preached by Martin Luther.
(Preached after May 15, 1525, issued in 1526.)*)
Dear friends, you have often heard how there was never a public sermon from heaven, but only twice, although God has otherwise often spoken through and with men on earth, as through and with the holy arch-fathers, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and others, until Moses. But by and with these he spake not with such glorious pomp and outward manner, or public shouting and proclamation, as he did these twice, but inwardly enlightened their hearts, and spake by their mouths, as Zacharias the father of John doth indicate in his song, saying [Luc. 1:70.], "As he spake of old by the mouth of his holy prophets."
Now, the first sermon is in the other book of Moses [chap. 19 and 20], when God made Himself heard from heaven with great splendor and glorious power, at the time when He gave the law to the people of Israel with thunder and lightning, 1) with smoke, vapor and very strong trumpets, all of which the people heard and trembled and were terrified.
5. on the other hand God preached another public sermon [Apost. 2, 2-4] by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. For there the Holy Spirit also came with great splendor and outward appearance, so that "a swift sound of a mighty wind came from heaven, and filled the whole house where the disciples were sitting; and tongues were seen to be divided among them, as though they were fiery, and He sat upon every one of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to preach, and to speak with other tongues. This was done with great splendor and glorious power, so that the Apo
1) In the Wittenberg and Jena: "plixen". Erlanger: "Blixen".
2) Erlanger: "their". This is not an oversight, but "the" (which is also offered by the Wittenberg and the Jena) is given as Walch's variant.
They preached so powerfully after that, that the sermons that are now going on in the world are hardly a shadow compared to their sermons, namely according to the outward splendor and character. For they spoke with all kinds of tongues and performed great miraculous signs, as Lucas describes in the stories of the apostles.
(6) But by the present preachers he can neither be heard nor seen; it does not go down publicly from heaven. That is why I said [§ 3] that there are only two special and public sermons that have been seen and heard from heaven. Although God the Father also spoke to Christ from heaven when he was baptized in the Jordan and on Mount Thabor [Matth. 3, 17. 17, 5.], but this did not happen in front of the church.
The other sermon he would send into the world, which before was announced by the mouth and in the books of the holy prophets [Rom. 1, 2]. He will no longer speak publicly with sermons, but the third time he will come personally with divine glory, so that all creatures will tremble and shake before him, and he will no longer preach to them, but they will see and feel him themselves.
The first sermon and teaching is the Law of God, the other is the Gospel. These two sermons do not agree, therefore one must have good sense to know how to distinguish between them, and to know what is the law and what is the gospel. The law commands and demands of us what we are to do; it is directed solely to our doing, and stands in the demanding. For God says through the law, "Do this, leave this, and I will have this from you. The gospel, however, does not preach what we are to do or not to do, does not demand anything of us, but turns it around, does the opposite, and does not say: Do this, do that; but only tells us to hold out and take the lap, and says: Behold, dear man,
*) Compare the note to 8 28.
This is what God has done for you: He put His Son in the flesh for you, had Him strangled for your sake, and saved you from sin, death, the devil and hell; believe this and accept it, and you will be saved. So there are two kinds of teachings and two kinds of works, God's and man's. And as we and God are separated from each other, so also the two teachings are far separated from each other. For the gospel alone teaches what is given to us by God, not what we should give to God and do, as the law is wont to do.
(9) Here we will see how the first sermon sounded, and with what splendor God gave the law on Mount Sinai. He chose that place especially for him, that he might be seen and heard there; not that God spoke in this way, for he has no mouth, tongue or lips like we do, but he who created and made the mouth of all men can also make speech and voice. For no one could speak a word unless God gave it to him first, as the prophet says: it would be impossible to speak unless God gave it to our mouths first. Thus speech, language and voice are gifts of God, like other gifts, such as the fruit on the trees. He who created the mouth and put speech into it can also make speech, even if there is no mouth.
10) Now 1) the words that are written here in Moses were spoken by an angel; not that there was only one angel, but a great multitude, and an innumerable host, who served God and preached before the people of Israel on Mount Sinai. But the angel who spoke here, and who leads the words, speaks as if God Himself spoke and said: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage" 2c., 2 Mos. 20, 2. As if Peter or Paul spoke and said in the place of God: I am your God, who will make you blessed through my most beloved Son 2c. Paul to Galatians Cap. 3, 19. says, that the God
1) "Nun" is missing in the Wittenberger.
2) Thus the Wittenbergers. Jenaer: in the place of God; Erlanger: in the place of God.
The law was ordered by the angels, that is, angels were ordered to give the law of God to the people of Israel instead of God, and Moses, as a mediator, was to receive it from the angels. I say this so that you may know who gave the law. He did it all because he wanted to force, capture and collect the Jews with it.
011 But what manner of voice it was, think ye well. It was a voice like the voice of a man, so that it was well heard; the syllables and letters sounded so that the physical ear could grasp it. But it was a brave, glorious and great voice, as it is written in the fifth book of Moses, Cap. 4:12, where he says that they heard the voice, and saw no man; but they heard a strong voice, for he led a strong voice, as when we hear a voice in the dark from a high tower or roof, and see no man, but hear only a strong voice of a man; and therefore it is called the voice of God, that it was above the voice of man.
12 Now you will hear how God sent Himself to the voice to move His people and make them strong. For he had in mind to start the outward spiritual regiment. For before [Ex. 18, 14. ff.] the text said how Moses, through the counsel of his adviser Jethro, instituted the temporal regiment, appointed captains and judges. Above this there is also a spiritual government, in which God reigns in the hearts of men; and this same kingdom cannot be seen, for it stands in faith alone, and will endure until the last day. Now these are two kingdoms: [the] temporal, which reigneth with the sword, and is seen outwardly; the spiritual, which reigneth with grace and forgiveness of sins only. And the same kingdom is not seen with bodily eyes, but is apprehended with faith alone. Between the two kingdoms there is another kingdom set in the middle, half spiritual and half temporal, which comprehends the Jews with commandments and outward ceremonies, as they should behave toward God and man before the world in an outward manner.
6 Eri. 33, 8-10. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, s-v. 7
The Law of Moses does not bind the Gentiles, but the Jews alone.
(13) The law of Moses pertains to the Jews, which henceforth binds us no more. For the law was given to the people of Israel alone, and Israel accepted it for themselves and their descendants, and the Gentiles are excluded here; although the Gentiles also have some laws in common with the Jews, such as that there is one God, that one offend no one, that one neither commit adultery nor steal, and such other things; all of which are naturally written in their hearts, and they have not heard it from heaven, as the Jews have. Therefore this whole text does not concern the Gentiles. I say this for the sake of the enthusiasts. For you see and hear how they read Moses and highly esteem him, and bring forth how Moses governed the people with commandments, wanting to be clever, wanting to know something further than is contained in the Gospel, considering faith small, bringing up something new, boasting and pretending that it is in the Old Testament, wanting to govern the people according to the letter of the Law of Moses, as if it had never been read before.
14 But we do not want to confess this; I would rather not preach any more for the rest of my life before I would let Moses in again, and let Christ be torn from our hearts. We do not want to have Moses for a regent or lawgiver anymore, yes, God does not want it himself either. Moses was a mediator and a lawgiver of the Jewish people alone, to whom he gave the law. One must therefore shut the mouths of the red spirits who say: Thus says Moses, it is written in Moses, and the like. So you say: Moses does not concern us. If I accept Moses in one commandment, I must accept the whole of Moses; so it would follow that if I accept Moses as my master and lawgiver, I must be circumcised, wash my clothes according to the Jewish way, and thus eat and drink, clothe myself, and keep all these things, as the Jews were commanded in the Law. So let us not keep or accept Moses. Moses is dead, his reign was over when Christ came; he does not serve here anymore.
(15) That Moses did not bind the Gentiles may be deduced from the text in the other book of Moses, chap. 20, 2. where God Himself says: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. From the text it is clear that even the ten commandments do not apply to us, for He did not bring us out of Egypt, but only the Jews. The spirits of the Jews want to put Moses on our backs with all the commandments; let us leave that alone. We want to consider Moses as a teacher, but we do not want to consider him as our lawgiver, unless he agrees with the New Testament and the natural law. Therefore it is clear enough that Moses is the lawgiver of the Jews and not of the Gentiles. For in this text Moses gave a sign to the Jews that they should take hold of God when they call upon Him, as the God who brought them out of Egypt. The Christians have another sign, in which they take hold of God, as the one "who made his Son for them for wisdom, and for righteousness, and for sanctification, and for redemption", 1 Cor. 1, 30.
16 Item, it can be proved from the third commandment that Moses does not concern the Gentiles, nor the Christians. For Paul and the New Testament abolish the Sabbath, so that it may be understood that the Sabbath was given to the Jews alone, to whom it was a strict commandment. The prophets have also implied that the Sabbath of the Jews should be abolished. Isaiah says Cap. 66, 23: "When the Savior comes, there will be a time like this, a Sabbath on another, a new moon on another. 2c. As if he wanted to speak: There will be a Sabbath every day, there will be such a people, who will have no difference of days. For in the New Testament the Sabbath lies low, according to the gross, outward manner, for it is holy day every day 2c.
017 If therefore any man reproach thee with Moses and his commandments, and urge thee to keep them, say, Go unto the Jews with thy Moses: I am no Jew; let me not be sworn with Moses. If I accept Moses in one piece (says Paul to the Galatians Cap. 5, 3.), then I am obliged to keep the whole law. For not a single point in Moses concerns us.
018 If any man say, Why preachest thou Moses, if he be no concern of ours? Answer: For this I will keep Moses and not put him under the bench, for I find three things in Moses that can also be useful to us. First, the commandments given to the people of Israel concerning outward things I will leave aside; they do not compel me, nor do they press upon me; the laws are dead and gone, unless I will willingly and gladly accept them from Moses. As if I said: "Moses ruled in this way, it seems fine to me, I will follow him in this or that part. I would gladly have the lords rule after the example of Moses, and if I were emperor, I would take from it an example of the statutes; not that Moses should force me, but that I should be free to follow him, and to lead such a regiment as he ruled.
Nineteen: For with tithing it is a right commandment of his. For with tithing all other interest would be cancelled, and it would be more convenient for the common man to tithe than annuity and rent. 2) As if I had ten cows, I would give one; if I had five, I would give nothing; if I grew little in the field, I would give little; if I grew much, I would give much; that would be in God's power. But therefore I must give the heathen interest, and if the hail should strike down all the fruit. If I owe a hundred guilders of interest, I must give it, even if no fruit grows in the field. This is also the pope's decree and regiment. But it would be the same if it were so ordered: if I grow much, I give much; if I grow little, I give little.
020 And it is also written in Moses, that no man should sell any field for an inheritance for ever, but only until the year of jubilee; and when that year was come, every man should return to his field, or to his goods which he had sold, and so the goods should remain in the friendship. So other out of measure beautiful commandments are in Moses more, which one would like to accept, to use and to let go in pregnancy, not that one thereby
1) me them - me them.
2) Gült (Gülte) - levy, tax on goods, land rent.
(Missing from Dietz.)
should force, or be forced, but, as I said before 18], the emperor would like to take an example from it, to set up a fine regiment from Moses. As also the Romans have led a fine regiment, and as also the Saxon mirror is, according to which this country holds itself. The Gentiles do not owe obedience to Moses; Moses is the Saxon seal of the Jews. But if a fine example were taken from it for the rule, one would keep it without restraint as long as one wanted.
21 It is written in Moses [Deut. 25:5, 6, Matt. 22:24] that if a man died without children, his brother or next of kin should take the woman home and have her for a wife, and raise up the seed of the brother or next of kin who died; and the first child should be counted to the brother or next of kin who died. And this is also a fine commandment. There are many more such commandments in Moses, all of which could be gathered into a fine regiment, and thereby rule the land and people properly and honorably.
022 Now when the spirits of the wicked come, and say: Moses commanded, let Moses go, and say, I ask nothing of that which Moses commanded. Yes, they say, he commanded that one should have one God, trust and believe in him, not swear by his name, honor father and mother, not kill, not steal, not commit adultery, not bear false witness, and not covet another's wife or property. Shall one not keep these things? Say therefore: Nature has these laws also; nature gives that one should call upon God, this also the heathen indicate. For there never was a heathen that called upon his idols, though they lacked the right God, as did also the Jews. For the Jews also had idolatry, as did the Gentiles; only that the Jews received the law, but the Gentiles have it written in their hearts, and there is no difference, as St. Paul also tells the Romans Cap. 2, 15: The Gentiles, who have no law, have the law written in their hearts. But as the Jews are lacking, so are the Gentiles.
3) Erlanger: one.
23 And therefore it is natural to honor God, not to steal, not to commit adultery, not to bear false witness, not to put to death; and it is not new that Moses commanded. For what God gave from heaven to the Jews through Moses, He also wrote in the hearts of all men, both Jews and Gentiles, only that He had it written and proclaimed to the Jews, as His own chosen people, for a surplus, even with a bodily voice and writing. So now I keep the commandments given by Moses, not because Moses commanded them, but because they are implanted in me by nature, and Moses agrees with nature in all things 2c. But the other commandments in Moses, which are not implanted in all men by nature, the Gentiles do not keep, neither do they go about them, as, of tithes and others, which are nevertheless also beautiful. I wish we had them also, as I have said 18]. Now this is the first thing that I am to see in Moses, namely, the commandments, to which I am not bound, for if they are implanted in any man by nature, and are written in his heart.
The other piece in Moses to remember.
(24) Secondly, I find in Moses that which I do not have from nature, that is, the promises and assurances of God from Christ. And this is the best thing almost in the whole of Moses, which is not written naturally in the hearts of men, but comes down from heaven. As that God promised that His Son should be born in the flesh, 4ms proclaims the Gospel. And now these are not commandments, nor do they demand anything of us, that we should do or refrain from doing anything, but they are comforting, joyful promises of God, which we should accept, 'and boldly rely on them, against all temptation of sin, death, the devil and hell. And this is the most noble thing in Moses, which also belongs to us Gentiles. The first, namely the commandments, do not concern us; but the other we are to perceive with our hearts, and therefore read Moses, that such excellent and comforting promises are written therein, that I may strengthen my weak faith. For thus
In the kingdom of Christ, as I read in Moses, I find the right reason.
025 And so, in this manner, shall I accept Moses, and not put him under the bench. First, that he may give beautiful examples of the laws that may be taken from it to govern the land and people outwardly in a fine and orderly way. Secondly, in it are the promises of God, so that faith may be strengthened and preserved. When God says to the serpent, as it is written in the first book of Moses, Cap. 3, 15': "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bite him in the heel." This is the first gospel and promise of Christ, which came to pass on earth, that he should overcome sin, death and hell, and save us from the power of the serpent, in which Adam believed with all his descendants, whereof he also became a Christian, 1) and was saved from his fall.
26 Item, Abraham was given this promise by God, as also in the first book of Moses, Cap. 22, 18, 12, 3, when he said to him: "Through your seed all nations on earth shall be blessed. This was the other gospel of Christ, that through Him all men should be blessed and saved, as St. Paul explains to the Galatians, Cap. 3, 8.
27. Item, in the fifth book Moses, Cap. 18, 15. 16., speaks to the people of Israel: "A prophet, like me, the Lord your God will raise up for you, from you and from your brothers, and you shall obey him. As then thou hast asked of the LORD thy GOD in Horeb, in the day of the congregation." And soon after, v. 18, 19, Moses continues the words that God spoke to him: "I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethren, and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. And whosoever will not hear my words, which he shall speak in my name, of him will I seek." This is all said of Christ, that he should bring a new preaching upon the earth. There are many sayings in the Old Testament
1) In the old editions "Christians" instead of: a Christian.
Testament, to which the faithful Jews adhered, who often led and attracted the holy apostles.
28. But our red spirits go to: Everything they read in Moses, they speak: God speaks, no one can deny it; therefore it must be kept. Then the rabble falls to it: Huh, God has spoken it, who wants to speak against it? Then they are driven in like pigs over a deception. 1) Our dear 2) prophets have thus spoken to the people: Dear people, God has commanded his people to slay Amalek to death; and other sayings more. Out of this came misery and distress; the peasants stood up, knew no difference, and were led into this error by the mad spirits of the mob. If there had been learned preachers, who could have met the false prophets and fought them, and thus spoken to them: Dear spirits of the wicked, it is true that God has commanded Most, and has thus spoken to the people; but we are not the people to whom the Lord speaks. Dear, God also spoke to Adam, therefore I am not Adam. He commanded Abraham to slay his son; I am not Abraham, therefore, to slay my son. He also spoke to David in the same way. It is all God's word, it is true. But, God's word to, God's word to, I must know and be careful to whom the word of God is spoken. It is still far from being the people that God has spoken to. The false prophets speak: You are the people, GOD is talking to you. Prove that to me. So they might have been put down. But they wanted to be beaten, and so the mob went to the devil. 3)
(29) The Scriptures must be carefully handled and followed. The word has been spoken in many ways from the beginning. One must not only consider whether it is God's word, whether God has spoken it, but much more to whom it is spoken, whether it affects you or someone else.
1) Trough - Trough. So the Jenaer. Wittenberg and Erlangen: Trüge!
2) Wittenberger: "ausfrhürische" instead of: love.
3) What is said in this paragraph proves that the peasants' revolt was already over, so this "instruction" does not actually belong to the "sermons on the first book of Moses". Cf. § 30.
the other. Then there is a separation, like summer and winter. God has spoken many things to David, has told him to do this and that; but it is not my business, it is not spoken to me. He may speak it to me, if he will have it. You must look at the word that concerns you, that is spoken to you, and not what concerns another. There are two words in the Scriptures: One does not concern me, neither does it affect me. The other concerns me, and on the one that concerns me I may boldly venture, and rely on it as on a strong rock; if it does not concern me, I shall stand still. The false prophets go to and say: Dear people, this is the word of God. It is true, nor can they deny it; but we are not the people to whom he speaks. God has not commanded us to do this or that, which He has commanded Him to do.
(30) The spirits of the mob came, wanting to get something new, and said, "The Old Testament must also be kept. So they led the peasants into a sweat that they will not soon wipe off. Yes, they have ruined the poor people, both in body and goods, in wife and child; as we, unfortunately, have experienced and seen. The foolish people thought that they had been restrained from such a word of God, that no one had told them that they should strike the wicked to death. But it serves them right, they would not follow nor listen to anyone. I saw it myself and experienced how mad, furious and nonsensical they were.
(31) Therefore say to the same riffraff thus, Let Moses and his people alone; they are finished, he is no concern of mine; I hear the word that concerns me. We have the gospel. Christ says [Marc. 16, 15.]: "Go and preach the gospel", not only to the Jews, like Moses, but to all Gentiles, even "to all creatures". It is said to me [Marc. 16, 16.], "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Item [Luc. 10, 37.]: Go and do to your neighbor as it has been done to you. The words also apply to me, for I am one of all crea-.
4) So the Wittenbergers. Jenaer: "jn"-you. Erlanger: him.
14 Eri. 33, 17-is. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. m, is-n. 15
tnren. If Christ had not added: "Preach to all creatures", I would not turn to it, I would not want to be baptized, and thus oppose it, as I now oppose Moses; to him I turn nothing at all, nor does it concern me, because it is not given to me, but only to the Jews. But because Christ says that the gospel, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," is to be preached, not to one people only, not in that place or in that part of the world, but to all creatures, there is none excepted, but all creatures are included; let no man doubt that the gospel shall be preached to him also. So I believe the word, it concerns me also, I also belong to the gospel and to the New Testament, therefore I dare to take the word, and if it should cost a hundred thousand necks.
(32) Let the preachers who teach other people, and indeed all Christians, know, understand and take the difference to heart. For it is the power that is entirely concerned with it. If the peasants had understood this, many would have been saved, and not so miserably deceived and corrupted. And where we understand otherwise, we make sects and mobs, where we spit and salivate among the rabble, among the mad, ignorant people, without any distinction: God's word, God's word. Yes, dear fellow, not so; it means whether it is told to you or not. God may speak to angels, wood, fish, birds, animals and to all creatures, but it does not concern me; I should look at what concerns me, what is told to me, so that he may admonish me, drive me and challenge me.
Thirty-three Take an example. If a householder had a wife, daughter, son, maidservant and servants, he would say to the servant to start the horses, drive them into the woods, plow the field and do such work; to the maidservant he would say to milk the cows, churn butter and so on; to the wife to tend the kitchen; to the daughter to spin and make the bed. These are all the words of a master, a householder. When the maidservant would lead the horses and go to the woods, the servant would sit under the cows and milk the cows.
The daughter wanted to drive the cart, wanted to plow; the wife wanted to make the bed, wanted to spin, and miss the kitchen; and wanted to speak thus: The Lord has commanded it, it is the order of the father of the house. Then the father of the house should go and take a shillelagh, and throw them all together in a heap, and say: Though it be my commandment, yet have I not commanded thee, but have given every man his own charge; and ye shall abide in it.
(34) So it is with the word of God. If I were to accept that which he has commanded another, and were to say: Did you say it; he should say: Who knows it 1) Thanks to you? but I did not tell you. One must make a good distinction, if the word meets one, or all at all. If the father of the house said, "On Friday we will eat meat," that would be a common word to all in the house. So what was spoken to Moses by God concerning the commandments applies only to the Jews; but the gospel goes through and through the whole world, no one is excluded, but it is presented to all creatures. Therefore all the world should accept it, and so accept it as if it were presented to each one in particular. The word John 13:34, "We ought to love one another," concerns me, for it concerns all who belong to the gospel.
35 Therefore we read Moses, not that it concerns us, that we must keep it; but that it is consistent with the natural law, and is better composed than the Gentiles ever could have done. Thus the ten commandments are a mirror of our life, wherein we see what we lack 2c. The red spirits have also not understood Moses of the images correctly, because it also concerns only the Jews 2c. Secondly, as has been said, we read Moses for the promises of Christ, who belongs not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles. For through him all Gentiles should have the blessing and the giving, as was promised to Abraham [Deut. 22:18].
1) Erlanger: dir.
2) In the editions: gleichstimme.
The third piece, so is to be perceived in Moses.
Thirdly, we read Moses because of the beautiful examples of faith, love and the cross in the dear holy fathers, Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and so through and through. From this we should learn to trust and love God. Again, we see the examples of the unbelief of the wicked, and the wrath of God, how God does not give the unbelievers their unbelief; how He punished Cain, Ishmael, Esau, the whole world with the flood, Sodoma and Gomorrah; and the like punishments more, which He has visited upon the wicked. And the examples are necessary. For though I am not Cain, yet if I do as Cain did, I shall receive the same punishment as Cain. In no other place can one find such beautiful examples of both faith and unbelief: faith and unbelief, than in Moses. Therefore, Moses should not be put under the bench. And so the Old Testament is rightly understood, if one keeps the beautiful sayings of Christ from the prophets, and the beautiful examples are well grasped and remembered, and if we use the laws according to our pleasure, and make the same useful to us.
Decision.
(37) I have said that all Christians, and especially those who want to teach other people and act on the word of God, should be careful and learn Moses correctly, so that where he gives commandments, we do not accept him in this, except as far as he rhymes with the natural law. Let Moses be a master and doctor of the Jews. We have our Master Christ, who has set before us what we should know, keep, do, and refrain from doing. But this is true: Moses writes,
Besides the laws, beautiful examples of faith and unbelief, punishment of the wicked, exaltation of the pious and faithful, and also the sweet and comforting promises of Christ. We are to accept these, just as we are to do in the evangelists. As when one reads of the ten lepers, it does not concern me that he calls them to go to the priests and do their sacrifice; but the example of their faith concerns me, that I also, like them, believe Christ.
(38) Enough has been said about this, and it is well to be remembered, for there is power in it, and many great, excellent people have failed in it, and now many great preachers are offended by it, do not know how to preach Moses, are not well able to do it, are nonsensical, rage and rage, chatter to the people: God's word, God's word, God's word; seduce the poor people and push them into the pit. Many learned people have not known how far Moses should be taught. Origen, Jerome and their ilk have not clearly indicated how well Moses serves us. 1)
39. This is what I wanted to say about an entrance into Moses, how one should go about it, and how Moses should be understood and accepted, and not even put under the bench, in which such a beautiful order and outward regiment is understood, that it is air, without which he describes many excellent things, as you have heard, beautiful things, as you have heard, which are not only not to be rejected, but also to be highly esteemed, and to be accepted with an earnest heart, as for the advancement and strengthening of our Christian faith, by which, as we, so also the dear holy fathers, have been saved.
1) Erlanger: dienet.