and other prayers over it. There God's word and God's creature stand together, so that one could also say from St. Augustine: Accedit verbum ad elementum et fit sacramentum.
(23) Why is this not as valid and as effective as baptism? or: why do we not make a sacrament out of holy water and salt, out of all monks' and nuns' caps, out of St. Blasius' and Agatha's light; yes, out of all kinds of blessings and magic? If the shameful weather-makers and devil-whores blow in the ear of the cow and also speak God's and the saints' names to it, so that both, creature or element and God's word, come together; why then is it not also a sacrament, because you say that from the two pieces, word and element, a sacrament is made?
(24) Answer: Yes, it is true, the two pieces belong to it; but it is not enough that they should make a sacrament by themselves; but one more thing belongs to it, that one may have the whole Trinity, namely, a divine command and order. If you can muster this, that the divine majesty in heaven says: I have commanded and commanded; then the two pieces conclude and apply,
that they are called a sacrament. Otherwise, as I have said, everything that only men could conceive would become a sacrament. For there is no one so foolish who could not take God's word in his mouth to a creature and do something with it; like the sorcerers and devil-whores who steal the milk or confuse the children in the cradle. For they use no evil words, but good holy words and names, and have God's creature for them. That is why they do it, and the devil helps them to do it, because he likes to do such foolish things under God's name and thereby deceive people, so that they think it is all divine, because they speak good words. But here we must ask about this third thing: whether God has commanded and ordained that you should take hold of the handle of an axe or axe, or hand axe, and then the cow should give milk; or that you should consecrate or bless palms or spices and do with them what you will. If you can do this, we will consider it a divine work. But if you want to do such a thing of your own accord and still say, "Surely it is a good creature of God and the right holy word and name of God that I need," that is not valid everywhere. For it is not God's command and obedience, but your own presumption, yes, a shameful disobedience and devil's work and service.
(25) But this would be something if you could show God's commandment or commandment and say: I did not think of this myself, nor did I choose it, nor did I start it in my good opinion, but God told me to take such a creature and word and to use it in this way etc. Just as we can prove here in baptism that he gives us a command and tells us to baptize, that is, to lower the person into the water and say the words: in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For such baptisms of water I have not yet chosen for myself, as the magicians or the papal pallbearers; nor have I devised the words myself, or spoken them out of my own devotion: but both the water and the word are clearly and distinctly named to me, and are contained in his command, and thus preserved. For he wills in
He does not want us to do anything, no matter how small, of our own choice or devotion, or whatever you want to call it, and he does not want us to do anything with him without his word and a certain clear command; much less does he want to suffer this in these high things, which are actually divine works, in which we neither create nor do anything anywhere. That is why he includes it completely in his command. And that we may be sure of it, he keeps it so precisely that he himself actually names all the pieces and clearly expresses what he wants for signs or creatures, and even determines the form and manner in which the words are to be read, so that one must use just such and no other signs, and the same words and no other.
26 Therefore, just as it is not valid for sorceresses to use God's creature with God's word, because the third part is not even there, that God Himself has commanded to use both such creature and word for this purpose: so also here it is not valid without or besides, nor besides and above a clear command, that it is a sacrament or true baptism. As if you were to baptize a child with water and say the Lord's Prayer or something else from Scripture and God's Word over it, this would not be called a true baptism; and it is not enough for you to say, "If the water that belongs to baptism and God's Word are there," for the third part is still missing, that God has not commanded you to say such words. So also, if you were to use something other than the specific or named creature, and yet speak the proper words: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit," that would not be baptizing either, but would be faking and making a mockery of the sacrament, as one who would wantonly ignore the order and command by which the creature is clearly named. Just as in the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, where the command and institution are not kept, it is not a sacrament. As if one were to read over the bread and wine on the altar the ten commandments, the faith, or any other saying or psalm; or again, if one were to take for the bread and wine something other than gold, silver, flesh, oil, water, even if he had the right words of Christ's institution, this would certainly not be Christ's body and blood.
Blood; and although God's word is there and God's creature, yet it is not a sacrament. For His order and command is not there, wherein He called bread and wine, and said the words, "Take, eat, this is My body" etc. Drink, this is my blood" etc. spoken. Summa, thou shalt neither choose nor ordain him word or creature thyself, nor do nor leave anything everywhere of thine own accord; but his command and order shall set thee both word and creature, which thou shalt keep wholly and unaltered.
27 Behold, therefore, learn to sum up the three pieces. For therein thou hast all that baptism is in itself and in its natural essence; and thou canst comprehend and give a right complete definition when one asks: Dear, tell me, what is baptism? Namely, baptism is water and God's word, both ordered and given by His command. For thus he commanded that one should take the creature, namely water, and speak the words in his name. Therefore, if both of these things are done by his command, it is called and is undoubtedly a true baptism; so that these three parts remain together forever, and none is without the other, as joined together, like a chain, yes, joined together, as one member in the other.
28) As in the other holy sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, so it is said: Our Lord Jesus Christ took both the bread and the cup, blessed them, and gave them to his disciples, saying, "Take, and eat. Item, Drink ye all of it etc. There is also a piece called an element or creature, which is seen and grasped, that is, the bread and the wine. After this also there is the word which he saith, "This is my body which is given for you; this is my blood which is shed for you." But these two pieces would not yet make us the sacrament, that we also could and should eat and drink Christ's body and blood. Therefore there is one more part, which he also clearly adds, saying: "These things do 2c," that is: I command and decree, and hereby command and decree, that ye also do these things as often as ye will, that is, to take bread and wine, and to speak these words of mine, and so to eat my body and blood. This piece
binds the other two together and makes us sure that we have the right Sacrament.
(29) From such instruction and understanding you can now go on yourself and become such a master that you know how to judge rightly and surely; in addition, you can easily and correctly answer and refute all the false teaching and talk of the false spirits against baptism. As, the first blasphemers of it, who alone gloat over the first part, and go forth with great shouting and splendid words: What shall a handful of water, as a creature, profit the soul, or blot out sin? the Spirit must do it. For think and reckon thou thyself: the soul is indeed no bodily thing that can be bathed or washed with water. Therefore you see that they deceive you and entice you to trust not in God but in the creature. They go on and on about the spiritual bathing of the soul etc. With such words they draw the unintelligent multitude to themselves, so that they think it is so, and cannot be turned away from it; and yet in substance it is nothing else but false and mendacious babbling and gossip, so that they blasphemously and treacherously desecrate our dear baptism, as they knowingly and wantonly tear the best pieces of it and take them out of sight, and thereafter slobber over the mere water.
(30) Therefore, you may say again, "You shameful lying spirit, you yourself know well that we do not teach baptism as pure water; but you use such appearances only to blaspheme the reverend holy sacrament and thereby deceive the poor souls. For we have, praise God, so many eyes, senses and reason, yes, so much taste and feeling, that we see and understand what water is, and can also say: Water is water; which is your highest art; but that you preach such things of baptism, as if it were nothing more than water, and the noblest pieces: God's word and command, by which such water is sanctified and becomes a sacrament, as if they were or are nothing everywhere; this the devil, your master and father of lies, has called you to do, and you do it as an evil-doer and sacrilegious counterfeiter and blasphemer of the divine majesty's word and work, and deceive people with
wrong words that you see nothing else about it, because a cow sees.
31 For this you must confess without thanksgiving, both to yourself and to the devil, that Christ himself has instituted such baptism and has given his word or command to it, calling us to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and promising that whoever is baptized in this way and believes will be saved etc. You do not have to put this out of our sight and snatch it away, as if it should not apply or do anything, and meanwhile point to the land of milk and honey and pretend to your own dreamed-up spirituality. For we also know and teach such things, praise God, more and better than they, what the Holy Spirit works in us. But we do not want to let him be torn away from baptism and sacrament, and instead let him be directed to an empty corner, as they gape at the Spirit and seek secret revelation apart from the Word and God's order. For we know that He wants to work with us through Word and Sacrament and not in any other way.
(32) Therefore, when we have this sacrament of baptism, there must be no further question about the Spirit, because we hear from Christ's words and institution that the Holy Spirit, together with the Father and the Son, that is, the whole divine majesty, is named in it. But because the name and word of God are in it, you must not consider it to be mere water, which does no more than the water of a bath; but such water as washes us from sins, and, as the Scripture calls it, a bath of regeneration, by which we are born again into eternal life; of which we shall hereafter hear further. Let this be said enough to answer those who consider baptism to be only a bodily water bath and pay no attention to either the word or the divine command.
(33) In the same way, you can answer others from the previous lesson who praise baptism, but do not consider it right according to the third part: it is not based on God's command and order, but is a work of man based on our faith and worthiness, as if it were not enough that God orders and commands, but must first be confirmed by us, and should not sound until our faith comes to it.
34 For against this we say: God gives, let my faith be what it will, it comes or remains, that still does not take anything away from baptism everywhere. Yes, even if I never believe, baptism is still right and perfect; for it is not because of my faith or unbelief, but because of God's order and appointment. It is just as if a mischievous Jew were to come and deceive us, pretending that he wanted to become a Christian, and desiring to be baptized, that the priest or minister should immerse him in water before our eyes and say such words: I baptize you in the name and by the command of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ etc., then he would be baptized rightly and truly; even though he did not think anything of it in his heart, and afterwards publicly mocked and blasphemed. For what does God ask of you, even if you do not believe, if he has ordered and commanded it? Should his order and command therefore be nothing or be prevented by your unbelief and abuse? Rather, let it be as St. Paul says in Romans 3:4: "Though all men be false and liars, yet his word and his ordinance shall be true and steadfast." If thou believest it, and needest it aright, prosper thou: if thou believest it not, thou receivest it unto thyself to condemnation.
(35) For baptism, like other sacraments and ordinances of God, may be used for harm and destruction, so that one may be saved and another condemned by the same baptism; but this does not belong to the essence of which we are now speaking, but to the power and custom of baptism, and is much different when we say what baptism itself is. No human action belongs to it, but nothing more than an element or creature and God's word, both instituted by him and included in his command. For he has, as said above, drawn it all to himself, that no man should work in it, nor add to it, that it may stand on him alone, as on a certain foundation, and that it may not fail nor deceive us, as men fail and deceive. Therefore, if there is such a thing, that is, God's command, besides the two pieces, it is certainly a quite complete sacrament, although it is not quite accepted.
The result is that it is still needed, that it cannot come to its power and effect.
(36) As it is with other ordinances of God, also in bodily creatures; as that the dear sun rises daily in the sky and runs around, that is and always remains the same sun, shining and shining as it was created and commanded, Genesis 1:17, unchanged and unhindered, even though a man does not see or feel it, as if he were blind or had a window and did everything so that it would not shine or warm him. And summa, all God's creatures go and remain in their nature and work as they are ordered, even though they do not create and accomplish such things in everyone. Thus, the holy sacraments, where they are administered and given according to God's command, are also righteous and perfect according to their nature and beneficial works of God; but the fact that they do not benefit everyone is not the fault of the sacraments, but of the person who does not use them properly, so that he might become receptive to their power.
(37) Therefore, since we have such doctrine and certain report, let us learn to praise and extol the reverend sacrament against the spirits that despise and blaspheme it. For from what has been said up to now, everyone can think for himself that water baptism should not be held in such low esteem as a man's deed, but should be held in high esteem and honored as a holy sacrament and a special work of the divine majesty, and that it is rightly called holy, heavenly, even divine water.
(38) I am not yet speaking of the power and benefit of baptism, how great things it works and accomplishes, of which it is to be said hereafter, but of its natural essence, as it is in itself. Here I say, if you look at it, how this water is connected with God's word and name, because he himself commands such words to be spoken over it: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit"; as if he should thereby say: I, God the Father, I, God the Son and Holy Spirit, sanctify this water; so you cannot say that it is a badly watery or earthly water; or, as the Rotten call it, a bath waffle and dog bath: but you must say that it is a water,
of the divine majesty itself, so that not we men, but God Himself baptized by our hand and put and wove His name into it, that it is intermingled with the same, and may well be called water intermingled with God.
39 For just as when you attack an iron that lies in the furnace and glows, you do not simply attack iron, but fire that burns there; and even though you do not see fire, but only iron, as it is not seen to glow by day as it does by night, it is not only iron, but both iron and fire; yes, that the fire has even passed through rmd, that nothing is felt nor sensed, but only fire. In the same way, baptism is to be regarded as having been incorporated into God's name and as having passed completely through it, so that it is entirely one being and has now become much more than other water. Like a delicious drink prepared for a sick person, which, although made of water, is so completely heated with delicious spices and sugar that there is no longer any taste of water in it. But here is much delicious water, which is sweetened with God's name, yes, is completely divine, although nothing but water is seen before the eyes.
(40) For it is not necessary to let such a small thing be where God's name is, for he is the One who makes all things pure and holy, who creates and does all things. Summa, God's name is nothing else but the almighty divine power, eternal purity, holiness and life; and where it is used by divine command, it cannot be without fruit and benefit, but must work great unspeakable things and do such things as it is itself. Therefore he must also in baptism make pure and holy and vain heavenly, divine men; as we shall see further on.
Since this is certain and irrefutable, it must also follow that baptism is a truly spiritual thing, indeed, that it has the spirit with it and brings it along with it; and that the washing of the spirits of the wicked is nothing, so that they lead the people away from the word, and because they cry out in hostility: the spirit must do it, an external thing, as water, cannot be of use to the soul etc. And
But they themselves can never teach what the spirit or spiritual thing is, or how and by what means one comes to it; for this they point people into an empty corner, since they themselves dream of a spirit.
But it is said: If you want to teach me what the spirit is and where I can find it, you do not have to show me the land of milk and honey, but only see according to God's word. Where you have that, you must not argue much, nor gape and search further. For you will never find him outside of it, whether you search your whole life and dream and think yourself to death; but here you must search for him, where he himself has put him by the word that he instituted baptism in his own name. Or how may you say that the name of the divine majesty is other than the Spirit? especially because the name or person of the Holy Spirit is also clearly expressed in it. Therefore he must certainly be present; and because he is there, the water must also be spiritual, and he must work in it to give the Spirit or make spiritual men. So then baptism is truly spiritual water, both in itself and in its nature and work, in those who receive it in faith.
(43) Behold, if baptism were thus considered, and if it were to be blotted out according to the same, it would become so great a glorious thing, which cannot be sufficiently expressed nor comprehended; yea, more glorious than all heaven and earth. For the fact that the divine majesty is present there and does his highest work in it, namely, that he gives himself to us and makes us completely newborn and blessed, as you will hear, is all due to the fact that he puts his name there, of which he commanded that it should not be used in vain, but should be held holy and sacred above all things; as through it we have God himself and everything that belongs to our blessedness and eternal life, and who arranges all things in heaven and on earth. Therefore, I should not despise and blaspheme dear baptism, but exalt and honor it as highly as I owe honor to God's name and majesty, and not suffer the blind, erroneous spirits, who do not know what the Spirit is or where it is
and yet much of it cries out and blasphemes against the right spirit.
44. But sayest thou, Why dost thou boast of water baptism alone, and of no other creature? For since you yourself say that where God's name and word are, there is also the Spirit, it should also follow that where God's name and word come to a creature, there should also be the Spirit; and thus anyone could make or find the Spirit anywhere. Answer: Here belongs the third part, of which I have said above, of God's command or order: that it is not enough that you yourself choose a creature, although all creatures are good, and need God's name for it; but the command or such a word belongs to it, which calls you to take the name of God to this creature. And does not give thee liberty to go by God's name and creature as thou wilt, for he hath commanded thee, "Thou shalt not take his name in vain"; that he may confess that the name, which is in itself full of the Spirit and of all good, may yet be misused without and against the Spirit.
(45) But to misuse it is not to use it as it is called and commanded, but to reach in without it, and to do with it what we ourselves devise, as sorcerers and devil-whores, item, false teachers, and cults, lead the name and word to sin and shame, even though it be the right holy name, and the same right name and word of the Spirit of God, which is in baptism. That is enough to say about the first part of what baptism is in itself.
Other part.
Here we will now see why the reverend sacrament of baptism is instituted and what it is to serve or accomplish, although it has already been touched on somewhat, namely: that God has ordained and commanded His word and baptism to be administered so that man may be saved, that is, redeemed from sins and death, brought into God's kingdom and eternal life. For thus the text reads: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved" etc.
47. there you have the cause why and
for which it is called a baptism, and what his final opinion is, that it should be a bath of souls, or, as St. Paul calls it, "a bath of the new birth". Paul calls it "a bath of the new birth", by which we are born out of this carnal, sinful birth and nature to the new spiritual life, in which we become righteous before God and heirs of heaven; so that it is not thought to be an empty sign or futile useless baptizing or bathing; as it was in the Old Testament times, when the priests, adorned with their beautiful ornaments of gold and silk, offered their sacrifices and had various washings and purifications, which were mere signs and yet mere burdens that were of no use to them; without the priests having anything to eat and drink in return for serving in the temple, but nothing to the others, because an imposed service and burden was the sign that they were God's people. Just as a householder in his house instructs his servant to do this or that every day, so that he may know and believe him to be his master, and gives him bread and wages in return.
(48) But here is a very different thing. For by baptism all this outward washing and baptizing is done away with, and is no longer laid upon us, nor required of us, as a law or work to be done; but is ordained only to minister and give us, not a corporeal and perishable thing, but eternal grace, purity, or holiness, and eternal life. That it is rightly called "a bath of new birth," and the proper rejuvenating bath, that he who bathes in it is born young and new again; not, as before, from the womb, which is the old birth, but from sin to righteousness, from guilt and condemnation to innocence and grace, from death to eternal life.
49) But to explain this further, so that one may see from where and by what means baptism has such power, and how highly and gloriously it is honored by God Himself, and how much He has worked on it, we will first relate the text and story of the baptism of our Lord Christ, touched upon by all the evangelists, but described primarily by St. Matthew, Cap. 3, v. 13 ff., which reads thus:
At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. But John rebuked him, saying: I have need that I should be baptized of thee, and thou comest to me? And Jesus answered and said, Let it be so now: so it behoveth us to fulfill all righteousness. And he suffered him to do it. And when Jesus was baptized, he went up straightway out of the water. And behold, heaven was opened upon him. And John saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And behold, a voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
(50) This is the text that teaches how to praise and magnify baptism, and such a glorious revelation as has never been heard nor seen before and cannot be obtained by words. But this text is read by both Rotten and all who are under the pope; and there the revelation and the beautiful painting is publicly and clearly before everyone's eyes. And all those who are called Christians should be so wise or so pious that they do not run so far over it, but open their eyes a little and see what is happening and what it must be, because God Himself reveals Himself visibly from heaven and lets Himself be heard with a bodily voice. How far and away would all the world run and run for it, if we had never heard it before and found out that there was a place at the end of the world where such a glorious revelation could be heard? But it must be so. The world should be blind and not pay attention to such a thing, even if it comes before its eyes and ears, because it does not seem as great and splendid as it would like it to be, but is presented without all pomp, with simple, simple words; meanwhile, as a punishment for its contempt, it must hang its mouth and eyes on another thing, which it itself has conceived or dreamed of. But let us open our hearts a little and look at this apparition or revelation and hold it as high as we can; for as great and high as it is, we will never attain to it.
51 First, we see here how the Lord Christ honors baptism itself: that He
comes from the country of Galilee to John the Baptist at the Jordan, just as he now wanted to begin and enter into his ministry, for which he was sent, that he himself should go about and preach; and yet he does not want to appear before he himself is also baptized by John. Now John, both with his preaching and baptizing, was only there to point to the coming Christ, and was not to go any further, nor to be valid, but to hand everything over to Christ when he himself would come, and thus was nothing more than Christ's servant to admonish the people that they should mend their ways and accept the coming Christ as the true Lord and Savior, who would himself baptize them rightly, that is, wash them from sins and cleanse them and make them righteous. Christ is still coming, just when he is to appear and John's ministry and baptism are to end, and he wants to be baptized by his servant first.
52 Why does he do this, or why does he need his baptism? If he himself is the man to whom John points the people, he has no need of it, so that he may be washed and cleansed by it, and it seems to be completely in vain, because John himself says that it is a baptism of repentance. For he is already pure and holy beforehand, born of the Virgin by the Holy Spirit without all sin, and is holy in his whole body and life; and this is the very thing by which everyone must be sanctified, that St. John should cease his baptism in this man, as he refuses to baptize him, and confesses that he must be baptized by him, renouncing and resigning his office and baptism, and admitting it to Christ.
Now it is well to reckon that Christ does not do this for his own sake, but for ours. For, as I said, he had no need of baptism or the ministry for his own person, but did everything to help us through it. Therefore he honors this ministry so highly that he not only ordains baptism and commands it to be administered, which would be enough, but also accepts it himself from his servant, so that he confirms it and teaches by his deed and example to highly esteem and glorify the dear baptism. For
Hereby he himself shows that it must be a blessed, grace-filled thing about baptism, because he not only gives his word and office about it, but also puts himself into it and touches this water with his own holy body, yes, sanctifies it and makes it full of blessing. For behold, what a person he is: God the Father from eternity and the Son of the Virgin, both true, almighty God and Lord of all creatures and true man, who alone is without any sin, full of righteousness and holiness, that he sanctifies all things by himself.
(54) Who are they, then, who can despise water baptism, which has touched this almighty person and the holy body, as if it were no better than water that a cow drinks? Yes, how can a man be so insolent that he should not be ashamed in his heart or lift up his eyes when he sees that the high person, Christ, who honors baptism and benefits us, comes to John himself and desires it, and does not want to appear and preach unbaptized, as he would have good right and power to do: and a sinful maggot may not only despise baptism, but also revile it with such blasphemous words - dog bath and bath water - which are terrible for a Christian to hear: that they must be accursed men in the abyss of hell, who knowingly and wantonly speak so blasphemously against holy baptism, that God, in punishment of their diabolical wickedness, defiles and blinds them, that they have neither eyes nor ears to see or hear how Christ Himself honors and sanctifies baptism? For even a simple-minded person should be able to see and reckon this, because the man Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who does not need baptism and is not sanctified by water, but sanctifies the water himself, nevertheless does not want to remain unbaptized without it, so that he thinks highly of it and wants us to think highly of him: So that, though nothing else could create nor exist, which is not possible, and was not commanded by him to baptize all the world, yet the example of Christ should be enough to honor and gladly accept baptism.
55 Secondly, the holy baptism is honored and praised even more highly here by a great
glorious signs and wonders from heaven; as if it were not enough that Christ himself is baptized by his servant John, but as soon as he steps out of the water, the whole heaven is opened, so that the divine majesty visibly descends and appears. Although this is described in a simple way, it is certainly the greatest sign and the most glorious revelation that has ever been heard or seen. For here God shows Himself, not as to the fathers, by secret revelation or in a strange form, as by angels; but personally and in His own majesty, and manifestly over the whole heaven, where is neither darkness nor cloud, but all light and brightness. Moreover, not by mere visions and dumb signs, but with living voice and glorious preaching; and all the three persons of the Godhead distinctly, and by threefold form or image: so that the majesty hath wholly poured out and made himself present over the baptism of Christ.
(56) In order that the mouths of the wicked spirits, who despise baptism, may be shut. For how should or could it be praised more highly, since we see here that it is honored and praised by the divine majesty with such an exceedingly glorious revelation, since heaven, which was closed before, opens up and becomes like light, yes, like a door and window, and the whole Trinity stands by the baptism and sanctifies it by its presence; in addition, it itself testifies and preaches about it, as we will hear further.
Now this image and revelation did not happen for the sake of the Lord Christ, just as he did not receive baptism for his own sake. For why did he need the Father and the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself to him and preach about Him, since he was otherwise always personally with and in Christ? But all this was done for our sake, so that those who believe in him and are to be baptized and saved in his name might be presented in the eternal image of Christianity, in which God himself was manifestly shown and both seen and heard, and so closely approached us that he could not show himself any closer; and in addition in the most loving and friendly form and through the most comforting sermon,
2082 L-19,133-I3S. IV. Hptst. - From the Sacram. of St. Baptism supra. W. X, 2550-2552. 2083
as we will hear: and with him certainly an innumerable multitude of the whole heavenly host, who all stood there in honor of baptism before their Lord and Creator. All so that we may learn what he wants through baptism and what we received in it.
(58) For as this glorious manifestation of the divine majesty was once visible, so it still happens spiritually and invisibly to everyone who is baptized into Christ, and is only prefigured with this manifestation as an eternal example, as it is said that the divine majesty itself always wants to be present at baptism. And that we might be sure of this, Christ himself has clearly expressed it in the institution of baptism, when he says to baptize in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: so that the words rhyme with this face, and hold up and show the same to faith, which this image visibly shows to the eyes; that we may have no doubt, where baptism is, that heaven is certainly open, and that the whole Trinity is present, and through himself sanctifies and blessed him that is baptized.
(59) From this you can again clearly and powerfully prove against the blasphemers of baptism: first, that it is not just plain water, as the cow drinks; but such water as is blessed and sanctified by the divine majesty, and, as said above, is completely divinized; because we see clearly that in the institution of baptism all three persons are named, and in this event they are shown and presented in the flesh. And even though we no longer see the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove hovering over Christ in the flesh, nor hear the Father's voice, such a painting still remains in our hearts, as if it were presented for our sake at that time, as a sign and testimony next to the words in which we hear and believe the same things that St. John saw there. For as it is said there: In praesenti visione (in the present appearance); so it is said here: In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti (in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit). There he shows himself in visible form; so here in his word and name.
60 Secondly, such an image must not be in vain and without power, like a human image or painting, as sketched on a table or in a mirror, since there is nothing but a painted color or counter-image and appearance, and nothing more in it has nor is capable of; but here is a vain living thing, since the divine majesty forms and paints itself and is therefore also truly and personally there; that it is not a simple image, but the essence itself, yes, vain life and power. For he does not descend to show a mere face, as a shadow or a ghost, like a juggler, but to show and display his work and power: And this work, not that which he otherwise generally works and does with the creatures which he creates and sustains, or accomplishes something through them; but the one, right, supreme work of the divine majesty, which concerns our redemption and eternal blessedness and is proper to every person of the divine majesty, that therein be the Father with his light and majesty, the Son with his blood, the Holy Spirit with his fire. Therefore, this water or baptism must not be regarded as a simple water bath or merely as a sign of the Word of God. For where God Himself joins Himself to be present, He must also be powerful and accomplish great divine things. Why else would he show himself visibly and make such a splendor and special being?
61 Now all this is done so that we may understand from this image what God has in mind and what is His will and mind at baptism, which He will also show and interpret with His sermon afterwards; namely, that He wants to give us His majesty, light and power, and Himself in it with all that He has and is able. But what is he able to do? To take away death and sin and all our misfortunes, and to give us eternal righteousness, life and joy. By what means does he do this? By the blood of his dear Son. These are the costs that are involved, and by this we have obtained grace from him; as Christ says, John 3:16: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son" etc.
62) For us to feel and sense these things by faith, the Holy Spirit must be the source.
with his fire enlighten us and set us on fire. Since all these things take place in this holy sacrament of baptism, it is not to be considered as the cow considers it, that it is water and wet; but as the same blood of the Son of God and the same fire of the Holy Spirit, in which the Son sanctifies by his blood, the Holy Spirit bathes by his fire, the Father gives life by his light and brightness: so that all three are personally present and at the same time perform the same divine work and pour out all their power in baptism.
(63) Who then will deny such unspeakable grace and glory, that God so reveals Himself that He will be ours and give all things? Or how can a man despise baptism when he sees and hears how God Himself orders it, installs it and honors and adorns it with His presence, yes, even baptizes it with His fingers, where it goes and is kept according to His command and order? That no weather-maker or spirit of the mob get into it; as he then calls it and says, "Go and baptize in my name," that is, you shall neither do nor keep it otherwise than that I myself baptize together with the Father and the Holy Spirit. How could anything more glorious and greater be said or thought of baptism? Heaven and earth are too small to comprehend such things.
64 Thirdly: This is the greatest thing of all, that God the Father Himself speaks and preaches about the baptism of the Lord Christ. All the world should run to hear the preacher, who is called God the Father, speaking from heaven. How we would wish to do, if we knew a place, even at the end of the world, where one could hear God himself speak. How blessed would we praise those to whom such a thing would happen? And there it is before our eyes, and does us such grace, that he did not even speak it at that time, that they alone should boast of it; but has it preached forever to all who have come after them and will come until the last day, so that we may hear it daily, if only we would be so devout that we would open our ears and heart and want to understand it. Now let us
listen, what is the Father's sermon? For it must undoubtedly be an excellent, delicious sermon that he himself preaches from heaven.
This is my dear son, in whom I am well pleased.
This is a short sermon, but so rich and wide that no one can learn it on earth, nor can he learn it eternally. For in this the divine majesty grasps and presents all its divine wisdom and understanding, and pours out all its will and heart, so that everything may be revealed that it itself is and is able to do. But this is infinite and incomprehensible, and yet everything is herewith summarized in the shortest way and drawn into this One Person, who is called Christ. Instruct us alone, and know nothing else to preach, but of this Christ who is baptized; make and consecrate him hereby a doctor and priest, and also King and Lord over all things, not with evil Chresem, but by the living Holy Spirit who rests visibly upon him.
(66) Though we cannot, nor have we purposed to, strike out this sermon, yet, that we may speak a little of it, it is first of all to be noted again that these words were not spoken for Christ's sake, neither was all this revelation done for his sake; yea, he himself was not made man for his sake: but let it be known that it was preached unto us, and written; even as it was all done unto us, that he was conceived, and born, and suffered, and rose again.
67 Therefore we should not let it pass by as a useless, lazy and cold sermon, and let the glorious testimony be in vain; which should be written in our hearts with fiery letters, because the high majesty itself preaches it to us. And is it ever a shameful plague that one leaves such words lying so cold and dead that one neither respects them nor knows how to use them; everyone thinks it is an old thing that no longer concerns us: read it and hear it no differently than a history of a Turkish battle or Dietrich of Bern. But that does not mean that God's word has been acted upon, if it is received so coldly and lazily that one is not warmed and improved by it.
Therefore, I say, hear and read these words, This is my beloved Son, etc. as though the Father from heaven were now speaking this hour into my heart and into thine, saying, Let all the world's ears and heart be filled, for so I preach; that is, nothing else but of this Son, nor will I have anything else preached or commanded, nor heard or received, but my word and preaching; so that all eyes and ears may be filled with this, and be directed hither alone, that they may cleave to the Son. For what we have of it, the words will finely show us.
68 Now we have two pieces in it, as he himself divides it. The first is called: This is my dear Son; the other: In whom I am well pleased. Now we must not let the word "my son" be perverted, as the heretics do, who say that it is a word of grace, and not of nature or true divinity. For they have been able to pretend and conclude as cleverly and sharply as the Jews do: "If God in heaven has never had a wife, then he cannot have a natural son; therefore Christ must be called a son of God by grace or election alone. Just as a man who has no children may accept some stranger whom he calls his son and makes his heir, so he is not called a natural or born son, but an adopted son. And though he be heir of all his goods, yet is he not so by nature, nor of his flesh and blood, but of his will only, by which he hath chosen and adopted him.
(69) But we say according to the Scriptures that Christ is called and is the Son of God, not by His will or grace alone, as we are called children adopted and chosen alone; but is a true, natural Son by true, natural, divine birth, of the same divine essence with the Father. For such a manner of speaking as he here says, "This is my Son," is not found elsewhere in Scripture, where he spoke singularly, as of one alone, or called a single man his Son; but where he says it of other men, it is either plural, as of many, or collective, as he calls a whole multitude by the name of the Son.
The word "my son" means: Hosea 11, 1: "I brought my son out of Egypt", that is, the whole people of Israel. But otherwise he holds the distinction, that he never yet said to any individual person, either angel or man, such words as the epistle to the Hebrews, Cap. 1, 5. speaks, "To what angel did he ever say, Thou art my Son?" etc. So also there he speaks that he said to David of Christ alone, "He shall be my Son, and I will be his Father." Which also David in the Psalter himself introduces again from Christ and shows that he understood it from the right natural son; as when he speaks, Psalm 89, 28.: "I will make him the first son, highest among the kings of the earth"; item, Ps. 2, 7., he speaks: "The Lord has said to me, You are my son, today I have begotten you." He does not speak like this to any other person, not even to the angels, who are the highest creatures that God created, and who are also called children of God; nor did he honor them, says the same epistle, with the high title: "my first Son"; and: "I have begotten you"; but only this person, Christ.
70 Therefore we are to make our faith firm and certain with such a saying and conclude that this Son is something higher and different than all creatures, both in heaven and on earth, because God does not give this name to any other; and certain must mean a true natural Son, of the same nature and essence or majesty with the Father; just as the Son of a man is called a natural Son because he is of the same nature or of the same blood and flesh.
71 Thus this is spoken first of this person, that he here points and points to the one or individual Christ, who is baptized in the Jordan, and sets him apart from all others, honoring and praising him above all creatures, that he himself proclaims his name to him. He himself proclaims his name by special revelation. From this it is concluded that he must be higher than all angels, and therefore truly be God. For above and apart from the creature there is nothing but God. Therefore, we should also hold and honor him as he is depicted and presented in this sermon.
as such a person, who is at the same time a true natural man; but not a true or vain man, but also a true, natural and born son of God.
We must grasp and hold this with faith, and let go of the fools who fall into it with reason, and in it cunningly and juggle according to their thoughts, which I could do just as well as one of them, if it were a matter of thinking and dreaming. But how can I stand against such bright, strong words, and where is my conscience, so that it can be sure of their glosses and interpretations? Then they lead me back into the land of milk and honey or pull out other sayings, which they stretch and twist just as they do with this saying. As if the Scripture says: "There is only one God," etc., with this they shout and rumble against us; just as if we did not also confess this and it would be difficult and unusual for a Christian to say this.
For this I also know well, and this is just what we have said, that to reckon against the creature there is no more than One God. But when one comes into the Majesty apart from and above the creature, and wants to know how it is in it; then my wisdom ceases, and I must hear what he says, how and what he is. Then I hear him himself say that there are three persons in one nature and divine being. I should stick to this and not argue and speak against it: Yes, I cannot understand it. Therefore it is not valid that one wants to lead the saying that there is no more than one God against this. For Moses and the Scriptures alone say as much as we say that when one speaks of the being that is apart from the creature, there is no more than One God, and no one should seek any other God. If then I know and hold this, I must then hear how the same God Himself speaks of His majesty, and interprets or declares Himself to be, so that I cannot err or fail. Since I now hear from his own words and testimony from heaven that Christ is his true Son and indeed the same God, but nevertheless another person, I should therefore let it be true. But how it happens and how it rhymes does not belong to me to investigate, but only to believe and speak as I hear him speak.
Therefore, because he calls him his Son, as he calls no creature, he must be the true and right God.
So we confess this article in our creed: "I believe in Jesus Christ, His (the Father's) only Son" etc. For by the word "one Son" we mean that he is his true, natural Son, born of his nature. This is our Lord, whom we worship and call as one God born of the Father in eternity, and born of the virgin in time, or according to human nature: that thus two natures are united together in One Person, and called One Christ. Thus we believe and preach. Whoever does not want to do this, let him leave it, and at least be wise and master God as he should speak. But we want to let him teach us and master us and follow him, even though it does not rhyme with our cleverness.
(75) Now this is the first thing that we learn here, who this person is, namely, God's only Son, and how he is hereby set forth by him to be the Lord as his rightborn heir over heaven and earth and all creatures. So he is here praised and proclaimed and crowned king by the Father himself; not with purple nor gold, nor set on a golden throne; nor anointed with chrism, as men do: but adorned with another crown and balm, namely, the divine majesty preaching and voice, which is called, "This is my dear Son," the Lord in heaven and on earth, King of kings and Lord of lords.
Of course, he is God and Lord of all creatures beforehand, so that he does not need such talk and boasting for his own sake; but it is hereby revealed to us, transfigured and presented, so that we may also know what he is to be regarded as, and preached to us that we should regard him in this way, that on this person, who is shown here in humanity, lies heaven and earth, angels and men, righteousness, life, sin, death, hell, and everything that may be called, which is not God himself. This person is set over it and preached to us, that we should believe that we have such a Lord in him and are baptized into him, that he wants to be our Lord and rule us,
protect and help us, that in Him we may have all things, and that nothing may harm us nor overcome us.
But this cannot be explained with any language, nor adorned with any gold or precious stone. For it is too high beyond all measure to be called God's natural Son and Lord over all creatures. A single angel alone is more glorious and mightier than the whole world with all its splendor and power: but he is incomprehensibly far and high above all angels, and what can only be thought of in the creature; and yet here all is poured out and given to us in the word: "This is my dear Son." But everything, as I have said, must be grasped in faith.
For it is not at all like the appearance of this man to be said of him. And how great and marvelous is the glory of being the natural Son of God and heir or Lord of all things; so great, and much greater and more marvelous, is it that all this is placed on this person who lies in the Virgin's womb and stands here in the Jordan and is baptized. There is nothing to be seen but a poor, miserable, naked man, so that he should have no little reputation, so completely without all appearance of some glory and power: and yet he alone shall be called and believed a Lord of lords, emperor of emperors, even of all angels, who has both the world, the devil, sin, death, and all things mightily in his hands. Who could see this in this poor man? or who could say it of him or believe it, if God Himself did not reveal it from heaven and say: This is He? This is the first part of this divine, heavenly sermon.
79 The other is therefore: "In whom I am well pleased. Hereby he also consecrates him as a priest; just as the 110th Psalm, v. 4, calls him an "eternal priest", as one who stands eternally before God to reconcile and represent us. For we know that we are all born in sins, condemned to death and eternally under God's wrath, from the first man to the last. This is what the devil has wrought and brought upon the entire human race. Who can now reconcile God again and take the curse from us? No human being, no prophet, no saint has ever arisen who could
could have come before God and quenched the wrath, for they all had to die of it themselves. Yes, even no angel would have been able to take such wrath upon himself and do enough for it.
(80) And yet, if men were to be helped, if anyone were to be saved, if sin were to be eradicated, if death were to be strangled, if the devil's kingdom were to be destroyed, if hell were to be extinguished, and if the grace of God were to shine forth, be known, and be praised, he himself had to begin and send and present a mediator through whom we might pass from wrath to grace, from sin and death to godliness and life. This no one could be, nor was able to do, but his own Son: that he himself might come to us, putting on our nature, blood and flesh. But where he should help us from sins, that he himself should be born without sin, and thus, as a mediator between God and us, be both true God and man. But that he might be accepted and believed in return, the Father himself has herewith revealed these things to us from heaven, and has testified of him, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." As if to say: If you want to be free from wrath and condemnation and seek and find grace with me, you must come here and cling to this man: this is to be the only true priest and mediator: there and nowhere else will you find reconciliation and a gracious God.
(81) There have been many services, priests and sacrifices under the Law of Moses, and many works and sacrifices among the people, all done so that God would say, "I am pleased with this. But none of them could do it. For they have no such heavenly testimony that he ever said: In this I have pleasure, and therefore I will be gracious and forgive sins etc., but here alone in this man, he says, is my pleasure, by which I will be gracious and be reconciled; from this must flow what shall be pleasing and pleasant to me. So everything that we may do and perform, whether it be worship, sacrifices and works, out of Mosiah's laws or out of our own devotion, is hereby purely taken away and excluded.
He is of the opinion that we should thereby obtain grace from God and be saved, and that everything that should please him should be included in the Son alone, so that nothing besides and apart from him should be considered to reconcile him. Whatever he is, speaks and does, or is in him, speaks and is done, be sure and certain, says he, that it pleases me heartily. There is no other thing that I would have my pleasure and delight in; but here only, with all mine eyes and ears and heart turned, there shall it all be; all wrath and displeasure shall be lifted up and removed, and there shall be grace and love for it.
Behold, by this voice God has set him in the highest honor, to be both His rightful King and Priest, an heir and Lord who rules and reigns over all things in Himself mightily, making the Father gracious to us. And hereby shows his fatherly heart towards all who believe in Christ, that they should be sure that God does not want to be their enemy, but their gracious, friendly Father, who neither wants nor is able to be angry with us anymore, as long as we remain in Christ. Even if we stumble and fall, but still turn back and hold on to this Son, it must all be forgiven and forgotten, and it must be said: "This pleases me well for the sake of my dear Son and Priest, so I want to be reconciled and gracious; then you have my heart completely. So even with such brief but excellent, groundless words, grasp nothing but vain grace and consolation, and open to us a great heaven full of light and fire, of heartfelt mercy and fatherly love, that we should not be afraid of him as of an angry judge, such as the devil sets before the stupid, frightened hearts, and the law before the hard, impenitent; But he would have us love him and do him good and expect it from him with a glad heart, and no longer be afraid of anything that might frighten or afflict us.
83 For this reason alone has he made such a revelation to us, so that we may be sure and certain that in Christ, his dear Son, he wants to show us all grace and fatherly love, and to preserve us in spite of this.
all that would tear us away; and hereby have abolished all wrath and iniquity, and all lords, kings, and rulers, yea, all angels' power and might, all the world's wisdom, holiness, and godliness: and in short, everything that wants to demand something else from us, so that nothing else shall apply from now on, except only to this Lord and priest, who wants to help us against all hostility and temptation, terror and plagues, and is an eternal mediator, yes, an eternal pledge, presented to us by the Father, that he wants to be a gracious and kind father to us. Only that we do not seek it elsewhere, except in the Son, since He points us to Him; as those do who, through the law or their self-chosen works, subject themselves to reconcile God and obtain forgiveness of sin.
And that we should grasp such a gracious heart and will of the Father the stronger and more certain, he has shown it not only in these words, but also in the outward signs and gestures of this appearance. For he does not reveal himself here, as he did before, when he founded the Old Testament and gave the law through Moses on Mount Sinai, when the whole sky was black and dark with thick clouds, and nothing was heard or seen but thunder and lightning, so that the mountain smoked and the earth shook, and there was terror and trembling: but here there is clarity and light and joyful sight everywhere; that everything is heavenly, and all creatures are laughing at us, and the divine majesty lets itself down to us; that there is no longer any difference between God and us, and He shows Himself visibly in the most friendly and lovely form: the Son in His human nature, standing by the water with His servant John, like another innocent man; the Father in the sweetest voice and sermon, which speaks of the most noble grace and love; and the Holy Spirit confirms this, hovering over Christ, with the most blissful form of an innocent little animal, which is without all gall and anger and even has a kind heart. Summa: There is nothing but comforting, friendly love, which one sees and hears, as if heaven were dripping with honey and sugar, and raining and pouring out grace and mercy, so that we might
2094 D-19.146-148. IV. Hptst. - From the Sacram. of St. Baptism supra. W. X, 2566-2569. 2095
think nothing else of him nor provide anything to him.
(85) For what heart or tongue will attain to the sweet consolation of these words, if it believes and feels, as a Christian should believe, that these things are said to him by God: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"? For nothing else is said here, but as if he said to us: "Here I give you all my grace, love and good deeds that I have in my heart and in my strength. For that ye may not doubt, nor be able to doubt, I give unto you, not Moses, nor a prophet, nor an angel, nor a saint, nor a treasure of gold and silver, nor any other great earthly or heavenly gift; but my only begotten Son, that is, my own heart, and the true eternal fountain and spring of all grace and goodness, which no angel nor creature in heaven or on earth can comprehend or understand. He shall be the sign and pledge of my grace and love against your sin and terror: and as he is by birth and by right the sole heir and lord of all creatures, so shall ye also in him be my children and heirs, and have all that he hath and is able. For in addition to giving us his right and inheritance, which he has by nature, he has also merited and purchased for us by his suffering and death, as our priest and bishop, that we ourselves should be his chosen children and co-heirs forever of all his goods. Behold! what more should he do or give, and what higher and better could a man's heart desire or conceive? And he does this without any merit or effort on our part, before any man has ever asked or thought of it; so that we have nothing to boast of everywhere, but must let all grace be, and can do nothing for it, without thanking and praising him for such unspeakable grace; just as he desires nothing else.
From this you can judge for yourself what those do who teach and preach against this divine preaching and revelation of their own human works and merit, and presume to reconcile both themselves and others with it against God and to gain grace; as if they needed to be reconciled with God.
They would have nothing to do with the Lord Christ anywhere, and could well please God without him; indeed, what our papists deserve now, who neither want to hear nor suffer such preaching of Christ and baptism, and who persecute and murder those who preach rightly. What should happen to them more cheaply, because they want to wilfully reject all grace and love offered and presented in Christ, and do not want to suffer at all, than that they have vain wrath and disgrace for it, that they are destroyed without all mercy, and burn in hell eternally? As one can already see such wrath and punishment decided upon them, that they always continue in their hardened wickedness and make it worse and worse, so that they perish all the more horribly. But God protect us who have the grace to recognize this, and help us to remain in it.
Let this now be said of this beautiful text, in which the right beginning of the New Testament and the summa of the whole Gospel of God Himself is set forth and given to us, so briefly and yet in the most comprehensive way that no man could grasp it or pronounce it, lest it be looked upon so coldly and run over as if it were some man's hand. For we have seen therein how great and glorious a thing is written of this reverend sacrament of baptism, and what we are to think of it: Namely, that this water is sanctified by Christ, because he touched it with his own body, and in it heaven is opened to us, and the whole divine majesty is personally present in it, and gives himself wholly to us, and shows the Father's grace and good pleasure in Christ, which is baptism, and testifies that he will bless and help us, and give divine righteousness for sin, and eternal life for death. For since all these things take place through the baptism of Christ, it is clearly shown to us that they are given to us in and through baptism, since, as has been said, they are not revealed for the sake of Christ, but for our sake. And it happens in the very place where John baptizes, where otherwise it was desolate; that it may be seen that he thus wants to honor baptism, and to show us what he thinks of it. Otherwise he would have made such a revelation in a more glorious place.
may do as, in the capital at Jerusalem and in the temple etc.
(88) Now therefore, what is to be said of the power and benefits of baptism, which Christ, in this one word, comprehends and signifies all that is set forth above, saying, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. For by this he signifies that it is his will and order that we should receive baptism: Not that the body should be washed and remain outwardly pure and clean, as the old Jewish daily cleansing was, nor that it should only be a mere sign of the ritual, so that we should be known, as the Jews were when they were circumcised; but finally that through it we should be saved, that is, redeemed from sin, death, hell and all evil, eternally righteous, holy, alive and heirs of heaven. For all this is the result of this word. For if a man is to be saved, he must first be cleansed from sin and become righteous; for no one is saved except he who is first righteous and holy. For if a man is to be saved, he must also be delivered from death and have life, and be secured from hell and damnation, and finally be taken away from all misery, unhappiness and sorrow, fear and terror, and be brought to everlasting peace and joy. All this, I say, is brought to us by baptism; not because it is water, but because God's name and power are in it, who has decreed that it should be heavenly, divine water, and will give it by means of both water and word. For he has power and strength enough in his finger that, if he had so willed and ordered, he could also accomplish this through a lesser creature than water.
(89) So I think you have reason enough why we praise and exalt our baptism so highly above all other things on earth. For from all this you see clearly that we do not praise our work in this, however great or delicious it may be called, but only God's work and power, as is right to praise and glorify; which other teachers and preachers, neither the new spiritualists, nor the old Popes, neither respect nor are able to do, even though they have the glorious texts and testimonies of God.
They also have the scripture of baptism lying in front of their noses, but they flutter about it as if it were nothing; they can do nothing but slobber against us out of their deeds and dreams: we forbid good works and do not live as we should according to their sense. With this, they think, they have done well and put us down. But let them slander and spit; for they are not worthy that they should be able or speak otherwise. But if they were so pious that they could or would look at the Scriptures, they would leave our doctrine unchallenged. For what is it that they speak much of works? And what have we here to do with works, to command or to forbid? Why do they not speak of this with Christ and tell him to do it differently? We have not thought up or invented this saying: "He who believes and is baptized" etc. Is it Luther's or the Pope's? I think it is of the Holy Spirit and of Christ himself, and is in the same Bible, which both they and we have: and it is true, that we shall not speak here, nor speak of our works.
90 For, say thou thyself, what is there in baptism that we may boast as ours? Or what have we done to it? I do not mean that anyone should be so rude or presumptuous as to say that baptism is his or someone else's. For it is not called baptized in my name, or in thy name, or in the name of any saint, but "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." This is the Master, who can and should do it; of whom one should boast if one wants to speak of works; for he does the right works, which are worthy to be boasted of as divine works, which are called: blotting out sin, driving out death, and extinguishing hell.
(91) These are, I think, other works than the loose things of which they have taught, such as monasticism and self-chosen works, fasting, walking barefoot. They have not only raised them up without God's word, but also to the contempt and disgrace of dear baptism, yes, to the abominable blasphemy of God's name and his works, because they elevate and praise them like baptism, as their doctors impudently write: Whoever enters a monastery and prays the
If he accepts the order, it is just as much as if he now comes out of baptism. This is the blasphemous preaching and the real arch-abomination of the wicked end-Christ, so that he has filled Christianity, that he has led people away from baptism to our works, yes, torn them away by force and put them in the place of Christ and his baptism, so that no one may keep them without what God has miraculously preserved in the process. For as soon as we took off our children's shoes and came out of the blessed bath, they took it all away again by such preaching: "Oh, you have long since lost your baptism and soiled your vest shirt through sin; now you must think that you are atoning for your sin and have done enough, as much as you fast, pray, pray, pray, until you reconcile God and thus come to grace again.
(92) All that we had received through baptism has been corrupted and destroyed at once, and, unfortunately, it has come to pass, as St. Peter prophesied about them, 2 Ep. 2:20.That through their teaching, those who had barely escaped from error and were cleansed from sins through baptism, are again wrapped and braided in the previous filth, and are drowned in it, and they are just like the sow, who now comes out of the flood and quickly rolls in the next puddle. This is what happened to us through the teachings of the pope and all the books and writings of his theologians and decretists, all of whom did nothing but desecrate and blaspheme Christ and his baptism, so that no one could rejoice or be comforted by them.
For I myself have been a monk for fifteen years, without what I lived before, and have diligently read all their books and done everything I could; nor have I ever been able to console myself once of my baptism, but always thought: O when will you once become pious and do enough, so that you get a gracious God? And I was driven to monasticism by such thoughts, and I toiled and struggled with fasting, freezing and a strict life; and yet I achieved nothing more with it, except that I only lost my dear baptism, even to the point of denying it. This is the fruit and reward we have to thank for her work,
which they also defend, and know nothing else to cry out for, but of works, against the preaching of Christ and his baptism, which God himself has given from heaven, and thus truly and indeed abolish the baptism of Christ, and establish another baptism of works for it; that they are as harmful to their doctrine as the Anabaptists, yea, make nothing else of us but Jews or Turks, as if we had never been baptized.
94 Therefore, lest we be deceived by such, let this doctrine keep us pure; as we see and grasp here that baptism is not our work nor doing, and keep a great and wide distinction between God's works and ours. For there are some works that the divine majesty does for us, as that he created us body and soul, and gives us all things that are in heaven and on earth; these are his general works toward all men on earth, and all of them very precious and good. In addition to these works, he does others for those who become Christians and his children. For after we have fallen and become corrupt through sin, he takes us again into his divine hands, gives us his word and baptism, and washes and cleanses us from sins with it. These, I say, are works that belong to the divine majesty alone; for which we do nothing, nor can do anything, except that we receive them and take them from him. These works should be praised, if one wants to speak of great divine works. For he is the right master of works, who with his finger can blot out sin, strangle death, smite the devil, destroy hell etc.
95 After this, when we have and recognize these works of God, let us also speak of the works that we can and should do, namely, that we thank and praise God for such works of God in us before all the world, so that other people may also recognize and obtain them and thus live in honor of God and for the benefit of our neighbor, helping and serving everyone with body, goods, and whatever we are able. In this custom we do not teach and praise our good works, so that we go to heaven with them. For this is the end for which they are to be done: not that they are to serve us in the remission of sin.
to redeem, and to overcome death, and to obtain heaven; but to his neighbor's use and need.
96 Thus they are both rightly divided, that they may be separated as high and as far as heaven and earth are from each other. For God's works come down from above and give us heavenly, eternal goods; but our works remain here and create only what belongs to this earthly life and being. Of such a difference, which is so right and clear, the crude papists know nothing, speak much of works, and know neither what good works are taught nor what they are forbidden to do, brew and mix them together, so that one does not know what God's works are or what ours are, and even obscure them and leave them aside and put works of men in their place, thus perverting and corrupting the true doctrine everywhere.
Third part.
So far, enough has been said about both what baptism is and what its power and benefits are. Now it should also be said of its practice or of those who receive it. For here it is divided, and the disparity begins, that not all receive the same power and benefit of baptism, though they received the same baptism. For there are two kinds of people who receive it: some with faith and some without faith. Therefore, although baptism is right in itself, and remains holy and divine to one as well as to another, to the unbeliever as well as to the one who believes, yet there is a great difference among them, that the unbeliever cannot enjoy its power and benefits. This is not the fault of baptism, but of himself, that he does not receive and use it as he should: the vessel is not made to receive it; for the heart is closed, that the power of baptism cannot enter and work in it, because it neither desires nor wants it.
Just as it is with bodily creatures. The dear sun shines and glows everywhere; and yet not all see it, nor are warmed by it; and yet the true dear sun, with its brilliance and light, heat and all its power, is with one
both, and with all. Why does it remain dark and cold for them? Because they have closed their doors and windows and neither want nor are able to see the sun. So are the unbelieving hearts. They may receive the right baptism, a divine, heavenly bath, and all that God has in it; but because they do not want to believe or accept it, it is of no use to them, not because of their powerlessness or imperfection, but because they turn their backs on it and do not open their hearts so that it may work its power in them.
Again, whoever believes that God has ordained for him in baptism a bath of the new birth, through which he is washed from sins and becomes God's child, etc. receives it and feels it as he believes. For there the heart is open, and it goes in with all its power, enlightens and warms, and makes of the old, dead man a new, living saint.
(100) Now this difference Christ also hath shewed in these words, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. For therein he hath set both, what baptism shall profit, or what it shall work, and hath added to it, how they shall be skillful in whom it shall do its work, or what is necessary for a man to receive it profitably, which is faith.
(101) But it is often said how baptism is to be used, and how faith is always to be kept and exercised, as long as we live. Now let it be enough for us to learn the right distinction, of which we have also spoken above, against the erroneous spirits: that it is one thing to receive the right baptism, and another to receive its power and benefit: that therefore one should not deny and despise baptism in itself, even though it is not rightly received. As the Anabaptists do, who pretend that the baptism of the papists is of no value, because it is both given and received without faith, and that those who are baptized by them must be baptized anew. This error has also challenged many people in Christianity in the past, as I said above about St. Cyprian.
102 For, that we fight against the papists-
We do not want their baptism and sacrament, if they are done according to God's order, to be wrong or to have no power; but we punish their doctrine, against the faith and right use of baptism, by which they make it impossible for baptism to have its power, and tear away those who have been baptized correctly, and let them, as much as there is in them, keep no one pure, by saying that it is of no more use after defilement and loss of innocence: It is no longer of any use after the vesture has been defiled and innocence lost; but the sin committed after baptism must be blotted out by our works-penance and atonement; and thus we put our works in place of holy baptism, and thus also bring about a rebaptism, not by water, but by works. As they have impudently compared their monasticism and monastic life to baptism, as was also said above.
Against such blasphemous and damned doctrine we preach and fight. But for this reason we do not deny the baptism which we received from them; but we do the very opposite, that we bring back into its right use the dear baptism which they received in the name of Christianity from Christ through the apostles, against their doctrine of the baptism of works, so that they destroy the baptism of Christ, that its power may be known and retained. Just as we purify the gospel and the Scriptures, which they have received rightly but have darkened, even perverted and falsified, by their doctrine of men, and bring them pure to the light again. The Anabaptists do not make such a distinction that they can separate baptism, which the pope gives in Christ's name, from their doctrine, which they have invented against baptism; but they condemn both with the doctrine also baptism, that it should be nothing nor be valid, as if it were also a man's doctrine, invented by them, as their doctrine is, and thus completely take away baptism from us.
(104) So that we may receive baptism and right doctrine, both of which, against the seduction of the pope and the Anabaptists, we always teach and practice this distinction between the two, which are called God's work and our work. For when we speak of what baptism is and what benefit it has, we are saying
nothing of our works. For who would say that he made or devised baptism, or ever knew anything about it, if God Himself had not instituted it and commanded us; let alone that we should be able to give it power and benefit. Therefore, what it is, with its essence and power, is entirely God's work, to which we can neither do nor be able to do anywhere. And here we are not to consider nor question what we do or do not do; but where we see that His word and command are acted upon, we are certainly not to doubt that he who is baptized has received true baptism. But afterward, when you have thus received it, it behooves you to see how you believe and make right use of baptism. This is then said of our deeds. Summa, these two, I say, baptism and faith, are to be separated as far as heaven and earth, God and man, are separated from each other.
(105) For what God makes and does are works that are fixed, certain, unchanging and eternal, just as He Himself is unchanging and eternal. Therefore they stand and remain firm and unchanged and do not change, even if they are misused in all things. But what we do is inconstant and uncertain, as we are, that nothing can be founded or built upon it. Therefore, that baptism might stand and be sure unto us, he hath not founded it upon our faith; because it is uncertain, and may be false: but upon his word and ordinance, that it should be and remain right, and not be weakened or made less, though faith be not.
According to this distinction, everyone can judge for himself and refute all kinds of errors that may occur against baptism, as they are indicated above, such as saying that baptism is not valid if it is given by someone who does not believe. For this has a great appearance, and has been widely torn down before, that even the great bishop and martyr St. Cyprian has been caught with it. For there they have practiced the saying of Jesus Sirach: "He that hath unclean hands, what shall he make clean? What he touches, that also becomes unclean." Now where baptism is administered by an unclean priest or unclean hands, the
given to believers, how can he make the one who receives it pure?
(107) But this is to base baptism on men, and to make it quite uncertain, even futile. For if I were to wait until I was sure that he who baptizes is pure, neither I nor anyone else would ever be baptized; indeed, I would have to extinguish the Lord's Prayer, since we all have to say, "Forgive us our trespasses.
(108) Therefore we say, let it by no means come to pass that we are instructed and led in this matter by the worthiness or cleanness of our hands. For we have other hands here than our own, namely, Christ, who is all pure and holy, and has made holy and clean all that he touches. It is he who makes and gives baptism, and all that is done in baptism is his work. Therefore, since he who baptizes and baptizes himself is and remains pure, what question do I ask whether I and you and all men are unclean? My Lord Christ and his dear baptism shall remain unimpaired to me. Just as the sun is not impure or unclean because it shines as brightly on dung and filth as on gold, but shines as brightly on a dunghill as on a white veil, and takes nothing away from it everywhere, even though what it touches and works in is unclean: So also, though baptism be administered by an unclean minister, it shall not hurt baptism, nor me that receiveth it, in any place; because baptism and ministry are not of man, but of Christ.
And if one were to admit that God's order and command should not apply, for if the person through whom it is to be administered were pure and without sin, then no one would ever have to preach God's word, nor teach, comfort or govern others etc. For no one will ever come who is completely pure and is not allowed to pray the Lord's Prayer. Yes, one should also teach the children in this way: Why do you want to be obedient to your father or mother, since they are neither pure nor holy? And then all lords and rulers should be deprived of their office and forbidden to obey, and their authorities and commandments should be reviled as impure, because they are more than a part of them.
are not pious. There will be a fine and praiseworthy regiment.
Therefore, you see that this is a harmful error, and God must have specially preserved the holy martyr Cyprian and cleansed him from error through the blood of the Lord Christ. But still, a harmful thing has been done with it. For that is why rebaptism first arose and is now again gaining the upper hand, so that the country and cities are led into such misery by the loose pretense that they pretend: You did not believe when you were baptized; and even if you believed, those who baptized you were unclean and ungodly; therefore you must be baptized again.
(111) Therefore let him that would not be deceived hold fast this doctrine, that he may speak differently of it, and say, That I have been baptized, it is not my work, nor of him that administered it unto me: for it is not called my baptism, nor the priest's, nor any man's, but Christ my Lord's; and needeth neither my purity, nor thine at all: for I, nor any man, shall sanctify and make pure baptism: but we all shall be sanctified and made pure by baptism. Therefore I will not base baptism on my faith, but again, my faith shall be based and built on baptism.
(112) And I will also say that the person baptized, whether young or old, believes nothing anywhere; as it may happen that a Jew, in order to deceive us Christians, allows himself to be baptized: I must not say that his baptism is nothing because he is a prankster and mocks baptism; but I must say the opposite, that he received the right, holy baptism, even though to his harm and condemnation. Just as I must not say that if an unbeliever blasphemes God's name, he has not blasphemed the true God. Neither may I say that the gospel is not the true word of God, even if he who preaches it or hears it is a prankster; just as the true sacrament of the body and blood of Christ is just as likely to be received by Judas the betrayer as by St. Peter. For God will not for our sakes
2106 D ISS-161ST IV. Hptst. - From the Sacram. of St. Baptism supra. W. X, 2583-2585. 2107
otherwise, and will not allow his word and work to be changed or weakened by our faith or unbelief. For this is certainly true, that for our part we are not pure, nor can we remain so: that if baptism should stand on our purity or faith, it would be truly evil, and the devil would soon snatch away both faith and destroy baptism, so that no one could ever be sure of it, nor could he rely on it.
(113) And I would gladly hear from an Anabaptist what they might answer when asked, Why do they baptize themselves, because they reject our baptism, and baptize again the people whom they say were unjustly baptized before; wherewith they would make sure that their baptism is right? If they can do this, then I will let myself be baptized again, not only once, but as often as they want. Yes, they say, before thou wast baptized, and knowest not whether thou hast believed; but now I baptize thee, that thou mayest believe, and know what thou doest.
But how do you know if the person being baptized now truly believes? Because, they say, he confesses his faith and desires baptism. That is, built on the previous sand. For how can you be sure that he will not deceive you with his confession? Is it enough that he says it? So any knave may say it, and pretend to believe. And if you trust in this, I conclude against you from the Scriptures that all men are liars and false, and it is often forbidden to trust in men. Therefore it is all uncertain to thee with thy rebaptism; yea, not only uncertain, but also forbidden and condemnable, as he that bases such work, which is due to the divine majesty, on men, and puts faith or trust against God in a creature. But we do not want to build anything everywhere on men, but only on God's work, which is not only certain and neither lacking nor deceptive, but also, once it has happened, remains forever and is valid, so that it may not be changed, nor may it be changed again; just as it changes and changes with human doings and beings.
115 Take an example. The fathers in the Old Testament also gave a baptism.
have. These were the ten commandments, as St. Paul, 1 Cor. 10, 2, says that they were baptized "with the cloud in Moses", that is, on the ten commandments, on which God made a covenant with them through Moses, and yet there were many thousands among them who did not believe, but practiced idolatry, blasphemed God and made sedition etc. Should one therefore have said: There are the ten commandments gone, God may make others? Or, since David fell so horribly, both in adultery and murder, should he therefore have said: the 5th and 6th commandments are gone, and God must give him others? Thus he would have to set new ten commandments for the world every hour. But now it is said: God's commandments are and remain eternal; even if we fall from them and do not keep them, and all the world leads us to the devil because of them, they do not fall afterward; but the obligation and duty to keep them remains, God grant, however often and deeply we fall from them, that we are obliged to keep them again and again, just as in other orders of God. For this reason, princely authority, commandments and rights are not weakened if a prince has many unfaithful and disobedient subjects in his principality.
(116) So also with baptism, by which, once we have received it, we are gathered and included in the number of those who are to be saved, and God makes with us an everlasting covenant of grace. Even though we often fall and stumble after this, our baptism is not in vain; but just as grace abides and reigns forever, as the 117th Psalm, v. 2, says: that even though we fall, we may always come back to it, as long as we do not deny it or fight against it: so also baptism abides forever, and you cannot have fallen so far and so deeply from it that you cannot and should not hold on to it again. And he may not therefore make thee a new baptism, though thou hast not believed. For it is, as I have said, an everlasting bath, wherein we are once put, and must abide for ever, or be eternally damned.
So you see that the Anabaptists are blind fools and deceivers who understand nothing of God's word and works and sin against holy baptism:
first, that they blaspheme and condemn right baptism by their teaching; second, that they do not give anyone a certain baptism and thus have no baptism in truth, but their baptism is a vain lie. Now the one sin would be all too grave and abominable, that they deny and profane right baptism, and thereby bring upon themselves an abominable condemnation, as striving contrary to God's order and work, so that they deprive both themselves and others of the same baptism and all the grace given therein.
(118) Enough has been said this time about this reverend sacrament of holy baptism, so that one may receive the pure Christian doctrine and the right understanding of it, against the devil's spies, which he has directed against it, that he may take away baptism altogether, or ever deprive the people of its power and benefits. Now we, too, who have the doctrine and practice of baptism by God's grace pure and clean, need a sermon of our own, which is called the fruit and consequence of baptism; for in this we feel a great lack.
(119) But I have often said that a distinction should be made between the two, doctrine and life. For the sects, both Anabaptist and Papist, fall away from doctrine and take away either the natural essence of baptism or the proper use of it. But we, who have the gospel, praise and honor baptism as God's word and order and, praise God, do not sin against the doctrine and God's word. For it is pure and clear in the pulpit and also in the custom that we baptize and are baptized according to it. But there we are guilty of not following the doctrine with our lives. For where doctrine and faith are right, there should also follow the fruit thereof, that we should live worthy of baptism, and thereby show that we have not received it in vain. For what good is it to have God's word and commandment with a right clear understanding, if you do nothing according to it? Therefore, even if we do not storm against baptism, but still do not show our faith and live as a baptized person should, we are not helped by it.
120 Yet this infirmity of life is far different from that sin against the
Doctrine. For here there is still counsel, and life can be improved; but where the doctrine is false, there is neither help nor counsel for life, but both are lost and condemned. For this is the case, just as a citizen of a city may commit two sins against his authorities: that is, he disobeys his mayor and does against his command, and thus falls under his punishment; but yet he confesses that he has done wrong in it. Thus it is done that one can still separate these two, jus et factum, law and obedience to law; or, as we say here, doctrine and life. For such a transgressor or disobedient man nevertheless confesses the right and leaves the commandment. If, however, he were to proceed and go against the commandment, and not suffer such law, and not have done wrong, but defend it in addition, that would be much different, and would not be called disobedience or transgression, but rebellion and crimen laesae majestatis (crime against majesty), as one who straightway sets himself against the authorities and pushes away the law, and wants to be law himself. This does not include a simple punishment, Master Hansen, but that the earth rises up over such a one and devours him, like Korah, together with Dathan and Abiram, Num. 16, 32.
For even the world cannot bear that sin should not be called sin, but right, and should not be punished, but approved and praised. Just as our pious papists do now, when they knowingly persecute the recognized truth of the gospel and want to defend their godless nature by force; when they brazenly take God in their mouths and say: What he says shall be nothing; but what they say and do shall be right, that his word and command shall be nothing until it pleases them. That is to say, God is thrust down from His throne and has set Himself against the Majesty. In the same way, the mob of the Anabaptists does the same over holy baptism, as they strive against God's order and make another for it. There belongs neither sword nor temporal punishment, but the devil himself and eternal hellish fire.
122. God protects us from such sin, as He does. For therefore no
grace nor forgiveness, because they fight against it. But because we have grace, that the doctrine is right with us, we should see to it that we also live according to it, and not abuse such grace, nor let it be in vain; but because through baptism we have died to sin, and become new men, that we also henceforth as newborn men "walk in newness of life"; as St. Peter, 1 Ep. 2, 1, and Paul, Rom. 6:1, exhort us, that in our lives we may be seen to walk in newness of life. Peter, 1 Ep. 2, 1, and Paul, Rom. 6, 4, exhort us, so that it may be felt in our lives that we have received baptism usefully and blessedly.
(123) For here we see how the devil, as in every place among us, is opposed, not that baptism should be administered unjustly, but that it should remain with us without fruit. For though we have come to the grace of rightly receiving baptism without our works and good life, yet we should henceforth strive with words and works and our whole life to honor and adorn the same. For this reason the baptismal font, the altar stone and the preaching stand there to remind us of it; and because they are to testify that we have been baptized and are Christians, that we also think and honor the dear baptismal font and live in such a way that we may look at it joyfully; so that it may not have to testify against us.
But now, alas, many are acting as if they always want to remain as before, in the old skin, and live as they desire, and thus make the glorious baptism only a cover of shame for them, as if they were called to the kingdom of grace because of it, so that they should have power to do what they want; and nevertheless rely on God being merciful, and thus palliate themselves: I am a frail man, God will well take it in my favor and forgive me etc. No, not so, dear brother, I have not shown you the way, that baptism should give freedom from sins; but the page is reversed: Therefore your sins are forgiven you, and now you have come to grace, who before was in disgrace because of sin, that you now lead a different life and leave sins. It does not rhyme with each other to be baptized and to remain in sins. For for this very reason she was baptized.
to take away sin, so that man may now become devout and increase in good works. If he has been disobedient, angry, envious, unfaithful, and lewd before, let him depart from them, and pray one Our Father for them, and henceforth take care and strive that he may be obedient, patient, and kind. If you do not do this, do not think that it is good for you, and boast much about the grace of Christ and excuse your sin with it.
(125) This would be an opinion, if you found yourself so much improved that in a year or two, or otherwise for a time, you had not been angry, cursing, etc., as before, and by mistake or weakness hastily fell once or twice: this could be credited to you and straighten you up again. But always remaining in the old nature and continuing with anger, impatience, envy, indicates that you have received your holy baptism to great harm.
If you have been an adulterer, a fornicator, a covetous man, baptism shall teach you that you shall no longer beat, commit adultery, be covetous, steal, or rob. The former things shall be forgiven and dead, and henceforth thou shalt become a different, pious, righteous, charitable, chaste man. If you find such life and fruit in yourself for a while, it is a sign that baptism has come to power in you. And if it should happen that thou shouldest fail a part or two, which is called fallen and stumbled, then thou mayest be comforted in grace and forgiveness. But not so that thou wilt lie in it, or continue in it, saying always, What shall I make of it? I cannot leave it; for it is all grace and forgiveness etc. He will not suffer this. For in so doing you do no more than anger God and go farther and farther from grace until you lose it altogether, and at last, as a punishment, fall into accursed sin, despising and blaspheming dear baptism and grace, like the wretched wretches of the devil.
127Therefore take thine own life before thee, and see how it rhymes with baptism; and know whether thou art indeed called and set in the kingdom of grace, and made a partaker through Christ of all things that Christians have; but where thou remainest always, as before, thou canst not be
2112 L. 19:166, 167; 21:229. sermon on holy baptism. W. X, 2SS1-2S93.
It will not help you, because you do not honor your baptism, nor keep it pure; and you may be called a Christian, but you have certainly left Christ behind, and sin is your master, and you serve the devil, and hold no more than the name and appearance of Christianity, so that you deceive yourself and do your own harm. For, as I have said, he has not only given the dear baptism and sacrament for the purpose of forgiving and washing away sin, but also wants to sweep out daily and completely eradicate what remains of sins, so that a different kind and nature of man may be formed, inclined and skilled in all good works. And where it is properly received, it will certainly be found that sin decreases daily and becomes less. If not, the contradiction is that you may have accepted the wedding garment, but there is a stain under it, so that you defile it and lose the beautiful ornament.
(128) For it is necessary, if we would have the glorious grace, that we should adorn it and hold it higher than a precious jewel. Now such adornment is that we live blamelessly, as St. Paul, Titus 2:10, teaches that servants and other ranks should so live, "that they may adorn the wholesome doctrine in all things". With what? That they may be obedient, not acting unfaithfully, nor stale etc. This is the beautiful crown that adorns the dear baptism and makes it a good fame and praise before everyone and gives us testimony that we have received it fruitfully and are true Christians. But again, he who does not live in his state as he should, dishonors and defiles.
Both his own doctrine and his baptism, and testifies against himself that he is not worthy of grace, and is nothing more than a stain and filth among Christians, as St. Peter, 1 Ep. 2, calls such.
129. Therefore let us strive earnestly and diligently to be found among those who adorn and adorn this high treasure of ours with their lives and deeds, so that we may cheerfully boast of it to God and all the world and not be ashamed of it, so that we may not be like the others who have lost their baptism, and everything they have taught and done, or still teach and live, has become in vain, even damnable, so that it is now seven times worse with them than before. And it befalls them justly as a punishment, because they have let this treasure go, that they must now be seduced by all kinds of false teaching; and since they did not take care to do right good works in honor of the dear baptism, that they must now be driven and plagued with false good works and do everything that the devil wants through his seducers. It can also happen to us if we do not take care and watch that we do not lose this precious treasure of the Word and blessed baptism. For he who has given it may well have it taken away again, as the devil diligently seeks to do.
130 Let this be said to us recently as a reminder. For we must do both preaching, to refute false doctrine and to punish sin, that both doctrine and life may prosper. Amen.