I. Luther's controversial writings against the error of the sacrament, which was first brought onto the scene around Carlstadt.

1a. D. Martin Luther's Eight Sermons,

which he preached against D. Carlstadt's innovations at Wittenberg during Lent. *)

March 9-16 Anno 1522.

When the Satan of Luther's teachings, neither by the scholars, as Tetzel, Wimpina, Silvester Prierias, D. Eck, Emser, Murnar, Ochsenfart, Latomus and others, nor by the pope and the Roman emperor and the high schools in the German lands and in France, he thought to watch Luther in another way and to do him harm by false spirits and sects, and tried to do this (according to his old ways) inwardly in the church at Wittenberg, in the place where the gospel had first come to light again, and for this he especially used D. Andreas Carlstadt, who had previously been Luther's assistant and counselor in the Leipzig disputation. The latter, because Luther was absent in his Patmo, caused havoc in Wittenberg out of a misunderstanding of Christian freedom. For after

they had learned from the gospel that a Christian life was not in outward show, images, clothing, fasting, eating or drinking etc., 1 Tim. 4, 3. but in spirit and faith, and that eating meat, eggs etc. He and others went to the altar, overthrew the corner mass, stormed and burned the images, destroyed the altars, abolished the auricular confession, dropped the chants and ceremonies of the church, no longer wanted to use chalices and paten, ran unheard and unacknowledged to the sacrament, wanted to prove their Christian freedom in these pieces. They did not let a sermon precede, since the Word of God had previously instructed the heart about true godliness, and the

*The Erlangen edition lists five individual editions of this work published in Wittenberg in 1523 under the title: "Acht Sermones D. M. Luthers von ihm gepredigt zu Wittenberg in der Fasten, darin kürzlich begriffen von den Messen, Bildnissen, beiderlei Gestalt des Sacraments, von den Speisen und heimlicher Beichte. The first four of these sermons are also found in the Latin Wittenberg edition, Dorn. VII, toi. 273 under the title: Ksrino ds rsdns rnsäiis st sirnulasris. German in the Eisleben Collection, vol. I, p. 83; and.

They did not do it with the consent and foreknowledge of the authorities, nor did they ask that the weak be annoyed and offended by it, but did it all out of their own iniquity, presumption, and vain honor. They pretended that they were driven to it by the first commandment and Christian freedom and were full of the Holy Spirit; they condemned as heretics all those who did not agree with them. D. Carlstadt also had a book printed "on the abolition of images" in 1522, on the Monday after the conversion of St. Paul [January 27], which he attributed to Wolf Schlick, Count of Passau, 1).

When this innovation and great annoyance was brought before Luther, and he saw with a saddened mind that the devil sought to suppress doctrine, disruption, and sedition with it, he immediately rose to Wittenberg to control this evil, and preached against the undertaken

1) This name is also found in Jäger, Carlstadt, p. 263. In the Wittenberg Album, 99: "Basssun"; in Luther's letter to Seb. Schlick, De Wette, Vol. II, 231: "Passun".

The newness taught that they did not lead the right process of resisting abuses or using Christian freedom, if one therefore wanted to act by force and not first sufficiently instruct the hearts of the doctrine of faith (because this must precede), so that they would be strengthened and assured in their conscience, and not get stuck in the challenge and reproaches, why they ran to the sacrament, even attacked images from the churches, ate eggs and meat.

(3) First of all, the abominations of the Pabst concerning the sacrificial measure, images, confession, fasting, and forbidden food should be punished and condemned by the word. If, therefore, the hearts were first freed from the cords, the outward abolition would be the easier; indeed, all this would fall from him. Then, too, for the sake of the weak, patience could be exercised in the outward ordinances, and only the strong could be used for freedom; so that Christian love would nevertheless be taken into account in it, lest a poor Christian, who does not yet know about it, be annoyed.

This redaction is, as Aurifaber notes in the margin of the Eisleben edition, taken from a print that was published by Lei Antonius Otho of Nordhausen. Aurifaber has placed it in the year 1522. We only reproduce the complete redaction contained in the Eisleben edition, but only the first two sermons of the other edition, which was first published by Walch and after him also by the Erlangen edition. For we consider it sufficient that in a writing that did not flow from Luther's pen, but only from his mouth, only one and that is the best version is reproduced. We have reprinted the two sermons mentioned, however, so that the reader can convince himself by his own observation that the omission of the other six sermons is justified. For we do not consider the inclusion of such an incomplete version, teeming with errors and often meaningless, to be a desirable enrichment of Luther's works, but rather an unnecessary burden on them. There is a third, very short, redaction, which has made the rounds through all previous editions. It is first published in the Jena edition of 1555, vol. II, p. 53 b under the title: "Schrift D. M. L. wider die Neuerung zu Wittemberg, durch D. Carlstad angericht, weil D. Martinus, held after the Diet of Worms, Anno 1521 was in his pathmo. Anno MDXXII." As a marginal gloss is added: "This writing has not been entirely available, but as much of it as is available has been put in so that it does not get lost, because it was written by D. M. himself," and so on. From the Jena edition, it is transferred to the Wittenberg edition of 1557, vol. IX, p. 144b and also added to the writings of 1522, but the words "Schrift D. M. L." are missing in the title. From it printed in the Altenburger, vol. II, p. 89; and with a somewhat changed title in the Leipziger, vol. XVIII, p. 247. Walch, vol. XV, 2370 has as its heading: "Antwortschreiben an die Wittenberger, wider die bei seiner Abwesenheit zu Wittenberg angerichtete Carlstädtische Neuerung, woinnen er sie theils bestraft, theils auch unterrichtet"; without indication of the time. De Wette, Vol. II, p. 118, is the first to date this letter "An die Wittenberger. Fragment" to the year "1521 perhaps in December". The Erlanger, vol. 53, 99, reprinted from De Wette, but leaves out the "perhaps" in determining the time. This so-called letter or scripture is obviously a short summary of the first five sermons given here. Almost sentence for sentence can be traced in the sermons; even the expression "purdi Purdi" (Walch, Vol. XV, 2372, § 8) is repeated in the penultimate § of the fifth sermon; not a single thought is contained therein that is not found in the sermons, only that Carlstadt's name is mentioned twice, likewise Duke George and Meissen and Leipzig. Jäger, Carlstadt, p. 291 sf, places this "sharp rebuke of the Wittenbergers" at the end of February 1522 (on what grounds, we do not know) and then gives a rather extensive excerpt. Köstlin, Martin Luther, Vol. I, p. 527, sees in it "a written address to his Wittenbergers, which, however, did not come to the conclusion and to the dispatch, because he himself appeared with them instead of them", and transfers the same also into February. It is correctly noted that in it "the main thing he had to say to them is briefly and sharply summarized". Nevertheless, we are not able to see anything else in it than a summa of Luther's sermons, which is hardly written by Luther himself. The "gestellet" only indicates the intellectual authorship, just as Luther's "Preface" to the second volume of the Wittenberg edition, "vor seinem Abschied gestellet," was not written by him, but was compiled from several of Luther's writings. - The introduction to the eight sermons was written by Johann Aurifaber.

The first sermon.

On Sunday Invocavit.

(1) We are all called to death, and shall not die for one another: but every man in his own person must be armed and prepared to fight for himself with the devil and with death. Hebr. 9, 27. We may cry in one another's ears, comforting and exhorting them to patience, to fight and to battle, but we cannot fight or battle for him; each one must look to his own fortress and engage himself in battle with the enemy, with the devil and death, and lie alone with them. Then I will not be with you, nor you with me. Therefore, every man himself must know the main things that concern a Christian man, so that he may be prepared for this serious battle, which are those that your love has often heard from me.

2. first, we must know that we are all children of wrath, and that all our works, thoughts and senses are sinful and nothing in the sight of God, so that we may not come before God with them, however beautiful they may be. And in this we must have a bright clear saying from the Scriptures, on which we must be founded, which clearly shows us that this is so. Although there are many of these sayings in the Scriptures, I do not want to overwhelm you with many sayings, but rather hold up to you this single and short saying of St. Paul, which he writes to the Ephesians and says: "We are all by nature children of wrath" etc., Eph. 2, 3. Let this saying be well commanded to you.

3. secondly, we must also know that God sent His only begotten Son into the world out of pure grace and goodness, that we should believe and trust in Him; thus, whoever believes in Him shall be free from sin and be a child of God, as John says in the beginning of his Gospel: "But as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become children of God, who believe in His name", Jn. 1:12. 1) In this piece

1) Erlanger: Joh. 1, 11. This wrong citation, and in this writing still three others, is from the old Walch.

we should all be well acquainted with the Bible and equipped with bright, clear sayings to hold against the devil. For if you do not have a certain, bright, clear word of God in this battle, you cannot stand. And especially remember this saying of Christ in John: "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. Whoever believes in him will not be judged. But he who does not believe is already judged, for he does not believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God," John 3:16, 17, 18. Likewise, note this saying of John the Baptist: "The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has eternal life. He who does not believe in the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him," John 3:35 ff.

(4) In these two things I do not yet perceive any defect or error in you, but they are preached to you purely and correctly. And I would be heartily sorry if it had happened otherwise than rightly. Yes, I see it well, and may well say that you are more learned in this than I am: not only one, two, three, four, 2) but probably ten, twenty and more, who are all well and truly enlightened in these two main pieces, and would not have thought that in such a short time, perhaps in a year, it should have risen so high.

5) Thirdly, we must also have love and through love do to one another as God has done to us through faith; without which love faith is nothing, as St. Paul says to the Corinthians: "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And if I could prophesy, and knew all mysteries, I should be a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.

The first edition is reprinted in the second edition. Cf. Walch, St. Louis Edition, vol. XVIII, 885, note 2.

2) In the Eisleben edition: "one, two, three, four. That the reading we have given is correct is evident from comparison with the other print of these sermons from 1523.

If I had all faith, so that I could move mountains, and yet had not love, I would be nothing. And if I give all my possessions to the poor, and let my body burn, and have not love, it is of no use to me. Here, dear friends, this piece is almost lacking, and I do not feel any love in any of them, and I almost realize that you have been ungrateful to God for such rightful treasures and gifts, which He has sent to you in a short time, and has given to you for nothing. Therefore let us see to it that Wittenberg does not become Capernaum, Matth. 11, 23. I see and notice that you are well able and know how to speak of the doctrine that is preached to you, as of faith and also of love; which is no wonder, although you can speak much of it. It is almost possible to teach an ass to sing; should you not learn so much that you should repeat the doctrine and the words? But, dear friends, God's kingdom does not stand in speech or in words, but in power and in deed, 1 Cor. 4, 20. For God does not want only hearers and persecutors, but followers and doers, Jac. 1, 22, who keep the word, Luc. 8, 15, who practice the faith that is strengthened by love, Gal. 5, 5. 6. For faith without love is worthless; indeed, it is not faith, but only an appearance of faith. Just as a face seen in a mirror is not a true face, but only an appearance of the face.

6 Fourth, we also need patience. For he who has faith, trusts in God and shows love toward his neighbor, and practices the same daily, cannot be without persecution, 2 Tim. 3:11, for the devil neither sleeps nor rests, but gives men enough to do. But persecution brings patience. For if I am not persecuted nor challenged, I know little to speak of patience. After that patience brings hope, Rom. 5, 4. which then freely surrenders and swings in God, and does not let itself be put to shame. And so, through many trials and persecutions, faith increases more and more, and

1) In the other imprint of 1523 probably better: "rich".

grows stronger day by day. Such a heart, in which faith thus increases and is endowed with such virtues, cannot rest nor abstain, but must in turn pour itself out and do good to its neighbor, as has been done and befallen it by God.

(7) Here, dear friends, not every man must do what he has a right to do, but must also forgive himself his right and see what is useful and beneficial for his brother, as St. Paul did, who wrote to the Corinthians: "I have all power, but not all profit to me," 1 Corinthians 6:12. 6:12, and then in chapter 9, vv. 19-23, he says: "Though I am free from all men, yet have I made myself the servant of all men, that I might gain much. To those who are under the law I became as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law. To those who are without law I have become as without law (though I am not without God's law, but am in the law of Christ), that I may win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I became all things to all men, that I might save some of all things. But these things do I for the gospel's sake, that I may be made partakers of its fellowship.

(8) In these words of Paul we are instructed how we, who have now received faith from God, are to conduct ourselves toward everyone, namely, to direct ourselves according to our neighbor's weakness. For we are not all equally strong in faith. I have a stronger faith than some of you. Some of you have stronger faith than I, and so it is a mixed thing among us. Yea, he that hath strong faith today may have it weak tomorrow; and again, he that hath weak faith today may have it strong tomorrow. Therefore we must not look to ourselves and our faith or fortune alone, but look to our neighbor, that we may conform ourselves to him, and not offend him with our liberty. So that I may tell you a gross similitude: If a man bear a sword, and be alone, he may bear the sword bare, or not bare; he may not bear it bare, but bear it alone.

12 Erl. 28,2W-SI2. l a. Luther's eight sermons against Carlstadt etc. W. xx, 12-15. 13

1) or not, there is little that matters; but when he is in the crowd or with children, he must be much more careful with the knife, so that he does not harm anyone. In the same way, we must keep our freedom so that we do not give anyone cause to take offense at us and our freedom. Let us not forget how God has borne and tolerated our weakness, even our unbelief, for a long time, and thus also bear patience with our neighbor, even if he cannot follow us so soon, even if he still struggles and lacks at times. Listen to how God cries out in the prophets that he carries his people like a mother carries her child, Isa. 46, 3. He feeds them like a nurse feeds the child. How does the mother feed or nourish her child? First she gives him milk, then porridge, then eggs, and so soft food, until the child is used to harder food and can eat cheese and bread from then on. For if the mother were first to give the child cheese and bread, roasted and boiled meat to eat and wine to drink, what would become of it?

(9) In the same way we should deal with our weak brothers, be patient with them for a while and suffer their weak faith, even give them milk and soft food at first, 1 Pet 2:2.As it has happened to us, until they also become strong; not snapping at them cruelly, but acting kindly and instructing and teaching them in all gentleness, so that we may not think of going to heaven alone; but seek to bring your brother with you. Even though they are now our enemies and do not have perfect faith, they will yet become our friends and let go of unbelief. If all mothers should reject their impure, shameless, unclean children, where do you think we would be? Dear brother, when you have suckled enough, do not cut off the teats immediately, but let your brother suckle as long as you have suckled.

(10) I say all this because I see that you have been lacking in this piece, and have been grossly-

1) Otherwise, the form "störzen" also occurs, i.e. to fall, to swing.

I would not have gone as far as I did if I had been here. I would not have taken it as far as it has gone if I had been here. The thing is good in itself, but the hurry is too fast. For on that side there are also brothers and sisters who belong to us; they still have to be brought here. Faith should stand firm and steadfast, but love must and may be guided, as one can see that it wants to be according to the neighbor's need.

11) Take a similitude: The sun has two things, the shine or brilliance, and the heat. There is no king so strong and mighty as to bend or direct the brightness and rays of the sun, for it cannot be directed, but remains fixed in its places; 2) but the heat directs itself, and yet is all about the sun. So faith must always remain fixed and immovable in our hearts, and must not depart from it nor waver; but love moves and is directed, according as our neighbor may understand and follow it. There are some who can run, some who can walk, but some who can hardly crawl. Therefore we must consider not our own ability but our brother's weakness and imperfection, so that he who is weak in faith, if he would follow the strong, may not be torn asunder by the devil.

Therefore, dear friends, follow me! I have never spoiled it; I was the first one whom God put on this plan; I cannot escape God, but must remain until it pleases God, my Lord; I was also the one whom God first revealed to preach and proclaim such His word to you. I am also certain that you have the pure, unadulterated word of God. Therefore, let us do well in this, and let us be careful to act on the same divine word with fear and humility, to lie under one another's feet, to join hands, to help one another, to counsel one another, and to do good to one another in all their needs, and to take care of one another's misfortunes, fears, hardships, and distresses as if they were our own.

2) Here "örtern" means to assign to a place, to put in a place.

(13) I will do mine own part in this, and speak my mind as I ought, and mine heartily to you, as I do to my soul; but if there be any that have better, and be revealed unto him more than unto me, I will submit my mind and understanding unto him, and will not set my mind above his head, but will follow him. But if it should be found that my opinion and understanding were right, I will not suffer anyone to set his head above my mind. Let us all work together in harmony, it will nevertheless cost us enough effort, if we are to remain with the pure, loud, righteous words of God. For we are not arguing here against the pope, bishops and worldly rulers, for these are coarse heads, which one can well recognize that they are mistaken and only pretend coarse things, which one can almost understand with reason, but we are arguing against the devil, against the spirits of wickedness under heaven, not against flesh and blood, as Paul says to the Ephesians in the 6th chapter, v. 12.

14 Therefore, dear friends, do not think that Satan is asleep and quiet; indeed, he attacks us in all places and with all cunning. He has many arts; if one does not go away, he soon has another; we are far too bad and simple for him; he is an artist of a thousand. He sees the true light of the gospel shining so clearly that he is not allowed to look him straight in the eye; therefore he would like to come to his side and try his salvation there, if he could tear in beside him; he will also do it, if we do not look diligent. For I know him well, and he also knows me well; but I hope that I am his master. But if we leave him only a foot's breadth, we may see to it that we are rid of him.

(15) For this reason all those who helped and permitted the mass to be done have erred, not that it was not good, but that it was not done properly. You say: It is right from the Scriptures. I also say it, but where is the order with it? For it was done in a sacrilege without all order, with offense to the neighbor. You should have earnestly asked God for it beforehand.

If you had prayed and taken the authorities, you would have known that it was because of God. I would have started it, too, if it had been good; but it will not suffer soon to throw away all evil things so suddenly and without order. Therefore, if it were not such an evil thing about the mass, I would again establish it, in spite of those who have handled it disorderly; for I do not know how to defend or maintain that you have done well in this; I have just told you.

(16) Before the papists and before the rude heads I could well do it, for I would speak: What do you know whether it was done in a good spirit or in an evil spirit, since the work is good in itself? But before the devil I do not know how to dispute it; for if the devil will reproach those who have started this game with these sayings or the like when they die: "All plants that my heavenly Father has not planted will be cut down," Matth. 15:13, or the one from the prophet Jeremiah: "I did not send the prophets, yet they walked; I spoke nothing to them, yet they preached and prophesied," Jer. 23:21, how will they survive? They will certainly have to go to hell. But I will hold a cannon 1) in front of the devil's nose, so that even the wide world will become too narrow for him, for I know and am certain that I did not accept my preaching ministry of my own accord, nor did I intrude, but was called upon to do so, and was also chosen to preach here against my will. 2)

17 Therefore you have done wrong, that you have begun such a game without my command and consent, and have not also asked me beforehand.

(18) I have not been so far from you that you could ever have reached me with writings, for it is not the least bit;

1) In the other edition of 1523, instead of "Sprütze" it says "Spitze", which seems to us to be a better reading.

2) For several years, Luther had been entrusted with the preaching office at the parish church of the city of Wittenberg, to help the sickly Simon Heinz from Brück, brother of Chancellor Brück. He died in 1522, and only in 1523 Bugenhagen became his successor, next to whom Luther also preached frequently.

It would have been worthwhile if you had sent to me for this. If you want to sow something thoughtlessly and out of a sacrilege, and I should answer for it afterwards, that would be too difficult for me, I will not do it. All this shows that you do not have the Spirit, even though you have a high knowledge of the Scriptures. There is a great difference between these two things: "must be" and "be free. For "must be" is that which necessity demands, and must exist unsteadily, as there is faith; which I will not let be taken from me nor overthrown, but must always have in my heart and freely confess before everyone. But "to be free" is that which I have freely, and may use it or let it stand, so that my neighbor, and not I, has the benefit of it. Therefore do not make "being free" into "having to be," as you have now done, lest you should have to give account for those who are tempted by your uncharitable freedom. For if you tempt someone to eat meat on Friday, and he is challenged because of this in mortal distress, and thus thinks, "O woe is me, that I have eaten meat and cannot stand!

(19) I would have started many things, since not a few would have followed me; but what is the use? For I know [that] those who have started such things, when it comes to the meeting, as you now see, that they cannot stand, indeed [would be] the first to resign. Dear, how would it stand if I brought the bunch on the plan, and I [,who had been] the first, had stopped the others, and wanted to flee from it myself and not wait for death happily: ei, how should the poor bunch be deceived! Therefore let us also give milk to the others, as has happened to us, until they also become strong in the faith. For there are still many of them who fall to us in other things, and would gladly praise and accept these things also, but they cannot yet well understand; all of them we drive back with such impudent impetuosity. We must not forget our love for our neighbor, but always keep it in mind and judge all things by it. If we will

If we do not do this, our being will not stand. We must be patient for a while with those who are still weak in faith and not reject them. How much more should we do and leave it, if love requires it and does not harm our faith! Therefore I say and warn you faithfully: if we do not earnestly ask God and send ourselves right into the matter, then the game looks to me that all the misery, which the papists started from us, will come upon us. Therefore, I could not stay outside any longer, but I had to come and tell you this. That's enough about the mass; tomorrow we will talk a little more about it and also about the pictures.

The second sermon.

On the Monday after the Sunday Invocavit.

Dear friends! Yesterday you heard what pieces a Christian man should have in him, namely how the whole Christian life and being is "to believe" and "to love". Faith is directed toward God, but love is directed toward man and neighbor, so that we show ourselves in love toward man by doing good, by counseling, by helping, as we have received good and help from God without our merit and work, in vain, out of pure grace and mercy.

(2) Now there are two things which a Christian man should and must respect. The one that is necessary, namely that it must be done in this way and not otherwise; the other that is free and unnecessary, which may or may not be kept without danger to the faith and the souls' salvation. In these two things, love must act with one's neighbor as God has done for us, and thus walk the right road and not fall either to the left or to the right.

(3) In the things that must be or are necessary, such as believing in Christ, love nevertheless acts in such a way that it does not force, nor is it too severe. As, the mass is an evil thing and God is its enemy, in that it is done as if it were a sacrifice and meritorious work; therefore, it is not a sacrifice and meritorious work.

they must be done. Here is no questioning or doubting, as little as you should ask whether God is to be worshipped. Although we are now in complete agreement in this matter, since the special masses must and should be stopped, as I also wrote about them and wanted them to be stopped throughout the world, and only the common evangelical mass to be kept; nevertheless, love should not be strict in this matter and tear down these masses by force. Let it be preached, written, and proclaimed that the mass held in this way is sinful. But no one is to be torn away from it by the hair, but one is to give it home to God and let his word work alone, without our doing or works. Why? Because I do not have the hearts of men in my hand, as the potter has the clay, to work with them according to my pleasure, as God has the hearts of all men in his hand, to convert them or to harden them, Jer. 18:6, Rom. 9:21. I cannot go further with the word than into the ears; I cannot go into the heart. Since faith cannot be poured into the heart, no one can or should be forced or compelled to do so, for God alone does this and makes the word alive in the hearts of men when and where He wills, according to His divine knowledge and good pleasure. Therefore, let the word go freely and do not add our works to it. We have jus verbi, and not executionem, that is, we are to preach the word, but the consequence is to be placed in the service of God.

(4) If then I fall, and will forcibly put away such abuse of the masses, there are many of them that must enter into it, and yet know not how they are, whether it be right or wrong; saying then: I do not know what my position is; I have had to follow the congregation, the crowd and the congregation; they have an erroneous, restless conscience, which they can hardly get rid of. And out of the compulsory commandment alone a mirror fencing, an outward being, a monkey play and a human statute; from it then shining saints, hypocrites and gleamers come. For there is no heart, no faith, nor love. Where these three pieces

If you don't come up with a work that is as right and good as you want it to be, then nothing will come of it; I didn't want to give a pear stem to it.

5 The people's hearts must be seen for the first time, which is what happens when I preach God's word, preach the gospel, proclaim to the people their error, and say: "Dear lords, dear priests, dear papists, leave the mass; it is not right for you to keep the mass, you sin in it and anger God with it; that is what I want to have said to you. But I did not want to make a statute for them, nor did I want to insist on a common order. Whoever wanted to follow, followed; whoever did not want to, remained outside.

If one did this, the word would fall into the heart of one person today, and into the heart of another tomorrow, and would have such an effect that one would have to give himself up as a prisoner and consider himself guilty that he had erred in this, and would go and fall from the mass by himself. Thus God worked more with His word than if you and I and the whole world melted all power into one heap. For with the word God takes the heart; when the heart is taken, you have already won the man. Then the thing must at last fall from itself and cease.

(7) But when all the mind and spirit are united, and all things become one at the same time, so that there is no more weakness, then do away with that which is not right. But if all mind and heart are not yet there, then let God rule; then I beg you, for you do no good.

(8) I do not say this to restore the mass, but leave it in God's name; because it has fallen, let it fall. Only this must be respected and preached at all times, so that faith will not be trapped or bound, nor will it be constrained to any work by any order. Then follow this and no other. With such storms and violence you will not lead it out, you will see. And if ye therefore tarry, and will not be led, know that I will not stand with you; I will also beseech you. What harm can it do you, if you stay for a while with

Do you have patience with such outward things? Do you have pure and strong faith in God, so that this thing cannot harm you? Love requires that you have compassion on the weak until they also increase in faith and become stronger. This is what all the apostles did. Paul, when he came to Athens, a mighty city, found altars built in the temple, and went from one to another, beholding them all, and all the idolatry thereof; but he touched none of them with his foot, but stood in the midst of the place, and told the people that it was a vain idolatrous thing. And when the word had taken hold of their hearts, the idols themselves fell away, and all idolatry was consumed from themselves, without all violence and without all tempest. Apost. 17, 22-34.

(9) So it should have been done here also. If I had seen that the priests had held mass, I would have preached and admonished that it was blasphemy and that God would be greatly angered by it. If they had complied, I would have won them over; but if not, I would not have torn them away by the hair and by force, but would have let the Word act and prayed for them. For the Word created heaven and earth and all things, Genesis 1:1, Psalm 33:6; the same Word must do it here, and not we poor sinners.

Summa Summarum: I will preach it, I will say it, I will write it, but I will not force anyone, because faith wants to be accepted willingly and without coercion.

11 Take me as an example. I have opposed the pope, the indulgence and all papists, but with no violence, with no sacrilege, with no storming, but with the word of God alone I have driven, preached and written; otherwise I have done nothing at all. That same word, when I have been asleep or in good spirits, has accomplished so much that the papacy has become so weak and powerless that no prince or emperor has ever been able to break off so much. I have not done it; the few words preached and shouted by me

I have done all this and acted accordingly. Even if I had driven into this with violence and mischief, I should probably have started such a game that Germany would have come into great bloodshed. But what would it have been? It would have been a fool's game and a ruin of body and soul. I sat quietly and let the word act.

(12) What do you think that the devil thinks when such a thing is done with rumor? He sits behind hell and thinks, "Oh, how the fools will make such a fine game for me! That is how I would have it; I will get my share from this booty; so let them continue; this is just a game for me in which I take pleasure. The devil is not greatly harmed by such storms, but he is frightened when we do the word and let it work alone; it is all-powerful and takes hearts captive. When the heart is captured, the work must fall away from itself and go to ruins.

013 There were also sects in time past among the Jews and Gentiles concerning the law of Moses, and especially concerning circumcision: some would keep the law, and some would not. Then Paul came and preached that people should keep the Law of Moses or not, for there was no power in it, and they should not be forced to keep it, but should be free to do so, and there was no danger in keeping it or not.

14 This lasted until the time of Jerome, who came and wanted to make it an obligation, wanted to put it into an order and statute and force it to be done away with. Then Augustine came, and was also of the same opinion as Saint Paul, and said: one should keep it, or not keep it. St. Jerome was probably a hundred miles from St. Paul's opinion. There, the two Doctors ran very hard with their heads together, and no one wanted to give way to the other. But now that Augustine had died, Jerome brought it to the point that it had to be stopped. After that came the popes, who also wanted to do something about it, and made laws; then many thousands of laws grew out of the one law, so that they have now overwhelmed us with laws.

(15) So it will be here also, if one wants to grasp the thing with laws. For one law soon makes two, two make three, and so on, so that in the end there would be no end to the laws. That is enough for this time. Let us only take care, dear friends, that we do not confuse or deceive the weak consciences with our iniquities, for which Christ also died, as well as for our sake, as St. Paul clearly teaches to the Romans, Cap. 14, 1.

The third sermon.

On the Tuesday after the Sunday Invocavit.

(1) We have now heard, dear friends, the things that must be, and that are necessary, which must be done, that and no other; but that one must do away with the angular or special masses, which are against God. For I mean that all works must be done which are commanded or forbidden by God, and which the high majesty of God has thus decreed to be done. But besides this, you have also heard that no one is to be dragged to or from it by the hair, but to let the word preach and work freely, without our interference, where it should and will. For I cannot drive any man to heaven, or beat him with knuckles [there]. That, I think, is said roughly enough; I also think you have understood it well enough, and I hope you will do the same.

Now follow the things that are unnecessary and left free by God, which one may or may not keep; such as becoming married, removing images, becoming monks and nuns, monks and nuns leaving the monasteries, eating meat and not eating on Fridays, and what such things are more. These things are all free and need not be forbidden by anyone; but if they are forbidden, it is wrong, for it is against God's order. Yes, St. Paul calls it the doctrine of the devil and of the end of Christ, 1st Epistle to Timothy 4, v. 1, 2, 3, where he says: "But the Spirit clearly says that in the last times some will depart from the faith and follow false spirits and doctrines.

of the devil, through those who are liars in glibness, and have brands in their consciences, and forbid to marry, and to shun the food which God has created, to take with thanksgiving the faithful, and those who know the truth."

(3) Now in those things which are free, which may or may not be done, keep thyself thus: If thou canst keep such things without burdening thy conscience, keep them always; but if thou canst not, let it stand, lest thou fall into greater burden. Here no common commandment need be made, but each one should be free to accept or not to accept. As if a priest, monk or nun cannot abstain, but has a desire for the conjugal life, he or they may freely become conjugal, so that the consciences may be advised, 'and no commandment or prohibition shall be made to them in this.

4 But you must see to it that you are prepared and armed, so that you can stand before God and before the world when you are challenged on this account, especially at death and in the deathbed before the devil. It is not enough that you would say: This one and that one did it; my neighbor eats meat on Friday, therefore I also ate it; everyone does so now, therefore I also do it; I followed the common crowd, and what are the more unstable, unfounded words. That you wanted to say: This or that preacher 1) has preached it; it does not apply, does not hold the sting; the devil does not turn to it either. Yes, if you are not more certain and better equipped than with such weak armor, then you have already lost. In this case, everyone must stand up for himself and be prepared in the strongest possible way to fight against the devil. You must base yourself on a bright, clear, strong saying of the Scriptures, by which you can stand. For if you do not have such a saying, it is not possible for you to stand; the devil will snatch you away as the wind snatches away a dry leaf.

1) In the other edition: "I followed the common crowd, when the provost, Doctor Carlstadt, Gabriel [Zwilling] or Michael preached to us."

(5) Therefore, whichever priests have taken wives, and whichever nuns have married, they must have for themselves a certain saying from the Scriptures, upon which they may plead against the devil and against the world, which will not leave such divine work unchallenged. And especially may they remember this saying of St. Paul, which we have told above, that the devil's doctrine is to forbid marriage and to forbid food. The devil will not overthrow or eat this saying; indeed, he will be eaten and overthrown by this saying.

-Now, if any priest, monk or nun finds himself too weak to keep chastity and wants to become married, let him look at his conscience. If his heart and conscience are so strengthened that it can stand, and be sure that it is not against God, he can become married with a good conscience and a happy heart. If God wanted all monks and nuns to have this understanding, and if they all ran away from the monasteries, and if all monasteries in the whole world ceased to exist, that would be my wish and my heartfelt desire. But now they do not have the understanding (because no one preaches it to them) and from hearing that others run away from the monasteries, they also go out, and because of that, that others become married, they also take wives and husbands, without reason and with an unsteady conscience, that is evil. For they follow them that are strong, and well armed with the sayings of the scriptures; but they are unarmed, and know not that it is free. Therefore it is trouble with such people. But it is better to have an evil conscience outside than in the monasteries, for one can help the same poor people before the others.

7 So this is the summa of it in short words: What God has made free, that shall remain free. But if someone bequeaths it to you, as the pope did, the end-Christ, you shall not follow him. But whoever can do or not do something without harming himself, why would he not do it? I may well wear a cap or plate for the love and service of my neighbor, if only it does me no harm to my faith. So, dear friends, it has been said clearly enough, and I think you should now understand that you should not make a commandment out of freedom, and not

so soon conclude and judge: This priest has taken a wife, therefore all priests must take wives. Not yet! The monk, this nun has left the monastery, therefore they all must leave. Not yet! He has burned the images, that one has broken the crucifixes, therefore we must all burn and break. Not yet! Again, if I were to say: The priest has no wife, therefore no priest must have no wife, nor become married. Not yet! For they that cannot keep chastity take wives; but they that can keep chastity, it is good for them to abstain, and to be without wives: for such men live in the spirit, and not in the flesh.

(8) Nor shall monks and nuns dispute the vows they have made, vowing chastity, obedience and poverty. For we cannot vow anything against God's word. 1) God has made it free to become married or not, and you fool dare to make a vow out of this freedom against God's order. Therefore, let it remain a freedom and do not make it a compulsion. Vows or not, vows or not, they are not valid here, because they are against God's commandment and order. Such vows are as much as if I vowed to hit my father in the mouth or to take someone's property. Do you think God would be pleased with that? As little as I should keep a vow to strike my father in the mouth or to take another's, so little should I keep chastity by vow, for God has decreed otherwise on both sides.

(9) Likewise, God has decreed that it is free to eat fish or meat, and there shall be no commandment or prohibition here. Therefore, all Carthusians, all monks, nuns and all those who are under the pope's laws, step away from God's order and from the freedom that God has given them. But they know nothing to say about this freedom, but stand on their human statutes and rules; they think that if they ate meat, they would be lost.

1) So in the old edition of Walch. In the Eisleben edition: "Gebot", which does not fit here.

restrains. Thus it is to be understood of all things that God has left free, where there is no public commandment or prohibition; therein every man must keep himself, that he offend not his neighbor, neither act contrary to his faith and conscience.

We must also say a little of the images.

(10) As for the images, they are unnecessary; but it is left free to have them or not to have them. Although it would be better if we had none of these images at all, for the sake of the tiresome misuse and unbelief. A great dispute arose about the images between an emperor and the pope. 1) The emperor wanted that there should be no image, but the pope said that they must be; and finally this deal was broken with great bloodshed. But they both failed, in that they made a must out of that which God had left free. Dear, do not let yourself think more than the high divine majesty. If God had wanted to make a commandment or a prohibition out of it, he could have done it. Because he has left it free, why do you want to be so bold and make a commandment or prohibition against God's freedom?

11 Yes, said the same iconoclasts, in the 2nd book of Moses it is written: "You shall not make for yourself an image or any likeness, either of what is in heaven above or of what is on the earth beneath, or of what is in the water under the earth," Ex 20:4. Behold, they say, these are clear, bright words, by which the images are forbidden. I know it well, dear friends, that this is their reason, but they will not harm us with this text. For if we look at the first commandment and the whole opinion of the same text, this is the mind and opinion of Moses, that we should worship only One God, and no image, as is also clearly stated in the text that soon follows, v. 5: "Do not worship or serve them." Therefore one should say to the same iconoclasts: Worship is forbidden here,

1) Leo III, the Isaurian (717-741), and Pope Gregory II. (715-731).

and not the making. I may well have or make pictures, but I should not worship them.

012 And if they say, It is clearly written, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image; say thou, It is clearly written, Thou shalt not worship them. Summa, they only deal with the fact that they make us uncertain and wavering over this text. But who will be so bold in such wavering as this, and go and break down the images? Not I. Noah, Abraham, Jacob and other patriarchs have built altars to the Lord. Moses set up a bronze serpent in the desert, Numbers 21:9, who himself forbade not to make an image. Is a snake not also an image? What do the iconoclasts have to say about this? Item, were there also two cherubim with wings made over the mercy seat in the temple, at the very place where God alone wanted to be sought and worshipped, Ex. 25, 8-20. Are these not also images? How can you be so bold as to freely conclude from this text that the images should be stormed and torn down?

(13) Therefore we must confess and conclude that we may make and have images, but not worship them. But if there be any images which we would worship, let those images be broken, and taken down; yet not with a tempest and an outrage, but let the authorities command it to be done. This is what King Ezekiel did when he broke the bronze serpent that Moses had set up. 2 Kings 18:4.

14 If the iconoclasts were so bold as to say: Yes, they also worshipped the images, therefore we are also caused, like the king Ezechias, to tear down and break the images. So they would have to answer: "Are you the man who can blame us for having worshipped the images? How can you see into our heart? How can you know whether we have worshipped them or not? Above this answer they must fall silent. That is why we have made a big mistake here and have gone too far with iconoclasm. There is another way to outline images. It should be preached that images are nothing, and that one does not serve God by them.

would do, if one aligned images. If one had done so to him, the images would have passed away and perished by themselves.

(15) So Paul did in Athens, as ye have heard. He went into the temple and looked at all their idols and images, but he did not go and break them or strike them on the mouth, but stood in the middle of the square and punished the Athenians for their superstition and idolatry. He preached against idolatry, but he did not tear down any image by force. But you want to go and tear down the altars without any preaching, demolish the images and cause much turmoil. Not yet, for you will not destroy the images; indeed, you will raise them up stronger and stronger in this way. If you storm the images right here in Wittenberg, do you think they will be overthrown all over the world? Not yet! St. Paul, as it says in the Histories of the Apostles Cap. 28, 11, once sailed in a ship with the twins Castor and Pollux, two idols, painted on a banner. He did not allow himself to be challenged, did not ask for them to be torn down, did not ask anything about them, but always continued, leaving them standing as they were.

16 From all this you should know that no outward thing can harm the faith, nor can it cause any harm; but care must be taken that the heart is not attached to outward things, nor does it dare to be attached to them. We must preach and say this and let the word (as heard) take effect. For this must first capture and enlighten the heart. We are not the ones who should or can do it; it takes another power and authority. That is why the apostles boast in their writings only of the ministry (ministrrii), 1) and not of the execution (executionis). Let us leave it at that and call upon God for mercy.

The fourth sermon.

On the Wednesday after the Sunday Invocavit.

These days, dear friends, we have heard of the things that are necessary and must be done, such as that the mass be celebrated for

1) The two bracketed Latin words are inserted from the other edition.

not to hold any sacrifice, and what is contrary to God's word, and is done and performed with vexation of conscience contrary to faith, that one should consider all these things to be necessary to do away with and to forbear. After this we have also spoken of some things which are unnecessary, which do not urge any necessity, but should be free, such as abstaining from married life, from monasticism and nunnery, and from images. So far we have dealt with these four things and said that love should be the captain and master in them.

(2) And especially of the images I have spoken next, that they should be removed when they are worshipped; otherwise they may well be suffered. Although I would like the images to be removed throughout the world for the sake of the grievous abuse, which no one can deny. For if someone has an image placed in the church, he soon thinks that he is doing God a service and good in it, and that he has done a good work, so that he may earn something from God, which is really idolatry. This is the greatest and most noble reason why the images should be removed. But you have not used this cause, but a much lesser one, namely, that if a man had an image, he would hold it like the image; as if a man had a crucifix, he would hold it no differently than if it were Christ, God, and man himself, and the like. These are very small causes. For I believe that there is no one here who has the gross, senseless mind to think that this crucifix is my Christ and my God, but he thinks it is only a sign that he remembers the Lord Christ and his suffering. But the world is full of the other abuse. For who would place a wooden, let alone a silver or gold image in the church, if he did not intend to do God a service by it? Do you also think that princes, bishops and other great merchants would have allowed so many more precious, silver and gold images to be placed in churches and monasteries, if they did not think that it should count for something before God? Yes, they would have let it be.

3 This cause would not be sufficient yet,

to overthrow, destroy and burn all images. For there are still many people who do not have this opinion, but can and know how to use the images well; although these people are still few. Therefore we cannot condemn it, nor should we condemn it so soon as any man may yet use it. But this would have been the right way, as it was also said next, that one would have preached that the images were nothing, God did not ask anything about them, one would also do God no service nor pleasure with them, if all corners were made full of images, of silver or of gold, and that it would be better to help poor people with such money, than to put many images according to this opinion, since God has commanded that, but not this. If princes, bishops and other people had heard such things, the images would have fallen away from themselves without any fuss or commotion and would have perished, as it had already happened in Schwang.

(4) Therefore we must be careful, for the devil seeks us through his apostles most earnestly and acutely, and must not so soon, when there is an abuse of a thing, that we want to overthrow or destroy that same thing. For if we were to reject everything that is misused, what kind of a game would we be playing? There are many people who worship the sun, the moon, and the stars; shall we therefore go and cast the stars out of heaven, and cast down the sun and the moon? Yes, we will probably leave it.

(5) Wine and women are a source of misery and heartache to many, and they make fools and mad men of many; shall we therefore pour out the wine and kill the women? Not so. Gold and silver, money and goods cause much evil among men; shall we therefore throw them all away?

No, truly. Yes, if we wanted to drive out our nearest enemy, who is most harmful to us, we would have to drive out and kill ourselves. For we have no enemy more harmful than our own heart; as the prophet Jeremiah says Cap. 17:9: "The human heart is crooked," or, as I put it, "The human heart is not good.

German, wicked and odd, which is always receding to the side. Dear, what would we do if we did that to him? We would not do anything good, but turn everything around to the bottom and the top, The devil is certainly there, but we do not see it. Someone must have good money if one wants to make the devil black, because he also wants to be beautiful when he is invited to church mass.

7) So one must roast him 1) and saw. So speak, and ask one who has many images made: Tell me, my dear, is this why you put the images in the churches, so that you think you are doing God a service and good in them? If he says yes, as he must certainly say yes, you can soon conclude from this and say that he has made idolatry out of it, has thus misused the image and done that which God has not commanded; but he has neglected God's commandment, namely, that he should have helped the poor with it, which he has not done. Yes, he says, I can still give to the poor, Marc. 14, 7. and also have pictures made; what have I lost? To this you answer: that it is impossible, if he believes it with all his heart, that he is not doing God any service or favor by his image-making, that he would let any such great expense go to it; he would rather give a poor man a florin or two than spend fifty, sixty, a hundred florins and even more on a useless thing. But with this I cannot yet sufficiently argue that therefore the images should not be, or that they should be broken and torn down. Therefore we must conclude and leave it at that, that the images are neither otherwise nor so, neither good nor evil, but let it be free to have them or not to have them, only that the belief or delusion is that we do no service nor pleasure to God with our image-making.

The devil has taken something from you here that he should not have taken from me, namely,

1) The word "beröhsten" occurs only here. Dietz in his dictionary says: "The sense is: to present captious questions." Should it not rather be: to warm someone up, to corner him?

that we must let the images be free, since we must confess that there are ever people, or can be invented, who make good use of the images. Yes, if there were only one on the whole earth who did not misuse them, the devil could say against me: "Why do you condemn that which can still be well used? He has attained defiance, and I must admit it; he would not have attained it by a long shot if I had been here. In his arrogance and defiance, he has won a great deal from us. Although it brings no harm to the word of God.

(9) You wanted to make the devil black, but you forgot the coals and took chalk for the coals. Therefore, if we want to fight with the devil, we must be careful to use the Scriptures well; that is enough.

[From dishes.]

(10) Now let us go on and say a little about the eating of meat, how one should keep oneself inside. It is true, dear friends, that we are free and masters of all food, be it meat, fish or butter, and may eat and use it as we please without distinction; no one can ever deny this, for God has given us this freedom, and it is certainly true. But we must know how to use our freedom properly, and how to behave differently toward the weak and differently toward the stubborn. Therefore, be careful how you use this freedom.

(11) First, if you cannot spare it without harming yourself, or if you are sick, you may eat what you desire, whoever is angry with it; and even if the whole world is angry with it, you do not sin against it. For God may well credit thee, considering his liberty with which he hath endowed thee, and thy need, in that thou canst not spare it without danger to thy health.

12. secondly: If anyone would urge you, as the pope has done with his foolish laws, not to eat meat on Friday, but to eat meat on Sunday.

Fish; likewise, in fasting, eat fish, and not meat, or eggs, or butter, or not eat them, and so on: thou shalt not in any way be forced from thy liberty which God has given thee, but shalt defy them and speak freely: Yes, for this very reason that you forbid me to eat meat, and you dare to make a commandment out of my freedom, I will eat it in defiance of you. And so shalt thou do in all other things that are free. Take another example: If the pope or someone else wanted to force me to wear the cap, that and no other; then I would take off the cap in defiance of him, God grant that he would laugh or look angry about it, even if he became furious and nonsensical, mad and foolish about it. For what God does not command me to do, and what I am free to do or not to do, no man, no devil, nor any angel shall make any commandment of it for me, even if it costs life and limb.

(13) Thirdly, there are some who are still weak in faith, who would be wise, and would gladly believe as we do; but their uncertainty alone hinders them. And if this had been preached to them, as it has been to us, praise God, so abundantly and clearly, they would be at one with us in these matters, and would not take offense at anything.

(14) We must behave much differently toward such kind-hearted people than toward the stiff-necked. We should be patient with them and abstain from our freedom, since it brings us no harm or danger, neither to body nor soul; indeed, it is beneficial to us and does our neighbor great good and good. But if we want to use our freedom for our neighbor's annoyance, we drive back the one who would like to come to our faith in time.

015 So did St. Paul when he circumcised Timothy. For when the Jews were angry and simple-minded, Paul said, "What harm can it do if they are angry because they are foolish? 16:3, and he also had him circumcised. But since the Antiochians

When they insisted that he should circumcise Titum, he stood up to them all, and in spite of them he did not circumcise Titum.

(16) In the same way St. Paul did again at Antioch with St. Peter, because Peter by his liberty drove an evil mind and delusion into the simple hearts, so that when he came to the Gentiles, he ate with them what they had, pork, and what was put before him, sparing nothing, using his liberty openly. But when some of the Jews came to Antioch, he withdrew and separated himself, not wanting to eat all kinds of food with the Gentiles as before. Then the Gentiles who had recently come to faith thought: We don't have to eat pork, we don't have to eat all kinds of food like the Jews, we have to keep the law with them; so they had a big conscience about a small thing. When Paul became aware that Peter had brought such distress and anger into the simple, weak hearts of the Gentiles, 1) and feared that such a deal would bring great harm to evangelical liberty, he spoke harshly to Peter, read him an old 2) lection and said to him publicly in front of everyone: "If you, who are a Jew, live a Gentile life and not a Jewish life, why do you force the Gentiles to live a Jewish life?

(17) From this history you should learn that we should use our freedom in due and convenient time, so that nothing may be taken away from Christian freedom and no trouble may be caused to our brothers and sisters who are still weak and ignorant of this freedom. That is enough of it.

The fifth sermon.

On the Thursday after the Sunday Invocavit.

[Of Sacrament.]

(1) We have now heard of the things that are necessary, such as that the mass should not be taken as a sacrifice, because it is contrary to faith. Likewise you have heard of

1) So put by us instead of "Jews", which seems to us to be wrong.

2) Maybe "hard" ?

the things that are unnecessary and free; as when the monks and nuns run away from the monasteries; of the marriage of the priests, and of the images, how one should keep oneself in the things, so that one does not make any compulsion out of it, nor pull anyone away with the hair, but we should let God's word alone act in this. Now let us see from the reverend sacrament how one should conduct oneself in it.

(2) You have often heard me preach against the foolish laws of the pope concerning this sacrament. Among other things, he commanded that no woman should wash the cloth on which Christ's body had been placed, even if it were a pure consecrated nun, unless a priest or monk had washed it first. Even if a layman touched the body of Christ or the chalice with his bare hands, his fingers would have to be circumcised, or his skin rubbed off with a brick, and what more foolish laws there are under the papacy. The papists have made them more conscience-stricken about this than about their fornication and blasphemy, which have been so public against God and so bright in the day that even the children in the street have sung about it. I have preached enough of this, and thus revealed and made known that there were no sins in these foolish, foolish laws of the pope, and that a layman did not sin if he touched the body of Christ and the chalice even with his bare hands.

(3) Above such preaching and on account of this understanding, you should have thanked God, because you have ever come to the knowledge that many excellent, great people have not been given. So now you go on and do something as foolish as the pope, in that you think it is necessary to attack the sacrament with your hands, and you want to be good Christians in this and with this. You have grossly transgressed in this matter and have acted too freely with this precious treasure, so that it is no wonder that God would have punished you immediately. God could have tolerated everything else, but to act so freely with this piece, He cannot and will not tolerate, in that you have made a compulsion and a mean order,

that each one of you should bring and attack the Sacrament, the Body and Blood of Christ, even with his hands, so thirstily and so freely, without all shyness and fear. And if you will not desist from this piece, no emperor, nor king, nor anyone else may drive me from here; I will run myself, undriven by you. I may well and freely say that none of my enemies, although they have done me much evil, has done me so much harm as you, my friends, with this one piece. You have hit me right in this.

4 If you want to be good Christians and boast that you touch the sacrament, the body of Christ, with your hands, the Jews, Herod and Pilate would have been the best Christians; I mean, they touched the body of Christ. No, dear friends, no! This is not the way. The kingdom of God does not stand in external things that can be grasped and felt, but in faith and power.

005 Yea, sayest thou that we live, and that we should live according to the scriptures: so hath Christ appointed that we should receive it with our hands. For he hath spoken: Take ye and eat, this is my body: and the disciples took it with their hands: why should not we also take it with our hands? Answer: Although I consider it undoubted and certain that the disciples attacked the body of the Lord with their hands, admit that you also may do it without sin: but to steer and insist greatly on it, that I do not know. For if the devil, as he seeks us, shall speak: Where did you read in the Scriptures that "to take" means to attack with the hands? how will I prove and maintain it? Yes, how will I meet him when he holds up to me the contradiction from Scripture, and proves that "to take" does not only mean to receive with the hands, but to bring something to oneself in another way? as when John writes, how those who crucified the Lord gave him vinegar to drink, he says, "When Jesus had taken the vinegar," John 19:30. Here you must confess that Christ did not attack the sponge with his hands, for he was

nailed to the cross. What do I want to say against that? I have to give myself captive there and am decided, so that I have to allow, I want or do not want, that "to take" does not only mean to receive something with the hands, but also to bring it to me by other means, as it may happen.

(6) Therefore, dear friends, if we are going to do such things, or things like them, we must stand on a certain ground, that we may be able to keep ourselves from the devil's offense. I do not say that you have sinned by attacking the body of Christ with your hands, but still you have not done a good work, because the whole world is angry about this piece. For this custom is in all Christendom, that the reverend Sacrament should be received by the hands of the priest. Why then will you not serve the weak believers in this and abstain, even if you had the power and were free to take it with your hands and attack it yourself? since it brings you no piety if you do it, nor any harm if you neglect it.

(7) Therefore, we must be careful not to teach any new thing contrary to old and praiseworthy customs, unless the gospel has been thoroughly preached and taught beforehand, and unless it has been grasped and believed. Therefore, dear friends, let us act carefully and wisely in these matters, because they concern God. For God does not like to be scolded in His matters. 1) Deal with other outward things as you will: let our Lord God be content with what is His, and believe His words with simplicity. Therefore refrain from this abuse and order; this is my faithful counsel and diligent plea.

(8) Let us also say a little about both forms of the reverend Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ. Although I certainly believe that it is necessary to take this sacrament in both forms, according to the institution of Christ our dear Lord, as clearly described by the three evangelists and St. Paul, nevertheless, one should as soon as possible

1) i.e. joke.

And suddenly make no compulsion of it, and put it into a common order, until every man be well instructed every where beforehand, lest the weak of faith be offended in this; but the word be practiced, exercised, and preached, and after that the consequence of the word be put in secret, and GOtte command it until his time. For if this is not done, then it becomes an outward work and a gilding. And that is what the devil wants. But if he lets the word go freely and does not bind it to any work, it touches one person today and another tomorrow; it falls into the heart and captures the hearts; then it goes on so that one does not notice how it was begun.

(9) It was written to me that some here had begun to take the sacrament under both forms. I was glad to hear that, and so you should have let it remain and continued gradually and not have brought it into any common order or compulsion. But now you are going, burdi, burdi! and want to go through with your head, want to force everyone to do it and push. There you are missing, dear friends. For if you want to be seen as good Christians, that you touch the sacrament with your hands and take it under both forms, then you are real Christians to me. By the same token, an unreasonable animal could be a Christian.

(10) Therefore, dear friends, do neatly in these high things; there is no reproach here. Let us look to the weak and to others who shall also come to us, whom we all chase back with such iniquities and storms. Dear friends, do not hurry, lest the devil lead us astray, as he has in mind. I may well say that I have never received such heartache from all my enemies as from you, my friends, with whom I should have had support and comfort (so many people in authority). Well, God will still send everything for the best, if you only want to do so and desist from this abuse and storms; as I am completely sure that you will do. That is enough for this time. Tomorrow we will deal with it further.

The sixth sermon.

On the Friday after the Sunday Invocavit.

So far we have dealt with the main things, and now we have come to the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, of which we said a little yesterday; but today we want to say a little more about how one should conduct oneself in this, and which are and belong to the reception of the sacrament.

First of all, it is necessary that your heart and conscience understand that there is a great difference between the outward reception of the sacrament and the inward or spiritual reception. The bodily and outward reception is when I receive the body of Christ and his blood outwardly with my mouth. And such a reception can happen without faith and love by all men; but this reception does not make a Christian. For this can be done by bad or good men, and it would be a bad thing to be a Christian if it were done by this.

(3) But the inward, spiritual, and right reception of the sacrament is much different. For it consists not only in the bodily reception of the body and blood of Christ, but in the exercise and fruits of this reception by faith. We Christians have no outward sign to set us apart from other peoples except this sacrament and baptism. But without faith the outward reception of these sacraments is nothing; faith must be present and make the outward reception skillful, and show us 1) before God; otherwise it is a mere mirror fencing and an outward being, in which Christianity does not stand, but in faith stands Christianity, which is not bound to any outward work, nor does it want to be bound. But faith is directed to this and stands in it, if we want to receive this sacrament worthily in any other way, that we must firmly believe that Christ is the Son of God and the only atonement for our sin, who is our sin.

1) Instead of "indicate," the other redaction is "pleasant," which seems to us to be the better reading.

and iniquity upon his own neck, and on the cross made atonement for them by his death and suffering, and paid them off to the Father, and now stand before God without ceasing, and reconcile us before the Father, be our mediator and advocate, and make us a gracious, merciful, kind Father, who will forgive us our sins, and remember them no more, through this his only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; and that this Son has instituted this sacrament, his body and blood, to confirm and confirm our faith, and has commanded us to receive and enjoy it.

(4) He who has faith belongs to this place and is qualified to receive this sacrament, the body and blood of Christ. Neither sin nor death, neither hell nor hell itself, can harm such a person who firmly believes this and is sure of it. For God is my protection and restraint, Ps. 73, 23. ff. If I have that, in spite of all sin, in spite of death, in spite of hell, in spite of all devils, that they harm me, yes, bend any hair; for God fights for me, protects and shields me, that they cannot harm me, yes, [their attempts] must, against their will, serve them to great harm. This is the high, delicious, exuberant treasure that is given and bestowed upon us in Christ, which no man can reach with words, nor can any human heart comprehend; faith alone must grasp it.

(5) But not all men have such faith, therefore no common order should be made out of this sacrament, as the pope has done with his mad, foolish laws, when he decrees that all Christian men should go to the sacrament once a year on Easter feasts; and this should be their punishment, if one does not go, so that he is not buried in the churchyard. Isn't this a great foolish law, set up by the pope? Why? Because we are not all alike, neither have we all one faith; for one has a stronger faith than another; some leap away, others can scarcely crawl after. For this reason it is impossible that there should be

can be brought and pushed into a common order.

(6) From this you can easily conclude that throughout the whole year no greater sins are committed, nor more terrible blasphemies, than at Easter times, just because of this unchristian commandment that one wants to force and urge people to the sacrament, God grant that they are skillful or unskillful, funny or unfunny. If all robbery, murder, adultery and fornication were counted in one heap, this sin would surpass all other sins, and just when it seems most beautiful and holy.

7 But that the pope has acted foolishly and unchristianly in this is evident, for he has not known the hearts whether they have believed or not. One man cannot know another man's heart whether it believes or not. How can I know if you believe that Christ stands for you and puts all that he has for you, even his blood, and says to you: "Come up fresh, there is no need, all these enemies shall not harm you. Let the devil, death, sin, hell and all creatures stand against you; if you have me, they shall not harm you; only trust me and cling to me, and I will help you through freely? For he who stands in such faith belongs here and takes this sacrament worthily, as a safeguard and sign that he is certain of divine promise. Yes, but we do not all have such faith. Oh, God would that the tenth person had it!

(8) For this reason, it is necessary to be careful here and not to make a common order about when and how often, and also that everyone goes to this sacrament without distinction. For such unspeakably rich treasures, with which God has graced us, cannot be common to everyone, but only to those who are in temptation, persecution and adversity, whether bodily or spiritual, external or internal, whether from men or from the devil. So when the devil makes your heart weak, stupid and despondent, so that you do not know how to deal with God, he holds your sin against you and makes you fidgety and hesitant.

that you will become a partaker of this noble treasure of yours, yes, be sure that you already have it. For in such a frightened, trembling heart God wants to dwell and rest, as Isaiah Cap. 66, 2. and also David says in the Psalter, Psalm 51, 19. For who desires a shield, protection and restraint, but he who is in pain and feels resistance?

(9) Therefore, whoever does not yet feel that his sins bite him and the devil attacks him, does not yet belong to this food; for this food wants a hungry, desiring person, and gladly enters such a hungry soul, which contends daily with sins and would gladly be rid of them. But if any man does not yet feel this way, let him abstain from this sacrament for a time, for this food does not want to enter a full and satisfied heart; but if it enters, it is there with harm. If we felt such pressure of conscience and stupidity of our despondent heart, we would probably approach with all humility and reverence, would not be so insolent and run like swine to the trough, without all fear and humility. But we do not always find ourselves able; today I have the grace to do so, tomorrow not; yes, at times, hardly in half a year, a devotion comes to me that I go there.

10. From this we should finally realize that those who are best suited for this sacrament are those who are attacked by their sin, death and the devil, who are in constant battle with these enemies; it is most conveniently given to them and is also most useful to them, so that the same person may stand there and believe that these enemies cannot harm him, since he has the one standing on his side who is powerful against all these enemies and can save us from all distress, fear, adversity and tribulation.

11 Thus did Christ, when he instituted this sacrament. First of all, he greatly terrified his disciples and almost shattered their hearts by saying that he was going to leave them and that there was one among the multitude who would betray him.

1) to = be.

This was a bitter salve to them, a terrible thing, that he should depart from them on whom they had cast all comfort; and that one of them should betray him. There their hearts will have trembled, and they will have been in great exuberant fear that they should now be the betrayer of him from whom they had received so much benefit, who had dealt with them as kindly and fatherly as any father with his children. Then each one will have thought: Oh God, will you let me fall into such a great sin? The dear disciples sat there as if they were all traitors and evil-doers against their Lord and Master. Only then, when he had made them tremble and shake, did he use this sacrament to comfort and refresh them, and so he comforted them again.

(12) From this you may well know to whom this sacrament is most convenient and useful, namely, to the afflicted, the despondent, the sorrowful, and the stupid of conscience. For this bread is a comfort to the afflicted, a medicine to the sick, a life to the dying, a food to the hungry, and a rich treasure to all who are poor and needy. That is enough said for this time about the use of the sacrament, how you should use it, and who goes there usefully. Let us leave it at that and call upon God for mercy.

The seventh sermon.

On the Saturday after the Sunday Invocavit.

Dear friends, yesterday you heard about the custom of the reverend Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, and who are rightly qualified for it, namely, those who are afraid of death, who are chased by the devil, who have a despondingly stupid conscience, and who are afraid of sin and of hell. All of these go to this food in a just and worthy manner, to strengthen their weak faith and to comfort their sorrowful conscience. This is the proper custom and practice of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ; let him who does not feel himself thus skilled, let it remain until God also stirs and stirs him with His Word.

Now let us also speak of the fruit of this sacrament, which is love; namely, that we let ourselves be found like this toward our neighbor, as has happened and happened to us from God. Now we have received from God all love and good deeds. For is this not a great unspeakable love, that he sent down his only begotten Son from heaven and cast him into the flesh, that he might save and redeem us from sin, death, the devil, and hell? Is not this a great immeasurable love, that the same Son, for the Father's pleasure, gave his body and blood for our sake? Is it not a great abundant love that God should proclaim and distribute to us such treasure in His Word through the sermon, and give us all the victory and triumph of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, against sin, death, the devil and hell, so that I can boast of the victory and triumph as if I had done it myself? For this purpose Christ is our righteousness, our satisfaction, our wisdom and our sanctification, 1 Cor. 1:30, who without fail represents us before God His Father and is our advocate 1).

This inexpressible love, which no human heart can grasp, should move us to love our neighbor in turn, to do him good, to help and advise him in whatever way we can, and he needs us. But I do not feel such love here yet, although much has been preached to you; but no one wants to go there; one often runs to other unnecessary things; here no one is at home. Christians are known by a few things when they show love for one another, as Christ said to his disciples in John: "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. In this way everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another," John 13:34, 35. And St. Paul says: "If I spoke with the tongues of men and with the tongues of angels, and if the angels had loved me, I would have loved you.

1) In the Eisleben edition: "Fursprach". Otherwise, Luther uses the form "Fürsprech", e.g. in the first editions of the New Testament, 1 John 2:1: "So we have a fursprechen bey dem vater."

If I did not have love, I would be a sounding brass or a tinkling bell. And if I could prophesy, and knew all mysteries and all knowledge, and had all faith, so as to move mountains, and had not love, I would be nothing. And if I give all my goods to the poor, and let my body burn, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." 1 Cor. 13, 1. 2. 3. These are excellent, hard words; but you have not yet come that far.

4 Because you have great gifts of God here in Wittenberg and much of them, including the knowledge of Scripture, which is a great gift and grace, you have the gospel bright and clear, but you do not want to continue with love. You would like God to be good to you and to give you his gifts, but you do not want to give anything to others; no one wants to reach out to another, no one takes another seriously, but everyone looks to himself for what is best for him, and all seek what is ours; let go what goes; let him who is helped be helped; no one looks to the poor for help. It is to be pitied that I have preached to you so long, and in almost all my little books I have done nothing else but faith and love, and so no love at all shall be felt in you.

(5) I will tell you for certain that if you do not show love to one another, God will send a great plague upon you. For he will not have his word preached and revealed in vain; neither will he have his word dishonored or despised. You are trying God too hard. My friends, if this word had been preached to our forefathers some time ago, they might have behaved differently than you do. You don't even want to do it, and you don't take it seriously. You can talk about it, but you do not yet want to follow it with action. With other jugglery you go about, which is unnecessary; but what is necessary, that you leave pending. God grant that it may not only stand in words, but also break forth powerfully. Let us leave it at that.

The eighth sermon

or

A short concept of the sermon preached on the Sunday Reminiscere of the [secret]

Confession.

We have now heard the things that have happened here, except for the confession, which we will also deal with recently.

(2) First, confession is grounded in Scripture. If someone had sinned publicly, so that people knew about it, he was accused publicly before the crowd. If he repented of the sin, they prayed for him before God and helped him to be reconciled. But if he would not renounce it and would not listen to the mob or the congregation, he was banished and rejected from the congregation and set apart, so that no one had to send or deal with him.

3 Christ says this about confession in Matthew: "If your brother sins against you, go and punish him between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have won your brother. If he does not hear you, take one or two more to you, so that the whole matter may rest on the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he does not hear them, tell the community. If he does not hear the congregation, consider him a Gentile and a publican," Matt. 18:15, 16, 17. And if the congregation rejected him or received him back, he was also rejected or received back before God. Therefore the Lord says there soon after v. 18: "Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

This confession we have no more sign in the church. In this place, the gospel is lying low. Whoever could re-establish this confession would be doing a deliciously good work.

(5) All of you, dear friends, should have made an effort and set up this confession again, and should have left other things in order, because no one would have been annoyed by this piece. And it should be so with this confession: If you saw a usurer.

or a robber, an adulterer, an adulterer, a drunkard, and other such vices, you should go to him in secret and urge him to desist from that or those vices. If he does so, well and good. If he does not, but continues in his vice, you should take two or three to you and again, in the presence of these three, admonish him fraternally. If he does not accept this admonition, but despises it, you shall announce it to the priest in front of the whole congregation and have your two witnesses with you and say it publicly: Dear priest, this man has done this and that vice, and has not accepted our brotherly admonition, so that he might desist from this vice of his, but has despised it and has remained in his vice forever: therefore I accuse him here publicly before the whole congregation, with these my witnesses, who have heard my brotherly admonition. And if then he would not desist and willingly accept the accusation, the priest should separate him from the whole congregation and put him under ban, until he would recognize himself and be accepted again. This would be a Christian work, who could accomplish it; but I do not dare to do it alone.

6) Secondly, confession is when we confess our sins to God alone and confess to God Himself, before whom we pour out all our infirmities. And this confession is of great need to us, yes, so much so that we should do it every hour and every moment, and we are also commanded to do it.

(7) Of this confession David says in the Psalm: "Therefore I make known my sin, and hide not my iniquity. I said: I will confess my transgression unto the Lord against me, and thou forgavest me the iniquity of my sin. For this shall all the saints pray before thee in due time," Ps. 32:5, 6.

The third is confession, where one confesses to another and takes him alone to a place and tells him what his need and concern is, so that he may hear from him a comforting word to ease his conscience. This confession was strictly commanded by the pope, who made it a stable of distress, so that it could be used to

is mercy. I have rejected and severely attacked this coercion and compulsion when I preached and wrote about confession. And for this very reason I do not want to confess, because the pope has commanded it and wants to have it. For he shall leave confession free to me and shall not make any compulsion or commandment out of it, which he has no power or authority to do.

(9) Nevertheless, I will not let anyone take away my secret confession, and I would not give it for the sake of the whole world, for I know what strength and comfort it has given me. No one knows what secret confession can do, because he often has to fence and fight with the devil. I would have been overcome and strangled by the devil long ago if this confession had not preserved me. For there are many doubtful and erroneous things in which man alone is not well able, nor can he understand them. When he is in such doubt and does not know where to go, he takes his brother to a place and holds up his distress before him, laments his infirmities, his unbelief and his sin, and asks him for comfort and counsel. For what harm does it do him to humble himself a little before his neighbor and make himself a disgrace?

10 If you receive comfort from your brother, accept it and believe it, as if God Himself had told you, as Christ says in Matthew: "If two of you become one on earth, and they ask for anything, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them," Matt. 18:19, 20. We must also have much absolution, that we may strengthen and comfort our troubled conscience and despondent heart against the devil and before God: therefore secret confession should not be forbidden, nor should anyone be kept from it.

(11) Now if any man is troubled with sins, and would gladly be rid of them, if he would hear a certain comfort and saying, that he may quiet his heart, let him go and bewail his sin secretly to his brother, and ask him for absolution, and for a comforting word. If he now gives you absolution and tells you that your sins are forgiven, you have a

gracious God and merciful Father, who will not impute your sin to you, believe this promise and absolution freshly and cheerfully, and be sure that God Himself will give you such a promise through your brother's mouth. But he who has a firm and strong faith in God, and is certain that his sins are forgiven, may well leave this confession and confess to God alone. But how many are there who have such strong faith and confidence in God? Let each one look to himself, so that he does not deceive himself.

12 Therefore I have said and still say that I do not want to be deprived of this secret confession. I also do not want to force or have forced anyone to do so, but rather to allow everyone to go home freely. Our God is not so meager that he would have left us only one absolution and only one consolation for the strength and comfort of our conscience, but we have much absolution in the Gospel and are abundantly showered with much comfort. Which consolations and promises we should not despise to demand and hear from our brethren.

In addition to the fact that we should ever be sure that our sins are forgiven, Christ has also left us the sacraments: baptism, his body and blood in the sacrament of the altar. I should not despise to take these sacraments. For in baptism I am assured of the grace and mercy of God, that I am his and he is mine, that I have united myself with him and am now accepted by him. After this I receive the body and blood of Christ, thereby also becoming certain that my sins are forgiven. And therefore, as a sign and assurance, I eat the body that was given for me and drink the blood that was poured out for my sin, so that I may never despair that I have a gracious, merciful God and Father.

14 So you see that secret confession is not to be despised, but is an excellent thing, which I would not want to do for the whole world.

(15) Because we must have much comfort if we are to fight against the devil, death, sin, and hell, and if we are to stand firm, we are to have a great comfort.

we must not let any weapons be taken from us, but keep our armor whole and let the comfort given to us by God remain unwavering. For you do not yet know what effort and work it takes to contend with the devil and overcome him. I know

If you had known him as well as I do, you would not have thrown the secret confession to the wind. That is enough of that, we want to call upon God for His grace, so that we may remain on the right path and not be led astray.

1b. D. Mart. Luther's eight sermons against D. Carlstadt's innovations,

after the first and from the preceding in many pieces different impression, Wittenberg 1523. *)

Dominica Invocavit Sermon of D. Martin Luther.

(1) We are all called to death, and no one will die for another, but each in his own person will struggle with death for himself. We may well cry out in our ears, but each must be sent for himself at the time of death. I will not be with you then, nor you with me. In this way, each one must know well and be prepared for the main things that concern a Christian, and these are the ones that your beloved heard from me many days ago 1).

(2) First, how we are children of wrath, and all our works and mind and thoughts are nothing. Here we must have a clear, strong saying, testifying to this; as is the saying of St. Paul to the Ephesians 2:3, which notice well; and though there are many of them in the Bible, yet I will not overwhelm you with many sayings, "We are all children of wrath"; and do not presume to say, "I have built an altar, I have offered a mass," etc.

3. secondly, that God sent us His only begotten Son, that we might believe in Him; and he who trusts in Him shall be free from sin and be a child of God.

1) Instead of "many days ago" it should probably read "[too] many times ago". In the previous redaction: "now often".

As John says at his first cap. v. 12. "He hath given them power to become children of God, to all them that believe on his name." Allhie we should all be well skilled in the Bible, and armed with many sayings, [to] hold [them] before the devil 2). In the two pieces I do not yet sense any error or deficiency, but they are preached to you purely 3) and I would be sorry if it had happened otherwise; yes, I see it well, and may say it, that you are more learned than I am, not only 1. 2. 3. 4. but probably ten or more who are so enlightened in knowledge.

4) Thirdly, we must also have love, and through love do to one another as God has done to us through faith; without which love faith is nothing, as St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 2 (Cap. 13, 1. 2.): "If I have tongues as angels, and could speak of faith in the highest terms, and have not love, I am nothing. All this, dear friends, is almost lacking, and I do not feel love in anyone, and I almost realize that you have not been grateful to God for such a rich treasure and gift.

5. here let us see that from Witten-

2) These insertions are from the previous redaction of these sermons, No. In this volume.

3) In the previous redaction of these sermons: "loud and pure".

*Compare the first note to the heading of the previous version of these sermons. Only the first two sermons are reproduced here.

berg [not] 1) Capernaum. I see that you know a lot of doctrine to speak, preached to you by faith and love, and is not miraculous; can yet almost a donkey sing lection, 2) should you not speak and teach the doctrine or words? So, dear friends, the kingdom of God, which we are, is not seen in speech or words, but in action, that is, in deeds, in works and practices. God does not want hearers or persecutors, but followers and overcomers, 3) in faith through love; for faith without love is not sufficient, indeed, is not faith, but a semblance of faith. As a face seen in a mirror is not a true face, but only a semblance of the face.

6) Fourth, we also need patience, for he who has faith, trusts in God, and shows love to his neighbor, in which he practices daily, yes, he cannot be without persecutions, for the devil does not sleep, but gives him enough to do, and patience works and brings hope, which freely surrenders and disappears in God. 4) And so, through much trial and temptation, faith always increases and is strengthened from day to day. Such a heart, gifted with virtues, can never rest nor abstain, 5) but again exerts itself for the benefit and good of its brother, as has been done for it by God.

ahnn/. All things we may well do, but all things are not beneficial, for we are not all equally strong in faith; for

1) This "not" is inserted by us from the previous redaction.

2) Ibid: "you can almost teach a donkey to sing."

3) The Erlanger offers here: "about that" etc. That the reading of the old Walch edition reproduced by us is correct is evident from the fact that this sentence in the previous redaction reads: "who practice faith, which is strong through love."

4) In the previous redaction: "swings".

5) Thus placed by us after the preceding, instead of "received".

Some of you have stronger faith than I. 6) Therefore we must not look to ourselves or our wealth, but to our neighbor, 7) for God said through Moses, "I have borne you and brought you up as a mother does her child."

What does a mother do to her child? First she gives it milk, then porridge, then eggs and soft food. If she were to give it hard food at first, it would not be good for the child. 8.

(9) So shall we also do unto our brother, bearing with him for a season, enduring his infirmities, and helping to bear them, giving him also milk, as it hath been done unto us, until he also be strong, and go not alone to heaven, but bring with us our brethren, which are not now our friends. Should all mothers throw away their children, where would we be left? Dear brother, if you have sucked enough, don't cut off the hat 9) immediately, but let your brother also suck as you have sucked; I wouldn't have gone as far as I did if I had been here. The matter is well, but the haste is too fast; for on that side there are also brothers and sisters who belong to us, 10) they must also come.

10) Notice a similitude: The sun has two things, as the brightness and the heat. There is no king so strong that he can bend or direct the brightness of the sun, but it remains in its 11) places. But the heat can be directed and bent and is always around the sun. So the faith must always

6) Taken by us from the old edition. Erlanger: "have a strong faith, if I."

7) In the previous edition, this sentence reads: "Therefore, we must not look at ourselves and our faith alone, but should look at our neighbor" etc. The Erlangen edition offers: "see, and regard."

8) In the old print, "wafted," i.e., "weaned. The expression is still found in English: to vsun, and in Low German: to "turn" or "turn away" the child (from the breast). Cf. Walch, St. Louis Edition, Vol. XXII, 1784, No. 398, and on this the Leipziger Literaturblatt of June 29, 1888, p. 248, Col. 2.

9) Dutte - teat.

10) Thus set by us according to the previous redaction; "born", which also the Erlanger offers, is obviously a printing error.

11) Thus placed by us instead of "his"; also a printing error which the Erlangen edition has brought back.

remain pure and immovable in our hearts, and must not depart from it, but love bends and directs itself, [after it] our neighbor 1) may understand and follow. There are some who can run, some who can walk, and some who can hardly crawl. Therefore we must consider not our own ability, but our brother's, lest the weak in faith, if he would follow the strong, be torn asunder by the devil: The devil will tear him apart. Therefore, dear brethren, follow me; for I have never perverted it; I was also the first whom God set on this plan; I cannot escape, but [must] remain as long as God gives it, 2) I was also the one to whom God first revealed it, also to preach such His words; I am also sure that you have the true word of God. 3)

(11) Therefore let us do this with fear and humility, and let one lie under another's feet, joining hands together, helping one another. I will do mine as I owe, and mean you as I mean my soul. For we do not contend against the pope or bishop etc. but against the devil. Do you think he sleeps? He is not asleep, but he sees the true light rising; so that it does not get under his eyes, he would like to tear it off to the side, and he will do it, we will not look up. I know him well. I also hope, if God wills, I am his master. If we give him a foot of space, we will see how to get rid of him. Therefore, all those who have helped and consented to do away with the mass have erred; not that it was not good, but that it was not done properly. You say, "It is right from Scripture; I also confess it, but where is the order? For it was done in a sacrilege, without all order, with the annoyance of the neighbor; for 4) one should have asked for it with all seriousness beforehand, and should have taken the superiors to do it, so

1) So set by us instead: that it may comprehend and follow our neighbor." This is also found in the Erlanger.

2) Erlanger: "denied" i.e. denied.

3) Erlanger: Hand.

4) Erlanger: when.

one would know that it had happened because of God. I would have started it well, if it had been good, and if it had not been such an evil thing about the mass, I would have started it again. For I do not know how to defend it [that you have done well in this,] 5) I have just told you. For I could well do it in front of the papists and coarse heads, because I wanted to speak: What do you know, whether it was done in a good spirit or in an evil one? since the work itself is good. But before the devil I do not know how to look for it 6). For if the devil will reproach those who started the game with these sayings or the like when they die: Omnis plantatio, quam non plantavit Pater meus, eradicabitur, ode? den: Currebant, et non mittebam eos, how would they stand? He pushes them to hell. But I want to hold a point in front of his nose, so that the world will also become too narrow for him, because I know that I am called by the council to preach, even though I have resisted. So I would also like to have you like me, you could also have asked me in this. 7)

I was not so far away, you could have reached me with writings, since it is not the smallest piece; it would have been worthwhile that you had sent to me for this. 8) Did you want to start something and I should be responsible for it? That would be too hard for me. I will not do it. All this shows that you do not have the spirit, even though you have a high knowledge of the Scriptures. Notice the two pieces: "must be" and "be free. For "must be" is what necessity demands, and must exist immovably, as there is faith, which I will not let be taken from me, but must always have in my heart and be free before everyone.

5) Thus we put after the previous redaction instead of: "For I do not know it to refute; I also want to have just said it: then" etc. Likewise in the Erlanger.

6) Thus put by us instead of "I". In the previous redaction: "I do not know how to dispute it.

7) Instead of this last, obviously incomplete sentence in the previous redaction: "Therefore you have done wrong that you have started such a game without my command and consent, and have not asked me about it beforehand.

8) Thus set by us according to the previous redaction, instead of the meaningless sentence that the Erlanger also offers: "sintemal ich nicht das geringste Stück hergeschickt."

confess. But "to be free" is that which I have freely, and may use it or leave it, so that my brother, and not I, may have the benefit of it, and do not make "a must" "a being free" for me, as you have done, lest you should have to give account for those whom [you] have deceived by your uncharitable freedom. For if you tempt one to eat meat on Friday, and he is challenged when he dies, and thus thinks, O woe is me that I have eaten meat! and cannot stand, God will require an account of him from you. I also wanted to raise many things, since [not] 1) few would follow me; but what is the use? For I know that those who have begun such things, when it comes to the meeting, will not be able to stand, and will be the first to withdraw. What would it be like if I brought the bunch to the plan, and I, who was the first, stopped the others, and wanted to flee, not waiting for death happily? how should the poor bunch be seduced!

(13) Therefore let us also give milk to others as long as we do, until they also become strong in faith; for there are still many of them who otherwise fall to us [in other things] 2) and would gladly have and accept this thing also, but 3) they cannot well understand it [yet]; we drive them back. Therefore let us show love to our neighbors; if we do not do this, our deeds will not stand. We must also be patient with them for a while and not reject those who are still weak in faith; how much more can we do and not do, if love requires it and does not harm our faith! If we do not earnestly ask God and send ourselves right into the matter, then the game looks to me 4) that all the misery, so started on the papists before 5) us, will come upon us. For this reason I have longer not

1) "not" inserted by us after the previous redaction. It is also missing in the Erlanger.

2) Thus in the previous redaction.

3) We have put "but" instead of "special".

4) So put by us after the previous redaction instead of: "sechent nicht", which also offers the Erlanger.

5) Thus set by us instead of "and". This "and" is also found in the Erlanger.

can be omitted, but have to come to tell you such things. Now enough of the mass; tomorrow we will tell you about the pictures.

Another sermon of D. M. Luther on the Monday after Invocavit.

Dear friends! Yesterday you heard the main parts of a Christian man, how the whole life and being is believing and loving. Faith is directed toward God, 6) love toward man and neighbor, [so that we show ourselves toward man] in 7) love with benevolence, as we have received from God without our merit and work. So there are two things: the one that is necessary, 8) which must therefore be done, and not otherwise; the other, which is free and unnecessary, which may be kept or not, without danger to faith and soul. 9) In the two things, love must act with the neighbor as we have received from God, and must therefore go the right way, falling neither to the left nor to the right. In the things that must be and are necessary, such as believing in Christ, love nevertheless acts in such a way that it does not force or drive too hard. Thus, measurement is an evil thing, and God is its enemy, in which therefore it would be done as if it were a sacrifice and meritorious work; therefore it must be done away with. Here is no question or doubt, as little you should ask, 10) whether God is to be worshipped? In this we are in complete agreement, that the special masses must be stopped, as I have also written about them, and would that [they] were stopped in the whole world, and only the common evangelical mass kept. 11) Nevertheless, love should not be strict in this and forcibly break off, but it should be preached, written and proclaimed, that the mass, in the manner of

6) Thus set according to the previous redaction instead of: just.

7) So added by us after the previous redaction, and "in love" put instead of: "at love".

8) So put by us instead of: "the most necessary".

9) "Soul" put by us instead of "hell". In the previous redaction, "the bliss of the soul.

10) So put by us instead of: "as little which should ask".

11) So put by us instead of: "all the common evangelical mass held".

is sinful 1). But no one is to be pulled or torn from it by the hair of his head; for God is to be given home, 2) and his word alone is to work, not our doing or our work. Why? Because I do not have in my power or hand the 3) hearts of men, as the hewer has the glue, to create with him according to my pleasure. I cannot reach further than the ears; I cannot reach the heart. Because I cannot pour faith into the heart, no one can force me to do so, for God does it alone and makes it live in the heart. Therefore one should leave the word free, and not add our work to it. We have jus verbi, but not executionem: we are to preach the word, but the consequence is to be God's alone in his pleasure. If therefore I fall into it, and would forcibly put it away: there are many of them that must enter into it, and know not how they are in it, 4) whether it be right or wrong, speaking: I do not know whether it is right or wrong; I do not know how I am in it; I have had to follow the church and authority. So then the constraint or commandment alone becomes a mirror fencing, an outward being, a monkey game, and thus becomes a human statute, seeming saints or gleissers, for there is no good heart. I don't give a damn about that. One must see the heart of the people first. But this is what happens when I preach God's word alone, preach the gospel and say: "Dear lords or priests, leave the mass, it is not right, you sin in it, that is what I want to tell you! But I did not want to make any rules for them, nor did I want to insist on a common order; whoever wanted to follow, would follow, whoever did not want to, would stay outside. With him the word fell down into the heart and worked. So now he who is caught, and gives guilty, goes and falls from the fair; tomorrow another comes 5): thus God worked with

1) So put by us instead of: "peculiar".

2) So put by us instead of: "give in this".

3) So put by us instead of: "their".

4) So put by us instead of: "to be in it".

5) Here, this redaction is again meaningless, because it is extremely incomplete. In the previous one it says: "If one did so, today the word would fall into the heart of one, tomorrow it would fall into the heart of another.

beuem word more, deuu if you and I melt all power into one heap; so if you have the heart, you have now won him: so then the thing must finally disintegrate and cease from itself. And if after that all mind and heart would be united and united, then do it; where all mind and heart are not [yet] present, there 6) let God rule. I ask you for that, you do no good. Not that I want to set up the mass again, but let it lie in God's name. Faith does not want to be bound or constrained, nor to be constrained by order to a work. There straighten you after. I know that you will not carry these things out, but if you carry them out with such vile commandments, I will revoke all that I have written and preached. Neither will I stand with you, and have told you arid 7). What harm can it do you [if you bear with such outward things for a while]? 8) You have your faith pure and strong in God, so that this thing cannot harm you.

2 Therefore love requires that you have compassion on the weak. This is what all the apostles did. Paul, when he once came to Athens, Apost. 17:22, 23, into a mighty city, he found old altars built in the temple. 9) He went from one to another and looked at them all, but he did not touch any of them with his foot, but stood in the middle of the place and said that they were idolatrous things and asked that they be removed; he also did not tear any of them down by force. When the word took hold of their hearts, they themselves fell away; then the thing itself fell away. So if I had seen that they had kept the mass, I would have preached and admonished them. If they had followed it, I would have won them over; but if not, I would not have torn them away by hair and force, but would have let the Word act and prayed for them. For the Word created heaven and earth.

6) So put by us instead of: "that".

7) So put by us instead of: "will you therefore".

8) This insertion is made from the previous redaction.

9) "old" is missing in the previous redaction.

60 Erl. 28,2vo f. 1 b. Luther's eight sermons against Carlstadt etc. W. xx, 72 f. 61

and all things; that must do it, and not we poor sinners.

Summa Summarum: I want to preach it, I want to say it, I want to write it, but I do not want to force anyone by force, because faith wants to be attracted willingly, unnecessarily. Take an example from me. I have opposed indulgences and all papists, but not by force. I have only practiced, preached and written the Word of God; otherwise I have done nothing. When I have slept, when I have drunk Wittenberg beer with my Philippo and Amsdorf, this has done so much that the Pabstthunx has become so weak that no prince nor emperor has ever broken off so much. I have done nothing; the word has done it all. If I had wanted to go on with mischief, I would have brought Germany into a great bloodshed; yes, I would have caused a game at Worms, so that the emperor would not have been safe. But what would it have been? It would have been a fool's game. I have done nothing; I have let the word act. What do you think, what the devil thinks, if one wants to arrange the thing with rumor? He sits behind hell and thinks, "Oh, how can fools play such a fine game?" But then he suffers, because we alone do the word and let it work. That is all-powerful, that takes captive the

The heart, and when it is caught, the work must fall apart by itself.

4 A gross example. In time past there were sects among the Jews and Gentiles because of the law of Moses concerning circumcision; some would keep it, and some would not. Then Paul came and preached that one should keep it or not, for there was no power in it, and that one should not make it an obligation, but leave it free; one should keep it or not, and there would be no danger, until the time of Jerome, who came and wanted to make it an obligation, and to make an order and statute out of it: one should do it. Then St. Augustine came, and was of St. Paul's opinion: one should keep it or not. St. Jerome was a hundred miles away from St. Paul's opinion, and the two Doctors were very much at odds with each other. When St. Augustine died, St. Jerome was the one who brought it to the point that it had to be abolished. Then came the popes, who also wanted to do something about it and also made laws. Out of the abrogation of the one law grew thousands of laws, so that they have completely overwhelmed us with law. So it will also happen here, because 1) one law soon makes two, two make their three etc.

That is enough of the things that are necessary. Let us take care that we do not deceive the weak conscientious.

1) "For" put by us after the previous redaction instead of "that".