1535 (?). 1536 (?).
1. this short scripture is given for the instruction and remembrance of the simple, that they may be the more diligentlyware and know the better how to guard themselves against the cruel devilish sect of the Anabaptists. And although the whole doctrine of the Anabaptists is full of error and blindness, and they themselves are unequal, so that in some, as in the murderous mob that was at Münster in Westphalia, even more and crueler errors are found: nevertheless, here alone are mentioned several articles, which the Anabaptists almost all at the same time preached at first, and because of which some have recently been punished in these lands. And since their errors partly dispute against the spiritual essence, which concerns the soul alone, and partly also teach rebellion and destruction of the bodily regime and of the worldly estates and order, here are several articles of the bodily regime first told, and this is considered for two reasons:
The first cause is that the simple may clearly see and learn from these articles, which are easy to understand and judge, that the Anabaptist sect is unjust, against God, and of the devil.
For as Christ says that the false prophets go about in sheep's clothing, yet inwardly they are vain ravening wolves: so also the Anabaptists deceive the simple with the appearance of some works of their own invention, namely, with fictitious humility and other hypocrisy, that they may cover up the mischief. But it is necessary for the pious and cautious Christians to investigate the spirit of the Anabaptists and their own invented doctrine, that is, the most noble and special main part of their sect, and to uncover the sheep's clothing, and to get to know and notice the wolfish heart.
4 Now the right and certain test of all sects and spirits is to see whether they openly pretend to false and unchristian doctrine, and seriously and surely practice and defend it. Where this 2) flaw is noticed and found, Christians should be careful and shy away from such sects.
5 Thus St. Paul teaches about the false spirits, 1 Tim. 4, and says: "They will forbid food and marriage" and from such their works will make new righteousness and perfection.
2) Wittenberger: this one.
*This writing appeared in Wittenberg in a single edition under this title without indication of the year, and is therefore counted by some to the year 1535, by others to the year 1536. It is certain that it was written and published after the conquest of Münster (June 25, 1535). It is found in the Wittenberg edition (1551), vol. II, p. 282 d; we have reproduced the text thereafter.
Similarly, the Anabaptists forbid all worldly rule and obedience, oaths and ownership of property, and tear up marriages, which are all God's ordinances, and pretend that such their fictitious works are the right high Christian nature and holiness; as the shameful heretics of Manichaei also held in former times, and equally made such a spectre before the people's eyes with the strange, whimsical holiness, as the Anabaptists do in our times.
Because so many noble articles and main points in the Anabaptist doctrine are public and not insignificant errors (for from this follows the disruption of all regiments and, in addition, spiritual blindness), there is no doubt that the Anabaptist sect is unjust and vain seduction aroused by the devil.
Therefore, the simple should look at and consider these gross articles and think that such gross errors are presented to everyone as a warning, so that one knows how to shun and beware of the Anabaptist sect all the more, and always keep the spiritual eye open, and do not pay attention to false humility and other hypocrisy, but notice the stain and the devilish poison hidden underneath, and clearly keep God's word against it; thus one can keep oneself from the devil's wiles.
8 For if one has noticed and felt the lying spirit in some clear and tangible articles, one knows that in other articles, of which the simple understand less, one should not believe the lying spirit, but wait and learn from God's words good constant report.
9 This is the one reason why these articles are first told about the secular regiment.
(10) The other reason is that men may understand from this that the authorities are obliged to defend the Anabaptist sect with severe punishment. For this is public and quite certain, that the authorities are obliged to ward off sedition. It is the duty of the authorities to maintain secular obedience and oath-taking, and to protect and administer the marriage state. Now the main part of the Anabaptist sect is against this, as its articles clearly prove. Therefore, the authorities are undoubtedly obliged to prevent and punish such shameful, murderous teachings.
(11) For what disruption would follow if these errors were to prevail, namely, that Christians should have no other authority than only the ministers of the gospel; item, that one should not swear an oath to the authorities; item, that no one should have property, but all goods should be given in common, just as if they were to be given to the church.
The law says that sackcloth must be made in all cities and regencies; item, that husbands and wives may leave each other solely on account of the inequality in faith! As we have also found some who have left their wives and children unawares and without cause, and have taken other wives for this shameful doctrine. It is easy to understand that these articles teach and plant sedition, robbery and murder, as well as fornication and adultery. On the other hand, there is no doubt that it is the duty of the authorities to inflict serious punishment, out of obedience, which they owe to God, to the praise of God, and to the benefit of their subjects, both in body and soul.
12 And although some poor people, who are otherwise not wanton and wicked, fall into these errors, it is nevertheless necessary to ward off the sect and its seed, and the authorities should not suffer such poisonous filth to spread further.
(13) Thus the terrible example at Münster proves that the humility and patience of the Anabaptists is vain and devilish hypocrisy. For at Münster, too, the beginning was vain great holiness, and they taught that a Christian should not wield the sword and should suffer everything; they also wanted first of all no authorities, but only prophets and preachers. After that they drove out their citizens and took away their goods, as the robbers; and made a king; and intended to bring the country around under themselves with the sword, as murderers; in addition they committed all kinds of fornication. So their spirit broke out, thinking it had room, and went, as it is said: The devil can otherwise disguise himself and make himself beautiful, but he cannot save his feet; that is: finally and in the exit one knows the devil's seduction.
14 But Christians should be careful, and perceive the cunning and seduction before they are caught. Just as it was necessary to defend and punish in Münster after the Anabaptists had committed public robbery and murder, so the authorities are obliged to defend and punish those who hold and spread such seditious articles and do not want to desist from them, as well as those who have drawn the sword, even if it has not yet come to the stroke. That is enough, why it is important to tell the articles of the physical regiment first.
(15) Let all Christians also consider in these articles that the devil's power is terrible and great, that he can blind human hearts and minds so severely in such gross articles that the very grossest sins and disgraces, as sedition, robbery, and adultery, shall be for the
The highest brightness is respected. This is a strong error, which the world deserves with its cruel certainty and contempt of the holy divine word, as St. Paul says, and the world mourns because of such contempt. This wrath and punishment has always been terrible in the world, and will be much greater in these last lines; for the defiance and contempt of God, iniquity and rashness will be greater; therefore cruel punishments must follow. Therefore, we should look at this terrible example of the Anabaptists, and fear this and similar punishments and mend our ways, and learn and love God's word with right earnestness and pray in the fear of God that he will not let us fall into temptation.
(16) The pious should also comfort themselves and consider that true faith must have temptation; therefore, they should be armed with God's word against all troubles. And although temptation remains in Christendom at all times in this world, it is to be hoped by God's grace that this poison of the Anabaptists will not remain for long, but will soon disappear again. For the Anabaptist sect is not unlike the Manichaeans, and looks as if the devil were the master of the Anabaptists, who a long time ago aroused the Manichaeans, who also preached such false holiness, with contempt for all worldly regiments and estates; and did not want to have any scripture and doctrine, but only wanted to keep what the spirit taught them, just as the Anabaptists speak now; they also condemned the marriage state, and besides that they committed great shameful fornication. Just as the Manichaei of the same time, although they were a great scandal, nevertheless perished after some years and died out completely: so, although the Anabaptist rage has a terrible reputation, it will not become more powerful, and will not remain for long, as we can hope by God's grace.
17 Now we want to talk about the articles mentioned. But at the beginning, it is necessary to note and consider these articles, from which the Anabaptist spirit can be judged; namely, that the Anabaptists are lacking in the most important part of Christian doctrine. For this is to be preached and practiced primarily in Christian doctrine, that Christian righteousness and holiness should be in the heart, right faith and trust in Christ, earnest fear of God and love; and that outward bodily regiments and states, ordered by God, should be taken for God's commandment and good works, in which God has set our bodily life; that in this we practice faith toward God and set good examples to others.
Also that we all serve one another, show and demonstrate love. These are the right high services of which the holy gospel preaches to us.
But the human heart does not like to stay with these services and with God's word, but always seeks other ways, and especially opens its eyes wide if it has not invented ordinary works, but something new and special. This holiness is so gentle to the human heart and is held in such high esteem that even in the old law people sacrificed and killed their children out of this false desire, hope and pleasure in their own invented works. Therefore it is no wonder that now and then the Anabaptists and their like esteem and love their works so highly that they give themselves up to death with great boldness. For thus they also completely reverse the doctrine. They know nothing of holiness in the heart, and aim at an outward new holiness, namely destruction of good order and morals, of the regiments, of the oath, of property and marital status. They consider this destruction and barbarism to be high and noble works, not only because it is something strange and unusual, but rather because the devil, who has possessed them, takes pleasure in leading people away from God's word and order to another road, and thus causes idolatry and all kinds of sin.
(19) From this it can be understood why the Anabaptist error of the bodily government comes, namely, that they lack the main part of Christian doctrine, and do not know what Christian righteousness is, and think it is only such an outward, unusual way. It is to be understood that these errors of the bodily government not only do harm outwardly, causing turmoil and destruction, which should be prevented with great earnestness, but also do harm in the spiritual being; for in addition to the murder and similar sins that follow from them, they also darken the right understanding of Christian righteousness, and point people away from Christ and from the faith to new great works, which in truth are all disorder, desolation, shame and vice.
20 It is terrible to hear that human hearts are so blinded. For the Anabaptists have not yet devised anything higher or different than this: One shall not baptize children, and shall have no authority, no regiment; shall not take oaths; shall not keep his own; and shall take wives, depending on their sect. Now every sensible person should consider these things for himself;
What holiness can this be? It is public that such is nothing else but' a cruel desolation. They want to tear the church apart by forbidding baptism. The other articles are a destruction of the bodily life, of all discipline and good order, which are also God's commandment and work. Now the Anabaptists have no other holiness to set themselves apart from us than the beautiful articles that have been declared; what holiness can they boast of? Why should a Christian be afraid of them? Yes, a Christian should realize that the Anabaptist sect is a vain devilish deception; therefore he should be courageous in the faith and confidently despise the devil and resist him, each according to his profession and office.
(21) Let this be enough here for a common reminder of the following articles, so that the simple may consider all the more diligently what a Christian being actually stands for, and see that the Anabaptists are far short of the right goal. Now let us recount the articles one after the other and lay them out with good reason.
The first article of the Anabaptists.
(22) That Christians should not and cannot be in authority and office that wields the sword.
(23) That this article is unjust and unchristian is proved first of all by the examples in the holy Scriptures, in which it is seen that many holy men have been kings, princes, and officers, and have wielded the sword according to their station and office. Christ praised the centurion Matthew on the 8th and praised his faith so highly that he said: he would not have found such faith in Israel. This centurion was a Roman warrior, as he himself indicates; and yet he is praised by Christ as a great saint and child of God. Similarly, the centurion is praised in the book of the apostles' history, to which Saint Peter is sent. So Abraham, Joseph, David, Ezechias, Daniel and many other holy Christian people were, and nevertheless they wielded the sword. Item, in ^the] Psalms it says of Christ, "Kings shall worship him." From this it is clear that some kings and princes will also be Christians.
24 Secondly. Luc. 3, when the warriors and officers asked John the Baptist what they should do, he answered, "Let them be content with their pay, and do no violence or wrong to anyone. Thus the office is confirmed and pledged, while he lets them remain in the pay and says: they shall have their settlement. For the pay belongs to the office.
25 Thirdly. The thorough opinion of the Anabaptists is this, that the ordinary punishment in the regiment is vain sin and tyranny; for revenge is forbidden to Christians, as it is written Rom. 12: "Ye shall not avenge yourselves" 2c. This is the reason of the Anabaptists. And such misunderstanding gives them cause to boast of their patience for great holiness, and to condemn all authority; for they think that all Christian works must be absolutely equal. This is vain blindness, and comes from a wrong interpretation of the Scriptures, and from the misunderstanding that they do not know the difference between the spiritual nature in the heart, and the outward estate, which should and must have unequal works; as the man and the woman, the father and the child, have outwardly unequal works, and yet in the heart there should be one fear of God and faith in Christ.
(26) Therefore, if the Anabaptists use sayings in which vengeance is forbidden, they should know how to respond to them, namely, that all vengeance is forbidden apart from the ministry, but vengeance in the ministry is God's commandment and a holy good work. This difference is taught to us by the Holy Scriptures themselves, and is not invented by men.
27 For Paul speaks of the office that wields the sword as being God's work and order, and that the authority is God's servant, for the vengeance and punishment of the wicked, and for the protection of the pious. From these sayings it is clear that this vengeance in the office is not sin, but God's commandment and order and a right holy service of God. And since the ministry is not sin, but a good work ordained by God, Christians may have and use such ministry as other gifts of God, as food and drink 2c.
28 Yes, they must preserve this office and not destroy it, because the law must remain in the world for the punishment of the wicked, as Paul says: "The law is for the sake of the unrighteous." Now the office that wields the sword is a piece of the law.
Fourth. God commands in the Holy Scriptures that widows and orphans be protected. This is preached and commanded to the Christian authorities; therefore punishment is God's commandment, and Christian authorities are obliged to take punishment and revenge against the wicked.
(30) From all this it is clear that the sayings which forbid vengeance speak of works apart from the office. The other sayings, which praise and enjoin vengeance, speak of works in office. And it is easy to understand why works in office and works out of office must be different: for this is necessary for the preservation of peace and discipline. For what disorder and sedition
would follow if each subject wanted to punish and be judge himself? That is why God has ordered the regiment to be beneficial and useful.
The second article.
Christians shall have no other authority than the ministers of the gospel alone.
In this article, the spirit of the Anabaptist sect can be seen even more clearly than before. For here, at the same time, the authorities are condemned and obedience is torn apart. And because this article is easily mislaid, it does not require many words here; only the simple are to be admonished that they want to diligently consider how terrible this article is. And that this article of the Anabaptists is also false, Paul proves in Romans 13, when he says: "Be subject therefore for necessity, not only for punishment, but also for conscience' sake. This saying teaches that God will consider it a sin and will punish severely if someone does not want to be a subject. Now this saying binds all men on earth, and it is in no one's power to withdraw from it. Therefore, all Christians must have worldly authority and rule.
(33) Secondly, it is public that God has ordered these two offices differently, the ministry of preaching and secular authority, and has commanded that Christians be under both offices. Therefore, it is an abominable error to mix these offices together, or to abolish and take away one of them, when they are both God's order and command. For no human being has the power to overrule God's order.
34 But that the Anabaptists speak against it: The pious have no need of punishment, therefore they have no need of the authorities and worldly regiments, is vain blindness. For the pious need the authorities for protection. Item, the authorities need the obedient and pious Christians for the preservation of the regiments. Therefore God wants to have us under this order for both reasons; namely, that we have protection, and on the other hand, that we serve with body and goods, in all obedience and faithfulness and at all times, in times of war and otherwise help, each according to his profession, to preserve the regiments, peace and discipline and to ward off the wicked; to this service belong especially the devout Christians. Paul teaches all this in Romans 13, where he says: "We owe obedience, worship and honor 2c. to the authorities. Whoever, on the other hand, teaches that Christians may have no authority, teaches that the authority may be deprived of the righteousness it has in our obedience; this is openly contrary to Paul.
The third article.
Christians are forbidden to swear an oath, and swearing an oath is a sin.
This article is also a destruction of the secular regiment and court. For regiment and court are taken by oath. But that Christians may swear oaths is proved first by the examples. For St. Paul himself swears an oath in clear words, 2 Cor. 1: "I call upon God as a witness to my soul." So St. Paul often swears, as Rom. 1. Phil. 1: "God is my witness", and in other more places.
Hebrews 6: "In all things, in courts of law, the oath is the end and confirmation. Here the oath is praised in the courts and considered necessary. From this it follows that it is not wrong to swear an oath, for among Christians courts and judges must also remain, as is said above about the regiment and the authorities. For courts are a pleasant part of the regiments and of the office of the authorities.
38 In the fifth book of Moses, chapter 5: "You shall swear by the name of the Lord. Here, in the other commandment, it is commanded that one should swear, but only by the name of God. If then it is commanded to swear, where such is demanded, it must follow that swearing is not a sin, but a good, holy work, by which God is honored, if one swears rightly and with truth and does not do so frivolously, but because God's honor and the authorities demand it.
(39) But as the Anabaptists object to Matthew 5: "Thou shalt not swear by the temple," 2c., the first answer is that the oath is not forbidden here, but this is forbidden, that one should not give the honor due to God to creatures. God alone is the Lord, who knows the hearts and punishes untruth; therefore God's name is to be invoked and not the temple or anything else.
40 Secondly, when Christ says, "Your speech shall be yes, yes," 2c., he says, "Your speech," indicating that he forbids the oath in our own and private speeches; namely, if the judge or the authorities do not interpret the oath to us; item, if God's honor and other people's salvation does not require our oath. On the other hand, it is right and necessary to swear if the authorities or the judge requires it, as it is said in Hebrews 6: "The oath is the end and confirmation in courts of law" 2c.
The fourth article.
Christians are obliged to give their goods in common and should not have ownership.
This article attracts the loose crowd that does not like to work and squanders more than it knows how to earn honestly. But that such teaching causes vain robbery and turmoil, everyone can easily understand. But to warn and instruct the simple, we will recently prove from God's word and commandment that Christians may have property; and that it is sedition and against God to command that goods be given in common.
43. to the first. This understanding is highly necessary to Christians, that they may know that outward worldly government is God's order; and that it is pleasing to God that we should live and serve one another therein, as before indicated. Now, having property is one of the noblest and most necessary things in government; it must follow that a Christian may use and keep such an order. Yes, he who wants to abolish and forbid this order and make a new regiment against it, and command that the goods be thrown into a common heap, is subjecting himself to tearing down God's order, and is doing harm to God.
44 Secondly, Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 7 that Christians may buy and sell. Therefore they may have property and goods. And in 1 Tim. 6 he writes: "The rich are to give alms gladly," not saying that they should leave their goods, but that they should remain in their goods and riches.
45 Third, kings and princes must have goods and property; now the Scripture clearly teaches that some kings and princes will be saved.
46. fourth, Proverbs 5:16 f.: "Let thy wells flow forth, but thou shalt remain master over them." The holy scripture teaches that each one should remain master of his inheritance. But from the fruits and benefits one should also help others. This is what he means when he says, "Let the fountains flow forth. And it is truly a comfort to a sensible, God-fearing Christian, if he knows that God is pleased with this worldly order, that one sits in goods and seeks nourishment, and that God therefore wants to protect his order and help to nourish 2c.
47 But that the Anabaptists, on the other hand, use the apostles' example, when the Christians at Jerusalem gave their goods in common, this is not a commandment. For there have been many Christians who have not kept this way, but have remained in their goods, as can be seen from Paul, 2 Corinthians 9, where Paul also teaches that no one should be deprived of his goods, but that almsgiving should be based on each person's good will. But because of
When there was a great persecution in Jerusalem, and the Christians were daily deprived of their goods and driven away, it was more useful for them to sell the goods themselves and to collect the money to keep them in need. So they did this because of the persecution, and not because such works would be a new holiness, as some monks, Anabaptists and other foolish saints consider such unrighteousness and disruption of natural order and rule to be deliciously heavenly beings; and do not understand that Christian holiness must be in the heart, and that it pleases God that we keep ourselves in the outward life according to ordinary and orderly rules.
The fifth article.
(48) If in marriage one person is a true believer and the other married person is not a true believer, let such a marriage be fornication, and let the true believer leave the other for the sake of faith alone and marry another.
49) This article is intended to move reasonable and disciplined people to become serious and heartfelt enemies of the Anabaptist sect. 1) For it is terrible to hear that they desecrate and tear apart right marriages.
50) But that this article of the Anabaptists is wrong is quite clear from Paul, 1 Cor. 7, since Paul actually deals with this question: whether believers and unbelievers should remain with each other in the marriage state? and he insists that they should remain with each other, teaching that such a marriage is a right, holy and pleasing marriage to God for the believer. Therefore he says: "The unbelieving person is sanctified by the believing"; that is, the conjugal companionship of this person becomes holy, that is, pleasing to God, and is not sin. For so the word "holy" is to be understood in this place, as Paul otherwise also speaks, "The food is sanctified," that is, it is not sin to use the food that GOD has created.
51 Thus St. Paul teaches both of these things, namely: the first, that the believing person should remain with the unbelieving and is obliged to remain, if he is not wilfully abandoned by the unbelieving. The other, that there is a true marriage between the believer and the unbeliever; that is, that the believer can be in such a marriage with a good conscience, as in a holy state pleasing to God, and is obliged to remain in it. For Saint Paul clearly says that this cohabitation is holy. Therefore
1) The words: "feind werden" to "zerreißen" are missing in the Witienberger.
it is vain devil's play that the Anabaptists call such marriage fornication and tear it apart.
52 And although the Anabaptists are quite impudent, and invent lies and glosses as they please, yet any reasonable person can easily understand that this, as we have said, is thoroughly and actually St. Paul's opinion. In contrast, the Anabaptists have invented their own slogan: One faith, one love. They interpret this to mean that they do not owe it to those who are not of their faith to keep their marriage vows. If this saying were to be interpreted as meaning that we should not owe allegiance or love to anyone who is unequal to us in faith, then we could easily eradicate all quarrels, obligations and guilt. Christ commanded that we should love even our enemies who persecute us and are publicly unequal in faith: how much more should husbands and wives be faithful to one another 2c.!
This would be better interpreted, that each one should have in his own heart One Faith and One Love towards God, that is, that he should believe in God alone, have his trust in God alone, love God alone above all things, and not let himself be turned away from God by pleasure, honor, money or goods. 2c. This same love for God also entails obedience in all the works that God has commanded for every state.
From infant baptism.
The Anabaptists hold that infant baptism is wrong.
Now consider, first, how terrible it is to throw a large part of the human race not only into an uncertain state outside the Christian church, but to tear it away from God's order and grace to damnation. On the other hand, what disruption would follow if two groups, one baptized and one unbaptized, were to grow up among us! And if the baptism were to be completed for the most part, then the pagan nature would publicly break down, and the devil would gladly make a way for this.
(56) Therefore, all devout Christians should be well informed about infant baptism and know how to comfort and strengthen themselves with good reason, so that they faithfully receive infant baptism for the glory of God, for the salvation of the dear children and for our own comfort. For it is quite comforting to devout Christians when they are sufficiently informed that children will certainly become children of God and be saved through baptism; therefore we want to prove that infant baptism is right and necessary.
57 And this is the first reason: It is certain and undeniable that the grace of Christ, forgiveness of sins and blessedness, promised in the Gospel, belongs also to the children, as Christ says: "Let the children come to me, for such is the kingdom of heaven.
Now, apart from the Christian church, that is, where there is no sacrament and the Word of God, there is no blessedness; therefore, the children must be incorporated into the Christian church and become members of it, and such grace must be bestowed upon them through the sacrament. For God has ordered and commanded the outward ministry in such a way that through it forgiveness of sin is to be distributed to all in the church. All this is public and certain. For the Anabaptists can never prove that blessedness is outside the Christian church, that is, where there is no sacrament and God's word.
The other reason. The children should and must be members of the Christian church, if they are to be saved otherwise, as is now said. Now Saint Paul teaches that the Christian church is the assembly purified by the Holy Spirit and baptism. Therefore no one can be a member of the Christian church without baptism, even with contempt of baptism.
60 Christ also teaches John 3: "No one can enter the kingdom of heaven unless he is born again through water and the Holy Spirit. Here Christ includes all men on earth, young and old, and says of water. Therefore, if the Anabaptists ask where it is commanded to baptize infants, we should keep to this saying and know that it is commanded, for Christ says, "No one can enter the kingdom of heaven unless he is born again through water and the Holy Spirit," for the ministry of water baptism is commanded to the church.
The fact that they despise water and outward signs out of great wisdom and holiness is the cleverness of their master, the devil, who, as a trustworthy spirit and enemy of God, drives wretched people to mock God's word and order. But Christians should know that in such outward signs is God's word, command and order. Therefore, the signs must be used, and God works with His order, as He has promised. For this reason St. Paul says: that the Church is purified through baptism; item: that we are born again through baptism; all of which is said so that we may certainly believe that God works with the signs.
62 But that the Anabaptists say, "The children have no faith," is a human error.
This is a strange thought, and it is not true. For it is certain that God works in the children according to their measure, if they are brought before Him through baptism. For no one is saved without divine action and rebirth, John 3. Now it is certain that the children who are members of Christianity will be saved; so it follows that it must be true that God works in them.
The third reason. The children have sin in them, namely, original sin; therefore they need forgiveness of sins, which is imparted to them through baptism. For this forgiveness and the outward ministry must make a difference between the children who are saved and the others. But here the spirit of the Anabaptists can be rightly noticed, for they hold and teach that the children have no sin in them, and that original sin is not sin; item, that the inherent evil desire in man is not sin.
(64) If you want to color lies, you need many more lies; so here, if the Anabaptists want to overthrow baptism, they invent many horrible and terrible lies for it. And consider every one of the Anabaptists holiness! They seek new outward disorderly works, so that they want to be holy; and are so blind in their hearts that they do not consider their own evil lust to be sin, despise baptism and God's word outwardly, and do not consider that one should seek God there, and that God is involved. Therefore, they do not know what faith is, and seek strange works, or want to have special enlightenment apart from and without God's Word. This is vain blindness, error and the devil's specter, and these are the very holy people of whom Paul speaks, that they are mad, and they pontificate and boast of things of which they know nothing. Christians should consider all these things carefully, so that they may learn to know the false spirits and heresies, to flee and avoid them.
That children bring original sin with them, and that inherent evil desire is sin, is clearly taught by St. Paul in many places. Rom. 5: "Through Adam's transgression we all became sinful." In Rom. 7 he calls the evil desire in man "sin that dwells in us". And Rom. 8 he says: "The lust in the flesh is hatred against God"; that is hard and clear enough. Item, Eph. 2: "We are born children of wrath", that is, sinful and damned,
66 And in sum, this understanding has always remained in Christendom: that original sin is truly sin, and that it is forgiven the children through baptism. And so that I do not make it long here, because all good-hearted and
If it is clear enough to those with understanding that the Anabaptists deny God's word quite wilfully here, I will only add one more reason to clearly understand that there is sin in the children, which is forgiven them through baptism. For all Christians must confess that Christ is the Savior not only of the aged but also of children. Therefore, if they need Christ as the Savior, there is undoubtedly sin in them. Since it is sufficiently proven that sin is in the children, if they are to be forgiven, the outward ministry must be added, otherwise there would be no difference and no church.
67 The fourth reason. Baptism and circumcision both mean grace and forgiveness of sins, as Paul teaches. Now the circumcision of the children was right and necessary, and through it the children of Abraha were accepted by God and became God's children. Therefore, there must also be a sign in us that makes a difference between God's children and the damned.
The fifth reason. The Lord Christ has spoken a very comforting saying about children: "The Father's will is not that these children should perish. These words are spoken of the circumcised children; so they must also be understood by us of those children alone who are members of the church. For they cannot be understood by Gentiles and Turks, since there is no blessedness apart from the Church, that is, where there is not God's Word and Sacrament.
(69) Therefore, all devout Christians should take comfort and joy in knowing that their children are certainly God's children, if they have become members of the Church through baptism and have been accepted by God. For this reason, infant baptism is a sweet and high consolation. And that we conclude: If all Anabaptists bring together all their wisdom, holiness and suffering, they still cannot make any man certain that children outside the church, as Turkish children, will be saved. Therefore, their doctrine is a vain and uncertain thing and a fictitious devilish fraud.
(70) Although we have shown good consistent reason from divine Scripture, let us also remember that infant baptism is not a new thing, but was also in the oldest pure church, which is not to be despised. For what is necessary for salvation must have been known beforehand in Christendom, and especially at the time when the doctrine was purer. If infant baptism is wrong, and rebaptism is necessary for salvation, then
1) Wittenberger: bodily.
Such a testimony of the Holy Spirit in the church.
Because the Anabaptist doctrine is entirely a new poem of its own, without any examples or testimony from the old holy church, reasonable Christians should shy away from rebaptism. For it is not valid to joke about Christian doctrine, to introduce a new doctrine without God's word and some proven examples, yes, against God's word and against all the examples of all common Christianity from the beginning. This is cruel presumption and audacity, for which may God mercifully protect us! For it is a devilish contempt of God, and is the characteristic of the Antichrist, as Daniel and Paul say. As the pope and the monks have introduced many terrible abuses with equal boldness in Christianity without and against God's word and old examples, as their mass of death, prohibition of marriage and other more things. And although the Anabaptists also want to count infant baptism among such things, they are mistaken. For infant baptism has God's word and the oldest pure church's example. For Christ says, "No one can enter the kingdom of heaven unless he is born again through water and the Holy Spirit." Now this outward ministry of baptizing with water is commanded to the church; therefore the church should communicate it to all. For this, infant baptism has examples from the earliest Christianity.
For Origen speaks clearly in his interpretation, Rom. 6, [v. 3. f.] that Christianity therefore received the order from the apostles to baptize children, because there is inherent sin in children, which is washed away by water and the Holy Spirit.
Thus Cyprian writes to Fido a good teaching that the church should not exclude children from baptism and grace, but is obliged to share baptism with them. For as much as there is in her, she owes it to all men, young and old, to communicate her ministry. -And in doing so, he clearly states that children need baptism for this reason, so that through God's grace and work in baptism they receive forgiveness of original sin. There are many such sayings in Augustine, who also says that this order is kept in the whole church as if it were the tradition of the apostles.
These sayings we have told, so that the simple may not be deceived by some lying spirits, who imagine to the unlearned that the ancient saints did not keep infant baptism, as some have written in Münster. In addition, it must be remembered that in the Christian church, against such 'old examples,
To introduce new doctrine without God's Word is great presumption, impudence and, in addition, error.
Whoever considers these causes diligently and carefully can, by God's grace, strengthen his faith and protect himself from the unchristian error of the Anabaptists. For we should know that faith will suffer temptation and should be strengthened by God's word. Therefore, we should be courageous and careful that the devil does not lead us away from God's word into his own thoughts, as happened to the Anabaptists. For this is the reason and beginning of the deception in the Anabaptists, that they despise the Word of God and fall into their own thoughts, and have such great pleasure and lust in the same that they pretend it is the Holy Spirit, and then go on and blaspheme God, saying: one should not respect the outward word and Scripture, but one should follow the Spirit. If this entrance and this door is open, that each one should judge according to his own spirit, and not according to God's word, oh God! what a terrible thing will follow! as the example at Münster has proven. Thus many of us have heard from the now punished Anabaptists, when they had overcome with clear Scripture, they finally said: The Spirit taught them thus.
For this reason, it is highly necessary to pay attention that we do not allow ourselves to be led away by God's word to our own thoughts, but know that the Holy Spirit does not work without God's word, but through God's word; and that we should and must recognize and grasp God by His word, as Paul says: "Faith comes from hearing," that is, from the sermon or the outward word. This order GOtt keeps and does not tear apart. Therefore, contempt for the external word and the Scriptures is blasphemy, which the secular authorities are also obliged to punish, according to the other commandment, in which it is commanded that blasphemy be punished. In addition, one can see what shame and vice would follow in the outer life, if everyone wanted to teach and live according to his own thoughts. Therefore the wise king Solomon says: "When the right preaching is gone, the people and the government are scattered. For this reason, the secular authorities should also be vigilant here and not tolerate this blasphemy, that is, public contempt for Scripture and the external word, but should seriously defend and punish it. And especially all Christians should consider such contempt of the Scriptures as devilish, and know that it is the serpent's speech in paradise to Eve.
The Anabaptists also have more aberrations.
The following is a list of the most important articles of the two sacraments and their customs, as well as other articles, of which others have also been written before, and which time does not permit to be dealt with now. And this instruction is primarily intended so that the simple may thereby learn to judge and know the spirit in the Anabaptists by means of several easy articles, and to be the more careful. Therefore ask the Christian preachers to explain these and other articles further, and to teach the people often and with diligence in such dangerous times, as they are obliged to do, and to give account to God, if they do not resist these errors with earnestness.
The Anabaptists also have some pretensions to move people more than with doctrine, namely, that they use many more splendid and strange words and boast of high enlightenments, which is all a lie, as experience has often proven. Item, that they pretend great humility in those whom they praise. Item, that great brotherly fidelity seems, that they are
Give their goods in common. Item, that they show great patience in suffering, and go to death with great boldness and defiance.
Now it is no wonder that such gestures move anyone; but a Christian should lift up and set God's word high and far above all appearance in outward gestures, and should know that spiritual matters are to be judged according to God's word, and not otherwise. The heathen can also run freely and joyfully into death. For the devil can blind his own, so that they do not feel their sin and punishment. Christians feel sin and fear, and overcome them with faith; therefore, while they contend, weakness appears in them. Therefore, although the Anabaptists defiantly run to their deaths, we should not fall away from God's word, but consider that maintaining right faith in the heart also requires earnestness and a struggle against all kinds of troubles.
80 May our Lord Christ graciously preserve us from all error and keep us in right faith and obedience. Amen.