{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_29678/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_29678","id":"gutenberg_29678","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/29678","summary":null,"tags":["Bible. Jude","Bible. Jude -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.","Bible. Peter","Bible. Peter -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.","Category: Religion/Spirituality"],"text":"Produced by Ron Swanson (This file was produced from images\ngenerously made available by The Internet Archive/American\nLibraries)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTHE EPISTLES OF ST. PETER AND ST. JUDE PREACHED AND EXPLAINED\n\nBY\n\nMARTIN LUTHER.\n\nWittemberg, 1523-4.\n\n\nTRANSLATED, WITH PREFACE AND NOTES,\n\nBY\n\nE. H. GILLETT.\n\n\n\n\nNEW YORK:\nANSON D. F. RANDOLPH,\nNo. 683 BROADWAY.\n1859.\n\n\n\n\nEntered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, by\nE. H. GILLETT,\nIn the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District\nof New York.\n\n\n\n\nEDWARD O. JENKINS,\nPrinter & Stereotyper,\nNo. 26 FRANKFORT STREET.\n\n\n\n\nPREFACE BY THE TRANSLATOR.\n\n\nSeveral years ago, among the dusty piles of old pamphlets stored away\nupon the upper shelves of the Union Theological Seminary library, I\nmet with several works of Luther, in the original editions, as they\nwere issued during his lifetime from his press at Wittemberg. Among\nthem were his Commentaries, or rather Lectures, on the Epistles of\nPeter and Jude.[1] The forbidding aspect of the page, with the\nobsolete spelling of its words, and its somewhat coarse typography,\nwas rather an incitement to master it; for here was Luther,\npresenting himself to the eye of the reader just as, more than three\nhundred years ago, he presented himself to the eyes of thousands of\nhis countrymen. Upon a partial perusal of the Commentary, I became\nsatisfied that it would repay a more attentive study; and finding,\nupon investigation, that it had never been translated into English, I\nset myself to the task which had been so long neglected. The pleasing\nlabor was accomplished, and the manuscript laid aside for several\nyears. The conviction, confirmed by a re-perusal of it, that others\nbesides myself would be interested in the work, has led me to\ndetermine on its publication.\n\n[Footnote 1: Another copy of this same edition of Luther on Peter,\nbelonging to a clergyman's library which was sold at auction in this\ncity, four or five years since, brought an almost fabulous price.]\n\nLuther's Commentary on the Galatians, excellent as it is, is too\nvoluminous and expensive to be very extensively circulated, while the\nphraseology of the early translation, which has not been modified,\nprevents its proper appreciation by modern readers. And yet any one\nthat would truly know the man, and the secret of his power, must\nstudy these in his writings. The Commentary on the Epistles of Peter\nand Jude, presented in a literal but more modern style to the English\nreader, is not liable to these objections; and yet, in the variety of\nits themes, the clearness of its exposition, the stinging force of\nits rebukes, the simplicity and directness of its language, it is\nscarcely surpassed by any of Luther's other writings. On the great\nsubject of justification by faith alone, he is here, as in his\nCommentary on the Epistle to the Galatians, full and emphatic. The\nrelation of faith to works is clearly and carefully defined, while\nthe subjects presented in the text afford full opportunity for\ndiscussing the great questions that concern the relative duties of\ncivil and social life. The volume thus becomes at once a manual of\ndoctrine and of duty. On the foundation of faith is reared the\nsuperstructure of a Christian life. Luther is seen to have fully\napprehended the force of all the objections that could be urged\nagainst his teachings, and with convincing ability he vindicates them\nfrom every charge. Throughout the volume we have ever before us the\nearnest, devout spirit of the Reformer, for the most part unfolding\nin the simplest manner the great doctrines of the Gospel, but\noccasionally indulging in volcanic outbursts of indignation against\nthe hierarchical corruptions of his day, and pouring out upon them\nthe lava-tides of withering rebuke.\n\nIt may seem strange that this work of Luther's has never before been\ntranslated. But, unlike his Commentary on the Epistle to the\nGalatians, which he himself translated into Latin, that it might have\na wider circulation among the learned of Europe, this was published\nby him only in the German language, which was little known in\nEngland, and hence it was deprived of that notoriety which would have\ndrawn special attention to it, as well as of that Latin dress which\nwould have facilitated an English translation. It is well known,\nmoreover, that Luther formed a most humble estimate of his own\nwritings, and was uniformly reluctant to collect his works in\nvolumes, or bestow upon them any editorial care. He seemed perfectly\nwilling to have them sink to oblivion, and could not be persuaded by\nthe most urgent representations to do anything which might rescue\nthem from such a fate. Besides, it is to be noted that a perusal of\nthis volume especially would soon satisfy the reader, that after the\naccession of Queen Elizabeth to the throne, it stood little chance of\nsecuring the necessary approval or _imprimatur_ of an English bishop.\n\nYet the work is one of no little historical as well as antiquarian\ninterest. It has done its part in one of the greatest intellectual\nand religious conflicts of the world. It is the sword that a giant\nwielded, and that has done execution on a broad field. In the great\narmory of the Reformation-writings, scarcely another deserves a more\nconspicuous place. It presents those views of the relative spheres of\nDivine and human authority which became prevalent wherever the cause\nof Reform advanced. It unmasked popular errors, rebuked\necclesiastical corruption, and vindicated most effectively the simple\ndoctrines of faith. Here, moreover, we see Luther clad in the armor\nwith which he boldly challenged the Papacy to a lifelong combat. The\nman is before us, girded for the battle, and we see the weapons upon\nwhich he relies. If one of those cannon balls with which English\nvalor won the battle of Cressy,--the first in which the efficiency of\nthe new invention was tested,--could be picked up there now, and it\ncould be ascertained that it did service in that famous battle, it\nwould be an object of no small interest, at least to the antiquary;\nbut in regard to this treatise of Luther, we know full well that Rome\nfelt its visitation as something more terrible than a bombshell\nexploding beneath the dome of St. Peter's. Under the authority of\nPeter himself it demolished the very foundations of the throne upon\nwhich his pretended successors were seated, and gave a most effective\nimpulse to the onward movement of reform.\n\nNor is this all. It is still capable of doing effective service.\nAfter all the rust and tarnish of three centuries, these words of\nLuther are remarkably fresh, and seem almost like a living utterance\nof to-day. Their critical value is not indeed great, although by no\nmeans contemptible, for the quick sagacity of the Reformer in\ndetecting the meaning and the force of the Scriptural argument, is\nevident on every page, and is rarely at fault; but his clear views of\nthe Gospel, his untrammeled freedom of thought, his strong good\nsense, and his most effective energy of application are everywhere\nconspicuous. His language is uniformly simple and direct. The\nexposition contained in this volume was first delivered from the\npulpit. According to the title-page, it is Scripture \"preached and\nexplained,\" and in addressing it to the people, Luther did not fail\nto keep in view the object upon which he set so high an estimate,\nwhen he said, \"I preach as simply as possible. I want the common\npeople, and children, and servants, to understand me.\"\n\nThe care with which he fortifies his positions with Scriptural\ncitations is likewise obvious. He rarely presents views upon any\ntheme from which one who acknowledges the authority of Scripture will\nfeel forced to dissent, unless, with some, the subject of baptism\nshould an exception. In regard to this, he speaks like one who as yet\nsees \"men as trees walking.\"\n\nConsiderable space is given up to an exposure of the errors and\nabuses of the Papacy, but the exposure is made uniformly by the light\nof Scripture. Vehement as are Luther's occasional bursts of\nindignation, he never wanders from the subject, and never ventures\nbeyond where he is sustained by the clear warrant of the word of God.\n\nIn the purpose of presenting this translation to English readers, I\nhave been encouraged by the prospect of affording to others the same\nopportunity of acquaintance with Luther's modes of thought and\nfeeling which I have myself enjoyed. I believe, moreover, that his\nexposition has a high value, apart from the interest which attaches\nto it as the production of the great hero of the Reformation.\nOccasionally, the views presented have seemed to be such as required\nsome explanatory note or correction, and in a few instances this has\nbeen appended, but the necessity has rarely occurred, and Luther is\nleft throughout to speak for himself. The translation is strictly\nliteral, and almost the only variations from the original are so\nmarked, by being inclosed in parentheses. These will readily be\ndistinguished from the passages or words included in parentheses of\nthe original text, by their explanatory character.\n\nIt would have been a far easier task to have given a more liberal and\npolished rendering of Luther's language. But I think most readers\nwould prefer to have me give them Luther, rather than--the\ntranslator. There are occasional roughnesses of expression, and some\nsentences which were evidently not very lucidly reported, but they\nare features of the book which presents Luther to us, and even the\nwart on the face must appear in the faithful portrait.\n\nFor assistance in the labor of revising some of the more difficult\npassages, I am indebted to Prof. ROBINSON, of the Union Theological\nSeminary, and to Rev. M. BUSHE, pastor of a German church in this\ncity. By their aid, which I take this occasion gratefully to\nacknowledge, I feel confident that nearly every passage, in which the\ntext of the original is not in fault, has been correctly rendered.\n\nI had hoped, in this connection, to present an estimate of Luther's\nwritings, from the pen of one of the most eminent German scholars\nwhich our country can boast. The permission to do so was kindly\ngranted, but the limited space allowed for prefatory remark forbids\nit. I will only add the expression of my own conviction, that from\nthe exceedingly voluminous works of Luther, other selections of high\nmerit might be made, the translation and publication of which would\nbe welcomed with grateful acknowledgment by a large class of American\nand English readers. I should be highly gratified if the\nencouragement afforded by my words or example should induce any one\nmore competent than myself, or who can command more leisure for it,\nto prosecute the work which I have only just begun.\n\nE. H. GILLETT.\nHARLEM, March 8th, 1859.\n\n\n\n\nTHE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER\n\n\n\n\nINTRODUCTION.\n\n\nBefore we enter upon this Epistle of St. Peter, it is necessary to\npresent a brief Introduction,[1] that it may be understood how this\nEpistle is to be ranked, and in order that a right apprehension of it\nmay be attained.\n\n[Footnote 1: Literally, _instruction_.]\n\nIn the first place, it must be understood that all the Apostles\npresent one and the same doctrine; and it is not correct to speak\nof[2] four Evangelists and four Gospels for all which the Apostles\nwrote is one Gospel. But _Gospel_ means nothing but a proclamation\nand heralding of the grace and mercy of God through Jesus Christ,\nmerited and procured through his death. And it is not properly that\nwhich is contained in books, and is comprehended in the letter, but\nrather an oral proclamation and living word, and a voice which echoes\nthrough the whole world, and is publicly uttered that it may\nuniversally be heard. Neither is it a book of laws, containing in\nitself many excellent doctrines, as has hitherto been held. For it\ndoes not bid us do works whereby we may become righteous, but\nproclaims to us the grace of God, bestowed freely, and apart from any\nmerit of our own; and it tells how Christ has taken our place, and\nrendered satisfaction for our sins, and canceled them, and by His own\nworks justifies and saves us.\n\n[Footnote 2: Count.]\n\nWhoever sets forth this, by preaching or writing, _he_ teaches the\ntrue Gospel, as all the Apostles did, especially St. Paul and St.\nPeter, in their Epistles. So that all, whatever it be, that sets\nforth Christ, is one and the same Gospel, although one may use a\ndifferent method, and speak of it in different language from another,\nfor it may perhaps be a brief or extended address, or a brief or\nextended writing. But yet, if it tends to this point, that Christ is\nour Saviour, and we through faith on Him, apart from works of our\nown, are justified and saved, it is still the same Word, and but one\nGospel, just as there is also but one faith and one baptism in the\nwhole Christian world.\n\nSo, also, one Apostle has written the same [Gospel] that is contained\nin another's writings; but they who insist most largely and\nemphatically on this, that faith on Christ alone justifies, are the\nbest Evangelists. Therefore St. Paul's Epistles are more a Gospel\nthan Matthew, Mark and Luke, for the latter give little more than the\nhistory of the works and miracles of Christ; but of the grace which\nwe have through Christ, none write so emphatically as St. Paul,\nespecially in his Epistle to the Romans. And yet, since more\nimportance by far belongs to the word than to the works and deeds of\nChrist, and where we are to be deprived of one it were better that we\nshould want the works and the history than the word and the doctrine;\nthose books are to be most highly esteemed which most largely treat\nof the doctrine and words of the Lord Christ; for though the miracles\nof Christ had never been, and we had no knowledge of them, we should\nyet have had enough in the _word_, without which we could not have\nhad life.\n\nThus this Epistle of St. Peter is one of the noblest books in the New\nTestament, and contains indeed the pure Gospel; for he takes the same\ncourse as St. Paul and all the Evangelists, in inculcating the true\ndoctrine of faith,--as that Christ has been given us, who takes away\nour sin and saves us, as we shall hear.\n\nHence you may judge of all books and doctrines, what is Gospel or\nnot; for what is not set forth or written of in this manner, you may\nsafely decide to be false, however excellent in appearance. This\npower to decide is one that all Christians possess,--not the Pope or\nCouncils, who boast that they only have the power to determine.--This\nis sufficient introduction and preface. Let us now listen to the\nEpistle.\n\n\n\n\nTHE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I.\n\n\nV. 1, 2. _Peter an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers\nscattered abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Capadocia, Asia and Bithynia,\nelect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through\nsanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the\nblood of Jesus Christ._\n\n\nThat is the superscription and subscription. Here you quickly\nperceive that it is the Gospel. He calls himself an Apostle--that is,\none sent to declare a message; therefore it is correctly rendered in\nDutch, a messenger, or a twelfth-messenger,[1] because they were\ntwelve. But since it is generally understood what Apostle (the Greek\nword) means, I have not rendered it in Dutch. But its peculiar\nmeaning is, one who bears a message by word of mouth; not one who\ncarries letters, but a capable man who presents a matter orally, and\nadvocates it,--of the class that in the Latin are called _Oratores_.\nSo he would now say, I am an Apostle of Jesus Christ,--that is, I\nhave a command from Jesus Christ that I, from Christ, am to proclaim.\n\n[Footnote 1: _Tswolffbott_ in the original, for which we have no\nequivalent English word.]\n\nObserve, here, how promptly all those who teach human doctrine are\nexcluded. For _he_ is a messenger of Jesus Christ who presents that\nwhich Christ has commanded; should he preach otherwise, he is not a\nmessenger of Christ, and therefore should not be listened to. But if\nhe does this, it is just as important as though you heard Christ\nhimself present.\n\n\n_To the strangers scattered abroad._ This epistle was written to\nlands which were formerly Christian but are now subject to the Turk,\nyet it is possible some Christians might be found there even at this\nday. Pontus is a large, broad region, lying on the sea. Capadocia is\nin the same neighborhood, and borders on it. Galatia lies back of\nthem. Asia and Bithynia border on the sea--extending eastward--and\nare extensive regions. Paul also preached in Galatia, and in Asia;\nwhether in Bithynia also, I do not know. In the other two he did not\npreach. _Strangers_ are such as we call foreigners. He names them so\nbecause they were Gentiles; and it is a thing to surprise us, that\nSt. Peter, inasmuch as he was an Apostle to the Jews, should still\nwrite to the Gentiles. The Jews called these (of whom we speak)\nProselytes,--that is, associated Jews, such as adopted their law, but\nwere not of a Jewish family or the blood of Abraham. Thus he writes\nto those who had previously been heathen (of the Gentiles), but were\nnow converted to the faith, and had joined the believing Jews, and he\ncalls them _elect strangers_, who certainly are Christians, to whom\nalone he writes. This is a point worthy of observation, as we shall\nhear.\n\n\n_According to the foreknowledge of God the Father._ They are elect,\nhe says. How? Not of themselves, but according to God's purpose: for\nwe should be unable to raise ourselves to heaven, or create faith\nwithin ourselves. God will not permit all men to enter heaven; those\nwho are his own he will receive with all readiness. The human\ndoctrine of free-will, and of our own ability, is futile. The matter\ndoes not lie in our wills, but in the will and election of God.\n\n\n_Through sanctification of the Spirit._ God has predestinated us that\nwe should be holy, and, moreover, that we should be spiritually holy.\nThose precious words, Holy and Spiritual, have been perverted for us\nthrough the greed of the preachers, in that they have denominated the\nstate of priests and monks holy and spiritual, and have thus\nscandalously robbed us of these noble, precious words, as also of the\nword Church, since with _them_ the Pope and Bishops are the Church,\nwhile they do according to their own pleasure whatever they choose,\nin virtue of the declaration, \"The Church has forbidden it.\" Holiness\nis not that which consists in the estate of monks, priests and\nnuns,--the wearing of the tonsure and cowl; it is a spiritual word,\nmeaning that there is an inward holiness in the spirit before God.\nAnd this is the reason specially why he said this, in order to show\nthat there is nothing holy but that holiness which God produces\nwithin us.\n\nFor although the Jews had much outward or ceremonial holiness, there\nwas yet in this no genuine holiness. Peter would say here, God has\npredestinated you to this end, that ye should be truly holy; as Paul\nalso says, in Eph. iv., \"In righteousness and true holiness\"--that\nis, in a genuine and well-founded holiness,--for outward holiness,\nsuch as the Jews had, is of no value before God.\n\nThus the Scripture calls us holy, while we yet live on earth, if we\nbelieve. But the Papists have taken the name from us, and say, we are\nnot to be holy; the saints in Heaven alone are holy. Thus we are\ncompelled to reclaim the noble name. You must be holy, but you must\nalso beware against imagining that you are holy through yourself or\nby your own merit, but only that you have God's word, that Heaven is\nyours, that you are truly pious and made holy by Christ.\n\nThis you must confess if you would be a Christian. For it would be\nthe greatest affront and reviling of the name of Christ, if we took\nfrom the honor due to Christ's blood, in that it is this that washes\naway our sins, or from the faith that this blood sanctifies us.\n\nTherefore, you must believe and confess if you would be holy; but by\nthis blood, not by your own excellence must it be, insomuch that for\nit you would be willing to give up life and all that you possess, and\nendure whatever might come upon you.\n\n\n_To obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Christ._ Hereby, he\nsays, are we made holy, if we are obedient, and believe the word of\nChrist, and are sprinkled with his blood. And here St. Peter speaks\nin a somewhat different manner from St. Paul. But it is in substance\nthe same as when Paul says that we are saved through faith in Christ;\nfor faith makes us obedient and submissive to Christ and his word.\nFor to obey the word of God and the word of Christ is the same thing,\nand to be sprinkled by his blood is the same as to believe. For it is\ndifficult to nature, hostile to it, and exceedingly humbling, to\nsubmit to Christ, give up all its own possessions, and account them\ncontemptible and sinful. But yet it must be brought into subjection.\n\nOf sprinkling, the Psalm _Miserere Domine_ (li.) also speaks:\n\"Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be clean.\" It refers to the law\nof Moses, from which St. Peter has derived it, and he discloses Moses\nto our view, while he brings in the Scripture. When Moses had built\nthe tabernacle, he took the blood of bullocks and sprinkled it over\nall the people.\n\nBut _this_ sprinkling sanctifies not in the spirit, but only\noutwardly. Therefore there must be a spiritual purification, since an\noutward holiness, and one that pertains to the flesh, is of no avail\nbefore God. And so God, by this sprinkling, has typified the\nspiritual sprinkling. As though Peter had said, the Jews who were in\nthat holiness which was outward were held as righteous, and persons\nof a pure life. But you are reputed base, yet you have a better\nsprinkling; you are sprinkled in the Spirit, that you may be pure\nfrom within. The Jews were sprinkled outwardly with the blood of\nbullocks, but we are sprinkled inwardly in the conscience, so that\nthe heart is made pure and joyful.\n\nThus the Gentiles are Gentiles no longer. The righteous Jews, with\ntheir sprinkling, are no more righteous, but all is reversed. There\nmust be a sprinkling which converts us and makes us spiritually\nminded.\n\nTo preach sprinkling is to preach that Christ has shed his blood, and\nfor us has ascended to his Father, and intercedes, saying, \"Beloved\nFather! behold my blood which I have shed for these sinners.\" If you\nbelieve this, you are sprinkled. Thus you see the right method of\npreaching. If all the popes, monks and priests were to fuse all the\nmatter of their preaching into one mass, they would not even then\nteach and present as much as St. Peter here does in these few words.\n\nThus you have the subscription of the Epistle, wherein he manifests\nhis office and what he preaches, as you have now heard. For this\nalone is the Gospel, and all else that does not accord with it is to\nbe trodden under foot, and all other books are to be avoided in which\nyou find some fine pretence of works and prayers and indulgence that\ndoes not teach similar doctrine, and is not confessedly grounded\nthereon. All Papal books have not a letter of this obedience, of this\nblood and sprinkling. Now follows the greeting to those to whom he\nwrites.\n\n\n_Grace and peace be multiplied._ Here St. Peter adopts the Apostle\nPaul's mode of greeting, although not to the same extent, and it is\nas much as though he had said, ye have now peace and grace, but yet\nnot in perfection; therefore must ye continue to increase in them\ntill the old Adam die. Grace is God's favor, which now begins in us,\nbut which must continue to advance and grow even till death. Whoever\nconfesses and believes that he has a gracious God, possesses it,\nwhile his heart gains peace also, and he is afraid neither of the\nworld nor of the devil; for he knows that God, who controls all\nthings, is his friend, and will deliver him from death, hell and all\nevil,--therefore his conscience has peace and joy. Such is the desire\nof St. Peter for those that believed, and it is a true Christian\ngreeting with which all Christians might well greet one another.\n\nThus we have the superscription, with the greeting; now he begins the\nEpistle, and says:\n\n\nV. 3-9. _Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who,\naccording to his abundant mercy, has begotten us again to a lively\nhope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an\ninheritance imperishable, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away,\nreserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through\nfaith to salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time, wherein ye\ngreatly rejoice, though now for a little time (if need be) ye are sad\nthrough manifold temptations; that the trial of your faith might be\nfound more precious than the perishable gold (that is tried by fire),\nto praise, honor, and glory, when Jesus Christ shall be revealed,\nwhom ye have not seen and yet love, in whom through ye believe and\nsee him not, yet for your faith's sake ye rejoice with joy\nunspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even\nthe salvation of your soul._\n\n\nIn this preface you perceive a truly Apostolic address and\nintroduction to the matters in hand, and as I have said already, this\nis the model of a noble Epistle. For he has already exhibited and\nmade manifest what Christ is, and what we have attained through him,\nwhen he says, that God hath begotten us again to a lively hope\nthrough the resurrection of Christ.\n\nThus all good things are bestowed upon us by the Father, not for any\ndesert of ours, but of pure mercy. These are true Gospel words which\nare to be preached, but how little--God save us--of this kind of\npreaching is to be met with in all sorts of books, even those that\nmust be considered the best; how little agreement is there, as St.\nJerome and St. Augustine have written, in this position,--that Jesus\nChrist is to be preached, that he died and rose again, and that he\ndied and rose again that through such preaching men might believe on\nhim and be saved. That is preaching the true Gospel. Whatever is not\npreached in this wise is not the Gospel, do it who will.\n\nThis is now the _summa summarum_ of these words. Christ, through his\nresurrection, has brought us to the Father; and so, too, St. Peter\nwould bring us to the Father by the Lord Christ, and he sets him\nforth as Mediator between God and us. Hitherto we have been taught\nthat we should call upon the saints; that they are our intercessors\nwith God, while, moreover, we have had recourse to our dear Virgin,\nand have set her up as Mediatress, and have let Christ go as an angry\njudge. This the Scripture does not do; it goes further, and exalts\nChrist; teaching that he is our Mediator, by whom we come to the\nFather. Oh! it is a blessing infinitely vast that is bestowed upon us\nthrough Christ, that we may go into the presence of the Father and\nclaim the inheritance of which St. Peter here speaks.\n\nThese words also well exhibit the feelings which the Apostle had, as\nwith the deepest reverence he begins to praise the Father, and would\nhave us adore and bless Him for the sake of the infinite riches which\nHe has bestowed upon us, in that He has begotten us again, and this,\ntoo, before we had desired or sought it; so that nothing is to be\npraised but pure mercy, in order that we may not make our boast of\nany works, but confess that we hold all that we have of God's\ncompassion.\n\nThere is no more the law and vengeance before us, as heretofore, when\nHe affrighted the Jews so that they were forced to flee, but dared\nnot go toward the mount. He vexes and chastises us no more, but shows\nus the greatest friendship, creates us anew, and appoints us, not to\ndo some work or works, but produces within us an entirely new birth\nand new being, that we should be something different from what we\nwere before, when we were Adam's children,--namely, such as are\ntransplanted from Adam's heritage into the heritage of God; so that\nGod is our Father, we are His children, and thus also heirs of all\nthe good which He possesses. Observe with what emphasis the\nscriptures present this matter; it is all a living, not a vain,\nmatter in which we are concerned. Since we are thus begotten again\nthe children and heirs of God, we are equal in honor and dignity with\nSt. Paul, St. Peter, our blessed Virgin, and all the Saints. For we\nhave the treasure and all good things from God just as richly as\nthey; for it is just as necessary for them to be begotten again as\nfor us,--therefore they have nothing more than all other Christians.\n\n\n_To a living hope._ That we continue to live on earth is mainly to\nthis end, that we should be of service to others. Otherwise, it were\nbetter that God should have taken away our breath and let us die as\nsoon as we were baptized and had begun to believe. But He suffers us\nto live here in order that we may bring others also to believe, doing\nto them as He has done toward us. But while we remain on earth, we\nmust live in hope; for although we are assured that through faith we\nhave all the good things of God, (for faith brings along with it\nassuredly the new birth, the adoption, the inheritance, and makes\nthem yours,) still you do not as yet behold them; but the matter\nexists in hope, while it is of but small importance that we may not\nsee it with our eyes. This he calls _the hope of life_; that is, by a\nHebrew phrase, as though for sinful man we should say, a man of sin.\nWe call it a living hope; that is, one in which we certainly expect,\nand may be assured of, eternal life. But it is concealed, and a veil\nis drawn over it, that we see it not. It can only be apprehended in\nthe heart and by faith, as St. John writes in his Epistle, 1 John v.:\n\"We are now the children of God, and it doth not yet appear what we\nshall be; but we know that when it shall appear that we are like Him,\nwe shall behold Him as He is.\" For _this_ life, and _that_, cannot be\ncommingled, cannot consist with one another, so that we should eat,\ndrink, sleep, watch, and do other works of the flesh which this life\nrenders necessary, and at the same time have our full salvation.\nTherefore we can never arrive at eternal life unless we die, and this\npresent life passes away. Thus, as long as we are here we must stand\nin hope, until it be God's pleasure that we should behold the\nblessings that are ours.\n\nBut how do we attain to this living hope? By the resurrection of\nChrist from the dead, he says. I have often asserted that no one can\nbelieve on God except through a mediation, since we can none of us\ntreat for ourselves before God, inasmuch as we are all children of\nwrath; but we must have another by whom we may come before God, who\nshall intercede for us and reconcile us to God. But there is no other\nmediator than the Lord Christ, who is the Son of God. Therefore that\nis not a true faith which is held by the Turks and Jews,--I believe\nthat God has created heaven and earth. Just so does the devil, too,\nbelieve, but it does not help him. They venture to present themselves\nbefore God without having Christ as mediator. So St. Paul speaks in\nthe fifth of Romans, \"We have access to God by faith, not through\nourselves, but through Christ.\" Therefore we must bring Christ with\nus, must come with Him, must satisfy God by Him, and do all that we\nhave to transact with God through Him, and in His name. That is the\nthought implied here by St. Peter, and he would also say, we surely\nexpect this life, although we are still on earth. But all comes in no\nother way than through the resurrection of Christ, since He has\narisen and ascended to heaven, and is seated at the right hand of\nGod. For on this account He ascended, in order to bestow upon us His\nSpirit, that we might be born again, and now through Him might come\nto the Father and say, \"Behold, I come before thee and pray, not\nbecause I rely on my own request, but because my Lord Christ has gone\nbefore me and is become my intercessor.\" These are all glowing words\nwherever there is a heart that believes; where there is not, all is\ncold and unimpressive.\n\nHence we may determine what genuine Christian doctrine or preaching\nis. If the Gospel is to be preached, it must concern the resurrection\nof Christ. Whoever does not preach this is no Apostle; for it is the\nhead article of our faith. And those books are truly the noblest\nwhich teach and enforce such doctrine, as was said above. So that we\nmay easily discover that the Epistle of James is no true Apostolic\nEpistle[2] for it contains scarcely a letter of these things in it,\nwhile the greatest importance belongs to this article of faith. For\nwere there no such thing as the resurrection, we should have neither\ncomfort nor hope, and all beside that Christ has endured or suffered\nwould have been in vain.\n\n[Footnote 2: The well-known views of Luther in regard to the Epistle\nof James, and the grounds upon which he rejected it from the canon of\nthe New Testament, are presented in this passage. He was too\nimpatient of the _seeming_ contradiction between Paul and James upon\nthe subject of faith, and too hastily concluded that they were\nirreconcilable. A careful consideration of the scope of the argument\nin the Epistle of James, removes the difficulty, as may be seen at\nlarge in later commentators. There is no historical reason for\ncasting discredit upon the Epistle of James. The early Christian\nwriters furnish very decided testimony in its favor. Clement of Rome\nhas alluded to it twice. Hermas has not less than seven allusions to\nit, according to Lardner fully sufficient to prove its antiquity.\nOrigen, Jerome, Athanasius, and most of the subsequent ecclesiastical\nwriters quote from it, and it is found in all the catalogues of\ncanonical books published by the general and provincial Councils. But\nan argument of still greater weight is, the fact that it is inserted\nin the Syriac version of the New Testament, executed at the close of\nthe first, or early in the second century. None certainly would\nquestion that the Jewish believers to whom it was addressed would be\nthe best judges of its genuineness and authenticity, and by them it\nwas unhesitatingly accepted.]\n\nTherefore one should teach after this manner: You perceive that\nChrist has died for you, has taken upon Himself sin, death, and hell,\nand bowed Himself under them. But in no respect were they able to\ncrush Him, for He was too strong for them; but He has risen up from\nbeneath them, and has vanquished all, and brought them in subjection\nto Himself; and to this end, that you might be relieved from them,\nand made to triumph over them. If you believe, you possess this. All\nthese things, by our own power, we could not effect; hence it was\nnecessary that Christ should do it, otherwise He had never needed to\ncome down from heaven. We can only conclude that if one preaches of\nour own works, _that_ preaching does not agree and cannot consist\nwith this. Oh, so thoroughly as we Christians should know this! so\nclear should the Epistle be to us!\n\n\nV. 4. _To an imperishable and undefiled and unfading inheritance._\nThat is, we hope not for a blessing or an inheritance that is far\noff. But we live in the hope of an inheritance that is just at hand,\nand that is imperishable as well as undefiled and unfading. This\nblessing is ours henceforth and forever, although we do not now\nbehold it. These are powerful and excellent words; into whosesoever\nmind they enter, he will, I imagine, not be greatly anxious after\nworldly good and pleasure. How can it be possible that one who\nassuredly believes this, should yet cleave to perishable possessions\nand lusts?\n\nIf worldly good is presented in contrast with this, it is at once\nseen how it all passes away and endures but for a time; but this\nalone lasts forever and will never consume away. Besides, _that_ is\nall impure, and defiles us, for there is no man so devoted that\nworldly prosperity will not soil his purity. But _this_ inheritance\nalone is pure; whoever has it is ever undefiled; it will not fade; it\nendures and does not corrupt. All that is on earth, however hard it\nbe, is yet changeable and has no permanence. Man, as soon as he grows\nold, becomes deformed: but this does not change, but abides forever,\nfresh and green. On earth there is no pleasure that will not at\nlength become irksome, as we see that men grow weary of all things;\nbut with this blessing such is not the case. This do we possess only\nin Christ, through the mercy of God, if we believe, and it is freely\nbestowed upon us. For how is it possible that we poor wretches should\nbe able to deserve such good through our own works as no human reason\nor sense can conceive?\n\n\n_That is reserved in heaven._ Certain it is that our inheritance is\nimperishable, undefiled and unfading. It is only for a little while\nconcealed from us, until we close our eyes and are buried, when, if\nwe believe, we shall surely find and behold it.\n\n\nV. 5. _Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto\nsalvation._ We wait for this priceless inheritance, he says, in the\nhope to which we have attained through faith; for this is their order\nof succession: From the word follows faith, from faith is the new\nbirth, from the new birth we pass to hope, so that we certainly\nexpect and are assured of the blessing. So that Peter has here\nasserted, in a truly christian manner, that it must take place by\nfaith, not by our own works.\n\nBut St. Peter says here, more particularly, _ye are kept by the power\nof God--to salvation_. But there are many people who, if they hear\nthe Gospel,--namely, that faith alone, irrespective of works,\njustifies,--break in at once and say, \"Yes! I believe too!\" To think\ntheir thoughts which they themselves conceive, is faith. Yet we have\nalso been taught from Scripture that we cannot do the least work\nwithout God's Spirit; how then by our own power should we be able to\ndo the highest work,--namely, believe? Wherefore such thoughts are\nnothing else but a dream and a fiction. God's power must be present\nand work within us, in order that we may believe; as Paul also says,\nEph. i., \"God grant you the spirit of wisdom that ye may know what is\nthe exceeding greatness of His power toward us who have believed,\naccording to the working of His mighty power,\" &c. Not only is it\nGod's will, but a power of God that is far from unimportant. For if\nGod produces faith in men, it is certainly as great a work as though\nHe recreated heaven and earth.\n\nTherefore those fools know not what they say, who ask, How can faith\nalone answer, while many an one believes who yet performs no good\nwork? For they imagine their own vain dream is faith, and that faith\nmay exist without good works. But we say, just as Peter says, that\nfaith is a divine power; when God produces faith, man must be born\nagain and become a new creature; good works, flowing from a purified\nnature, must follow faith. So that we must not say to a Christian who\nhas faith, Do this or that work,--for he performs of himself and\nunbidden, mere good works.\n\nBut this must be said to him, that he is not to deceive himself with\na false, imaginary faith. Wherefore let those rude babblers go, who\ncan say a great deal on the subject that is nothing after all but\nmere scum and vain prating. Of whom Paul also speaks, 1 Cor. iv., \"I\nwill come to you and will seek out not the speech of those that are\npuffed up, but the power; for the kingdom of God does not stand in\nword, but in power.\" Wherever this power of God is wanting, there is\nneither genuine faith nor good works. So that they are mere liars,\nwho pride themselves on their Christian name and faith and yet lead a\nwicked life. For if it were of God's power, they would certainly be\notherwise.\n\nBut what does St. Peter mean when he says, _ye are kept by the power\nof God to salvation_? This is his meaning: So tender and precious a\nmatter is that which pertains to the faith which the power of God\n(that is with us and with which we are filled) produces in us, that\nHe gives us a correct, clear understanding of all things that respect\nsalvation, so that we may judge all that is on earth, and say, this\ndoctrine is true, that is false; this conduct is right, that is not;\nthis work is good and acceptable, that is evil. And whatever such a\nman determines is just and true, for he cannot be deceived; but he\nwill be kept, and preserved, and remains, a judge of all doctrines.\n\nOn the other hand, wherever faith and this power of God are wanting,\nthere is nothing but error and blindness; there reason suffers itself\nto be led hither and thither, from one work to another, for it would\ngladly reach heaven by its own works, and is ever imagining after\nthis sort, \"Yes! this work will bring you to heaven: do it and you\nshall be saved.\" Hence there are so many chapters, cloisters, altars,\npopes, monks and nuns in the world. Into such blindness does God\npermit the unbelieving to fall. But he keeps us, who believe, in a\njust apprehension, so that we may not fall into condemnation, but\nattain to salvation.\n\n\n_Which is ready to be revealed in the last time._ That is, the\ninheritance that is appointed for them was long ago acquired, and\nprepared from the foundation of the world, but now is hidden, as yet\ncovered up, reserved and sealed. But this is only for a little while,\nwhen in a moment it shall be opened and revealed, so that we shall\nbehold it.\n\n\nV. 6. _In which ye rejoice greatly, though now for a season (if need\nbe), ye are in heaviness through manifold temptation._ Are you a\nChristian, and do you look for this inheritance or this salvation?\nthen must you cleave to this alone, and despise all that is upon\nearth, and confess that all worldly reason, wisdom and glory are\nnothing--a thing the world will not be able to bear; wherefore you\nare to expect that men shall condemn you and persecute you. Thus St.\nPeter joins faith, hope, and the holy cross together, for one follows\nupon the other.\n\nAnd here he gives us a source of consolation if we suffer and are\npersecuted. This sadness shall last a little while; afterward ye\nshall be exceeding glad, for this salvation is already prepared for\nyou; wherefore be patient under your sufferings.\n\nThis is moreover a truly christian consolation,--not such comfort as\nhuman doctrines give, which attempt nothing more than to find relief\nfrom outward ill. I speak not of bodily comfort (he seems to say); it\nis no real injury that ye have to endure outward ill, only go onward\nvigorously and be steadfast; inquire not how you may be free from the\ntrouble, but think with yourself, My inheritance is prepared and held\nout to me; it is only a short time before my suffering must cease.\nThus we should lay aside temporal consolations, and over against them\nplace that eternal consolation which we have in God.\n\nBesides, it is here to be observed that the Apostle continues and\ntells us in what circumstances all this will be, as he will hereafter\nsay in the third chapter, _if it be God's will_.\n\nThere are many people who would storm heaven and enter it at once,\nwherefore they impose a cross upon themselves for their own fancied\ngood; for reason will do nothing but propose for ever its own works,\nthat God will reject. They should not be our own works which we\nselect, but we should wait for whatever God imposes upon us and\nordains for us, that we may go on and follow wherever He leads us; so\nthat you are not to run after your own pleasure, in case it should be\n(that is, by God's appointment) that you are to suffer, but accept it\nand comfort yourself with the salvation which is not temporal but\neternal.\n\n\nV. 7, 8. _That the trial of your faith (or that your tried faith) be\nfound much more precious than the perishable gold, (that is tried in\nthe fire), to praise, honor, and glory, when Jesus Christ shall be\nrevealed, whom ye have not seen, yet love, in whom ye also believe\nthough ye see him not._ This should be the end of the cross and all\nkinds of reverses,--to enable us to distinguish between false and\nreal faith. God lays his hand upon us, therefore, to try our faith\nand reveal it to the world, so that others may be induced to believe,\nand we also be praised and honored. For just as we exalt God, so will\nHe in return exalt, esteem and honor us, insomuch that the false\nhypocrites, who do not walk in the right way, shall be put to shame.\n\nScripture throughout likens temptation to fire. Thus St. Peter here\ncompares the gold that is tried by fire to the trial of faith by\ntemptation and suffering. The fire does not take away from the gold,\nbut it makes it pure and bright, so that all dross is removed. So God\nhas imposed the cross upon all Christians, that they might thereby be\npurified. And it has been well said, let faith remain pure as the\nword is pure, so that we shall depend on the word alone, and trust to\nnothing else: for we need such fire and cross as this daily, because\nof the old corrupt Adam.\n\nThus, it is characteristic of a christian life that it should\ncontinually grow and become more holy; for if we are led to faith\nthrough the preaching of the Gospel, then shall we be justified and\ngrow in holiness; but while we remain in the flesh we can never be\nfully purified. Therefore God throws us into the midst of the\nfire,--that is, into suffering, shame and calamity,--so that we may\nbecome more and more purified, until we die--a point we can attain by\nno works of our own. For how can an outward work make the heart\ninwardly clean? Moreover, if faith is to be tried (purified), all\nthat is additional and false must be separated and removed. Thence\nwill result a noble reward,--praise and glory when Christ shall be\nrevealed. On this it follows:\n\n\nV. 8, 9. _But because of your faith, rejoice with joy unspeakable and\nglorious, and attain also the end of your faith, even the salvation\nof your souls._ An unspeakably glorious joy shall that be, says St.\nPeter, whereof we have honor and praise. The world has such a joy\nthat we receive nothing from it but shame, and of which we are\ncompelled to be ashamed. Here St. Peter has evidently spoken of\nfuture joy,--and there is scarcely so clear a passage on the subject\nof the future joy as the one in this place,--and still he finds\nhimself unable to express it.\n\nThis is one point of the introduction, in which the Apostle has shown\nwhat faith in Christ is, and how we must be tried and purified by\nreverse and suffering when God appoints it for us.--Now follows\nfurther how this faith is in Scripture constituted and denominated.\n\n\nV. 10, 11, 12. _Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and\nsearched diligently, who have prophesied of the grace that should\ncome unto you; searching what or as to what time, the spirit of\nChrist which was in them, designated and testified beforehand the\nsufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow; to whom it was\nrevealed, that not for their own sake, but for ours, did they\nminister that which is now preached to you, by those who have\npreached the Gospel, through the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven;\ninto which also the angels desired to look._\n\n\nHere St. Peter directs us back to the Holy Scriptures, that we may\ntherein see that God keeps whomsoever He has called of us, for no\nmerit of ours, but of mere grace; for the whole of Scripture is\ndirected to this end, that it may draw us away from our own works and\nbring us to faith. And it is necessary that we should study the\nScriptures carefully that we may be well assured of our faith. Paul\nalso teaches us the same thing in the Epistle to the Romans, chap.\ni., where he says that God promised the Gospel before by His prophets\nin the Holy Scriptures. So Rom. iii.: that the faith whereby we are\njustified, is testified of through the law and the prophets.\n\nSo we read also in Acts xvii. how Paul preached faith to the\nThessalonians, leading them to the Scripture and explaining it to\nthem, and how day by day they had recourse to the Scripture, and\nexamined whether those things which Paul had taught them were so. So\nlikewise ought we to do, going back, and from the Old Testament\nlearning on what to base the New. Besides, we shall there discover\nthe promise of Christ, as Christ himself also says, John v.: \"Search\nthe Scriptures, for it is they that testify of me.\" And \"if ye\nbelieve Moses, ye must also believe me, for he wrote of me.\"\nTherefore we should let vain babblers go who despise the Old\nTestament, and say it is of no further use,--since from thence alone\nmust we derive the ground of our faith; for God sent the Prophets to\nthe Jews to this end, that they should bear witness of the Christ\nthat was to come. Therefore it is that the Apostles throughout\nconvicted and convinced the Jews out of their own Scriptures that\nthis was the Christ.\n\nThus the books of Moses and the prophets are the Gospel, since they\nhave first preached and written of Christ that which the Apostles\nafterward preached and wrote. Yet there is a distinction between\nthem. For although both, as to the letter, have been written out on\npaper, yet the Gospel, or the New Testament, cannot be said so\nproperly to be written, but to have consisted in the living voice\nwhich published it, and was heard generally throughout the world. But\nthat it should also have been written, is an extraneous matter. But\nthe Old Testament was composed only in writing, and is therefore\ncalled the letter; and the Apostles give Scripture this same name\nalso, as it only pointed to the Christ that was to come. But the\nGospel is a living proclamation of Christ who has already come.\n\nBesides, there is also a distinction among the books of the Old\nTestament. In the first place, there are the five books of Moses, the\nfoundation of the Scriptures, and which are especially called the Old\nTestament. Then come both histories and books of narration, wherein\nexamples of all kinds are recorded, whether of those who held or\nrejected the law of Moses. In the third place, there are the prophets\nthat are based on Moses, and what he has written they have in clear\nlanguage more fully explained and elucidated. But the bearing of all\nthe prophets and of Moses is one and the same.\n\nBut you ought to understand also about that which men say, that the\nOld Testament is given up and laid by. In the first place, there is\nthat distinction between the Old and New Testament, as we have said\nabove, that the Old prefigured Christ, but that the New gives us that\nwhich was promised first in the Old, and pointed out to us by types.\nBut these types have now ceased, because the end which they were to\nsubserve has been answered and attained, and that which was\nprefigured by them has been fulfilled. So that now there should be no\nfurther distinctions of food, clothing, place and time. All are alike\nin Christ, in whom all has been fulfilled. The Jews have not been\nsaved by this, for it was not given them to this end that it should\nmake them holy, but to foreshadow to them the Christ who was to come.\n\nBesides, in the Old Testament God introduced a twofold\ngovernment,--an external and an internal. There He undertook to rule\nHis people, both inwardly in the heart, and outwardly in person and\nin property. Therefore He gave them such a variety of laws,\ncommingled one kind with the other. So it was under the government\nthat pertained to the person, that a man might give his wife a bill\nof divorce and put her away.\n\nBut to the spiritual government pertained the command, Thou shalt\nlove thy neighbor as thyself. But now He rules in us only\nspiritually, by Christ; while the government that pertains to the\nbody and the outward state, he exercises through the instrumentality\nof civil magistracy. So that when Christ came the external ceased,\nand God gives us direction no more as to the _outward_ person, time\nand place. But He rules us only spiritually through the word, so that\nwe may direct as to all that is outward, and be bound in nothing that\npertains to the body.\n\nBut what pertains to His spiritual government has not been abandoned,\nbut stands forever, now as then,--the law of love to God and our\nneighbor, contained in the books of Moses, which God will still have\nsustained, and by which He will condemn all the unbelieving.\n\nBesides, the figures, as to their _spiritual_ import, remain; that\nis, whatever is signified by the outward figures, although the\noutward part has been done away. Thus that a man should separate from\nhis wife and send her away, because of adultery, is a figure and type\nwhich even now is spiritually fulfilled; for thus also has God\nrejected the Jews when they would not believe on Christ, and has\nchosen out the Gentiles. So, also, He does still; if any one will not\nwalk in the faith, He suffers him to be excluded from the Christian\nChurch, that he may be led to reform.\n\nOf a similar import also is this, that a woman after her husband's\ndeath must take her husband's brother, and bear him children, and he\nmust suffer himself to be called by his name, and must enter on his\npossessions. This, although it has now ceased, or rather become\ninvalid, so that it may be done or neglected without sin, is a figure\nwhich even now has a significance in respect to Christ. For He is our\nbrother, for us has died and ascended to heaven, and has commanded us\nthat we, through the Gospel, should plant the seed in our souls and\nmake them fruitful, be named after him, and enter on his possessions.\nTherefore I must not boast that I convert men, but it must all be\nascribed to the Lord Christ. It is the same also with all the other\nfigures of the Old Testament, which it would be too tedious to\nspecify.\n\nBut all in the Old Testament which is not external, is still in\nforce, as all those passages in the prophets concerning faith and\nlove. Wherefore Christ also confirms it in Mat. vii.: \"All things\nwhatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to\nthem; for this is the law and the prophets.\" Besides, Moses and the\nprophets testify of the Christ that was to come. As, when I preach of\nChrist that He is the only Saviour by whom all must be saved, I may\nquote to sustain me the passage in Gen. xxii.: \"In thy seed shall all\nnations be blessed.\" Thence I draw a living voice and language.\nThrough Christ, who is Abraham's seed, must all men be blessed. From\nthat it follows, that we were all cursed and condemned in Adam;\nwherefore it is necessary that we should believe on the Seed, if we\nwould escape condemnation. Out of such passages may we lay down the\nground of our faith, and let it remain, that we may therein see how\nthey bear witness of Christ, so that our faith may be strengthened\nthereby. That is what St. Peter intends now by these words, in which\nhe says:\n\n\nV. 10. _Of which Salvation the Prophets have searched and inquired\ndiligently, who have prophesied of the grace that should come to\nyou._ In this same manner Paul also speaks, toward the close of the\nEpistle to the Romans, of the revelation of the mystery which was\nhidden from all ages of the world, but is now revealed and made known\nthrough the writings of the prophets. And so you find in the New\nTestament many passages quoted from the prophets, by which the\nApostles show that all has been fulfilled just as the prophets\nforetold.\n\nThis Christ Himself proves from the prophet Isaiah, Mat. xi.: \"The\nblind see, the lame walk,\" &c. As though He had said, just as it was\nwritten there it is taking place now; so also we read in Acts ix., of\nPaul, and in the xviii., of Apollos, how they confounded the Jews,\nand convinced them out of Scripture that this was the Christ. For\nwhatever the prophets had foretold, all had now come to pass in\nChrist. So (Acts xv.) the Apostles show how the Gospel must be\npreached to the heathen that they might believe. This has also come\nto pass, and been put in train, so that the Jews might be convinced\nand compelled to confess, that all had taken place just as Scripture\nhad foretold.\n\n\nV. 11. _And have investigated what or at what time the Spirit of\nChrist which was in them;_ St. Peter would say, although the prophets\nhave not particularly known of a set and definite time, yet have they\nin general testified to all the circumstances of time and place;--as,\nthat Christ should suffer, and what death he should die, and that the\nGentiles should believe on him: so that one might certainly know by\nthese signs when the time had come. The prophet Daniel has approached\nstill nearer, but yet speaks somewhat darkly thereof, as to when\nChrist should suffer and die--when that or this should take place.\nSo, also, they had a sure prophecy that the kingdom of the Jews\nshould cease before Christ came. But the day and exact time when this\nshould come to pass was not fixed. For it was enough when this time\ncame, that they should thereby know for a surety that Christ was not\nfar off. The prophet Joel also prophesied of the time when the Holy\nSpirit should come, where he says, \"I will in the last days pour out\nmy spirit upon all flesh,\" &c., which passage St. Peter quotes in\nActs ii., and shows that he speaks of that very time and of the\nparticular persons.\n\nFrom all which you perceive how, with great diligence, the Apostles\nexhibit throughout the ground and confirmation of their preaching and\ndoctrine. The Councils and the Popes now reverse this course, and\nwould deal with us apart from Scripture, commanding us, by obedience\nto the church and the terrors of excommunication, that we should\nbelieve on them. The Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, and\nwere certain that they were sent by Christ, and preached the true\nGospel; yet they did not exalt themselves, and did not ask men to\nbelieve them, unless they conclusively proved from Scripture that it\nwas just as they said, so that the mouth of the unbelieving was\nstopped, insomuch that they could object nothing further. And shall\nwe believe those grossly unlearned heads who do not preach God's word\nat all, and can do nothing else but cry out continually, \"Surely the\nfathers cannot have been in error, and this has been decided now for\na long time, so that it must no more be a question?\" But this we can\nclearly prove from the Scriptures, that no one can be saved but he\nwho believes on Christ, so that against this they can say nothing.\nBut on their side they will never be able to prove to us from\nScripture that he is to be condemned who does not fast on this or\nthat day. Therefore we ought not and shall not believe them.\n\nNow St. Peter says further:\n\n\nV. 11. _Which spirit testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ,\nand the glory that should thereafter be revealed._ This may be\nunderstood of both kinds of suffering,--that which Christ, and we\nalso, suffer. St. Paul calls the sufferings of all Christians the\nsuffering of Christ. For just as the faith, the name, the word and\nwork of Christ are mine, inasmuch as I believe on Him, so His\nsuffering is also mine, since I suffer also for His sake. Thus will\nthe sufferings of Christ be daily fulfilled in Christians, until the\nend of the world.\n\nThis is then our consolation in all the sufferings that we\nexperience, that all that we suffer Christ shares with us, that He\naccounts it all as His own suffering. And of this we are assured,\nthat speedily after suffering glory shall follow. But this we must\nalso understand, that Christ was not glorified before He suffered, so\nthat we are to bear our cross with Him first, that afterward we may\nshare His joy.\n\nAll that we now preach, he says, the prophets previously foretold and\ndescribed in the most explicit manner, just as the Holy Spirit\nrevealed it to them. That we so imperfectly understand the prophets\nis, because we do not understand their language, since they have\nspoken clearly enough. Therefore they that are acquainted with the\nlanguage, and have the Spirit of God, which all believers have, to\nthem it is not difficult of apprehension since they know the scope of\nall Scripture. But if any one does not understand their language, and\nhas not the spirit, or a christian apprehension, it might seem to him\nas though the prophets were drunken and full of new wine; although\nwhere we must want one, the spirit without the language is better\nthan the language without the spirit. The prophets have a peculiar\nphraseology, but the sentiment is the same which the Apostles preach,\nfor both have spoken largely of the suffering and of the glory of\nChrist, as well as of those things that relate to faith. As when\nDavid speaks of Christ (Ps. xxi.), \"I am a worm and no man,\" whereby\nhe shows how deeply he is cast down and despondent in his suffering.\nLikewise, also, he writes of his people and of the affliction of\nChristians, in Psalm xlv.: \"We are despised, and accounted as sheep\nfor the slaughter.\"\n\n\nV. 12. _That not for their own sakes but for ours did they minister\nthat which is now preached unto you, by those who have preached the\nGospel to you, through the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven;_ that\nis, the prophets possessed enough thereof to know the fact. But that\nthey should have left it behind them (on record) calls for our\ngratitude; they have become our servants, and have so ministered to\nus, that we, through them, might go to school and learn the same\nlesson. There we have an argument to show that our faith should grow\nstronger, and we be enabled to arm and sustain ourselves against all\nfalse doctrine.\n\n\n_Into which also the angels desired to look._ So great things have\nthe Apostles declared to us, through the Holy Spirit, which descended\nupon them from heaven, as even the angels would gladly look into.\nWhen this Spirit opens our eyes and makes us see what the Gospel is,\nwe shall have an appetite for it and a joy in it, although we cannot\nbehold it with bodily eyes, but must believe that we are partakers\nand fellow-heirs of the righteousness, truth, salvation and all the\nblessings which God has to bestow. For since He has given us His only\nSon, that highest good, He will also, through Him, give us all good\nthings, riches and treasures, whereof the angels in heaven have all\ntheir joy, and of which they are most desirous. All this is offered\nto us through the Gospel, and if we believe we shall also have a like\ndesire for them. But our desire for them cannot be as perfect as that\nof the angels, so long as we live on earth; but it is a good\nbeginning in us, if we experience, through faith, something of it.\nBut in heaven it is so great that no human heart can conceive it; but\nif we reach that place we shall ourselves feel it.\n\nThus you see how St. Peter teaches us to arm and equip ourselves with\nScripture. For hitherto he has described what it is to preach the\nGospel, and shown that as it heretofore has been preached by the\nprophets, so it should still be, and should be preached in like\nmanner. Now he proceeds farther, and admonishes us in this chapter\nthat we should cleave to the same preaching of the Gospel by faith,\nand follow after it by love, and therefore says,--\n\n\nV. 13-16. _Gird up therefore the loins of your mind; be sober, and\nfix your hope firmly on the grace which is offered you through the\nrevelation of Jesus Christ, as obedient children, not conformable to\nthe previous lusts of your ignorance; but as He who has called you is\nHoly, be ye also holy in all your conduct, as it is written, Be ye\nholy for I am Holy._\n\n\nThis is an admonition to faith, and the sense is this: while such\nthings are preached to you and bestowed upon you through the Gospel\nas the angels would rejoice and be desirous to behold, rely on them,\nand fix your confidence thereon with all firmness, so that it shall\nbe a real faith, and not a painted or fictitious fancy or dream.\n\n\n_Gird up the loins of your mind._ Here Peter speaks of a spiritual\ngirding of the mind, just as one girds his sword to the loins of his\nbody. This girding has Christ also enforced, Luke xii., where he\nsays, \"Let your loins be girt about.\" In some places the Scriptures\nspeak of the loins with reference to bodily lust; but here St. Peter\nspeaks of the loins of the spirit. As to the body, Scripture speaks\nof the loins with reference to natural generation from the father; as\nwe read, Genesis xlix., that from the loins of Judah Christ should\ncome. Likewise the bodily girding of the loins is the same with\nchastity, as Isaiah says, chapter xi., \"Righteousness shall be the\ngirdle of his loins, and faith the girdle of his reins.\" That is,\nonly by faith is wicked lust subdued and restrained.\n\nBut this spiritual girding, whereof the Apostle speaks, means more.\nAs a virgin is pure and inviolate in body, so is the soul spiritually\ninviolate through faith, by which it becomes Christ's bride. But if\nit falls from faith into false doctrine, it must be brought to shame.\nHence Scripture uniformly calls impiety and unbelief, adultery and\nwhoredom,--that is, when the soul relies on human doctrines, and thus\nlets go its hold on faith and Christ. This St. Peter here forbids,\nwhen he calls on us to gird up the loins of our mind; as though he\nwould say, ye have now heard the Gospel and have come to believe,\ntherefore see to it that ye abide therein, and do not suffer\nyourselves to be drawn away with false doctrine, so that ye shall not\nwaver and run hither and thither with works.\n\nAnd here he adopts a peculiar mode of speech, not after the manner of\nSt. Paul, where he speaks of \"the loins of your mind.\" He calls\n_that_ mind here which we speak of as disposition; as when I say,\n\"This seems to me right and as Paul speaks, so we understand it, so\nwe are _disposed_.\" In this he refers especially to faith, and would\nsay: ye have attained a correct apprehension that we must be\njustified through faith; abide in that mind; gird it up well, hold\nfast thereon, and suffer not yourselves to be torn from it; then\nshall ye stand well. For many false teachers shall come in and set up\nhuman doctrines that they may pervert your understanding and loose\nthe girdle of your faith; wherefore be admonished, and bind it well\nto your mind.\n\nThe hypocrites who rest on their own works, and hence pass a\ncarefully abstemious life, are thus minded, that God must bring them\nto heaven for their works' sake; they are puffed up, become proud,\nabiding in their own opinion and blindness, like the Pharisees, Luke\nxviii. Of whom also Mary speaks, in the _Magnificat_, where she uses\nthe same word that stands here in Peter, He hath scattered the proud\nin the disposition of their hearts,--that is, in their own minds.\n\n\n_Be sober._ To be sober is of service outwardly to the body, and is\nthe chief work of faith. For though a man has been justified, he\nstill is not secured from evil lusts; faith has indeed begun to\nsubdue the flesh, but this is ever bestirring itself, and likewise\nrunning riot in all sorts of lusts, which would gladly break forth\nagain and act after their own will. Therefore the spirit must daily\nwork to restrain and subdue it, and must charge itself therewith,\nwithout intermission, and have a care of the flesh that it do not\ndestroy faith. Therefore those persons deceive themselves, who indeed\nsay they have faith, and imagining that this is enough, live\nthenceforth according to their own caprice. Where the faith is\ngenuine it must control the body and hold it in check, so that it\nshall not do what it lusts after. Therefore St. Peter says that we\nshould be sober.\n\nYet he would not have us destroy the body or weaken it too much, as\nwe find many do who have fasted and tortured themselves to death. St.\nBernard, even, continued for a long time in this folly, although he\nwas truly a holy man, for he mortified his body to such an extent\nthat his breath was offensive and could not be endured. Yet he\nafterwards forsook it, and charged his brethren that they should not\ninflict injury upon the body; for he saw very well that he had\nrendered himself unfit to be of service to his brethren. Therefore\nSt. Peter requires nothing more than that we should be sober,--that\nis, mortify the body to such an extent as to prevent its being in our\napprehension too wanton; for he fixes no definite time how long we\nshould fast, as the Pope has done, but leaves it to each,\nindividually, to fast so that he remain sober and do not burden the\nbody with gluttony, to the end that he remain in possession of reason\nand reflection, and consider how far it is necessary for him to hold\nthe body in check. For it is utterly idle to impose one and the same\ncommand upon a whole congregation and church, since we are so unlike\none to the other; one strong, another weak in body,--so that one must\nmortify it more, another less, provided the body is to remain sound\nand in the best state for exertion.\n\nBut another multitude mistake here, determined that they will not\nfast, and that they may eat flesh, and herein are wrong. For these\npersons reject the Gospel also, and are unprofitable as well as the\nothers; doing no more than contemn the Pope's command, unwilling to\ngird up their mind and spirit, as Peter says, leaving the body to its\nown caprice, that it may become corrupt and wanton. It is well to\nfast; but that only can be called true fasting, when we give the body\nno more food than is needful for it that it may retain its health and\nendure labor and watchfulness--that the old ass do not become too\nobstinate, and going on the ice to dance, break a bone; but go on\nsubject to control, and following the spirit; not after the manner of\nthose who, whenever they fast, fill themselves so full of fish and\nthe best wine, that their bellies are puffed out. Thus St. Peter\ndirects us to be sober, and now says further:\n\n\n_And fix your hope firmly (or with all deliberation) on the grace\nwhich is offered you._ The christian faith is of such a nature that\nit plants itself freely on the word of God with entire confidence,\nventures freely thereupon, and goes joyfully onward. Therefore Peter\nwould say: The loins of your mind are girt about, and your faith is\ngenuine, when you venture it thus on that Word, let it cost what it\nwill,--property, honor, limb, or life.\n\nThus has he with these words in truth well described a genuine and\nunfeigned faith. It must not be a corrupt and sleepy faith, becoming\nthus only a dream, but a living and active reality, that we may with\nall deliberation devote ourselves to it and cleave to the Word, so\nthat, let God permit it to go with us as it will, we will yet press\nonward through good and ill. Thus when I come to die I must venture\npromptly on Christ, lift my head boldly, and rely upon the word of\nGod which cannot deceive me. Thus must faith go straight forward, in\nnothing permit itself to be led astray, and subject to scrutiny all\nthat it sees, hears and feels. Such faith St. Peter requires as\nconsists, not in thought or word, but in such power as this.\n\nAgain, St. Peter says: Set your hope on the grace which is offered\nyou. That is, ye have not deserved this great grace, but yet it is\nfreely offered you; for the Gospel, which reveals this grace, is no\ninvention or discovery of our own, but the Holy Spirit has sent it\ndown from heaven into the world. But what is it that is offered to\nus? This, that we have already heard, that whosoever believes on\nChrist and cleaves to the Word possesses _Him_, with all the\nblessings He has to give, so that He is Lord over sin, death, the\ndevil and hell, and is assured of eternal life. This treasure is\nbrought to our doors and laid in our bosom without our help or\ndesert, yes, beyond our expectation and without our knowledge or\nthought. Therefore the Apostle would have us venture thereon\ncheerfully, for God, who offers us such grace, will surely not\ndeceive us.\n\n\n_Through the revelation of Jesus Christ._ God permits none to make\nthe offer of His grace except through Christ. Therefore no man should\nattempt to approach Him apart from this Mediator, as we have already\nabove heard sufficiently. For He will hear no one but him who brings\nHis dear Son with him, whom He alone regards, and for His sake those\nthat depend upon Him. Therefore He would have us confess the Son,\nthat we are reconciled through His blood to the Father, so that we\nmay approach before Him. For to this end did Christ come into the\nworld, assume flesh and blood, and joined Himself to us, that He\nmight obtain such grace for us with the Father. So, too, all the\nprophets and patriarchs have been kept and saved, through such faith\non Christ. For they all have exercised faith in the promise which God\nmade to Abraham, \"Through thy seed shall all nations be blest.\"\nTherefore, as we have said, to the Jews and to the Turks, faith is of\nno avail, neither to any that rest upon their own works and would\nthereby reach heaven. So Peter says, this grace is offered you, but\nit is through the revelation of Jesus Christ (or to render it more\nclearly into our language), because that Jesus Christ has been\nrevealed to you.\n\nThrough the Gospel it is made known to us what Christ is, that we may\nlearn of Him, moreover, that He is our Saviour. He rescues us from\nsin and death, and helps us out of every evil, reconciles us to the\nFather, and, apart from our own works, justifies and saves us.\nWhoever then does not thus confess Christ must be lost; for although\nyou may know that He is the Son of God, that He died and has risen,\nand sits at the right hand of the Father,--still you have not yet\ntruly known Christ, it is all of no avail to you; but you must know\nand believe that He has done it all for your sake, if your faith is\nto help you. Therefore that is a vain, senseless doctrine that has\nbeen hitherto preached and taught in the great schools, which have\nhad no experience of this knowledge, and have only attained to\nimagine how the curse afflicted Christ our Lord, and how He sits\nabove in heaven unemployed, and possesses a joy with Himself; and\nthus their hearts remain barren, so that faith cannot live in them.\nBut Christ does not stand there for Himself, but He is to be preached\nthat He is ours. For what necessity could there then have been that\nHe should have come down to earth and have shed His blood? But since\nHe has been sent into the world, as He says, John iii., \"that the\nworld through Him might be saved.\" He certainly must have fulfilled\nthis mission, because He was sent from the Father. For this sending\nforth and proceeding from the Father is to be understood not only of\nthe divine nature, but also of the human nature and of His ministry.\nAs soon as He was baptized this began, and He has fulfilled it, for\nwhich end He was sent and came into the world, to wit, that He might\npreach the truth and obtain it for us, that all who believe on Him\nshall be saved. Thus has He revealed Himself, and presented Himself\nto our knowledge, and offered us grace.\n\n\nV. 14. _As obedient children._ That is, conduct yourselves as\nobedient children. Obedience in Scripture means faith. But the Pope,\nwith his high schools and cloisters, has even wrested the word from\nus, and falsely rendered what is recorded in Scripture concerning\nthis obedience, as the passage in I. Kings xv.: \"Obedience is better\nthan sacrifice.\" For while they perceive that obedience is highly\npraised in Scripture, they have usurped the claim of it to\nthemselves, so that they might blind the people, and that men should\nthink it was obedience to their stuff of which the Scripture speaks.\nThus they would bring us away from God's word to their lies, and to\nthe obedience of the devil. Whoever hears the word of God and\nbelieves thereon, is an obedient child of God. Therefore, whatever is\nnot the word of God, tread it under your feet and pay no attention to\nit.\n\n\n_Not conformed to the former lusts of your ignorance._ That is, that\nyou should not exhibit such ostentation and lead such a course of\nlife as before, and that you be not found in the same condition in\nwhich you formerly were. Once you were godless, and lived in\nlewdness, gluttony, drunkenness, avarice, pride, anger, envy and\nhate, which was an evil, heathen-like state, and one of unbelief, and\nwhen you had gone into such a state like the blind, you have not\nknown what you have done. Avoid now those same evil lusts. Here you\nperceive how he makes the charge against ignorance, that all evil\nproceeds therefrom. For where faith and the knowledge of Christ are\nwanting, there remains mere error and blindness, so that men are\nignorant of what is right and wrong, insomuch that the people fall\ninto every kind of vice.\n\nThus has it been hitherto: where Christ has been kept out of sight\nand eclipsed, there error has begun to prevail; and throughout the\nworld the question has torn its way, how man may be saved. This is at\nonce a sign of blindness or ignorance, that the true apprehension of\nfaith is lost, and no one knows anything more about it. Hence the\nworld is so full of such various sects, and all are divided, for\nevery one will devise for himself a way to heaven of his own. In our\nmisfortune we must be continually falling deeper in our blindness,\nsince we cannot help ourselves. Therefore St. Peter would say: Ye\nhave already befooled yourselves enough; now desist therefrom, since\nye have been instructed and have attained to a correct understanding.\n\n\nV. 15, 16. _But according as He that hath called you is holy, so be\nye also holy in all your conduct, as it is written, Be ye holy for I\nam holy._ Here St. Peter quotes a passage from the Old Testament,\nLev. xix., where God says: \"Be ye holy for I am holy;\" that is, since\nI am your Lord and God, and ye are my people, ye too must be as I am.\nFor a faithful master secures that his people shall be like him, and\nwalk in obedience, and be conformed to the master's will. As then God\nour Master is holy, so are His people holy also, and we are all holy\nif we walk in faith. Scripture says not much of the saints that have\ndied, but of those who live on the earth. So David puts forth his\nclaim in Ps. lxxxv.: \"Lord, preserve my soul, for I am holy.\"\n\nBut here our learned men have for once perverted the passage, and\nthey say: the prophet had a particular revelation, in that he called\nhimself holy; whereby they themselves confess that they do violence\nto faith, and have not the revelation of Jesus Christ, otherwise they\nwould surely be sensible of it. For whoever is a Christian\nexperiences within himself such a revelation; but they who do not\nexperience it are not Christians. For whoever is a Christian enters\ninto a participation with Christ our Lord, of all his good things.\nSince, then, Christ is holy, he must also be holy, or deny that\nChrist is holy. Hast thou been baptized? then thou hast put on the\nholy garment, which is Christ, as Paul says.\n\nThe word Holy means that which is God's own, and which belongs to Him\nalone, or as we render it in Dutch (_geweiht_), consecrated. Thus,\nPeter here says: you are merely required to give God His own;\ntherefore beware that ye do not suffer yourselves to be led back\nagain to worldly lusts, but let God alone rule, live and work within\nyou; then shall ye be holy, even as He is holy.\n\nThus he has hitherto described the grace which is extended to us\nthrough the Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, and has taught\nus how we should therefore conduct ourselves, namely: that we abide\nin a pure, inviolate mind of faith, since we know that no work that\nwe can do or imagine, can at all help us: when such doctrine as this\nis preached, reason objects, and says, Ah! if that is true, I need\nnot do any good work. And then the great heads fall foul of it, and\nfrom a christian condition, educe a freedom of the flesh, imagining\nthey may do what they will. These St. Peter here meets, and\nanticipates them, and teaches how we are to use our christian freedom\nonly towards God. For nothing more is needed but faith, to the end\nthat I should give God the honor due Him, and embrace Him as my God,\nconfessing that He is just, true and merciful; such faith sets us\nfree from sin and all evil. If now I have made such a return to God,\nwhatever time I yet live I am to live for my neighbor, so as to serve\nand help him. The greatest work that follows from faith is this: that\nwith my mouth I should confess Christ, sealing that confession with\nmy blood, and laying down my life for it, if so it be. Yet God does\nnot need this work; only I am to perform it, that my faith may\nthereby be tried and known, so that others also may be brought to\nbelieve. Thereafter follow also other works, which must all be\ndirected to this end, that I may thereby serve my neighbor,--all of\nwhich God must work in us; for it profits not that we should lead a\ncarnal life and do whatever we please. Therefore St. Peter now says:\n\n\nV. 17-21. _And since ye call on the Father, who judgeth without\nrespect of persons, according to every man's work, pass the time of\nyour sojourning here in fear; and be aware that ye are not redeemed\nwith corruptible silver or gold, from your vain conduct in the\ntraditions of your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as\nof an innocent and unspotted Lamb, who indeed was provided previously\nbefore the world began, but is revealed in these last times for you,\nwho through Him believe on God, who raised Him from the dead, and\nhath given Him dominion, that your faith and hope might be in God._\n\n\nSo says St. Peter: Ye have through faith hereunto attained, that ye\nare the children of God, and He is your Father. And ye have obtained\nan incorruptible inheritance in heaven, (as has been already said.)\nThus nothing more now remains, except that the veil be taken away,\nand that be uncovered which is now concealed, for which ye are still\nto wait until ye shall behold it. Though ye are now arrived at that\nstate in which ye may joyfully call God your Father, yet is He so\nrighteous that he will reward every man according to his works, and\nrespect not persons. Wherefore thou art not to imagine, although thou\nhast that great name so that thou art called a Christian or a child\nof God, that He will therefore continue thine if thou livest without\nfear, and thinkest that it is enough that thou dost glory in such a\nname. The world indeed judges by the person, since it does not punish\nall alike, and respects those who are friendly, rich, reputable,\nlearned, wise, and powerful. But God regards nothing of this kind; it\nis all alike to him, be the person as great as he may. Thus in Egypt\nhe struck the son of King Pharaoh dead, as well as the son of the\npoor miller.\n\nTherefore the Apostle would have us expect such judgment from God,\nand stand in fear, so that we do not glory in our title that we are\nChristian, and thereupon become negligent, as though he would for\nthis reason pass us over more readily than others. For in this the\nJews were formerly deceived, who boasted that they were Abraham's\nseed and God's people. Scripture makes no difference in respect to\nthe flesh, but in respect to the spirit. It is true that Christ was\nto be born of Abraham's seed and that a holy people should spring\nfrom him, but it does not therefore follow that all who are born of\nAbraham are the children of God. He also promised that the Gentiles\nshould be saved, but he has not said that he would save _all_ the\nGentiles.\n\nBut here now a question arises: When we say that God saves us alone\nby faith, without regard to works, why does St. Peter say that He\njudges not according to the person, but according to works? Answer.\nWhat we have taught as to faith alone justifying before God, is true\nbeyond doubt, since it is so clear from Scripture that it cannot be\ndenied. That which the Apostle here says, that God judges according\nto the works, is also true; but we must certainly hold, therefore,\nthat where there is no faith, there can be no good work; and on the\nother hand, that there is no faith where there are no good works.\nTherefore join together faith and good works, since it is in both\nthat the sum of the whole christian life consists. As you now live,\nso will it be with you, for thereafter God will judge you. Therefore,\nalthough God judges us according to our works, still it remains true\nthat works are only the fruits of faith, by which we perceive when\nthere is faith or unbelief; therefore God will sentence you from your\nworks and convict you, either that you have or have not believed. So\nit is that no one can convict and judge a liar, except from his\nwords. Yet it is evident that he is not made a liar by the word, but\nbecame a liar before he spoke the lie, for the lie must come from the\nheart into the mouth. Therefore, understand this passage thus, in the\nplainest way: that works are fruits and signs of faith, and that God\njudges men according to such fruits which must certainly follow it,\nso that it shall be openly seen whether there is faith or unbelief in\nthe heart. God will not judge by this whether you are _called_ a\nChristian, or have been baptized, but will ask you, \"_Art_ thou a\nChristian? then tell me where are the fruits by which you can\nevidence your faith.\"\n\nTherefore St. Peter goes on to say: Since ye have such a Father, who\njudges not after the person, pass the time of your pilgrimage in\nfear; that is, stand in fear before the Father, not of pain and\npunishment,--as the Christless, and even the devil, is afraid,--but\nlest He forsake you and withdraw His hand; just as a dutiful child is\nafraid lest he provoke his father, and do something that might not\nplease him. Such a fear would God have within us, that we guard\nourselves against sin, and serve our neighbor, while we live here\nupon the earth.\n\nA Christian, if he truly believes, possesses all the good things of\nGod, and is God's child, as we have heard. But the time which he yet\nlives is only a pilgrimage: for the spirit is already in heaven by\nfaith, through which he becomes Lord over all things. But to this end\nGod permits him yet to live in the flesh, and his body to remain on\nearth, that he may help others and bring them also to heaven.\nTherefore we are to use all things on earth as a guest, who goes on\nwearily and arrives at an inn where he must tarry over night, and can\nreceive nothing from it but food and lodging; yet does not say that\nthe property of the inn is his. So must we also proceed in regard to\nour temporal possessions, as though they were not ours, and we\nenjoyed only so much of them as is needful to sustain the body, and\nwith the rest we are to help our neighbor. Thus the christian life is\nonly a night's sojourning; for we have here no abiding city, but must\nfind it, where our Father is, in heaven. Therefore we should not here\nlive in wantonness, but stand in fear, says St. Peter.\n\n\nV. 18. _And be aware that ye are not redeemed with corruptible silver\nor gold, from your vain conduct in the traditions of your Fathers,\nbut with the precious blood of Christ._ This should draw you, he\nwould say, to the fear of God, wherein ye should stand, that ye\nshould remember how much it has cost that ye might be redeemed.\nBefore, ye were citizens of the world, and were held in subjection to\nthe devil, but now, God has rescued you from such a state, and set\nyou firm in another, so that your citizenship is in heaven; but ye\nare strangers and guests upon earth. And see at how great a cost God\nhas reclaimed you, and how great the treasure is, wherewith ye are\npurchased, and brought into this state, to become the children of\nGod. Wherefore pass your sojourning in fear, and see to it that ye do\nnot despise such redemption, and lose the noble, precious treasure.\n\nWhat now is the treasure wherewith ye are ransomed? Not corruptible\ngold or silver, but the precious blood of Christ the Son of God: the\ntreasure is so costly and noble, that no human sense or reason can\nconceive it, insomuch that only one drop of this innocent blood were\nmore than enough for the sin of all the world: yet has the Father\nbeen willing to dispense his grace so richly upon us, and denied\nHimself so much as to suffer Christ His Son to shed all His blood for\nus, and has bestowed upon us the whole treasure. Therefore He would\nnot have us disregard such great grace, and count it as a small\nmatter, but continue on our guard, so as to live in fear, that this\ntreasure be not taken away from us.\n\nAnd here it is well to remark, that St. Peter says, ye are ransomed\nfrom your vain conversation in the traditions of your fathers; for he\nthereby strikes to the ground all the supports whereon we lean when\nwe imagine our view must be right because it has thus been preserved\nfrom of old, and our forefathers all of them have so held it, among\nwhom there were certainly wise and pious people. It is as much as to\nsay, all which our fathers have ordained and done, was evil; what\nfrom them has been taught you of the worship of God, is also evil;\nfor it has cost the Son of God His blood to redeem the people\ntherefrom; whatever, therefore, has not been washed in this blood, is\nall poisoned and cursed by reason of the flesh. Thence it follows,\nthe more a man undertakes to make himself righteous and has not\nChrist, the more only he confounds himself, and sinks deeper in\nblindness and wickedness, and condemns himself in respect to this\nprecious blood.\n\nExternal matters, important in themselves, are even trifling in\ncomparison with this, that a man should teach how we may be justified\nby works, and devise a worship of God according to our reason; for\nthereby the innocent blood is most deeply dishonored and reviled.\n\nThe heathen have committed many great sins, in that they have prayed\nto the sun and moon, which they held for the true worship of God,\nthough this was joined with other sins. But human justification\n(justification by human works) is mere reviling of God, and the\ngreatest of all sins that a man commits. So, also, that mode of life\nwherewith the world is now busied and which it holds as the worship\nof God, and piety, is in God's sight more provoking than any other\nsin, as is the priestly and monkish order, and which while it appears\nfair before the world, is yet without faith. Therefore whoever will\nnot obtain favor before God through this blood, it were better for\nhim that he should never come into God's presence, for he thereby\nonly the more and more dishonors His Majesty.\n\n\nV. 19. _As of an innocent and unspotted lamb._ But here St. Peter\nexplains the Scripture,--for this though so short is an exceedingly\nrich Epistle,--since as soon as he had spoken of their vain course in\nthe traditions of the fathers, he finds much instruction for us in\nthe prophets--as in the prophet Jer. xvi.: \"The heathen shall come to\nyou from the end of the world, and say, our fathers have gone astray\nwith lies,\" as though St. Peter had said, there the prophets foretold\nthat ye should be redeemed from the tradition of your fathers.\n\nSo when he says here, ye are redeemed by the blood of Christ, as of\nan innocent and unspotted lamb, he would again refer to the\nScripture, and explain that which is contained in the prophets and\nMoses--as Is. liii.: \"Like a lamb he is led to the slaughter.\" So as\nto the type, Ex. xii., of the Paschal Lamb, all this he here\nexplains, and says, this lamb is Christ; and as the one of old was to\nbe unspotted, so must this, also, whose blood is shed for us, be\nunspotted and innocent.\n\n\nV. 20. _Which indeed was provided previously, before the world began,\nbut is revealed in these last times for you._ That is, we have not\ndeserved nor even prayed this of God, that the precious blood of\nChrist should be shed for us, therefore we can glory in no respect;\nthe glory belongs to none but God alone. God has promised and\nrevealed or made known to us, not for any merit of ours, that which\nHe from all eternity had provided and foreordained, before the world\nwas made. In the prophets it is indeed promised, yet dimly and not\nopenly; but now, since Christ's resurrection and the sending of the\nHoly Spirit, it is publicly preached and disseminated throughout the\nwhole world.\n\nThis is now the latter age (the last time), as St. Peter says,\nwherein we live--now--from the ascension of Christ until the last\nday. So the Apostles and prophets, and Christ Himself, also, call it\nthe last hour; not that the last day was to come immediately after\nChrist's ascension, but because after this preaching of the Gospel of\nChrist no other should ever come; and there will be no further\nrevelation or manifestation, except as this is explained and\nrevealed. One revelation after another has indeed gone forth.\nTherefore God says, Ex. vi., \"By my name Jehovah was I not known to\nthem.\" For the patriarchs, although they knew God, yet at that time\nhad not so clear a manifestation of Him as was afterwards put forth\nthrough Moses and the prophets; but now there has no more glorious or\nclear manifestation of Him come into the world than the Gospel.\nTherefore it is the last; all dispensations have run their course,\nbut the present,--the last,--which is revealed to us.\n\nBesides, the time hereafter is not long to the end of the world, as\nSt. Peter shows, II. Pet. iii., where he says: \"One day is with the\nLord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.\" And so he\nwould lead us by this reckoning of time, to conclude, after God's\nmethod, that it is the last time, and that the end approaches, but\nthe time which still remains is nothing in the sight of God. The\nsalvation is already revealed and completed: God permits the world to\nstand yet longer, merely that His name may be more widely honored and\npraised, although He for Himself is now fully revealed.\n\n\nV. 21. _For you, who through Him believe on God, who raised Him from\nthe dead, and hath given Him dominion that your faith and hope might\nbe in God._ For our sakes, he says, is the Gospel revealed. For God\nand the Lord Christ have not needed it, but have done it for our\nprofit, that we might believe on them; and that, not through\nourselves, but through Christ, who intercedes for us with the Father,\nwhom He has raised from the dead, that He might be Lord over all\nthings; so that whoever believes on Him possesses all His good\nthings, and through Him has access to the Father. Thus we have faith\nin God, and a hope through the same faith. Faith alone must save us,\nbut it must be a faith in God; for if God does not help us, then we\nare not holpen; so that it is not enough, although you had all men's\nfriendship, but you must have the friendship of God, that you may\nboast that He is YOUR Father, and that you are His child, and confide\nin Him even more than in your beloved father and mother, that He will\nhelp you in all your troubles, and this only through the one Mediator\nand Saviour, the Lord Christ. Such faith comes not (he says) from\nhuman power, but God creates it in us, because Christ has merited it\nby His blood; to whom He has given glory, and whom He has seated at\nHis right hand, that He, by God's power, should produce faith in us.\n\nHitherto we have heard St. Peter admonishing us that we should gird\nup the loins of our mind, that we may remain undefiled and live in\nfaith; then, also, that which meanwhile is so important, that we\nshould walk in fear and never forget that we are called Christians,\nsince God is a judge who respects none, but judges one like the\nother, without distinction of persons.\n\n\nV. 22-25. _And purify your souls, through obedience of the truth in\nthe Spirit, to unfeigned love of the brethren, and have fervent love\ntoward one another, out of pure hearts, as those who have been born\nagain, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, namely, of the\nliving word of God, which endures forever. For all flesh is as grass,\nand all the glory of man like the flower of grass. The grass\nwithereth and the flower thereof falleth away, but the word of the\nLord endureth forever; and this is the word which is preached unto\nyou._\n\n\nPaul, in Gal. v., points out the fruits which follow faith. The\nfruits of the Spirit, he says, are joy, peace, long-suffering,\nkindness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. So St. Peter speaks\nhere of the fruit of faith,--to wit, that we should purify our souls,\nthrough obedience to the truth in the Spirit. For where there is real\nfaith it brings the body in subjection to itself, and controls the\nfleshly lust; and although it does not entirely destroy it, yet it\nmakes it subject and obedient to the Spirit, and holds it in check.\nSt. Paul implies the same thing when he speaks of the fruits of the\nSpirit. It is a great achievement that the Spirit should attain\ncontrol over the flesh, and restrain the evil lust which descends to\nus from our parents: for it is not possible that we should succeed\nwithout grace in leading a chaste life in the married state, to say\nnothing of the unmarried.\n\nBut why does he say then, purify your souls? He is well aware that\nthe desires of the flesh remain with us after baptism, even to the\ngrave. Therefore it is not enough that a person should refrain from\nworks and remain pure outwardly, while he permits evil lusts to\ncleave to his heart, but must thereafter beware that the soul be\npure, as well as whatever proceeds out of the heart, and that the\nsoul be opposed to these wicked lusts and desires, and continually\ncontend therewith, until it is free from their power.\n\nAnd here he adjoins an excellent provision: that we should purify our\nsouls,[3] _through obedience to the truth in the Spirit_. Much has\nbeen preached on chastity, and many books have been composed on the\nsubject. They have said, we should fast for so long a time, we should\nnot eat flesh, we should not drink wine, etc., that we may be free\nfrom temptation. These things may perhaps have aided somewhat to that\nend, but it has not been enough, it has not subdued lust.\n\n[Footnote 3: Make them chaste.]\n\nSo St. Jerome writes of himself, that he had mortified his body to\nsuch an extent that he had become like a Moor; still it had been of\nno avail, and he had dreamed of being at Rome at a revelry among\nharlots.\n\nSt. Bernard also subjected himself to such austerities, and so\nmortified his body that it became offensive, as I said above. They\nendured severe temptation, and purposed thus to subdue it by external\nmethods. But since it is external, it is only an outward plaster,\nwith no inward application. So that it does not suffice to subdue\nlust.\n\nBut here St. Peter has prescribed an appropriate remedy,--namely,\nobedience to truth in the Spirit, as Scripture also has done in other\nplaces,--as Isaiah xi.: \"Faith shall be the girdle of his reins.\"\nThis is the true plaster that girds the reins, for it must proceed\nfrom within outward, not from without inward. For it has penetrated\ninto the flesh and blood, the marrow and other parts of the living\nsystem; it is not outward in the dress or clothing. Therefore it is\nnot to be expected that we should subdue lust with outward things; we\nmay weaken the body and destroy it with fastings and labors, but the\nevil lusts are not thereby banished; yet faith can subdue them, and\nguard them, that they shall be compelled to give the Spirit place.\n\nSo likewise speaks the prophet Zachariah, ix., of the wine which\nChrist has, whereby the pure grow, and of which he gives them to\ndrink. Other wine usually invites to wicked lust, but this\nwine,--that is, the Gospel,--subdues it, and makes the heart chaste.\nThis is what St. Peter speaks of when any one heartily embraces the\ntruth, and is obedient to it in spirit. This is the true help and the\nmost powerful remedy for it, since you will find none which can still\nall evil thoughts like it; for if this enters our hearts, evil\ninclinations quickly leave; let whoever will try it, he shall find it\ntrue, and whoever has tried it, knows it well; but the devil lets no\none easily attain it, and comprehend the word of God so as to delight\nin it; for he well knows how powerful it is to subdue evil lusts and\nthoughts.\n\nSt. Peter, therefore, would here say, if you would remain chaste,\nthen must you render obedience to the truth in the Spirit, that\nis,--we must not only read and hear the word of God, but apprehend it\nin our hearts. Therefore it is not enough that a man should preach or\nhear the Gospel once, but he must ever press after it and persevere;\nfor such grace does the word possess, that the more we taste it the\nmore delightful it is; although there is, throughout, one and the\nsame doctrine of faith, yet it cannot be listened to too much where\nthe heart is not wanton and untamed.\n\n\n_To unfeigned love of the brethren._ To what end, then, are we to\nlive a chastely holy life? In order that we may be saved thereby? No!\nbut in order that we may be useful to our neighbor. What am I to do\nthat I may restrain my sin? I am to have obedience to the truth in\nthe Spirit. But why am I to restrain it? In order that I may be of\nservice to others, for I must first control my body and the flesh by\nthe Spirit, and thus I can afterward be of service to others.--It\nfollows further:\n\n\n_And have fervent love toward one another out of pure hearts._ The\nApostles Peter and Paul distinguish brotherly love, and love in\ngeneral, from one another. Brotherhood is, that Christians should\ndwell altogether as brethren, and make no distinctions between\nthemselves. For since we all have a common Christ, one baptism, one\nfaith, one treasure, I am no better than thou; that which thou hast,\nI have also, and I am just as rich as thou. The treasure is the same,\nexcept that I may have it in a better shape than thou, since I may\nhave it lying in gold, but thou in a poor garment. Therefore as we\nhave the grace of Christ and all spiritual blessings in common, so\nshould we also hold body and life, property and honor, in common,\nthat one should be of service to another in all things.\n\nHere he speaks plainly: _in unfeigned brotherly love_. The Apostles\nlove to make use of the word, but have clearly perceived that were we\ncalled Christians and brethren universally one with another, it would\nbe false, a feigned or imagined thing, and would be only hypocrisy.\nWe have many brotherhoods set up in the world, but they are vain\ndeceptions and corruptions, which the devil has devised and brought\ninto the world, which are only antagonist to the true faith and to\ngenuine brotherly love. Christ is mine as well as St. Bernard's;\nthine as well as St. Francis'; if one therefore should come to you\nand say, I shall go to heaven if I belong to this or that\nbrotherhood, then tell him that he is deceived; for Christ cannot\nsuffer, and will not allow any other than the common brotherhood,\nwhich we all have one with another; yet you come here, you fool, and\nwill set up one of your own. This I will readily permit, that they be\nset up, not to help the soul, but as some one's endowment, and thus\nserve as a fund from which they who need shall be helped.\n\nThus we all of us, as Christians, have attained a brotherhood in\nbaptism, whereof no saint possesses more than I or you. For just as\ncostly as that one was purchased, at the same price was I also\npurchased. God has devoted as much toward me as to the greatest\nsaint, except that _he_ may have employed the treasure better, and\nmay have a stronger faith than I.\n\nBut love is greater than brotherhood, for it extends even to our\nenemies, and especially to those who are not worthy of love. For as\nfaith performs its work where it sees nothing, so also should love\nsee nothing, and there especially exercise its office where there\nappears nothing lovely, but only disaffection and hostility. Where\nthere is nothing that pleases me I should the more seek to be\npleased. And this spirit should go forth fervently, says St. Peter,\nfrom the whole heart, just as God loved us when we were not worthy of\nlove.--Now follows further:\n\n\n_As those who have been born again._ Again we should do this, because\nwe are not what we were before (he says), but have become new\ncreatures. This has not come to pass through works, but is a\nconsequence of the new birth. For thou canst not make the new man,\nbut he must grow, or be born; as a husbandman cannot make a tree, but\nit must grow, itself, out of the earth, and as we certainly do not\nbecome the children of Adam, except as we are born and derive sin\nfrom our parents. So here it cannot come to pass through works that\nwe should become the children of God, but we must also experience the\nnew birth. This, therefore, is what the Apostle would say: since ye\nthen have become new creatures, ye should conduct yourselves\notherwise than ye did, and lead a new life. As ye before lived in\nhate, ye are now to walk in love--in all respects the reverse. But\nhow has the new birth taken place? This, also, follows:\n\n\nV. 23. _Not of corruptible, but of incorruptible seed, even of the\nliving word of God which endures for ever._ Through a seed are we\nborn again, for nothing grows as we see otherwise than through seed.\nDid the old birth spring from a seed? then must the new birth also\nspring from a seed. But what is this seed? Not flesh and blood! What\nthen? It is not corruptible, but an eternal word. It is, moreover,\nthat whereon we live,--food and nourishment. But especially is it the\nseed whereby we are born again, as he here says.\n\nBut how does this take place? After this manner: God lets the\nword--the Gospel--go forth, and the seed falls in the hearts of men,\nand wherever it fastens on the heart the Holy Spirit is present, and\nmakes a new man; then the man becomes another, of other thoughts, of\nother words and works. Thus you are entirely changed. All that you\nbefore avoided you now seek out, and what you before sought after\nthat you fly from. In respect to the birth of the body, it is the\ncase that when conception takes place the seed is changed, so that it\nis seed no longer. But this is a seed which cannot be changed; it\nremains for ever; it changes me, so that I am transformed in it, and\nwhatever is evil in me passes away from my nature. Therefore it is\nindeed a wonderful birth, and of extraordinary seed.--Now St. Peter\nsays, further:\n\n\nV. 24, 25. _For all flesh is grass, and all the glory of man like the\nflower of grass; the grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth\naway, but the word of the Lord endureth for ever._ This passage is\ntaken from the prophet Isaiah, xl., where the prophet speaks in this\nmanner: \"Cry! what shall I cry? Cry thus: all flesh is grass, and all\nits glory like a flower of the field; the grass withereth and the\nflower falleth away, but the word of God endureth for ever.\" These\nwords St. Peter introduces here; for this is, as I have said, a rich\nepistle, and well spiced with Scripture.\n\nThus speaks the Scripture, then: _The word of God endures for ever._\nWhat is flesh and blood is corruptible, like the grass which is yet\ngreen, so that it blooms; so whatever is rich, strong, wise and fair,\nand thus is flourishing (which all belongs to the bloom), yet you\nobserve its bloom wither; what was young and vigorous will become old\nand ugly; what is rich will become poor, and the like. And all must\nfall by the word of God. But this seed cannot perish.--Now Peter\nconcludes:\n\n\n_This is the word which is preached unto you._ As though he would\nsay, ye are not to look far in order to reach the word of God; ye\nhave it before your eyes; the word is that which we preach; therewith\nmay you subdue all evil lusts. You are not to seek it from afar; you\nhave nothing more to do than fully to apprehend it when it is\npreached. For it is so near us that we may hear it, as Moses also\nsays, in Deut. xxx.: \"The word that I command you is not far from\nthee, that thou must go therefor far away; ascend into heaven or go\nbeyond the sea, but it is near thee, even in thy mouth and in thy\nheart.\" It is indeed soon spoken and heard. But if it enters our\nhearts it cannot die or perish, and will not suffer you to perish; as\nlong as you cleave to it, it will cleave to you.\n\nAs when I hear that Jesus Christ died to take away my sins, and has\npurchased heaven for me, and bestows upon me all that He has, then I\nhear the Gospel; the word quickly is gone if some one preaches it,\nbut if it falls into the heart and is apprehended by faith, it can\nnever pass away. This truth no creature can overthrow; the clearest\nreasoning avails nothing against it; and if I too would strike the\ndevil while I am in his jaws, and am able to lay hold on this, I must\noppose him from this and abide fast by the word. Therefore he well\nsays, ye must look for no other Gospel than that which we have\npreached to you.\n\nSo St. Paul also says, in the first part of the Epistle to the\nRomans: \"I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God\nwhich saves all that believe in it.\" The word is a divine and eternal\npower; for although the voice or speech is soon gone, yet the\nsubstance remains,--that is, the sense, the truth, which is conveyed\nby the voice. As when I put a cup to my mouth in which wine is\ncontained, I swallow the wine, although I do not thrust the cup down\nmy throat.\n\nSo likewise is the word which the voice conveys; it falls into our\nhearts and lives, while the voice remains without and passes away.\nTherefore it is indeed a divine power; yea, it is God Himself. For\nthus He speaks to Moses, Exodus iv.: \"I will be in thy mouth;\" and\nPs. lxxx.: \"Open thy mouth wide, proclaim glad tidings; say thou art\nhungry, I will satisfy thee, I will presently speak to thee\ncomfortable things.\"\n\nSo, also, in John xiv., Christ says: \"I am the way, the truth, and\nthe life.\" Whoever confides in this is born of God; so that this seed\nof our Lord is itself divine. All this goes to teach us that we\ncannot be helped by works. Although the word is a small matter, and\nseems as nothing while it proceeds out of the mouth, yet is there\nsuch an immense power in it that it makes those who confide in it the\nchildren of God. John i. Thus does our salvation raise us to an\nexalted blessedness.\n\n\nThis is the first chapter of this Epistle, wherein you perceive in\nwhat a masterly manner St. Peter preaches and treats of faith, whence\nwe easily see that this Epistle is true Gospel. Now comes the second\nchapter, that will instruct us in matter of works, how we should\nconduct ourselves toward our neighbor.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER II.\n\n\nV. 1-5. _Wherefore lay aside all malice, and all guile, and\nhypocrisies, and hatred, and all evil speakings, and desire the\nsincere milk of the word, as new-born babes, that ye may grow\nthereby, if ye have besides tasted that the Lord is gracious, to whom\nye are come as to a living stone, which indeed is rejected by men,\nbut before God is elect and precious. And be ye also as living stones\nbuilt up into a spiritual house, and a holy priesthood, to offer up\nspiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ._\n\n\nHere he begins to show what the characteristic and fruit of a\nchristian life should be. For we have said often enough that a\nchristian life consists in two things,--faith toward God and love\ntoward our neighbor. Besides, although christian faith has been given\nus, yet as long as we live many evil lusts remain in the flesh, since\nevery saint must be in the flesh, but what is in the flesh cannot be\nentirely pure. Therefore St. Peter says, be ye armed, that ye may\nguard yourselves against the sins which still cleave to you, and\nstrive continually against them. For the worst enemies that we have\nhide themselves in our bosoms, and in our very flesh and blood, wake,\nsleep, and live with us, like a wicked spirit which we have brought\nhome with us and cannot send off. Wherefore, since through faith\nJesus Christ is entirely yours, and ye have obtained salvation and\nall His blessings, let it be your aim henceforth to lay aside all\nwickedness, or all that is evil, and all guile, so that no one act\ntoward another deceitfully or falsely; as with the world it has\nbecome a common expression to say, the world is full of falsehood,\nwhich is indeed so. But we Christians should not act with such\ndeceit, but uprightly and with pure hearts, toward men as toward God,\nfairly and justly, so that none take the advantage of another in\nsale, purchase or promise, and the like.\n\nLikewise also St. Paul says to the Ephesians, ch. iv., \"Lay aside\nlying, and speak truth every one with his neighbor.\" Truth is, that\nyea be yea, and nay, nay,--but hypocrisy, when any one represents\nhimself by his outward mien as being what he is not in his thoughts.\nFor solemn is the obligation that we should show ourselves to be what\nwe are at heart. A Christian should so act that he could permit all\nmen to see and know what he thinks in his heart. Let him, then, in\nall his walk and conduct, be anxious only to praise God, and serve\nhis neighbor, and be afraid of no one; and let every one be in heart\nwhat he is in appearance, and not act a feigned part, whereby he\nshall make others gape with wonder.\n\nFurthermore, St. Peter says that we should lay aside hatred and evil\nspeaking. Here he fitly takes up the common vices among men, in their\nintercourse with one another. This evil speaking is exceedingly\ncommon and injurious,--is soon done, insomuch that none of us is\naware of it. Therefore he says, be on your guard, if ye already have\na christian spirit, that ye may know what are the fruits of this\nspirit.\n\n\nV. 2. _And desire the sincere milk of the word, as new-born babes._\nHere he institutes a comparison, and would say,--ye are like those\nnew-born babes who seek nothing but the milk: like them, striving for\nthe breasts and milk, so be ye also eager for the word; endeavor for\nit, have an appetite for it, that ye may suck in the intelligible,\nsincere milk.\n\nThese words are, indeed, figurative; for he did not mean literal\nmilk, or literal sucking, as he does not speak of a literal birth.\nBut he speaks of another milk which belongs to the mind, which is\nspiritual, which is procured by the soul, which the heart must draw\nin. It must be, moreover, sincere (or unfalsified), not as the custom\nis, to sell false wares; since there is truly strong obligation, and\ngreat necessity, that to the new-born and young Christian, the milk\nshould be given pure, and not corrupted. But this milk is nothing but\nthe Gospel, which is also the same with seed, whereby we are\nconceived and born, as we have heard above. Yet it is also the food\nwhich nourishes us when we arrive at maturity; it is also the harness\nwherewith we equip and clothe ourselves,--yea, it is all these in\ncommon. But whatever is appended to it is human doctrine, whereby the\nword of God is falsified; therefore the Holy Spirit would have it so\nthat every Christian shall see to it, what he sucks for milk, and\nshall himself learn to decide in regard to all doctrines.\n\nBut the breasts which yield this milk, and which the babes suck, are\nthe preachers in the christian Church. As the bridegroom says to the\nbride, in Cant. iii., \"Thou hast two breasts like two young roes;\nthey are as though they were hung with a bundle of myrrh;\" as the\nbride says, Cant. i., \"My beloved is like a bundle of myrrh that lies\ncontinually between my breasts.\" That is, we should ever _preach_\nChrist. The bridegroom must resort to the breasts; so that it is\nunjust, and the milk will be corrupt, if we do not preach Christ\nalone.\n\nThere is this, besides: when it is preached that Christ died for us,\nand rescued us from sin, death, and hell,--this is delightful and\nsweet, like milk; but after this, the cross also must be preached,\nthat we are to suffer, as we have done; and this is a strong draught,\nit is strong wine. Therefore, Christians should have at first given\nthem the weakest drink,--that is, milk. For it cannot be preached in\nits simplicity, except Christ be preached first of all; which is not\nbitter, but is mere sweet, rich grace, from which you receive yet no\nsmart. This is the sincere milk of the word.\n\nBut here St. Peter has supported himself by Scripture, as he is\nthroughout rich from the Scriptures. In the Old Testament it is\nwritten, both in Exodus xxiii., and Deuteronomy xiv., \"Thou shalt not\nseethe the kid in its mother's milk.\" For what reason did God permit\nthat to be written? Of what concern to Him was it that no suckling\nshould be killed while as yet it sucks milk? Because He would thereby\ngive us to understand that which St. Peter here teaches; and it is as\nmuch as if he had said, preach gently to the young and weak\nChristians; let them be carefully fed, and thrive in the knowledge of\nChrist; burden them not with strong doctrine, for they are as yet too\nyoung, but after they have become strong, let them then be\nslaughtered and sacrificed on the cross.\n\nSo, also, we read in Deut. xxiv., \"If any one have recently taken a\nwife, then he need not go out to war for the first year, lest he\nshould be slain,--but abide at home cheerfully with his wife.\" All\ngoes to this point, that we should bear for a time with them that are\nyoung Christians, and proceed tenderly with them. But when they have\ngrown, God brings them to the holy cross, lets them even die like\nother Christians, so that then the kid is slain.--Now follows\nfurther:\n\n\nV. 2, 3. _That ye may grow thereby, if ye have besides tasted that\nthe Lord is gracious._ It is not enough that we should hear the\nGospel once; we must ever be anxious for it, that we may grow. After\nfaith has become strong, we may provide and eat each kind of food.\nBut to those who have not heard the Gospel, this is not said; they\nknow neither what is milk or what is wine. Therefore he adds, if ye\nhave besides tasted that the Lord is gracious; as though he had said,\nwhoever has not tasted it, to him it is not a thing of the heart, to\nhim it is not sweet; but they who have tried it, who grow by the food\nand by the word, to them it tastes pleasant and is sweet.\n\nBut it is said to be _tasted_, when I believe with my heart that\nChrist has given Himself for me, and has become my own, and my sin\nand misery are His, and His life also is mine. When this reaches my\nheart, then it _tastes_; for how can I but receive joy and gladness\ntherefrom? I am heartily glad, as though some good friend should\nbestow on me a hundred florins. But as to him whose heart it does not\nreach, he cannot rejoice himself therewith. But they taste it best\nwho lie in the straits of death, or whom an evil conscience\noppresses; for in that case hunger is a good cook, as we say, that\nmakes the food have a good relish. For the heart and conscience can\nhear nothing more soothing, when they feel their misery; after _this_\nthey are anxious, they smell the provision afar off and cannot be\nsatisfied. So also speaks Mary, in the _Magnificat_: \"The hungry also\nhas he filled with good things.\" But that hardened class who live in\ntheir own holiness, build on their own works, and feel not their sin\nand misery, they taste this not. Whoever sits at table and is hungry,\nhe relishes all, readily; but to him who is previously full, nothing\nrelishes, but he can only murmur at the most excellent food.\nTherefore the Apostle says, if ye have besides tasted that the Lord\nis gracious. But it is as though he had said, If ye have not tasted\nit, then I preach to you in vain.--He further says:\n\n\nV. 4. _To whom ye art come as to a living stone._ Here he falls back\nagain upon the Scripture, and quotes the prophet Isaiah, chap.\nxxviii., where he also says: \"Hear now what God says to you,\nscorners: ye say, we have made a league with death and with hell, and\nhave made lies our trust. Therefore thus saith the Lord, I lay in the\nfoundation of Zion an elect, precious corner stone, a sure\nfoundation,\" etc.\n\nThis passage Paul has also quoted, and it is an important passage of\nScripture, for Christ is the precious head-stone which God has laid,\non which we must be built.\n\nAnd observe how St. Peter quotes the expression, and shows the stone\nto signify Christ. Just as Isaiah had spoken of setting confidence\nupon Him, St. Peter likewise says, it is as much as trusting in Him;\nthus is Scripture truly explained. The builders lay the foundation\nstone where it may stand sure and firm, that it may bear up the whole\nbuilding. So Christ, the living stone, bears up the whole building;\nand it is called the building, in order that we, bound one to\nanother, may set our confidence and security on Him.\n\n\nV. 4. _Which indeed is rejected of men, but before God is elect and\nprecious._ Here he brings forward a passage of the prophet David, in\nPs. cxvii.: \"The stone which the builders rejected has become the\ncorner stone, and it is wonderful in our eyes.\" Which passage Christ\nalso refers to in Mat. xxi. So Peter, in Acts iv., where he says:\n\"This is the stone which ye builders rejected.\" Ye are builders, he\nsays: for they taught the people, went about with great speeches,\nlaid down many laws, but made mere work-saints and hypocrites. Then\nChrist comes and tells them, ye are hypocrites and broods of vipers;\npronounces upon them many terrible judgments; judges them as sinners,\nand not as great saints, so that they could not endure it; they even\nreject Him--say to Him, \"You are a heretic; do you caution that a man\nshould not do good works? Ay! you must die.\" Therefore Peter says,\nhere, this is the corner stone which indeed was rejected of men,\nwhereon ye must be built by faith. This is now wonderful in our eyes,\nas the prophet says; it seems strange to us, and where the Spirit\ndoes not teach it, it is utterly incomprehensible. Therefore he says,\nin God's eyes the stone is elect, and an extremely precious stone; it\nis of great importance also that it takes away death, satisfies for\nsin, and rescues from hell, besides that it freely bestows heaven.\n\n\nV. 5. _And be ye also as living stones, built up into a spiritual\nhouse._ How can we build ourselves up? By the Gospel and that which\nis preached. The builders are the preachers; the Christians who hear\nthe Gospel are they who are built, and the stones which are to be\nfitted on this corner stone; so that we are to repose our confidence\non Him, and let our hearts stand and rest upon Him. I must therefore\ntake heed to myself that I have the form which this stone has, for if\nI am laid upon Him by faith, then I must also bear such marks and\nfashioning as He had, and every one else with me. It is the fruit of\nfaith and a mark of love, that we all be fitted one to another, and\nall thus become one building. To the same end, also, St. Paul speaks\non this subject, although in a different manner, I. Cor. iii.: \"Ye\nare the temple of God.\" The house of stone or wood is not His house:\nHe will have a spiritual house,--that is, the christian congregation,\nwherein we are all alike, in one faith, one like the other, and all\nlaid and fitted one to the other, and locked into one another by\nlove, without any wickedness, deceit, hypocrisy, hatred and slanders,\nas He has said.\n\n\n_And a holy priesthood._ There he casts down the outward and bodily\npriesthood, which had existed before under the old dispensation, as\nalso the outward Church, which he takes entirely away, as though he\nhad said, \"That outward institution with the priesthood has all\nceased, wherefore another priesthood now begins, and another\nsacrifice is offered, even one that is entirely spiritual.\" We have\nhad much disputing on this point, maintaining that those who are now\ncalled the clergy are not priests in the sight of God; and this is\nconfirmed out of this passage of St. Peter. Therefore apprehend it\nwell, and if one should meet you with the objection, and attempt to\nshow, as some have done, that He speaks of a twofold priesthood,--of\noutward and spiritual priests,--then bid him lay aside his vain\nspeeches that he may see clearly, and take nieswort[1] that he may\nclear his brains. St. Peter says, also, Ye are to build yourselves up\ninto a spiritual or holy priesthood. Ask now those priests whether\nthey are holy: their life clearly shows, as we see, that this\nwretched set is plunged into avarice, fornication, and all manner of\nvice. Whoever has this priesthood must certainly be holy. Whoever is\nnot holy, he does not possess it. Therefore St. Peter speaks here\nonly of one kind of priesthood.\n\n[Footnote 1: Aromatic snuff.]\n\nWe ask further, whether he makes a distinction between spiritual and\nworldly, since the clergy are now called spiritual, and other\nChristians worldly?\n\nYet they must confess, no thanks to them, that St. Peter here speaks\nto all those that are Christians, even to those who lay aside all\nwickedness, deceit, hypocrisy and malice, etc., and are like new-born\nchildren, and drink the pure milk: so that their lie must bite itself\nin their mouth, since it stands forth a thing not to be gainsaid,\nthat St. Peter speaks to all that are Christians; whence it is clear\nthat they lie, and that St. Peter says nothing of their priesthood,\nwhich they have fancied and arrogate to themselves alone; wherefore\nour bishops are nothing but Nicholas-bishops, and as is their\npriesthood so are also their laws, sacrifices and works. It might be\nan excellent play to act out in the deep night, except that under the\nmask the divine name is reviled.\n\nTherefore those alone are the holy and spiritual priesthood, who are\ntrue Christians and built upon this stone.\n\nFor since Christ is the bridegroom, and we all of us are the bride,\nso then the bride has all which the bridegroom has, even His own\nbody; for if He gives Himself to the bride, He gives Himself for what\nHe is, and on the other hand the bride gives herself to Him. Now\nChrist has been anointed the high and most exalted priest by God\nHimself; has also sacrificed His own body for us, which is the office\nof the high priest; besides, He prayed on the cross for us. Again, He\nhas also preached the Gospel, and taught all men to know God and\nHimself.\n\nThese three offices has He also given to all of us: therefore, since\nHe is a priest and we are his brethren, so all Christians have it in\ntheir power and charge, and an obligation rests upon them, to preach\nand to come before God, and that one should entreat for another and\noffer himself up to God; and provided that any one begin to preach\nthe word of God or address it to others, he is then a priest.\n\n\n_To offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus\nChrist._ As to spiritual offerings, it is not necessary that we\nshould present them to the Pope; neither is sacrifice such as it was\nin the Old Testament, when men were required to sacrifice the tenth\nof all they had. Such outward sacrifices and priesthood have all now\nceased, and all has become new and spiritual. The priest is Christ;\nand we all, since He has sacrificed His own body, must offer up\nourselves. Here is now fulfilled all that was typified by outward\nsacrifices in the Old Testament, since they have all passed away, and\nall of them may be said compendiously to preach the Gospel. Whoever\npreaches this exercises and carries out all that former--strikes the\ncalf dead,--that is, kills the carnal mind and the old Adam. For this\nstubborn nature in flesh and blood must be slain by the Gospel; thus\ndo we permit ourselves to be offered upon the cross and to die.\nHerein is exercised the true priest's office, in that we sacrifice to\nGod that wicked rogue, the corrupt old dolt (of our nature); if the\nworld does it not, we must do it ourselves; but it must in the end be\nall removed, whatever we have of the old Adam, as we heard above in\nthe first chapter. This is the only sacrifice that pleases and is\nacceptable to God. From this you may perceive whereto our foolish and\nblind leaders have brought us, and how this text has been kept under\nthe bench. Now you may say, If that is true, that we are all priests\nand ought to preach, what sort of an institution is there? must there\nthen be no distinction among the people, and are the women, also, to\nbe priests? Answer. In the Old Testament it is permitted to no priest\nto wear the tonsure. Not that it is wrong in itself; a person might\nvery well suffer himself to be shorn if he chose, but it is reason\nthat none make a distinction between himself and common\nChristians,--a thing which faith will not permit. So that they who\nare now called priests are all laymen like the others, and only some,\nfor the office' sake, are selected out of the Church to preach. Thus\nthere is only an outward distinction for the office' sake, inasmuch\nas one is called of the Church; but before God there is no\ndifference, and some individuals are selected from the multitude, in\norder that they may bear and exercise the office which they all have;\nnot that one is more elect than another. Therefore, no one should\nrise up of himself and preach in the Church, but one is to be\nselected and instituted out of the congregation, who may be removed\nwhen it is desirable.\n\nYet have these men assumed a position of their own; as though\ndirected by God, they have arrogated to themselves such license, that\nalmost in the heart of christendom there is a greater distinction\nthan that which exists between us and the Turks. When you look upon\nChristians you must observe no distinction, and you are not to say,\nthis is a man or a woman, a servant or a master, old or young; as\nPaul tells us, Gal. iii.: They are all one and a purely spiritual\npeople. So that all alike are priests, all alike may proclaim God's\nword, except that a woman is not to speak in the Church; but let the\nmen preach, because of the command that they are to be subject to\ntheir husbands--as St. Paul teaches us, I. Cor. xiv.: Such order God\npermits to remain, but makes no distinction of the election. But\nwhere there are no men, but women only, as in the Nun's Cloisters,\nthere a woman may be selected to preach.\n\nThis is now the true priesthood, which consists in those three points\nas we have heard,--namely, that we sacrifice spiritually; that we\npray for the Church; that we preach. Whoever will do this, he is a\npriest, as all are bound to be, inasmuch as they should preach the\nword, pray for the Church, and offer themselves up before God. Let\nthose fools then go who call the institution of the priests\nspiritual, who yet bear no other office but just to wear the tonsure\nand to be anointed. If the being shorn and anointed makes a priest,\nthen might I easily shear an ass and anoint him, so that he should be\na priest also.\n\nFinally, St. Peter says, that we are to offer up spiritual\nsacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Since Christ is\nthe corner stone whereon we are laid, it must be only through him\nthat we are to treat with God, as we have heard sufficiently above;\nfor God does not look upon my cross even though I torture myself to\ndeath, but he looks upon Christ through whom my works are acceptable\nbefore God, which otherwise would not be worth an alms of a straw's\nvalue. Therefore Scripture calls Christ properly a precious corner\nstone which imparts its virtue to all who through faith are built\nupon it. So, also, St. Peter teaches us in this passage how Christ is\nthe living stone--what Christ is; and the figure is a fine one, since\nit is easy to understand by it how we are to believe on Christ.--It\nfollows, now, further:\n\n\nV. 6-10. _Therefore it is contained in Scripture, Behold I lay in\nZion an elect precious corner stone, and whoever believeth on Him\nshall not be put to shame. To you therefore who believe, He is\nprecious, but to the unbelieving, the stone which the builders\nrejected is made a corner stone, and a stone of stumbling and a rock\nof offence, even to those that stumble at the word and believe not\nthereon, whereunto they were appointed. But ye are the chosen\ngeneration, the royal priesthood, the holy nation, the peculiar\npeople, that ye should show forth the praise of him who has called\nyou out of darkness into his wonderful light: who once were not a\npeople, but are now the people of God, to whom God did not show\nmercy, but (now have obtained mercy) to whom He is now merciful._\n\n\nI have before said, that St. Peter has enriched and fortified his\nEpistle well with Scripture, just as all preachers should do, in\norder that their foundation may rest entirely on the word of God.\nHere also he introduces four or five texts, one upon another. The\nfirst he has taken from the prophet Isaiah, word for word, that\nChrist is a precious corner stone or foundation, and is the very\npassage which we have just treated of and somewhat explained. It is\ntruly an eminent proof text of the doctrine of faith, which is to be\nlaid down as a foundation when we are to preach in a place where\nChrist has not been preached before. For it must be confessed that\nChrist is the stone on which faith should be built and should stand.\n\nBut that the prophet does not speak in this place of a material stone\nis evident from this, that it afterward follows, \"whoever believes on\nHim shall not be made ashamed.\" If I am to _believe_ on Him, it must\nbe a stone in a spiritual sense. For how am I to believe on stone and\nwood? Besides, He must be truly God, since, in the first commandment,\nGod has forbidden that we should believe on anything else, but on Him\nonly. Since then this stone is laid as a foundation on which we are\nto trust, it must be God Himself. On the other hand, He cannot be God\nalone, but must also therewith be like man, because He must be a part\nof the building, and not merely a part, but the head. If a man then\nerects a building, one stone must be like the other, that each have\nthe complexion, nature, and form of the other: therefore, since we\nare built on Christ, he also must be like us, and of the same nature\nwith the other stones that rest upon Him, even a real humanity as we\nall have. Thus does the Scripture, by simple and few words, express\nso great a matter, even the entire _summa_ of our faith, and in such\nbrief words comprises more than any man can express.\n\nNow what this that builds us up is, I have already said--namely,\nfaith, whereby we are laid on Christ, and repose our trust upon this\nstone, and thus become like Him; and then this also must follow, that\nthe building must be fitted one part to the other, for the other\nstones must all be laid and placed upon this stone. That is, of\ncourse, that love is a fruit of faith.\n\nBut why does the prophet call Him a foundation stone? For this\nreason: that no man can build a house except he lay one stone first\nas a foundation, for the other stones in the building cannot stand\nexcept on the foundation stone.\n\nSo we must all of us rest on Christ, and confess Him for a foundation\nstone. Therefore we are not to pride ourselves that the stone must\nreceive something from us, but we must receive blessing from it\nalone; for we do not bear it up, but it bears us up, and upon Him\nlies sin, death, hell, and all that we have to bear. So that all\nthis--and whatever jars against us--cannot injure us if we have been\nplaced on this foundation.\n\nFor if we remain resting on him, and leave ourselves upon Him, we\nmust then remain where He is; just as natural stones must be left on\ntheir foundation stone.\n\nBesides, the prophet calls Him a corner stone. The Holy Spirit has a\nway of His own of saying much in few words. Christ is a corner stone\nbecause he has brought Gentiles and Jews together who were at dead\nenmity one with another, and thus the Christian Church has been\ngathered of both classes, whereof the Apostle Paul writes largely.\nThe Jews gloried in the law of God, and that they were God's people,\nand so despised the heathen. But now Christ has come, has taken away\ntheir boasting from the Jews, and called us who were Gentiles; and\nthus he has made us both one, by one faith, and He has so dealt with\nus that we both must confess that we have nothing of ourselves, but\nare all sinners, and only must expect righteousness and heaven from\nHim, and that we Gentiles may as justly claim that Christ has come to\nhelp us, as the Jews; wherefore He is the corner stone that joins\nboth together in one, so that it becomes one building and one house.\n\nThis, now, is the conclusion to which the prophet comes: Whoever\nbelieves on Him shall not be put to shame. When the Holy Spirit says,\nthat they shall not be ashamed who believe on Christ, he gives us to\nunderstand what he has in view,--to wit, that he has already\npublished and confirmed the sentence, that the whole world must be\nconfounded and put to shame. Yet he would draw forth some out of the\nmultitude, so that no one may escape the shame but he who believes on\nChrist. So Christ explains Himself in the last of Mark: \"Whoever\nbelieves and is baptised shall be saved; but he who believes not\nshall be damned;\" in which words, moreover, He accords with the\nprophets. So that Peter said well in the first chapter, that the\nprophets sought out the time, and diligently inquired after the\nsalvation and concerning the future grace that was previously\npromised. So now Christ is to be preached, that He it is who has\nrescued us from this shame into which we were all plunged.\n\nNow let any one come forward who chooses, and exalt free-will, and\ndefend human ability. Though you should commingle together all human\nworks and doctrines, and whatever springs from man, you have enough\nin this single passage to overthrow it all, so that it must all fall\nlike dry leaves from the tree.\n\nFor it is doomed that whatever does not rest upon this stone, _that_\nis already lost. He does not suffer that you should attain anything\nby works. With such simplicity speaks forth the Spirit and the Divine\nMajesty, that it despises no one, yet with such authority that it\novercomes all things. Who, then, will set himself against it, or who\nwill not be terrified by it? Therefore God would have us entirely\ndespair as it regards ourselves, and appropriate to ourselves only\nthe blessings which _He_ has, and build on that foundation which no\ncreature can overthrow; so that no one should trust in his own\nrighteousness, but on Christ's righteousness, and on all that Christ\nhas. But what is it to rest upon His righteousness? Nothing else but\nthat I should despond in regard to myself, and think with myself,--my\nrighteousness, my truth, must go to pieces, and what is built\nthereon; while His righteousness, His truth, His life, and all the\nblessings which He has, are eternal. There lies the foundation on\nwhich I stand; whatever stands not on this foundation, will all\nnecessarily fall. But he who lets himself fall back on this, he alone\nshall not be put to shame, and shall rest safe, so that no violence\nshall ever injure him at all. Therefore Christ must be not only a\nstone, but God will lay Him also as a foundation on which we should\nconfide. God has said this, who cannot lie.\n\nNow this stone is not subservient to itself, but suffers itself to be\ntrodden on, and buried in the earth so that it cannot be seen, and\nthe other stones lie upon it and can be seen. Wherefore, it is given\nto us that we should partake of Him, and rest upon Him, and believe\nthat what He has shall all be ours, as what He has procured; that He\nhas done it for us; so that I may say,--this is my own property and\ntreasure, over which my conscience can exult.--But St. Peter says\nfurther:\n\n\nV. 7, 8. _To you, therefore, who believe, He is precious; but to the\nunbelieving, the stone which the builders rejected has become a\ncorner stone, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence._ This\nexceedingly precious stone, says Peter, is indeed, to some, precious\nand honorable. But on the other hand, it is also to many not\nprecious, but despised, and a stone of stumbling. How is this? The\nScripture ascribes to it a twofold aspect, inasmuch as there are some\nthat believe thereon, and, on the other hand, many who do not believe\nthereon. To them who believe, is He precious; so that my heart must\nbe glad if I repose my confidence and trust upon Him. Therefore he\nsays,--to you that believe, He is precious; that is, ye are greatly\ndependent on Him; for although He in Himself is precious and\nexcellent, yet this may be of no service or help to me. Therefore He\nmust be precious to us for this reason, because He gives us so many\nprecious blessings; as an excellently precious stone, which does not\nretain its virtue in itself, but breaks forth and imparts all its\npowers, so that I have all that _it_ is.\n\nBut the unbelieving hold Him not as such a precious stone, but reject\nHim, and stumble upon Him, because He is not pleasing to them, but\nobnoxious and hateful; although He is yet delightful in Himself.\nThese are not only the great, openly avowed sinners, but much more\nthose great saints who rest on their free-will, on their own works\nand righteousness, who must stumble on this stone and run upon it.\nNow God pronounces the sentence, that they who rest thereon, without\nworks, come to be justified through faith alone; but these do not\nattain thereto, for they would be justified by their own\nrighteousness, as St. Paul says, Rom. x.\n\nTherefore this has become the stone, says St. Peter, which the\nbuilders rejected. And here he dovetails the Scriptures into one\nanother, but explains the passage which he quoted above from the\ncxvii. Psalm, \"The stone which the builders rejected, has become the\ncorner stone.\" Who the builders are, I have sufficiently shown: even\nthose who taught, preached the law, and would justify men by works;\nwho agree with Christians, as summer and winter with each other;\ntherefore those preachers who preach of works, reject this stone.\n\nBesides this, he quotes another passage still, from the prophet\nIsaiah, chap. viii. The prophet has there described that which was to\ntake place, as St. Peter here does, and speaks thus: \"The Lord shall\nbe your fear, who shall be to you for holiness; but for a stone of\nstumbling and a rock of offence shall He be, to both houses of\nIsrael.\" This is the sense of the prophet: The Lord shall be to you\nfor holiness,--that is, He shall be hallowed in your hearts; ye are\nto have no other sanctification, neither this nor that, except as ye\nbelieve. To the others, He shall be a stone whereon they shall\nstumble and be offended.\n\nBut what, now, is this offence and perplexity, or stumbling? This is\nit: when we preach Christ, and say, See why this stone is laid for a\nfoundation, that you, wholly desponding and despairing in yourself,\nmight hold your works and your own righteousness as a merely\ncondemned thing, and might place your confidence upon Him alone, and\nbelieve, that Christ's righteousness may become your righteousness;\nwhen those men hear this, they revolt at it, stumble and vex\nthemselves, and say, \"How? do you mean to say that virginity, and\nmasses, and the like good works, amount to nothing? It is the devil\nthat bids you say that!\" For they cannot understand, in this matter,\nthat their claims are not good; they think they have done well in the\nsight of God; quote passages to prove it from the Scriptures, and\nsay, God has commanded that we should perform good works. If we\ndispute this, they begin and cry out, \"Heretic! Heretic!\" \"Fire!\nFire!\" So that they cannot endure this stone, and they stumble\nagainst it. So inconsistent are they one with another, that upon this\nstone they must stumble; as Christ says, Matt. xxi., \"Have ye not\nread in Scripture,--the stone which the builders rejected is become\nthe corner stone? (and it follows) and whosoever shall fall upon this\nstone shall be dashed in pieces, and on whom it shall fall, it shall\ngrind him to powder.\" Therefore, do as ye will, ye cannot dishonor\nthe stone; it is laid, and it will continue to lie. Whoever, then,\nwill run upon it and dash himself thereon, must necessarily be\nbroken.\n\nThat is the stumbling and the vexation whereof Scripture has much to\nsay. Thus the Jews stumble to this day against this stone,--and this\nwill not cease until the last day shall come; then shall this stone\nfall upon all the unbelieving and grind them to powder. Wherefore,\nalthough Christ is such an elect, precious stone, He must yet be\ncalled a stone of offence and stumbling, by no fault of His. And just\nas the Jews did, we continue to do at the present day; for as they\ngloried in the name of God, that they were God's people, so it is the\ncase now, that men, under the name of Christ and the christian\nchurch, deny Christ, and reject the precious stone. He has come that\nthey might reject their works; but this is a thing they cannot\nsuffer, and they reject Him. Therefore it follows:\n\n\n_Who stumble at the word and believe not thereon, whereunto they were\nappointed._ If they are told that their works are not good and are of\nno avail before God, they cannot and will not hear it. Now God has\nlaid down Christ as a foundation, whereon they should have been\nplaced, and through Him have obtained complete salvation; and He has\ncaused Him to be preached throughout the whole world, that they,\nthrough the proclamation of the Gospel, might be grounded on Him. Yet\nwould they not receive Him, but rejected Him, and remain in their own\nnature and works; for if they suffered themselves to rest upon Him,\nthen would their own honor, riches, and power fall, insomuch that\nthey would never rise again.--St. Peter says further:\n\n\nV. 9. _But ye are the chosen generation, the royal priesthood, the\nholy nation, the peculiar people._ There he gives Christians a true\ntitle, and has quoted this passage from Moses, Deut. vii., where he\nsays to the Jews, \"Ye are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the\nLord your God has chosen you as his peculiar people out of all the\nnations that are on the earth.\" So, Ex. xix., he says: \"Ye shall be\nmy possession before all peoples, and shall be to me a kingdom of\npriests and a holy people.\" There you see where Peter's words are\nfrom. As I have said before, so I say again, that it should be\nunderstood how Scripture is wont to speak of priests. Let no one be\ntroubled as to those whom the people _call_ priests; let every one\ncall them as he pleases, but abide thou by the pure word of God, and\nwhat _this_ calls priests do thou call priests also. We could well\nendure it that those should call themselves priests whom the bishops\nand the Pope consecrate, and let them call themselves as they will,\nonly see to it that they do not call themselves priests of God, for\nthey cannot quote a word from Scripture in proof of it.\n\nBut should they claim that in this passage he speaks of them, answer\nthem as I have instructed you above, and ask them to whom St. Peter\nis here speaking,--so shall they of necessity be made ashamed; for it\nis certainly clear and plain enough that he speaks to the whole\ncongregation, to all Christians, in that he says, ye are the chosen\ngeneration and the holy people, since he has hitherto spoken of none\nbut of those who are built upon this stone and believe. Therefore it\nmust follow, that whoever does not believe is no priest. If they say,\nthen, \"Ah! we must explain the passage just as the holy fathers have\ninterpreted it;\" then do you say, Let the fathers and teachers,\nwhoever they may be, explain as they will, yet St. Peter, who has\nreceived greater testimony from God than they, besides being more\nancient, tells me so and so, therefore I will hold with him. The\npassage, moreover, needs no gloss, for he speaks in express words of\nthose that believe. Now those are not the only believers who are\nanointed and wear the tonsure; therefore we will readily grant them\nthat they call themselves by this name, for the question is not what\nthey permit themselves to do; but the dispute is here,--whether they\nare styled priests in Scripture, and whether God calls them by this\nname. There may be some selected out of the Church, who are its\nofficers and ministers, and appointed to this end, that they should\npreach in the Church and administer the sacraments; but we are all\npriests before God if we are Christians. For since we are built upon\nthis stone, which is our high priest before God, we must also possess\nall that He has.\n\nTherefore I would be glad to find this word priests becoming as\ncommon as it is for us to be called Christians. For it is all the\nsame,--priest, baptized, Christian. As little as I would suffer that\nthose who are anointed and shorn should call Christians un-baptized,\nso little would I endure that they only should be regarded as\npriests. Yet have they arrogated it entirely to themselves. So too\nthey have named _that_ the church which the Pope and his cardinals\nrule over, but Scripture refutes this. Therefore mark this well, that\nyou may know how to establish the distinction as to how God names us\npriests, and how men call themselves such.\n\nFor we must yet again state that this word _priest_ should become as\ncommon as the word Christian. For to be a priest belongs not to an\noffice that is external, it is only such a service as has to do with\nGod's presence.\n\nSo we conclude that we are all kings. Priests and kings are all\nspiritual names, as Christians, saints, the Church. And just as you\nare not called a Christian because you have much gold or wealth, but\nbecause you are built upon this stone and believe on Christ, so you\nare not called a priest because you wear a tonsure or long robe, but\nfor this reason, that you come into God's presence. Likewise you are\nnot a king because you wear a gold crown, and have many lands and\npeople subject to you, but because you are lord over all things,\ndeath, sin, and hell. For you are as really a king as Christ is a\nking, if you believe on Him. Still He is not a king as the kings of\nthis world are, wears no crown of gold, rides forth with no great\nsplendor and large equipage. But He is a king over all kings,--one\nwho has authority over all things, and at whose feet all must lie. As\nHe is a lord, so also am I a lord; for what He possesses that have I\nalso.\n\nBut perhaps some one may object. St. Peter says here, also, that\nChristians are kings, while we have it before our eyes that they are\nnot all kings, so that this passage is not to be understood as though\nHe spoke of all in the Church. For whoever may be a Christian, he\ncertainly is not a king in France or a priest at Rome. But when I ask\nwhether the King of France is also a king in the sight of God, this\nhe passes over, for God will not judge by the crown. On earth,\nindeed, and before the world, he is indeed a king, but when death\ncomes then his kingdom is gone, for then he must lie at the feet of\nthose that believe. We are speaking of an eternal kingdom and\npriesthood, inasmuch as every one who believes is in truth a king\nbefore God; but who does not know that we are not all shorn and\nanointed priests? But because those men have been anointed, they are\nnot therefore priests in the sight of God, just as they are not kings\nbefore God because they have been crowned. Crowned kings and anointed\npriests are of the world, and are made by men; the Pope may make as\nmany such priests as he chooses, but far be it that he should make\none a priest before God, for these God himself will make.\n\nTherefore, when St. Peter says here, \"ye are the royal priesthood,\"\nit is as much as though he had said, \"ye are Christians.\" Would you\nnow know what sort of a title, and authority, and glory, Christians\nhave: you learn it here, that they are kings and priests, and a\nchosen people.--But what this priest's office is, follows after:\n\n\n_That ye should show forth the praises[2] of Him that hath called you\nout of darkness into His wonderful light._ This belongs to the office\nof a priest, that he be a messenger of God, and receive from God\nhimself the command to preach His word. The praises, (says St.\nPeter,) that is, the wonderful work that God has performed in you, in\nthat he brought you out of darkness into light, you are to\nproclaim,--which is the office of the High Priest. And this is the\nway in which your preaching is to be discharged, that one brother\nproclaim to another the powerful work of God: how ye have been\nransomed from sin, death, hell, and all evil, by Him, and have been\ncalled to eternal life. Thus shall you also instruct others how they\nmay come also to the same light. For your whole duty is discharged in\nthis, that you confess what God has done for you; and then let this\nbe your chief aim, that you may make this known openly, and call\nevery one to the light, whereto ye have been called. Where you see\npeople who are ignorant, you are to direct and teach them as you have\nlearned, namely, how a man may be saved through the virtue and power\nof God, and pass from darkness to light.\n\n[Footnote 2: In the German, _tugend_ or virtue.]\n\nAnd here you observe that St. Peter plainly says, that there is only\none single light, and concludes that all our reason, however\nsharp-sighted it is, is mere darkness; for although reason may count\none, two, three, and also discern what is black or white, great or\nsmall, and judge outwardly of other matters, still it cannot\nunderstand what faith is. Herein it is stark blind, and if all men\nshould put their shrewdness together, they could not understand a\nletter of this divine wisdom. Therefore St. Peter speaks here of\nanother light, that is truly wonderful; and tells us earnestly, all\nalike, that we are all in darkness and blindness if God hath not\ncalled us to his true light.\n\nExperience teaches us this, also. For when it is preached that we\ncannot come before God by our works, but must have a mediator, who\nmay come into God's presence and may reconcile us to him, reason must\nconfess that she never could have known such a thing; so that if she\nwould understand it she must have another light and knowledge.\nTherefore all that is not of God's word and faith is darkness. For\nhere reason gropes like a blind man,--is ever changing from this to\nthat, and knows not what it does. But if we speak in this manner to\nthe worldly, learned, or wise, they begin to cry out and bluster\nagainst it. Therefore St. Peter is a bold Apostle indeed, in that he\ndares make that darkness that all the world calls light.\n\nSo we see that the first and most eminent office which we as\nChristians are to discharge is, that we should make known the praise\nof God. What then are the praiseworthy things and the noble deeds\nwhich God has put forth? They are, as we have often said, that\nChrist, through the power of God, has wounded death, chained hell,\nsubdued sin and brought us to eternal life: these are praises so\ngreat that by no man are they possibly to be conceived; we can only\nbe silent. Therefore it is of no avail that to us Christians human\ndoctrines should be preached, but we should be taught of such a power\nas subdues the devil, sin and death. And here St. Peter has once more\nbrought together many proof-texts, and it is throughout common with\nhim thus to heap passage on passage, for all the prophets speak of\nthis, that God's name and honor, and his arm or power should be\nhonored and extolled, and that he would perform such a work that the\nwhole world would sing and speak of it. Of this are the prophets in\nall places full. On this same St. Peter here expatiates. Besides,\nthey have spoken much of light and darkness, that we must be\nenlightened with God's light, thereby showing that all human reason\nis darkness.--St. Peter says, further:\n\n\nV. 10. _Ye who once were not a people, but are now a people of God,\nto whom God did not show mercy, but to whom he is now merciful._ This\npassage is found written in the prophet Hosea, chap. ii., and St.\nPaul has also quoted it in Rom. ix.: \"I will make those to be called\nmy people, who were not my people.\" The import of all is this:\nAlmighty God chose his people Israel as a peculiar people, and\nmanifested his great power in their behalf, and gave them many\nprophets, and performed many wonderful works toward them, that He\nfrom that people might permit Christ to become man; and for the\nchildren's sake has it all taken place. Therefore they are called in\nScripture the people of God. But the prophets have extended this\nfurther, and said that this election should be more comprehensive,\nand should even include the Gentiles. Therefore St. Peter says here,\nye are now the people of God, who once were not the people of God.\nHence it is evident that he wrote the epistle to the Gentiles and not\nto the Jews. Thereby he shows that the passage out of the prophet has\nbeen now fulfilled--that they are now a holy people--they have the\nproperty, priesthood, kingdom, and all which Christ has, if they\nbelieve.--It follows further, in Peter:\n\n\nV. 11-12. _Dearly beloved, I admonish you as strangers and pilgrims,\nabstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, and lead an\nhonest life among the Gentiles, so that they, if they slander you as\nevildoers, may see your good works, and praise God when it shall come\nto that day._\n\n\nSt. Peter here uses a somewhat different mode of speech from St.\nPaul, who would not speak in the same manner, as we shall hear: for\nevery Apostle has his own way of speaking, just as each prophet has\nalso. He has hitherto been firmly laying down his foundation of the\nchristian faith, which may serve as his text. Now he proceeds and\nteaches how we should conduct ourselves toward all men. This is the\ntrue method of preaching, that faith should be first set forth,--what\nit does, and what its power and nature are, even that it gives fully\nto us everything that is necessary to holiness and salvation,--that\nwe can do nothing except by faith, and through this we have all which\nGod has. God has thus proceeded with us and given to us all that is\nHis, and has Himself become our own, so that we have, through faith,\nall things that are good and needful for us. What then are we to do?\nAre we to live in indolence? It were far better that we should die,\nthough we had all. But while we live here we should act in our\nneighbor's behalf, and give ourselves to him for his own, as God hath\ngiven Himself to us. Thus faith saves us, but love leads us to give\nto our neighbor whenever we have enough to give. That is, faith\nreceives from God; love gives to our neighbor. This matter is spoken\nof in few words, yet much may easily be preached thereon, and it may\nbe further extended than it has here been by St. Peter.\n\nThis is now the sense of the Apostle, when he says, Dear brethren, I\nadmonish you as strangers and as pilgrims. Since, then, you are one\nwith Christ, form one household, and His goods are yours, your injury\nis His injury, and He takes as His own all that you possess;\ntherefore you are to follow after Him, and conduct yourselves as\nthose who are no more citizens of the world. For your possessions lie\nnot upon the earth, but in heaven; and though you have already lost\nall temporal good, you still have Christ, who is more than all else.\nThe devil is the prince of this world and rules it; his citizens are\nthe people of this world; therefore, since you are not of the world,\nact as a stranger in an inn, who has not his possessions with him,\nbut procures food, and gives his gold for it. For here it is only a\nsojourning, where we cannot tarry, but must travel further. Therefore\nwe should use worldly blessings no more than is needful for health\nand appetite, and therewith leave and go to another land. We are\ncitizens in heaven; on earth we are pilgrims and guests.\n\n\n_Abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul._ I will not\ndetermine, here, whether St. Peter speaks of outward impurity,--or as\nSt. Paul's language is, all that is called carnal,--whatever man does\nwithout faith, while he is in the body and a carnal life. I hold,\nindeed, that St. Peter had a somewhat different mode of speech, yet\ndo not think that he uses the word soul, as St. Paul does, for\nspirit; but St. Peter has given in more to the common Greek word,\nthan St. Paul. Yet much stress is not to be laid upon this: let it be\nunderstood of all kinds of lusts, or all kinds of carnal desire or\nimpurity. But this at least he would teach us, that no saint on earth\ncan be fully perfect and holy. Yet the high schools have even trodden\nthe passage under their feet, nor do they understand it; they think\nit is said only of sinners, as though the saints had no more wicked\nlusts remaining. But whoever will study carefully into the\nScriptures, must note a distinction, because the prophets sometimes\nspeak of the saints in an obvious way, as though they were perfectly\nholy in every respect; while on the other hand they speak also of\nthem as having evil lusts and being troubled with sins.\n\nIn regard to those two positions, those persons cannot see their way.\nUnderstand, then, that Christians are divided into two parts,--into\nan inward nature which is faith, and an outward which is the flesh.\nIf we look upon a Christian as it respects faith, then he is pure and\nentirely holy; for the word of God has nothing impure in it, and\nwherever it enters the heart that depends upon it, it will make that\nalso pure. Because, in respect to faith all things are perfect:\naccording to that, we are kings and priests and the people of God, as\nwas said above. But since faith exists in the flesh, and while we yet\nlive on earth we feel at times evil dispositions, as impatience and\nfear of death, &c.\n\nThese are all the fault of the old man, for faith is not yet mature,\nhas not attained full control over the flesh.\n\nThis you may understand from the parable in the Gospel, Luke x., of\nthe man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among\nthieves, who beat him and left him lying half dead, whom the\nSamaritan afterward took up, and bound up his wounds, and took care\nof him, and saw to it that he should be nursed. There you perceive\nthat this man, since he is to be attended upon, is not sick unto\ndeath,--his life is safe; all that is wanting is, that he should be\nrestored to health. Life is there, but he is not completely restored,\nfor he lies yet in the hands of the physicians and must yet give\nhimself up to be healed. So it is with us as respects the Lord Jesus\nChrist; we are assured of Eternal life, yet we have not complete\nhealth; something of the old Adam still remains in the flesh.\n\nSimilar also is the parable in the xiii. of Matthew, where Christ\nsays, the kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman takes and\nmingles in the meal until it is leavened throughout. When the meal is\nmade into dough, the leaven is all in it, but it has not penetrated\nand worked through it, but the meal lies working, until it is\nleavened throughout, and no more leaven need be added. Thus though\nyou have what you should have, through faith, whereby you apprehend\nthe word of God, yet it has not penetrated throughout, wherefore it\nmust continue to work till you are entirely renewed. In this way you\nare to discriminate in regard to the Scriptures, and not mangle them\nas the Papists do.\n\nTherefore I say, when you read in Scripture of the Saints, that they\nwere perfect, understand it thus: that they as to faith were entirely\npure and without sin, but the flesh still remained, that could not\nhave been entirely holy. Therefore Christians desire and pray that\nthe body or the flesh be mortified, that it may be entirely pure.\nThis those who teach otherwise have neither experienced nor relished,\nwhich leads them to speak just as they imagine and conceive by\nreason; wherefore they must err. In regard to this, those great\nsaints who have written and taught much, have greatly stumbled.\nOrigen has not a word of it in his books. Jerome never understood it.\nAugustine, had he not been driven to contend with the Pelagians,\nwould have understood it as little. When they speak of the saints,\nthey extol them as highly as if they were something different from,\nand better than, other Christians: certainly as though they had not\nfelt the power of the flesh and complained thereof as well as we.\n\nTherefore St. Peter says here, as ye would be pure and have complete\nsanctification, continue to contend with your evil lusts. So also\nChrist says in the Gospel of John xiii.: \"Whoever is washed, must\nalso wash his feet;\" it is not enough that his head and hands be\nclean, therefore he would yet have them wash their feet.\n\nBut what does St. Peter mean, in that he says, refrain from the lusts\nthat war against the soul? This is what he would say: You are not to\nimagine that you can succeed by sports and sleep. Sin is indeed taken\naway by faith, but you have still the flesh which is impulsive and\ninconsiderate; therefore take good care, that ye overcome it. By\nstrong effort must it be; you are to constrain and subdue lust, and\nthe greater your faith is, the greater will the conflict be.\nTherefore you should be prepared and armed, and should contend\ntherewith without intermission. For they will assault you in\nmultitudes, and would take you captive.\n\nHence St. Paul says, also, Rom. vii.: \"I have a desire toward the law\nof God after the inward man; but I find another law in my members,\nwhich opposes itself to the law in my spirit, and takes me captive,\nthat I cannot do as I would,\"--as though he had said, I fight indeed\nagainst it, but it will not finally yield. Therefore I would gladly\nbe free, but in spite of my wishing it, it may not come to pass. What\nthen am I to do? \"Wretched man that I am, (says he,) who shall\ndeliver me from the body of this death.\" In this same manner, also,\nall the saints cry out. But those people who are without faith, the\ndevil leads in such a way that he permits them only to enter on\nsinful courses, to follow him and make no opposition. But as to the\nothers, he thinks, I have already taken them captive by unbelief. I\nwill permit them then to go so far only, as to do no great sin and\nhave no great assault and be kept from swearing and knavery.\n\nBut believers have always opposition enough,--they must ever stand in\nthe (attitude of) struggle. Those who are without faith and have not\nthe Spirit, do not feel this, nor do they have such an experience;\nthey break away and follow their wicked lusts; but as soon as the\nSpirit and faith enter our hearts, we become so weak that we think we\ncannot beat down the least imaginations and sparks (of temptation),\nand see nothing but sin in ourselves, from the crown of the head,\neven to the foot. For before we believed, we walked according to our\nown lusts, but now the Spirit has come and would purify us, and there\narises a conflict. Here the devil, the flesh, and the world, oppose\nthemselves to faith; whereof the prophets complain, here and there,\nin the Scriptures.\n\nWherefore St. Peter here means, that the strife does not take place\nin sinners, but in believers, and gives us an encouragement, inasmuch\nas when we are on our guard against wicked lusts, we are repelling\nthem. If thou, then, hast wicked thoughts, thou shouldest not on this\naccount despair; only be on thy guard, that thou be not taken\nprisoner of them. Our teachers have proposed to relieve the matter in\nthis way (by directing,) that men should torture themselves until\nthey had no more evil thoughts, that they might be at last bold and\nfree. But you are to understand, if you are a Christian, that you\nmust experience all kinds of opposition and wicked dispositions in\nthe flesh. For wherever there is faith, there come a hundred evil\nthoughts, a hundred strugglings more than before; only see to it that\nyou act the man, and not suffer yourself to be taken captive; and\ncontinue to resist, and say, I will not, I will not. For we must here\nconfess, that the case is much like that of an ill-matched couple,\nwho are continually complaining of one another, and what one will do\nthe other will not.\n\nThat may yet be called a truly christian life that is never at\nperfect rest, and has not so far attained as to feel no sin, provided\nthat sin be felt, indeed, but not favored. Thus we are to fast, pray,\nlabor, to subdue and suppress lust. So that you are not to imagine\nthat you are to become such a saint as these fools speak of. While\nflesh and blood continue, so long sin remains; wherefore it is ever\nto be struggled against. Whoever has not learned this by his own\nexperience, must not boast that he is a Christian.\n\nHitherto we have been taught, that when we made confession, or joined\nourselves to some spiritual institution, we were at once pure and\nneeded no longer to contend with sin. They have said, moreover, that\nbaptism purifies and makes holy, so that nothing evil remains in the\nperson. Then they have thought, \"now will I have a pleasing rest,\"\nbut the devil has come and assaulted them worse than before.\nTherefore understand the thing well, though you confess and permit\nyourselves to receive absolution, you must do even as the soldier,\nwho in battle runs upon the points (of the javelins); whenever the\ncritical moment approaches, and the conflict rages, compelling him to\nstrike right bravely, as if to repel outrage, then he must draw out\nhis sword and lay about him; but while the strife threatens only, so\nlong must there be untiring vigilance. So, although you have been\nbaptized, be on your guard, inasmuch as you are not safe for an hour\nfrom the devil and from sin, even though you think you will have no\nmore assaults.\n\nTherefore a christian life is nothing else but a conflict and\nencampment, as the Scripture says; and therefore the Lord our God is\ncalled the Lord of Sabaoth,--that is, a Lord over the hosts. So also,\n_Dominus potens in praelio_--the Lord mighty in battle.\n\nAnd thereby He shows how powerful He is, that He permits His people\nto be exposed in the conflict and rush upon the points (of the\njavelins). Yet so that while the trumpets are ever sounding He is\never observant, (saying) beware here, beware there; thrust here,\nstrike there. Besides, it is a lasting conflict, in which you are to\ndo all that you can, so that you may strike down the devil by the\nword of God. We must therefore ever make resistance, and call on God\nfor help, and despond of all human powers.--Now follows further:\n\n\nV. 12. _And lead an honest life, that those who have slandered you,\nas evil-doers, may see your good works and praise God._ Mark now what\nan excellent order St. Peter has observed. He has already taught us\nwhat we should do in order to subdue the flesh with all its lusts.\nNow he teaches us again why this should be. Why should I subdue my\nflesh? that I may be saved? No, but that I may lead an honest life\nbefore the world. For this honest life does not justify us, but we\nmust first be justified and believe before we attempt to lead an\nhonest (pious) life. But as to outward conduct, this I am not to\ndirect to my own profit, but that the unbelieving may thereby be\nreformed and attracted, that they through us may come to Christ;\nwhich is a true mark of love, though they slander and asperse us, and\nhold us as the worst wretches. Therefore we should exhibit such an\nexcellent course of action, that men shall be compelled to say,\nCertainly they cannot be blamed.\n\nWe read that when the emperors reigned, and persecuted the\nChristians, no fault could be found with the latter, except that they\ncalled on Christ and considered Him as God. So Pliny writes in his\nletter to Trajan, the Emperor, that he knew of no wrong that the\nChristians did, except that they came together every morning, early,\nand sang songs of praise in order that they might honor their Christ\nand receive the sacrament; besides this, none could bring any charge\nagainst them. Therefore St. Peter says: Ye must endure to have men\nasperse you as evil-doers, and for this reason you are to lead such a\nlife that you shall do no man injury, and in this manner you shall\nbring about their reformation. _Till that day arrive;_ that is, ye\nmust endure it as long as men reproach you, till all shall be set\nforth and revealed, so that it shall be seen how unjust they have\nbeen toward you, and that they must glorify God on your account. So\nSt. Peter continues:\n\n\nV. 13-17. _Submit yourself to every ordinance of man for the Lord's\nsake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as those that\nare sent by Him for the punishment of evil-doers and to the praise of\nthose that do well. For this is the will of God, that by well-doing\nye may silence the ignorance of foolish men. As free, and not as\nthough ye had your freedom as a cover of wickedness, but as the\nservants of God. Be respectful toward every man. Love the\nbrotherhood; fear God; honor the king._\n\n\nIn such a beautiful order does St. Peter proceed, and teaches us how\nwe should conduct ourselves in all things. Hitherto he has spoken in\na general manner of the conduct that belongs to every condition. Now\nhe begins to teach how we should act toward civil magistracy. For\nsince he had said enough as to the first matter, of our duty to God\nand ourselves, he now adds how we are to conduct toward all men.\n\nAnd now he would say, in the first place, and before all else, since\nye have done all that was necessary that ye might attain to a true\nfaith and hold your body in subjection, let this now be your first\nbusiness, to obey the magistracy.\n\nThis, which I have here rendered in the Dutch, every _ordinance_ of\nman, is in the Greek [Greek: ktiois], and in Latin _creatura_. This\nthing has not been understood by our learned men. The Dutch language\nwell expresses what the word means, where it is said, we are to obey\nwhat the ruler enacts (creates). So he uses the word here as though\nhe said, what the magistracy enacts (creates) yield obedience to. For\nto enact (create) is to lay down a command and ordinance; it is a\nhuman creation. But they have hence inferred that _creatura_ means an\nox or an ass, as the Pope also speaks of it. If this were Peter's\nmeaning, then we should need to become subject even to a slave. But\nhe here means a human ordinance, law or command,--and what they enact\nwe are to do.\n\nWhat God makes, authorizes, and requires,--that is His ordinance, as\nthat we should believe. So, also, that is a human and secular\ncreation which is constituted by commands, as external government\nmust be. To this we are to be subject. Therefore understand the\nexpression as meaning, _creatura humana, quod creat et condit homo_\n(what man makes and constructs).\n\n\n_For the Lord's sake._ We are not bound to obedience to the sovereign\npower for its own sake, he says, but for God's sake, whose children\nwe are; and we should be drawn to this, not that we may thereby\nacquire a merit,--for what I do for God's sake, I must freely do as\nan act of service: moreover, I would do from mere cheerfulness, what\nHis heart desires. But why should we be obedient to the magistracy\nfor God's sake? Because it is God's will that evil-doers should be\npunished, and those that do well should be protected, that there may\nbe concord in the world. So we should demand that there be civil\npeace, which God requires; but the majority are unbelieving, so that\nHe has enacted and ordained, in order that the world might not go to\nanarchy, that the magistracy should bear the sword and restrain the\nwicked, in order that if they are not disposed to be at peace, they\nmay be compelled to it. This He executes through the magistracy, so\nthat the world may be ruled to the good of all. Whence you see that\nif there were none wicked, there would be no need of magistracy;\nwherefore he says, _to the punishment of evil-doers, and to the\npraise of those that do well_. The just should have the honor of it\nwhen they do right, since they exalt and crown worldly magistracy,\ninsomuch that others may take example from them,--not that any one\nmay thereby merit any thing before God. Such is Paul's language,\nalso, in Rom. xiii.: \"The power is not established to the fear of\nthose that do well, but for the evil; therefore, if thou wouldst not\nbe afraid of the power, do well.\"\n\n\nV. 15. _For this is the will of God, that by well-doing ye should\nsilence the ignorance of foolish men._ In these words St. Peter\nsilences those vain babblers who glory in their christian name, and\nprevents them from coming forward and saying, Since faith is\nsufficient for a Christian, and works do not justify, what is then\nthe necessity of being subject to the civil power, and paying tribute\nand taxes? And he tells them thus, that although we have no need of\nit, we ought readily to do it to please God, so that the mouth of\nthose enemies of God who asperse us may be stopped, and they be able\nto bring up nothing against us, and be compelled to say that we are\nhonest, obedient people. So we read of many saints, that they were\nsummoned to war, under heathen rulers, and slew the enemy, yet were\nsubject and obedient (to those that summoned them), as we Christians\nare bound to be to the magistracies, although it is now maintained\nthat we could not be Christians if we lived among the Turks.\n\nNow you may perhaps say here, But still Christ has commanded that we\nshould not resist evil, but if any one strike us on one cheek we are\nto turn the other also; how, then, can we strike and execute others?\nAnswer: the heathen formerly objected in like manner to the\nChristians, and said, if such and such should come to pass, your\ngovernment must be suppressed. But we reply, it is true that\nChristians for themselves should not resist the evil, neither should\nthey revenge themselves when they are injured, but endure injustice\nand violence, so that they cannot be severe even toward those who do\nnot believe. But the magistracy of the sword is not thereby\nforbidden; for although honest Christians have no need of the sword\nand law (since they live so that none can complain of them, do no man\nwrong, but treat every one kindly and cheerfully, endure all that is\ndone to them), yet the sword must be borne on account of the\nunchristian, that these, when they injure others, may be punished, so\nthat the general peace shall be preserved and the just be protected.\nThus God has provided another rule, that they who would not of\nthemselves be restrained from evil, might be so compelled by the\npower that they should do no injury. Therefore God has established\nmagistracy for the sake of the unbelieving, insomuch that even\nchristian men might exercise the power of the sword, and come under\nobligation thereby to serve their neighbor and restrain the bad, so\nthat the good might remain in peace among them. And still the command\nof Christ abides in force, that we are not to resist evil. So that a\nChristian, although he bears the sword, does not use it for his own\nsake nor to revenge himself, but only for others; and, moreover, this\nis a mark of christian love, that with the sword we support and\ndefend the whole Church, and not suffer it to be injured. Christ\nteaches those only who, while they believe and love, obey also. But\nthe greater multitude in the world, as it does not believe, obeys not\nthe command. Therefore they must be ruled as unchristian, and their\ncaprice be put under restraint; for if their power was suffered to\nobtain the upper hand, no one could stand before them.\n\nThus there are two kinds of government in the world, as there are\nalso two kinds of people,--namely, believers and unbelievers.\nChristians yield themselves to the control of God's word; they have\nno need of civil government for their own sake. But the unchristian\nportion require another government, even the civil sword, since they\nwill not be controlled by the word of God. Yet if all were Christians\nand followed the Gospel, there would be no more necessity or use for\nthe civil sword and the exercising of authority; for if there were no\nevil-doers there certainly could be no punishment. But since it is\nnot to be expected that all of us should be righteous, Christ has\nordained magistracy for the wicked, that they may rule as they must\nbe ruled. But the righteous He keeps for Himself, and rules them by\nHis mere word.\n\nTherefore christian government is not opposed to the civil, nor is\ncivil magistracy opposed to Christ. Civil government does not cease\nby Christ's ministry; but it is an outward thing, like all other\noffices and institutions. And as these exist distinct from Christ's\noffice, so that an unbeliever may exercise them just as well as a\nChristian, so it is also with the exercise of the civil sword, since\nit neither makes men Christian or unchristian. But of this I have\nspoken often enough elsewhere.--It follows, further:\n\n\nV. 16. _As free, and not as though ye had your freedom as a cover for\nwickedness, but as the servants of God._ This is said especially for\nus, who have heard of christian freedom, that we may not go on and\nabuse this freedom; that is to say, under the name and show of\nchristian freedom do all that we lust after, so that from this\nfreedom shall spring up a shamelessness and carnal recklessness, as\nwe see even now takes place, and had begun even in the Apostle's\ntimes, as is easily discovered from the epistles of St. Peter and St.\nPaul, when men did what the great multitude do now. We have now,\nagain, through the grace of God, come to the knowledge of the truth,\nand we know that that is mere deception which popes, bishops, priests\nand monks have hitherto taught, laid down and enforced; and our\nconscience is enlightened and has become free from human ordinances\nand from all the control which they have had over us, so that we are\nno longer obliged to do what they have commanded under peril of our\nsalvation. To this freedom we must now hold fast, and never suffer\nourselves to be robbed of it; but for this very reason we should be\ncarefully on our guard not to make this freedom a cloak of our shame.\n\nThe Pope has here proceeded unrighteously in aiming to force and\noppress men by his laws. For among a christian people there should\nand can be no compulsion, and if the attempt is made to bind the\nconscience by outward laws, faith and the christian life are soon\nsuppressed; for Christ's are only to be led and ruled in the spirit,\nsince they know that they, through faith, already have all whereby\nthey are to be saved, and stand in need of nothing more to this end,\nand henceforth are under obligation to do nothing more than good to\ntheir neighbor, helping him with all they have, as Christ has helped\nthem, and moreover that all the works which they do should be done\nfreely and without constraint, and flow forth from willing and happy\nhearts; this is grateful to God, exalts and praises Him for the\nblessings that have been received. So St. Paul writes (I. Tim. i.),\nThat for the righteous no law is made, for they do freely of\nthemselves, and unsummoned, all that God requires.\n\nSince now such enforcement of human doctrines is rejected and\nchristian freedom is preached, the reckless spirits that are without\nfaith coincide with it, and thereby would become good Christians,\ninasmuch as they keep not the law of the Pope, claiming this freedom\nwhich relieves them from obligation to it; and yet they observe not\nthat which true christian freedom requires,--namely, to do good to\ntheir neighbor with cheerfulness, and irrespective of its being\ncommanded, as real Christians do. Thus they make christian freedom\njust a cloak, under which they work only their shame, and disgrace\nthe noble name and title of that freedom which Christians have.\n\nThis St. Peter here forbids, for this is what he would say: although\nye are free in all external matters (if ye are Christians), and\nshould not be forced by laws to subject yourselves to the control of\nworldly rule, since for the righteous no law is given (as we have\nsaid), yet ye should do it of yourselves, voluntarily and without\ncompulsion,--not that ye must be held in obedience by necessity, but\nin order to please God, and for the advantage of your neighbor. This\nalso Christ did Himself, as we read in Matt. xvii., that he paid\ntribute when he need not have done it, but was free, and Lord over\nall things. So likewise he subjected Himself to Pilate and permitted\nHimself to be judged, while as yet He said to him, \"You could have\nhad no power or authority over me except it had been given you from\nabove,\" in which words He gave confirmation to the authority to which\nHe meanwhile subjected Himself, that He might please His Father.\n\nWhence you see that that multitude has no claim to christian freedom\nwho will do nothing, neither what the world nor what God requires,\nbut abide in their insubordinate disposition, although they make\ntheir boast of the Gospel.\n\nThough we be free from all laws, we must yet have respect to weak and\nignorant Christians, since this is a work of love. Hence Paul says,\nRom. xiii.: \"Owe no man anything, but to love one another.\" Therefore\nlet him who would glory in his freedom, do first what a Christian\nshould do: let him first do good to his neighbor, and thereafter make\nuse of his freedom in such a way as this. When the Pope, or even any\none, imposes his authority upon him, and would force him to obey it,\nlet him say, \"My good fellow, Pope, I will not do it, for this\nreason, because you choose to make a command of it, and invade my\nfreedom.\"[3] For we are to live in freedom as the servants of God,\n(so St. Peter here says,) not as servants of man. Yet in case any one\ndesires that of me in which I can be of service to him, I will\ncheerfully do it out of good will, not scrupulous whether it have\nbeen commanded or not, but for the sake of brotherly love, and\nbecause God also requires that I should do good to my neighbor. Thus\nI will not be forced to become subject to worldly princes and lords,\nbut what I do I will do of my own self,--not because they command me,\nbut for service to my neighbor. Of this kind should all our works be,\nspringing forth from affection and love, and all having respect to\nour neighbor, since we have no need on our own account to do good\nworks. It further follows:\n\n[Footnote 3: In the views presented by Luther, in this connection, we\nhave a distinct enunciation of the noble principles of the\nNon-conformists of England--principles which were familiar to the\ngreat Reformers and to the early Puritans. They could not admit any\nhuman authority to invade the domain of divine legislation. To a\nconformity in externals which did not require them to admit the right\nof the civil magistracy to enact laws for the church, they were\nwilling to yield as far as was necessary to edification. But when the\ncommand issued from the ruling power, in usurpation of the\nprerogative of the great and only head of the church, and obedience\nwas to be construed as acquiescence in such usurpation, their reply\nwas kindred in tone and spirit to that which Luther here puts into\nthe lips of a christian man in answer to Papal arrogance.]\n\n\nV. 17. _Be respectful toward every man._ This is not a command, but a\nfaithful admonition. We are each of us assuredly under obligation,\nalthough we are free; for this freedom does not extend to evil-doing,\nbut merely to well-doing. Now we have repeatedly said, that every\nChristian, through faith, attains to all that Christ has Himself, and\nis, moreover, His brother. Therefore, as I give all honor to the Lord\nChrist, so also should I do toward my neighbor. This consists, not\nmerely in outward behavior, that I should bow to him, and things of\nthat sort, but much more: that inwardly in my heart I should highly\nregard him, as I also highly regard Christ. We are the temple of God;\nas St. Paul says, I. Cor. iii., for the spirit of God dwelleth in us.\nIf now we bend the knee before a place of worship, or a picture of\nthe holy cross, should we not do it far more before a living temple\nof God?[4]\n\n[Footnote 4: One is reminded here of the noble reply of that English\nmartyr, John Bradford, when he was required to bow down to a wooden\ncross. Stretching out his arms, as he stood before his tyrannical\njudges, he exclaimed, \"Why, here is a living cross, and God made it;\nyet would I not worship even that.\"]\n\nSo St. Paul teaches us, also, in Romans xii., that each should esteem\nthe other better than himself, so that each should place himself\nbelow the other, and give him the preference. The gifts of God are\nmanifold and various, so that one is in a more exalted position than\nanother; but no one knows who is most exalted in the sight of God,\nfor he may easily raise hereafter to the highest place one who here\noccupies the meanest position. Therefore should every one, however\nhigh he be exalted, humble himself and honor his neighbor.\n\n\nV. 17. _Love the brotherhood._ I have spoken above of the distinction\nwhich the Apostles make between love in general, and brotherly love.\nWe are required even to love our enemies: this is common christian\nlove. But brotherly love is, that we Christians should love one\nanother as brethren, and communicate one to another, since we all\nalike have our blessings from God. This is the love which St. Peter\nhere particularly requires.\n\n\n_Fear God; honor the King._ He says not that we are to have great\nregard of lords and kings, but still that we are to honor them,\nalthough they are heathen, as Christ also did, and those prophets who\nfell at the feet of the King of Babylon. But here perhaps you will\nsay, \"hence, you perceive, that we are to be obedient to the Pope and\nare to fall at his feet.\" Answer: Certainly, if the Pope attains to\ntemporal power and conducts himself like another sovereign, we are to\nbe obedient even to him, as when he speaks after this manner: \"I\nforbid you wearing the cowl or tonsure; besides, on this day you are\nto fast, not that it is of any avail before God, nor is necessary to\nsalvation, but because I, as a temporal ruler, require it.\" But in\ncase he goes further, and says, \"This, in God's place, I forbid your\ndoing--this you are also to receive as though it came from God\nHimself, and are to observe it under pain of excommunication and\ndeadly sin,\" then you are to say, \"Pardon, my master, I will not do\nit.\"\n\nTo the power we are to be subject, and are to do what it bids, while\nit does not bind the conscience and only forbids in respect to\noutward things, even though it should proceed tyrannically towards\nus; for \"if any one will take away thy coat, let him take thy cloak\nalso.\" But if it invade the spiritual domain and constrain the\nconscience, over which God only must preside and rule, we certainly\nshould not obey it, but rather even slip our neck out from under it.\n\nTemporal authority and government extend no further than to matters\nwhich are external and respect the body. But the Pope not only\narrogates this to himself, but would seize upon the spiritual also;\nand yet he has nothing of it, for his commands have respect to\nnothing but clothing, food, canonries and prebends--a matter which\nbelongs neither to civil nor spiritual control. For how is the world\nbenefitted by these things? Besides, it is impious to make sins and\ngood works to consist in such matters, where they do not belong;\nwherefore Christ cannot suffer it. But civil government he can well\ntolerate, since it does not encumber itself with the matters of sins\nand good works, and spiritual concerns, but has to do with other\nthings,--as protecting and fortifying cities, building bridges,\nimposing taxes, gathering tribute, extending protection, guarding the\nland and the people, and punishing the evil-doers. Therefore, to such\na prince, while he imposes no ordinance upon the conscience, a\nChristian may readily render obedience, and he does it\nunconstrainedly, since he is free of all things.\n\nTherefore, whenever an emperor or a prince asks me what my faith is,\nI shall tell him, not because he commands it, but because I am under\nobligation to confess my faith publicly before every man. But in case\nhe should go further, and command me that I should believe thus or\nso, then I shall tell him: \"My good sir, do you attend to your civil\ngovernment; you have no authority to intrude on God's domain,\nwherefore I certainly shall not obey you. You cannot yourself\ntolerate invasion into your sovereignty: if any one against your will\npasses the limits, you shoot him down with musketry. Do you imagine\nthen that God will tolerate it, that you should thrust Him from His\nthrone and seat yourself in His place?\" St. Peter calls civil\nmagistracy only a human ordinance. So that they (the magistracy) have\nno power to step into God's ordinances and to make laws against\nfaith. But of this we have said enough. It follows now, further, in\nthe Epistle:\n\n\nV. 18-20. _Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not\nonly to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is\nthankworthy, when any one, for conscience toward God, endures grief,\nsuffering wrongfully. For what praise is it, if ye endure buffeting\nfor your faults? But if ye for well-doing suffer and endure, this is\nwell-pleasing with God._\n\n\nSt. Peter has thus far taught us how we should be subject to the\ncivil power, and give it honor. Wherefore we have stated how far its\nauthority extends, that it may not arrogate to itself in matters\nwhich pertain to faith. This is said of magistracy in general, and is\na doctrine for every one (to receive). But now he proceeds, and\nspeaks of such power as does not extend itself over a community, but\nonly over individuals. Here he first teaches how domestic servants\nshould conduct themselves toward their masters, and this is the\nsubstance of it:\n\nHousehold servants are just as really Christians as any other class,\nif, like others, they have the word, faith, baptism, and all such\nblessings; so that, before God, they are just as great and high as\nothers. But, as to their outward state and before the world, there is\na difference, since they occupy a lower station, and must serve\nothers. Wherefore, since they are called into this state by God, they\nshould let it be their business to be subject to their masters, and\nhave respect and esteem for them. Of this the prophet David gives a\nfine illustration, and shows how they are to serve, Ps. cxxiii.: \"As\nthe eyes of the servant to the hand of his master, and as the maiden\nlooks to the hand of her mistress, so are our eyes directed to\nThee.\"--That is, servants and maidens should perform with humility\nand care what the master or the mistress requires. This is the will\nof God, and therefore it should cheerfully be done. Of this you may\nbe certain and assured, that it pleases God and is acceptable to Him,\nwhen you do this in faith. Wherefore, since these are the best works\nwhich you can do, you are not to run far after others. What your\nmaster or mistress commands you, that God Himself has commanded you.\nIt is not a human command, although it is made by man. So that you\nare not to scruple as to the master you have, be he good or bad,\nkind, or irritable and froward; but think thus, let the master be as\nhe will, I will serve him, and do it to honor God, since He requires\nit of me, and since my Master, Christ, became a servant for my sake.\n\nThis is the true doctrine which is ever to be urged, which now, alas!\nis buried in silence and is lost. But no one regards it except those\nwho are Christians, for the Gospel preaches only to those who receive\nit. Wherefore, if you will be a child of God, purpose in your heart\nto render such service as Christ Himself bids you. As also St. Paul\nteaches, in Eph. vi., \"Ye servants, be obedient to your masters that\nare upon earth, as to the Lord Christ; not with eye-service only, as\nmen-pleasers, but as servants of Christ; that ye obey from the heart,\nfor God's sake, with cheerfulness.\" Consider that ye serve the Lord,\nand not man. So, also, he says, in Col. iii., \"For ye serve the Lord\nChrist.\" Ah! if the popes, monks and nuns were in such a state as\nthis, how would they thank God and rejoice! For none of them can say,\nGod has commanded me to celebrate mass, sing matins, pray the seven\ntimes, and the like,--for Scripture does not contain a word on the\nsubject; so that if they are asked whether they are confident and\nassured that their state pleases God, then they say, No! But if you\nask a little maid-servant why she scours the key or milks the cow,\nshe can say, I know that the thing I do pleases God, for I have God's\nword and commandment. This is a great blessing, and a precious\ntreasure of which no one is worthy. A prince should thank God for it,\nif he might do the same. It is true, he can do in his state what God\nrequires,--namely, punish the wicked. But when, and how rarely, does\nit happen that he can discharge such a duty aright! But in this state\nit is all so ordered, that you may know that when you do what you are\nbidden, it pleases God.\n\nGod does not look to the work, how small it is; but to the heart that\nserves him in such little things. But in this it happens as in other\nmatters: what God has commanded, no one performs; what men enact and\nGod does not ordain, every one complies with.\n\nBut, say you, \"Ah! how is this? What if I have such a strange and\nirritable master as no one can thankfully serve, for many such may be\nfound?\" To this St. Peter answers, \"Are you a Christian and desirous\nto please God, you are not to inquire as to that matter how strange\nand froward your master is, but ever direct your eyes to this, and\nobserve what God bids you.\" So that you are to reason after this\nmanner: \"I will in this way serve my Master, Christ, who requires it\nof me that I be subject to this froward master.\" If God should\ncommand you to wash the devil's feet, or those of the merest wretch,\nyou are to do it; and this work would be just as much a good work as\nthe highest of all, when God calls you to it. Therefore you are to\nhave no regard to the person, but only to what God requires; and in\nthis case the least work is more to be preferred in God's sight, when\nrightly performed, than all the popes' and monks' works in one heap.\nBut whomsoever this does not incite, that it is God's will, and is\nacceptable to Him, the work will be of no avail to him. Better than\nit is you cannot make it, worse than it is you cannot leave it. And\ntherefore this is to be done _with all fear_, (as St. Peter says,)\nthat it may be rightly proceeded with, since it is not the command of\nmen, but of God.\n\nAnd here St. Peter speaks particularly of servants according to the\ncircumstances of those times, when they were held as property, such\nas are to be found still in some places, and are exchanged like\ncattle, who are ill-treated and beaten of their masters; and the\nmasters had such license that they were not punished although they\nput their servants to death. Wherefore it became necessary that the\nApostles should carefully admonish and comfort such servants, that\nthey might serve their hard masters, and endure it, though suffering\nand injustice were imposed upon them. Whoever is a Christian must\nalso bear a cross; and the more you suffer wrongfully, the better it\nis for you; wherefore you should receive such a cross from God\ncheerfully, and thank Him for it. This is the right kind of\nsuffering, that is well-pleasing to God. For what a thing would it\nbe, that you should be cruelly beaten and had well deserved it, yet\nwould glory in your cross? Therefore St. Peter says: When ye suffer\nand are patient for well-doing, this is well-pleasing with God,--that\nis to say, acceptable and exceedingly grateful in the sight of God,\nand a real service of God. Observe, here are those truly precious\ngood works described, which we are to do; and we like fools have\ntrodden this doctrine under foot, and have invented and devised other\nworks; so that we should lift up our hands, thank God, and rejoice\nthat we at length have such knowledge.--Now it follows, further:\n\n\nV. 21-25. _For thereunto are ye called, since Christ also hath\nsuffered for us, and left us an example, that ye should follow in His\nsteps; who did no sin, and in His mouth was found no guile; who, when\nHe was reviled reviled not again, when He suffered He threatened not,\nbut committed it to Him that judgeth righteously; who Himself hath\nborne our sins in His own body on the tree, that we might be without\nsin and live to righteousness; by whose stripes ye are healed. For ye\nwere as sheep going astray, but ye are now returned to the Shepherd\nand Bishop of your souls._\n\n\nThus it is, as we have said, that the servant should resolve in his\nheart and be induced cheerfully to do and suffer what is required of\nhim, since his Master, Christ, has done so much for him. Hence they\nare to reason thus: since my Master has thus become my servant,--a\nthing to which He was not obliged,--and has given up body and life\nfor me, why should not I serve Him in return? He was perfectly holy\nand without sin, yet has He so greatly humbled Himself, and has shed\nHis blood for me, and has died that He might take away my sin. How\nthen shall not I also endure somewhat if it pleases Him? Whoever\nreflects on this must be a stone if it does not move him; for when\nthe Master goes forward and steps in the mire, the servant should\ncheerfully follow Him.\n\nTherefore St. Peter says, _Hereunto are ye called._ Whereto? That ye\nshould suffer wrongfully like Christ. As though he would say, If you\nwill follow after Christ you must not dispute and complain greatly,\nthough you are unjustly treated, but endure the same and count it for\nthe best, since Christ has suffered all without guilt of His own. He\ndid not even defend His integrity when He stood before the judges. So\nthat you are to neglect this right, and only say, _Deo gratias_, for\nthis am I called that I should endure injustice; for what should I\ncomplain of when my master did not complain?\n\nAnd here St. Peter has quoted some words from the prophet\nIsaiah,--namely, these, Chap. liii.: \"Who did no sin, neither was\ndeceit found in His mouth,\" also, \"by whose stripes ye are healed.\"\nChrist was so pure that not an evil word was ever on His tongue. He\ndeserved that all should fall at His feet, and bear Him in their\nhands. Although He had power and the right to avenge Himself, he yet\npermitted Himself to be derided, insulted, reviled, and besides all,\nput to death, and never opened His mouth. Why then should you not\nendure it also, when you are nothing but sin? You ought to praise and\nthank God that you are counted worthy of this,--that you should be\nlike Christ; and not murmur nor be impatient though you be made to\nsuffer, since the Master did not revile nor threaten in return, but\neven prayed for his enemies.\n\nBut perhaps you say, \"How? Am I then to give that which is due to\nthose who treat me unjustly, and say of them, they have done well?\"\nAnswer. No! but this is what you are to say: I will from my heart\ncheerfully suffer it, although I have not deserved it, and you do me\ninjustice for my Master's sake, who also has endured injustice for\nme. You are to commit it to God, who is a righteous judge, and will\nrichly reward it, just as Christ committed it to His Heavenly Father.\n_He who has borne our sins in His own body_ (says St. Peter); that\nis, he has not suffered for himself, but for our welfare. We who have\ncrucified him by our sins, are far from that condition ourselves.\nWherefore, if you are a pious Christian, you are to follow after your\nMaster, and mourn for those who make you suffer, and even pray for\nthem, that God will not punish them; for they do far more injury to\ntheir own souls than to your body. If you lay this to heart, you\nshall easily forget your suffering, and suffer cheerfully. For we are\nto consider that we were once in such a Christless state as those,\nbut have now, through Christ, been converted, as St. Peter concludes\nand says:\n\n\nV. 25. _Ye were like sheep going astray, but ye are now returned to\nthe Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls._ This, however, is a passage\nfrom the prophet Isaiah, who speaks after this manner: \"We have all\ngone astray like sheep, and every one has gone in his own way.\" But\nnow have we obtained a Shepherd, says St. Peter. The Son of God has\ncome for our sake, that He might be our Shepherd and Bishop; He gives\nus His Spirit, feeds us, and leads us by His word, so that we now\nknow how we are helped. Therefore, when you confess that through Him\nyour sins have been taken away, then you become His sheep, and He\nbecomes your herdsman. Just as He is thy Bishop, so art thou His\nSoul. This is, then, the comfort which all Christians have. Thus we\nhave two chapters in this Epistle, wherein St. Peter has in the first\nplace taught the true faith, then the true works of love, and has\nspoken of two kinds of works. First, what we all generally should\npractice toward civil government, then how domestics should conduct\nthemselves toward their masters. And what St. Peter says here of\nservants, extends, also, to some other persons,--namely, artizans,\nday-laborers, and all kinds of hired servants. Now he goes on to\nteach us further, how husband and wife should conduct themselves\ntoward one another in a christian manner.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER III.\n\n\nV. 1-6. _Likewise ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands, so\nthat they who do not obey the word may be won without the word,\nthrough the conduct of their wives, when they see your chaste\nconversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning is not outward, in the\nbraiding of the hair, and the wearing of gold, or the putting on of\napparel, but the hidden man of the heart, in that which is\nincorruptible, a meek and quiet spirit, which is, in the sight of\nGod, of great price. For thus also did the holy women of old adorn\nthemselves, who hoped in God and were subject to their husbands. As\nSarah was obedient to Abraham and called him master, whose daughters\nye are, if ye do well, and fear not of any terror._\n\n\nHere St. Peter speaks especially of wives, who at that time had\nheathen and unbelieving husbands. And on the other hand, he speaks of\nbelieving husbands who had heathen wives; for it often occurred while\nthe Apostles preached the Gospel among the heathen, that one was a\nChristian and the other not. If it _then_ was commanded that the wife\nshould be subject to the husband, how much more must it be so ordered\nnow. Therefore it is the woman's duty, St. Peter would say, to be\nsubject to her husband, although he is a heathen and unbeliever; and\nhe gives the reason why this should be so.\n\n\nV. 1, 2. _So that even they who believe not on the word, may be won\nwithout the word, through their wives' conduct, when they see your\nchaste conversation coupled with fear._ That is, when a man sees that\nhis wife proceeds and conducts herself with such propriety, then he\nis drawn toward obedience, and holds the state of a Christian to be\none that is truly blessed. And although it is not directed to women\nto preach, yet should they so conduct themselves in their demeanor\nand conversation that they may thereby attract their husbands toward\nobedience:--as we read of the mother of St. Augustine, who converted\nher husband, who had been a heathen, before his death, and so\nafterward her son Augustine. Still it is an external thing, which, as\nit is not to be performed in order to our justification for\nobedience, does not save you, for you may perhaps find an obedient\nwife who is yet unbelieving, but you should do it for this reason,\nthat you may thereby benefit your husband. For thus has God ordained\n(Gen. iii.) when He says to the woman, \"thou shalt submit thyself to\nthy husband, and he shall be thy master,\" which is also the\npunishment which he has imposed on the woman. But such is (I say) the\noutward conduct--that which belongs to the body, not to the spirit.\n\nBut this is a great thing, to know what works we should do to please\nGod. By this rule are we to run, just as we see that the world runs,\nby the rule that it has falsely devised. It is a high, noble blessing\nwhich a wife may have when she so conducts herself as to be subject\nto her husband, inasmuch as she is saved, and her works please God;\nwhat can be a happier experience? Therefore whoever wishes to be a\nchristian wife is to reason after this manner: I will not pay regard\nas to what sort of a husband I have, whether he be a heathen or a\nJew, righteous or wicked; but to this I will pay regard, to the fact\nthat God has placed me in the marriage state, and I will be subject\nand obedient to my husband. Then all her works are precious if she\nstands in such obedience.\n\nBut where the influence of attraction is not employed, nothing else\nwill avail:--for you never will succeed by blows in making a wife\npious and submissive. If you strike one devil out you will strike two\ndevils in, as they say. Oh! if people who are in the marriage state\nknew this, how uprightly would they walk; but no one does cheerfully\nwhat God has commanded, but all run after that which men have\ninvented. This command God has wished to be so carefully observed,\nthat he authorized husbands to make void the vows which their wives\nmade if they were displeasing to them, as we read in Num. xxx., so\nthat all might go on peacefully and quietly at home. This is one\npoint. Now the Apostle directs further how a woman should conduct\nherself toward other people.\n\n\nV. 3, 4. _Whose adorning, let it not be outward, in braiding of the\nhair, and wearing of gold, and putting on of apparel, but of the\nhidden man of the heart, in that which is incorruptible, a meek and\nquiet spirit, which in God's sight is precious._ This treasure, which\nis internal, should be possessed not only by the wife, but by the\nhusband. But here possibly some one might ask whether that which St.\nPeter here says of ornament is commanded or not. We read of Esther,\nthat she wore a golden crown and precious ornaments, decking herself\nas a queen. So also of Judith. But near by it is recorded, that she\ndespised the ornament and wore it from necessity. So that we say this\nmuch, that a woman should be so disposed as not to care for this\nadorning; yet, inasmuch as people convinced on the subject of\nornament, cease not from the use of it, such is their habit and\nnature,--a christian wife should despise it. But if the husband\nrequires it, or there is a reasonable cause for her adorning herself,\nit may well be done. But in such a way should she be adorned, as St.\nPeter here says, as to be inwardly attired in a meek and quiet\nspirit. You are vainly enough adorned when you are adorned for your\nhusband; Christ will not suffer it that you should be adorned to\nplease others, and that you should be called a vain harlot. Therefore\nyou are to see to it, that you wear about in your heart the hidden\ntreasure and precious adorning, in that which is incorruptible, as\nSt. Peter says, and lead a pure, merciful, temperate life.[1]\n\n[Footnote 1: \"Here the Apostle pulls off from christian women their\nvain outside ornaments; but is not this a wrong to spoil all their\ndressing and fineness? No; he doth this only to send them to a better\nwardrobe: there is much profit in the change.\"--_Leighton on I.\nPeter._]\n\nIt is good evidence that there is not much of the spirit there, where\nso much is expended on ornaments, but this will be trodden under foot\nwhere faith and the spirit are present, and these will say, like\nQueen Esther, \"Lord, thou knowest that I regard with aversion the\ncrown which I wear on my head, and that I am compelled thus to adorn\nmyself. If this was not required to be done of me out of love to my\nking, I would much rather trample it under foot.\" Where the wife is\nof such a disposition, she will so much the more please her husband.\nTherefore they are to take this into consideration (says St. Peter),\nthat they adorn the inward man, where there is to be a quiet spirit,\none that cannot be ruffled; not only that they do not run into\nexcess, so that they may be kept from confusion and shame, but, his\nmeaning is, that they should beware that the soul remain unruffled,\nand in the true faith, and that this be not forsaken. Thus is derived\na heart such as does not break forth and busy itself as to how it\nshall appear before the world. Such a heart is a precious thing in\nthe sight of God. If a woman were to adorn herself with pure gold,\nprecious stones and pearls, even to her feet, it would be exceedingly\nsplendid. But you cannot attach so much to a woman that it shall be\npreferable to that superior ornament of the soul which is precious in\nGod's sight. Gold and fine stones are precious in the world's esteem,\nbut before God they are an ill-savor. But she is truly and nobly\nadorned in the sight of God, who goes forth with a meek and quiet\nspirit; and since God himself accounts it precious, it must be a\nnoble thing. A christian soul has all that Christ has, for faith, as\nwe have said, brings us all the blessings of Christ in common. This\nis a great and precious treasure, and such an ornament as none can\nsufficiently prize. God himself makes much account of it. Thus the\nhusband should withdraw and dissuade the wife from ornament, so long\nas she is inclined to it. When a christian wife gives ear and\nreflects, and determines thus, \"I will not care for ornament, since\nGod does not regard it,--but if I must wear it, I will do it to\nplease my husband,\" then is she truly adorned and attired in spirit.\nHereupon St. Peter now gives us an example of holy women, that he may\ndraw wives to a christian conduct, and says:\n\n\nV. 5. _For after this manner did holy women of old time adorn\nthemselves, who set their hope on God and were subject to their\nhusbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord._ As these\nwomen adorned themselves, he would say, so do ye also, as Sarah was\nobedient to her husband Abraham, and called him her lord. So\nScripture speaks, Gen. xviii., where the Angel came to Abraham and\nsaid, Within a year shall Sarah have a son; then she laughed and\nspoke thus: \"Now that I am old, and my Lord is old also, shall I yet\nhave pleasure?\" This passage St. Peter has justly noticed and adduced\nin this place; for she would not have called Abraham thus her lord if\nshe had not been subject to him and had him before her eyes.\nTherefore, he says, further:\n\n\nV. 6. _Whose daughters ye are, if ye do well and stand in fear of no\nterror._ What does he mean by that? This is what he means. It is\nusually the nature of women to be troubled and frightened about\neverything, since they are so much occupied with charms and\nsuperstition, while one teaches the other, that it is not to be told\nwhat illusions they have. This should not be the case with a\nchristian woman, but she should go forward securely, yet not be so\nsuperstitious, and run about here and there--pronounce here a\nblessing, there a blessing--inasmuch as it concerns her to let God\ndirect; and she is to remember it cannot go ill with her, for as long\nas she knows her condition, that her state is pleasing to God, what\nwill she then have to fear? Though your child die, though you are\nsick, it is well if it pleases God; if you are in a state which\npleases God, what better can you desire? This, then, is what is\npreached to wives. Now follows the duty of husbands:\n\n\nV. 7. _Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to reason,\ngiving honor to the wife as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs\ntogether of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered._\n\n\nThe woman is also God's instrument or vessel, he says, for God uses\nher to this end, that she may bear children, give them birth and\nnourishment, and watch over them, and rule the household. Such work\nis the wife to do. So that she is God's instrument and vessel, which\nHe has created and instructed to this end. For this reason is the\nhusband to respect his wife. Therefore, St. Peter says, Ye husbands,\ndwell with your wives according to reason, not that ye are to rule\nover them with a headstrong will. They are, indeed, to obey the law\nof the husband; what he bids and commands, that is to be done; but he\nis also to see to it that he walks soberly and according to reason\nwith his wife, so as to give her that respect and honor which belongs\nto her as God's weaker vessel.\n\nThe husband is also God's instrument, but he is stronger, while the\nwife is weaker bodily, as well as timid and more easily dispirited;\ntherefore, you are so to conduct and walk in respect to her, that she\nmay be able to bear it. You must proceed in this case just as with\nother instruments wherewith you labor; just as when you would have a\ngood sickle, you must not hack upon the stone with it. On this\nsubject no rule can be laid down. God leaves the matter to each\nindividually, that he shall treat his wife in accordance with reason,\naccording to the circumstances of each woman: for you are not to use\nthe authority which you have, according to your own will, for you are\nher husband for this very purpose, that you may help to guide and\nsupport her,--not that you should destroy her. Hence none can lay you\ndown a rule with exact limitations; you must understand yourself how\nyou are to proceed in accordance with reason.\n\nThus we have now heard in regard to husbands, also, what good works\nthose who please God are to perform,--namely, that they dwell with\ntheir wives, endear themselves to them, and walk soberly with them.\nThings cannot always go on as you would be glad to have them.\nTherefore do you see to it that you act like a husband, and have so\nmuch the more discretion, when it is lacking in the wife, while you\nare to connive at some matters, tolerate and pardon some things,[2]\nand give to the wife, also, her honor.\n\n[Footnote 2: \"Not disclosing the weaknesses of the wife to others,\nnor observing them too narrowly himself, but hiding them both from\nothers, and his own eyes, by love: not seeing them further than love\nitself requires.\"--_Leighton_.]\n\nThis _honor_ has been explained, I hardly know how. Some have\ninterpreted it thus: that the husband should procure food, drink, and\nclothing for the wife, and should nourish her. Some have referred it\nto marriage duties. I hold this to be the meaning, as I have said,\nthat the husband should treat the wife as consists with her being a\nChristian, and a vessel or instrument of God. And thus they are both\nto conduct: the wife is to hold the husband in honor, and on the\nother hand also the husband is to give to the wife her honor. If\nmatters were thus directed, they would go on harmoniously, in peace\nand love. Yet where this course is wanting, there will be more\ndisgust in the marriage state. Hence it comes to pass, when man and\nwife take one another from nothing but lust, and imagine they will\nhave happiness and the gratification of appetite, that they\nexperience mere heart-anguish. But if you have a regard to God's work\nand will, then may you live christianly in marriage,--not like the\nheathen, who know not what God requires.\n\n\n_As heirs together of the grace of life._ The husband is not to dwell\non this, that the wife is weak and fragile, but on this, that she\nalso is baptized, and has the same that he has,--all blessings in\nChrist. For inwardly we are all alike, and there is no difference\nbetween man and woman, but as to the outward condition, it is God's\npleasure that the husband rule, and the wife be subject to him.\n\n\n_That your prayers be not hindered._ What does St. Peter mean by\nthat? This is his meaning; if you do not act in accordance with\nreason, but will find fault, and murmur, and proceed arbitrarily, and\nin this give occasion for error, so that neither can overlook\nanother's fault, and take all for the best, then will you be unable\nto pray, and say, \"Father, forgive us our sins as we forgive.\" By\nprayer we are to strive against the devil, therefore we must be\nsubject one to another. These are the truly precious good works which\nwe are to do. If this is preached and understood, we shall all have\nour homes full of good deeds.--Thus we have heard how a Christian\nshould conduct himself in all varieties of condition, but especially\nin his relations to others. It follows now, further, how we all, in\ncommon one with another, should lead, as to our outward condition, a\nchristian life.\n\n\nV. 8-12. _Finally, be ye all like-minded, have compassion one of\nanother, be compassionate, affectionate as brethren, heartily kind,\ncourteous. Render not evil for evil, or railing for railing, but on\nthe contrary, blessing; and know, that ye are hereunto called, that\nye should inherit the blessing. For whoso loveth life and would see\nprosperity, let him refrain his tongue, that it speak not evil, and\nhis lips that they bear no guile. Turn thyself from evil and do good,\nseek out peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord behold the\nrighteous, and His ears are open to their prayer, but the face of the\nLord is against them that do evil._\n\n\nAll this is said only to this end, that we should have mutual love\none to another. For here that which the Scripture sometimes expresses\nin few words, is much enlarged upon. St. Peter would say, the _summa\nsummarum_ as to how you are to treat one another in your outward\nconduct is, that ye be like-minded. This matter the Apostles Peter\nand Paul often bring forward, and this much is said, that we all\nshould have one mind, one spirit, one thought; what seems to one\nright and good, let this also seem to another right and good. It is\nan important, note-worthy matter, that should be well understood; St.\nPaul has spoken much particularly upon it.\n\nWe cannot all of us do the same kind of work, but every one must\nlabor each for himself,--a husband in a different sphere from the\nwife, a servant in a different sphere from the master, and so\nthroughout. And it is a foolish thing to preach that we should all do\none work, as those senseless preachers have done who preach the\nlegends of the saints,--that _these_ saints have done _that_ work,\n_those_, another, and then insist and say we should do the same.\n\nIt is doubtless true that Abraham did a good work, highly to be\nesteemed, when he offered up his son, since this was particularly\ncommanded him of God. When the heathen did the same and would\nsacrifice their children likewise, this was an act of cruelty in the\nsight of God. So, also, King Solomon did well in building the temple,\nand God justly rewarded him for it. And our blind fools, now, would\nalso do the same,[3] and preach that we must build churches and\ntemples for God, while God has given us no command on the subject. So\nit now comes to pass, that men busy themselves with a single kind of\nemployment, and have many views in it directly in opposition to the\nGospel.\n\n[Footnote 3: Luther here doubtless refers to what he regarded as the\nfoolish project of the Pope in attempting to build the church of St.\nPeter, at Rome,--the project which sent Tetzel into Germany, and made\nthe sale of indulgences so common and obnoxious.--[_Trans._]]\n\nBut this is what should be taught, that there should be a single aim\nand many employments, one heart and many hands: all should not follow\none business, but every one should attend to his own; otherwise there\nwill not remain unity of aim and heart. As to what is external, it\nmust be permitted to remain of a manifold character, so that every\none abide in that which has been committed to him, and the work that\nhe has in hand. This is a true doctrine, and it is exceedingly\nnecessary that it should be well understood; for the devil expends\nhis care particularly on this, and has brought things into such a\nstate, that judgment is passed on the employment, and every one\nthinks that his own should be counted better than another's; hence it\nhas come to pass, that men are so disunited one with another, monks\nagainst priests, one Order against another, for every one has wished\nto do the best work: thus they must satisfy themselves, and they have\ngiven themselves up to the Order, and think this Order is better than\nthat. There is that of the Augustines against that of the Preaching\nMonks, that of the Carthusians against the Barefooted Friars, and\nnowhere is there greater want of unanimity than among the Orders.\n\nBut if it has been taught that, in the sight of God, no employment is\nbetter than another, but that through faith all are alike,--then will\nall hearts remain united, and we are all alike mutually disposed, and\nshall also say,--the Order, or the mode of life which the bishop\nleads, is in God's sight no more accounted of than that which a poor\nman leads; the mode of life which the nun leads is no better than\nthat which a married woman leads; and the same in respect to all\nvarieties of condition.\n\nBut this they will not hear to, but every one maintains his own for\nthe best, and says, Ah! how much better and more important is my\nstate, in the Order, than the state of a common man.\n\nThus to have one aim is, that every one should regard his own\nemployment like the others, and that the condition of the married\nwoman is just as good as that of the virgin, as all are indeed alike\nin the sight of God, who judges according to the heart and faith, not\nby the person or according to the works; so that we, also, are to\njudge as God judges, and then are we of one mind, and unanimity\nremains in the world, and hearts remain unestranged, so that there is\nno deriding on account of the external condition; all this I hold to\nbe excellent, and am well satisfied with every man's employment,\nwhatever it be, if it only be not sinful in itself.\n\nOf this St. Paul also speaks, 2 Cor. xi., \"I fear lest as the serpent\nbeguiled Eve, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity\nthat is in Christ Jesus,\"--that is, lest the devil so beguile you,\nand pervert and divide that simplicity of aim which you have. So,\nPhil. iv., \"The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep\nyour hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.\" Why does the Apostle lay\nso much stress on the aim of the mind? Because it all consists in\nthis, that when I am brought to cherish a false aim, everything is\nalready lost; as in case I am a monk, and have adopted such a view as\nthat my works are of more worth in the sight of God than others, and\nsay, \"God be thanked that I have become a monk; my state is now far\npreferable to the common one of marriage:\" in which case, from such a\nview there must spring a proud spirit, and it cannot fail that I\nshould count myself more righteous than another, and should despise\nother people while I deceive myself. For a married woman, if she\nabides in faith, is better in the sight of God than I am with the\nOrder I belong to. So that when this is understood, that faith brings\nwith it all that a Christian ought to have, we all of us have one aim\nand view, and there is no difference among works.\n\nWherefore we are thus to understand this passage of St. Peter, that\nhe means the aim of the soul,--not that which refers to outward\nmatters,--and an internal view or plan which aspires to those things\nthat are esteemed with God; so that both the doctrine and the life be\none, and I hold that for excellent which you hold as excellent,--and\nagain, that is well-pleasing to you which is well-pleasing to me, as\nI have said. This sense of things is possessed by Christians, and to\nthis view we should hold fast, that it may not be perverted, as St.\nPaul says; for when the devil has corrupted it, he has forced the\ncastle of true purity, and all then is lost.\n\n\nV. 8. _Be ye compassionate, affectionate as brethren, heartily kind,\ncourteous._ To be compassionate is, that one should make himself a\nsharer with another, and have a heart to feel his neighbor's\nnecessity. When misfortune overtakes him you are not to think,--Ah!\nit is right, it is no more than he should have, he has well deserved\nit. Where there is love, it identifies itself with its neighbor; and\nwhen it goes ill with him, the heart feels it as though it were its\nown experience. But to be brotherly (affectionate as brethren) is\nthis much, that one should regard another as his own brother. This\ncertainly may be easily understood, for nature itself teaches it; by\nwhich you see what those that are truly brothers are, that they are\nunited more heartily together than any friends even. So ought we, as\nChristians, to act; for we are all brethren by baptism,--so that\nafter baptism even father and mother are brother and sister, for I\nhave the same blessing and inheritance that they have from Christ,\nthrough faith.\n\n\n_Heartily kind,--Viscerosi._ This word I cannot explain except by\ngiving an illustration. Observe how a mother or a father act toward\ntheir child,--as when a mother sees her child enduring anguish, her\nwhole inward being is moved, and her heart within her body; whence is\nderived that mode of speech that occurs in many places in Scripture.\nOf this we have an example in I. Kings iii., where two women\ncontended before King Solomon for a child, and each claimed the\nchild. And when the king would discover which was the real mother of\nthe child, he must appeal to nature, whereby he detects it; and he\nsaid to the two women, You say that the child is yours, while you say\nalso that it is yours: well, then, bring hither a sword and divide\nthe child into two parts, and give one part to this woman, and\nanother to that. Thus he attained knowledge as to which was the real\nmother; and the text tells us that she was inwardly affected with\nanxiety for the child, and said, No! no! rather give the child whole\nto this woman, and let it live. Then the king pronounced his decision\nand said, That is the true mother; take the child and give it to her.\nHence you may understand what this word _heartily_ means.\n\nThis is what St. Peter would say: that we should conduct ourselves\ntoward one another like those that are truly friends by blood, as\nwith them the whole heart is moved, the life, the pulse, and all the\npowers; so here, also, the course should be heartily kind, and\nmotherly, and the heart should be thoroughly penetrated. Such a\ndisposition should one christian man bear towards another. But the\nstandard is indeed set high; few will be found who bear such a hearty\nlove to their neighbor,--as when it is seen that a necessity is\nimposed that they should have an affection like that which a mother\nhas for a child,--such that it presses through the heart and through\nevery vein. Hence you see what the monks' and nuns' state of life is;\nhow far it is removed from such hearty love: if all they have were to\nbe smelted together in one man, not one drop of such christian love\nas this would be found in it. Wherefore let us look to ourselves and\nbe jealous over ourselves, whether we can find in ourselves such a\nkind of love. This is a short lesson and quick spoken, but it goes\ndeep and spreads itself wide.\n\n_Courteous_, is, that we lead outwardly a gentle, pleasing, lovely\nbehaviour,--not merely that we should sympathize one with another, as\na father and mother for their child, but also that we should walk in\nlove and gentleness one with another.[4] There are some men rough and\nknotty, like a tree full of knots,--so uncivil, that no one will\nreadily have anything to do with them. Hence it happens that they are\nusually full of suspicion, and become soon angry; with whom none of\ntheir own choice are familiar. But there are gentle people, who\ninterpret all for the best, and are not suspicious; do not permit\nthemselves to be soon irritated; can at least understand something as\nwell meant; such persons as are called _Candidos_. This virtue St.\nPaul names [Greek: chrestotes], as it is often praised by him.\n\n[Footnote 4: \"The least difficulties and scruples in a tender\nconscience should not be roughly encountered; they are as a knot in a\nsilken thread, and require a gentle and wary hand to loose\nthem.\"--_Leighton_.]\n\nNow consider the Gospel, which portrays the Lord Christ so\ndistinctly, that we may trace this virtue especially in Him: now the\nPharisees assault Him, and now again, others, that they might take\nHim,--yet He does not suffer Himself to become enraged. And although\nthe Apostles often stumble, and act a foolish part here and there, He\nnowhere assails them with angry words, but is ever courteous, and\nattracts them toward Himself, so that they remained with Him\ncheerfully and heartily, and walked with Him. This likewise we see\namong kind friends and societies on earth, wherever there are two or\nthree good friends, who have a good understanding one with another:\nthough one acts a foolish part, the other can readily pardon him.\nThere is represented in some measure that which St. Peter here\nintends, although it is not perfectly set forth, for this\ncourteousness is to be considered obligatory upon every one\nindividually. Hence you see the true nature of love, and how\nexcellent a people Christians should be. The angels in heaven live\nwith one another thus, and so should it also, in justice, be on\nearth; but rarely does it take place.\n\nAs St. Peter has already said, that the man servant and the maid\nservant, the husband and wife, should so conduct themselves that each\nshould attend to that business of his own which he is to discharge,\nso would He have us all do generally, one with another. Therefore, if\nyou would be certain and assured that you are doing an excellent\ndeed, that is pleasing to God, set yourself in God's name in\nopposition to whatever has been preached in the devil's name, whereby\nthe world walks and seeks to merit heaven. For how can you be better\nassured that you are acceptable with God, than when you observe, as\nhe here says, the works which a man should do, the conduct which\nevery one should lead, that he be compassionate, brotherly\naffectionate, heartily kind, courteous? In this he says nothing of\nthose fool-works whereof we have been taught; says not, \"build\nchurches, found masses, be a priest, wear a cowl, vow chastity, &c.;\"\nbut this is his language: See to it that you be courteous. These are\ntruly precious, golden deeds, precious stones and pearls, which are\nwell pleasing to God.\n\nBut with this the devil cannot rest content, for he knows that\nthereby his interests are thrown to the ground; therefore he devises\nwhat he can to suppress such doctrine, incites monks and priests to\ncry out, \"Do you say that our matters are nothing at all? that is for\nyou to talk like the devil.\" But reply to them then, Do you not know\nthat there must be good works, whereof St. Peter here speaks,--to\nwit, that we be brotherly affectionate, heartily kind, and courteous?\nif these are the best, as must be confessed, you must be false in\nregard to your works, if you think they are better. I am really\nastonished that such blindness could come upon us; for Thomas, the\npreaching monk, has written, and says, shamelessly, that monks and\npriests are in a better state than ordinary Christians. This the high\nschools have confirmed, and men have been Doctorated for it. After\nthem the Pope and his multitude have gone, and have exalted those to\nbe saints, who teach such doctrine.\n\nTherefore understand this, as I have said,--for Christ Himself and\nall His Apostles have so taught,--if you would do the most excellent\ngood works, and be in the best condition of life, you will find them\nnowhere else but in faith and love; that is the highest state of all.\nSo that it must be an error, when they choose to say, their state is\nbetter than faith and love; for if it be better than faith, it is\nbetter than God's word, but if it be better than God's word, it is\nbetter than God Himself. Therefore Paul has truly said, that\nAnti-Christ should exalt himself before God. Be informed in this way\nso as to judge of these things; where love and friendship are\nwanting, there, certainly, all works are condemned and trodden under\nfoot. Thus we see why St. Peter has so confidently expatiated on the\nexternal character of a truly christian life, as he taught us above,\nin a masterly manner, how the inward (spiritual) life should be\nordered toward God. Wherefore this epistle is to be regarded as a\ntruly golden epistle. Whereupon it follows, further:\n\n\nV. 9. _Render not evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but on the\nother hand blessing, and know that ye are called thereunto, that ye\nshould inherit the blessing._ But this is a still further\nillustration of love, showing how we should act toward those that\ninjure and persecute us. If any one does you evil--this is his\nmeaning--do him good; if any one rails at and curses you, then you\nare to bless and wish him well; for this is an important part of\nlove. O Lord God! what a rarity such Christians are! But why should\nwe return good for evil? Because, says he, ye are called thereunto\nthat ye should inherit the blessing, so that ye should suffer\nyourselves to be attracted towards it.\n\nIn the Scriptures we Christians are called a people of blessing, or a\nblessed people. For thus said God to Abraham, Gen. xii.: \"In thy seed\nshall all nations of the earth be blessed.\" Since God has so richly\nshed down this blessing upon us, in that He takes away from us all\nthe malediction and the curse which we have derived to ourselves from\nour first parents, as well as that which Moses suffered to go forth\nupon the disobedient, so that we are now filled with blessing, we\nought so to conduct ourselves that it shall be said of us, That is a\nblessed people. So that this is what the Apostle here means: See, God\nhas shown you His favor, and has taken away from you the curse, and\nthe reviling wherewith you have dishonored Him; He neither imputes\nnor punishes, but has bestowed upon you such rich grace and blessing,\nwhile ye were only worthy of all malediction, inasmuch as ye reviled\nGod without intermission (for where there is unbelief the heart must\never curse God): do ye also as has been done toward you; curse not,\nrail not, do well, speak well, even though you are treated ill, and\nendure it where you are unrighteously used. Hereupon he quotes a\npassage out of the xxxiii. Ps., where the prophet David speaks thus:\n\n\nV. 10. _Whoso will love life and see good days, let him keep his\ntongue from evil, and his lips that they do not deceive._ That is,\nwhoever would have a pleasure and a joy in life, and would not die\nthe death, but see good days, so that it shall go well with him, let\nhim keep his tongue that it speak not evil, not only in respect to\nhis friends, for that is a small virtue and a thing which even the\nwickedest of all may do, even snakes and vipers,--but also, he says,\nmaintain a kind spirit, and keep your tongue silent even against your\nenemies, though you are even incited thereto--though you have cause\nto rail and speak evil.\n\nBesides, keep your lips, he says, that they do not deceive. There are\nprobably many who give good words, and say _good morning_ to their\nneighbor, but they think in their heart, The devil take you. These\nare people who have not inherited the blessing; they are the evil\nfruit of an evil tree. Therefore St. Peter has introduced a passage\nwhich refers to works, even to their root,--that is, what springs\nfrom within out of the heart.[5] Furthermore, the passage in the\nprophet says:\n\n[Footnote 5: \"A guileful heart makes guileful tongue and lips. It is\nthe workhouse where is the forge of deceits and slanders, and other\nevil speakings; and the tongue is only the outer shop where they are\nvended, and the lips the door of it. So then such ware as is made\nwithin, such and no other can be set out. That which the heart is\nfull of, runs over by the tongue.\"--_Leighton_.]\n\n\nV. 11. _Let him turn away from evil and do good, let him seek peace\nand pursue after it, for the eyes of the Lord behold the righteous._\nThe world considers this as satisfaction when one man does injustice\nto another, that his head should be cut off. But this brings one none\nthe nearer to peace. For no king, even, ever attained to be in peace\nbefore his enemies. The Roman empire was so powerful that it struck\ndown all that set itself against it; still for all this it could not\nbe preserved. Therefore this method is of no avail toward reaching\npeace, for though a man should prostrate and silence his foe, ten and\ntwenty rise up again after it, till at length he is compelled to\nyield. But he who seeks after the true peace, and moreover would find\nit, let him restrain his tongue; let him turn away from evil and do\ngood: this is a course different from that which the world pursues.\nTo turn from evil and to do good is, that when a man hears evil\nwords, he be able to overlook the wickedness and injustice. Seek thus\nafter peace, so shall you find it; when your enemy has wasted his\nbreath and done all that he can, if you hear him, but rail and rant\nnot back, he must subdue himself by his own violence. For thus Christ\nalso on the cross subdued his enemies, not by the sword or by\nviolence. Therefore is it a saying, which should be written with\ngold, where it says, \"Striking back again makes hatred, and whoever\nstrikes back again is unjust.\" Thence it must follow that not to\nstrike back again makes peace. But how can this be? Is it then a\nthing not human? Certainly it does not accord with human nature; but\nif you in this manner suffer unjustly and do not strike back again,\nbut let the matter go, it shall come to pass as hereafter follows:\n\n\nV. 12. _The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are\nopen to their cry, but the face of the Lord is against those that do\nevil._ If you do not revenge yourself and do not repay evil with\nevil, there is the Lord in heaven above who cannot tolerate wrong,\nwherefore he that does not strike back must have his right. These He\nbeholds; their prayer reaches His ear; He is our protector and will\nnot forget us, while if we cannot escape from His eyes, we should\ncomfort ourselves with the thought:--that is, this should induce a\nchristian man to endure all injustice with patience, and not return\nevil. If I properly reflect, I see that the soul which does me wrong\nmust burn forever in hell-fire. Therefore a christian heart should\nspeak on this wise: Dear Father, since this man falls so sadly under\nThy wrath and so miserably throws himself into hell-fire, I pray that\nThou wouldest forgive him, and do to him even as Thou hast done\ntoward me since Thou hast rescued me from condemnation. But how comes\nthis? Thus: while He graciously looks down upon the righteous, He\nalso looks angrily at the wicked, wrinkles His brow and turns it in\nindignation upon them; when we know then that He looks upon us\ngraciously and upon them with disfavor, we ought to suffer ourselves\nto pity and mourn for them, and pray for them. Furthermore, St. Peter\nsays:\n\n\nV. 13-16. _And who is he that will harm you, if ye follow after that\nwhich is good. Blessed are ye if ye suffer for righteousness' sake,\nand be not afraid for their terror, neither be troubled, but sanctify\nthe Lord God in your hearts. But be ready always to give an answer to\nevery man who asks the reason of the hope that is in you, with\nmeekness and fear, and have a good conscience, so that they who speak\nof you as evil-doers may be put to shame, that they have falsely\naccused your good conduct in Christ._\n\n\nIf we follow after that which is good,--that is, do not reward evil\nwith evil, but are heartily kind and courteous, etc., then there is\nnone that can injure us. For though our honor, life and property\nshould be taken away, we are still uninjured. Hence we have a\nblessing that is incomparable,--one that none can take from us. Those\nwho persecute us have nothing but prosperity on earth, but\nthereafter, eternal condemnation, while we have an eternal,\nincorruptible good, although we lose a small temporal blessing.\n\n\nV. 14. _Blessed are ye if ye suffer for righteousness' sake._ Not\nonly, he says, can no one injure you if ye suffer for God's sake, but\nblessed are ye also, and ye should rejoice that ye are to suffer, as\nChrist also says in the sixth of Matthew: \"Happy are ye when men\nderide and persecute you for my sake, and speak every kind of evil\nagainst you, falsely; rejoice, and be exceeding glad.\" Whoever then\napprehends this, that it is the Lord speaks such things, and so\ntenderly speaks comfort to his heart, he stands well; but to whom\nthis does not bring strength, it makes him sad and complaining,--he\nmay well remain unstrengthened.\n\n\n_But be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled, but sanctify\nGod in your hearts._ Here St. Peter quotes a passage from Isaiah\nviii., where he says: \"Be not afraid of their terror, nor be\nfrightened, but sanctify the Lord in your hearts, and let Him be your\nfear and your dread.\" There we have a great support and reliance,\nwhereon we may trust, assured that no one can injure us. Let the\nworld terrify, defy and threaten as long as it will, it must have an\nend, but our confidence and joy shall have no end; thus we shall have\nno fear on account of the world, but shall be courageous, while\nbefore God we shall humble ourselves and be afraid.\n\nBut how does St. Peter mean that we should sanctify God; how can we\nsanctify Him; must He not sanctify us? Answer. So it is that we pray,\neven in the _Our Father, hallowed be Thy name_, that we may sanctify\nHis name, as He Himself also sanctifies His name. Therefore it comes\nto this: _in your hearts_, says St. Peter, ye are to sanctify Him;\nthat is, if the Lord our God appoints anything for us, be it good or\nevil, bring it weal or woe, be it shame or honor, prosperity or\nadversity, I am not only to consider it as good, but even as holy,\nand say, this is nothing but a precious blessing that I am unworthy\nof, that comes to me. So the prophet says, Ps. cxliv., \"The Lord is\nrighteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works.\" If I give God\npraise in regard to such matters, and consider such doings good,\nholy, and excellent, then I sanctify Him in my heart. But they who\nscruple accounts, and complain that they are treated unjustly, and\nsay God sleeps, and will not help the just and restrain the unjust,\nthese dishonor Him, and account Him neither just nor holy. But\nwhoever is a Christian, should attribute righteousness to God and\nunrighteousness to himself--should account God holy and himself\nunholy, and say that He in all His deeds and works is holy and just;\nthis is what he requires. So also speaks the prophet Daniel, iii.: \"O\nLord, in all that Thou hast done towards us, hast Thou done in\naccordance with right and true judgment. For we have sinned;\ntherefore be the shame ours, but the honor and the praise Thine.\" If\nwe sing, _Deo gratias_, and _Te Deum laudamus_, and say, God be\npraised and blessed, when misfortune overtakes us, that is called by\nPeter and Isaiah a true hallowing of the Lord. But He does not by\nthis require that you should say that he has done right and well who\nhas injured you, for it is an entirely different judgment between God\nand me, and between me and thee. I may have within me anger, hatred,\nand wicked lusts, whereby I intend your damage, while you are yet\nstill uninjured, and have nothing against me; but in God's sight I am\nunjust,--therefore He does right if He punishes me; I have well\ndeserved it. If he does not punish me in that case, He shows me\nfavor, and thus is right in every way. But it does not therefore\nfollow, that he does right who persecutes me, for I have not done\ninjustice to him as I have done in the sight of God. If God sends the\ndevil or wicked people upon you to punish you, He uses them to this\nend, that they may execute His righteousness; so wicked wretches and\ninjustice itself become a blessing.\n\nSo we read in Ezekiel, xxix., of King Nebuchadnezzar, where God says\nby the prophet, \"Knowest thou not that he is My servant, and has\nserved Me?\" Now, says he, \"I must give him his hire, I have not paid\nhim as yet; well, then, I will give him Egypt, and that shall be his\nhire.\" The king had no right to the land, but God had a right to it,\nso that He might punish it through him; for, in order that even\nwicked wretches might serve Him, and eat not their bread in vain, He\ngives them enough, lets them serve Him even to this end, that they\npersecute His saints. Here reason is at fault, and thinks He does\nwell and right when He remunerates them only here; gives them much\nland, and does it simply for this, to make them His executioners, and\npersecutors of pious Christians.\n\nBut when you endure and sanctify God, and say, _Just Lord_, then you\ndo well, while He casts them into hell and punishes them because they\nhave done wickedly, but takes you into His favor and gives\nyou--Eternal Salvation. Therefore let Him manage them; He will give a\njust reward.\n\nOf this we have an example in holy Job, when all his cattle and all\nhis sons were slain, and his property was taken away; when he said,\n\"The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; as it was well pleasing\nto God, so has it been ordered, therefore praised be His name.\" And\nwhen his wife came, deriding him, and railed at him, and said: \"See!\nwhat hast thou now, abiding in thine integrity? Curse God and die:\"\nthen he answered her--\"Thou hast spoken like a foolish woman: are we\nto receive good at God's hands,--why should we not also receive evil\nfrom Him, for He hath done as it hath pleased Him? God hath given,\nand God hath taken away,\" he says; not God has given it, the devil\nhath taken it away, while yet it was the devil that did it. This man\ntruly sanctified the Lord; therefore is he so highly praised and\nexalted of God. It follows, further:\n\n\nV. 15. _But be always ready to give an answer to every man that\nasketh you, the reason of the hope that is in you._ We must here\nacknowledge that St. Peter addressed these words to all Christians,\nclergy and laity, male and female, young and old, of whatever state\nor condition they may be. From thence it will follow that every\nChristian should know the ground and reason of his faith, and be able\nto maintain and defend it where it is necessary. But up to this time,\nthe idea that the laity should read the Scriptures has been treated\nwith derision. For in this matter the devil has hit on a fine\nmeasure, in tearing the Bible out of the hands of the laity,--and\nthis is what he has thought: \"If I can keep the laity from reading\nthe Scripture, I will then bring the priests over from the Bible to\nAristotle, so that gossip they what they will, the laity must hear\njust what they set forth; while if the laity should read the\nScripture, the priests must study it too, in order that they may not\nbe detected and overcome.\" But look you now at what St. Peter tells\nus all, that we should give answer and show reason for our faith.\nWhen you come to die I shall not be with you, neither will the Pope;\nand if you know but this one reason of your hope, and say, \"I will\nbelieve as the Councils, the Pope and the Fathers believed,\" then the\ndevil will answer, \"Yes! but how if they were in error?\" Then will he\nhave won, and will drag you down to hell. Therefore must we know what\nwe believed,--namely, what God's word is, not what the Pope and holy\nFathers believe or say. For you must not put your faith at all in\npersons--but on the word of God.\n\nSo when any one assaults you, and like a heretic asks why you believe\nthat you shall be saved through faith--here is your answer: \"Because\nI have God's word and the clear declarations of Scripture.\" As St.\nPaul says, \"The just shall live by faith,\" and St. Peter, where he\nspeaks of Christ, the living stone, quoting from the prophet Isaiah,\n\"Whosoever believeth on him shall not be confounded; thereon do I\nbuild, and know that the word will not deceive me.\" But if you will\nspeak like other fools, \"Yes, we will hear how the council decides,\nand with that we will abide,\" then are you lost. Wherefore you should\nsay, \"Why do I then ask what this one or that believes or decides; if\nthey speak not the word of God, I will hear nothing of it.\"\n\nDo you say, then, it is so confusedly difficult a thing, that no one\nknows what he should believe, and so one must wait till it is\ndetermined what one shall hold? Answer. Then will you go to the devil\nthe while; for if it comes to the pinch, and you should die and not\nknow what you should believe, neither I nor any one else could help\nyou. Therefore you must know for yourself, and turn to no one else,\nand cling fast to the word of God, if you would escape hell. And for\nsuch as cannot read, it is necessary that they should learn and\nretain some clear texts out of the Scriptures--one or two at least,\nand on this ground abide firmly. As for instance that of Gen. xii.,\nwhere God says to Abraham, \"In thy seed shall all the nations of the\nearth be blessed.\" If you have learned that, you may stand thereon\nand say, \"Though Pope, bishop, and all the councils stood yonder and\nsaid otherwise, yet do I declare this is God's word, that I can rely\non, and that does not deceive me.\" Whoever will be blessed, must be\nblessed through \"the seed,\" and whoever is blessed is ransomed from\nthe curse--that is, from sin, death and hell. Therefore it follows,\nfrom the text--whoever will not be blessed through \"the seed,\" he\nmust be lost. So that my works or good deeds can help nothing to my\nsalvation.\n\nTo the same end also is the passage out of Peter,--\"Whoever believeth\non this stone shall not be ashamed.\" If any one now come upon you and\ndemand a reason of your faith, reply--\"There stands the foundation\nwhich cannot fail me, and so I ask nothing beside, what Pope or\nbishop teach or decide.\" Were they true bishops, then would they\nteach the ground of faith that they knew was common to all\nChristians. Yet they rush on and cry out, \"The laity must not be\nsuffered to read the Scriptures.\"\n\nSo if any one asks you whether you will have the Pope for a head, say\nat once, \"I will hold him for a head--a head of wickedness and\nprofligacy.\" And for this I have a passage of St. Paul, I. Tim. iv.:\n\"There shall come the devil's teachers forbidding to marry, and\ncommanding to abstain from meats which God has created.\" That too has\nthe Pope forbidden, as is the case now. Therefore is he Antichrist.\nFor what Christ commands and teaches, that _he_ transgresses. What\nChrist makes free, that the Pope binds--Christ says, it is not sin,\nwhile the Pope rejoins, it is sin.\n\nThus should one now learn to give a reason and answer for his faith.\nFor though not now, yet at death will it come to pass, that the devil\nwill come forward and say, \"Why have you charged the Pope as\nAntichrist?\" If you are not prepared and ready to show reason, then\nhas he won. It is as much as though St. Peter had said, If ye will\nnow be faithful, ye must henceforth endure much persecution. But in\nthis persecution must you have a hope, and must look for Eternal\nlife. If one asks you why you hope for it, then you must have the\nword of God, on which you can build.\n\nBut the sophists also have perverted the text, as though one was to\nconvince heretics with reason, and out of the natural light of\nAristotle; therefore (say they) it is here rendered in the Latin,\n_Rationem reddere_, as if St. Peter had thought it should be done\nwith human reason. Because, say they, the Scriptures are far too\ninconclusive that from them we should silence heretics. The method by\nwhich (according to them) it must be shown that the faith is a right\none, must agree with reason, and come forth from the brain; whereas,\nour faith is above reason, and subject to God alone. Therefore, if\nthe people will not believe, then should you be silent; for you are\nnot responsible for compelling them to hold the Scriptures as the\nword or book of God. It is enough that you give your reason\ntherefrom. But if they take exceptions, and say, \"You preach that one\nshould not hold to man's doctrine, while Peter and Paul, and Christ\neven, were men:\" when you hear people of this stamp, who are so blind\nand obtuse that they deny that this is God's word, or doubt of it,\nthen be silent--speak no more with them, and let them go--only say,\n\"I will give you my reasons out of Scripture. If you will believe\nthat, it is well; if not, I will give you no others.\" But do you say,\n\"Must God's word be treated with such shame?\" Leave that to God. So\nyou see that this matter should be well apprehended, and we should\nknow how to meet those who now rise up and present such\nobjections.--It follows:\n\n\n_With meekness and fear._ That is, if you are examined and questioned\nof your faith, you should not answer with haughty words, and proceed\nin the matter with contempt and violence, as if you would tear up a\ntree by the roots, but with such fear and humility as if you stood\nbefore God's tribunal, and were there to give answer; for if it were\nnow to happen that you should be examined before king and princes,\nand had well prepared yourself a long time therefor with replies, and\nthus thinking with yourself, \"Deliberate, I will answer him\ncorrectly,\" then shall it be a happy experience for you,--though the\ndevil take the sword out of your hands, and give you a blow, so that\nyou stand in shame, and have put on your armor in vain, and he can\nfairly take out of your hands the reply you have carefully composed,\nso that it fails you even though you have it fairly in your mind,\nbecause he has beforehand tracked out your thoughts. Even this God\nsuffers to take place, that he may subdue your pride and make you\nhumble.\n\nSo, if you would avoid such an experience, you must stand in fear,\nand not rely on your own strength, but on the word and promise of\nChrist, Matt. x. 19--\"But when they deliver you up, take no thought\nhow or what ye shall speak, for it shall be given you in that same\nhour what ye shall speak; for it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit\nof your Father which speaketh in you.\" It is right, when you are to\nanswer, that you should prepare yourself well with passages out of\nScripture; but beware that you do not insist thereon with a proud\nspirit, since God will even take the most forcible reply out of your\nmouth and memory, though you were previously prepared with all your\nreplies. Therefore, fear is proper. And so, if you are summoned, then\nmay you answer for yourself before princes and lords, and even the\ndevil himself. Only beware that it be not the vanity of men, but the\nword of God.\n\n\nV. 16. _Having a good conscience, that whereas they speak evil of you\nas of evil-doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good\nconversation in Christ._ Of this St. Paul has already spoken above.\nWe cannot disregard it. If we will follow the Gospel, then must we be\ndespised and condemned by the world, so that men shall hold us as\ncontemptible rabble. But let the devil and all the world rave and\nrage--let them abuse as they will, yet they shall at last be made to\nunderstand, with shame, that they have injured and defamed us, when\n_that day_ shall arrive,--as St. Peter has said above,--in which we\nshall be secure, and stand up with a good conscience. These are, in\nevery respect, suitable and forcible replies, which can comfort us\nand make us courageous, and yet go on circumspectly, with fear.\n\n\nV. 17, 18. _For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye\nsuffer for well-doing than for evil-doing. For Christ also hath once\nsuffered for our sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring\nus to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the\nSpirit._\n\n\nIt will not, then, be the case that they who shall reach heaven shall\nhave prosperity on earth, while even those who do not arrive at\nheaven may not have prosperity. For that which God said to Adam is\nimposed on all men--\"In the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat thy\nbread;\" and to the woman: \"In sorrow shalt thou bring forth\nchildren.\" Since, now, adversity is imposed in common upon us all,\nhow much more must _we_ bear the cross if we would attain to eternal\nlife. Therefore, he says, since God will have it so, it is better\nthat ye suffer for well-doing. They who suffer for evil-doing have an\nevil conscience, and have double punishment. But Christians have only\nthe half of it. Outwardly, they have suffering; but inwardly,\ncomfort.\n\nYet has he here set a limit,--as he also has said above,--if a case\nshould occur of such severity as the Donatists experienced, of whom\nAugustine writes, who took such a resolution that, stung by their\nsufferings, they committed suicide, and threw themselves into the\nsea.\n\nIt is not the will of God that we seek out, and even invite,\ncalamity. Go thou on in faith and love. If the cross comes, take it\nup; if it comes not, seek not for it.\n\nTherefore these modern spirits commit sin, in that they lash and beat\nthemselves, or subject themselves to torture, and so would storm\nheaven.\n\nThis has Paul also forbidden, in Col. iii., where he speaks of such\nsaints as walk in a self-chosen spirituality and humility, and spare\nnot their body. We should also restrain the body that it do not\nbecome too wanton, yet not so as to destroy it; and we should submit\nto suffer if another sends suffering upon us, but not of our own\nchoice fall therein. That will be the question: if it is God's\nwill--if he has appointed it--for then it is better; while you are\nalso more happy and fortunate that you suffer for well-doing.\n\n\nV. 18. _Since also Christ has once suffered for us--the just for the\nunjust._ There St. Peter presents us, once for all, the example of\nour Lord, and points us evermore to Christ's sufferings, that we all\nof us alike should follow his example, so that he need not present a\nparticular exemplar for the estate of every individual. For just as\nChrist is held forth as an example to all in the whole Church, so it\nis the duty of every individual in the Church,--each for himself, of\nwhatever state he is,--to copy thereafter, in his whole life, as it\nis set before him; and he will speak after this manner: \"Christ was\nrighteous; yet, for well-doing, has suffered on our account, who were\nunjust; yet he sought not the cross, but waited till it was God's\nwill that he should drink the cup; and it is He that is our pattern,\nwhom we are to imitate.\" Thus St. Peter here adduces this one\nexample, to this end especially, that he may thus designate that by\nwhich every estate is to be instructed; and now he goes on to declare\nmore fully the suffering of Christ.\n\nBut, more particularly, he says here, Christ has suffered _once_ for\nus; that is, Christ has borne many sins upon himself, but he has not\ndone it in such a way as to die for every individual sin; but at\nonce, for all together, has done enough to remove the sins of all who\ncome to Him and believe on Him--who are now freed from death, even as\nHe is free.\n\n\n_The righteous for the unrighteous_, he says. As though he had said,\nmuch rather should we suffer, since we die for the righteous who had\nno sin. But He has died for the unrighteous, and for the sake of our\nsins.\n\n\n_That He might present us to God._ This is all said to teach the\npeculiar end of Christ's sufferings; namely, that He died,--not for\nHis own sake,--but that He might present us to God. How is that\nconsistent: has He not offered up Himself? Answer: It is true that He\nhas offered up Himself upon the Cross for us all who believe on Him,\nbut at the same time He offers up us with Himself, since all they who\nbelieve on Him must suffer also with Him, and be put to death after\nthe flesh as He was. Yet God has taught us, that they are alive in\nthe spirit and yet dead in the flesh, as He afterwards says. But are\nwe a sacrifice with Him? Then, as He dies, so we are to die according\nto the flesh; as He lives spiritually, so do we also live in the\nspirit.\n\n\n_Being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit._ The\nword _flesh_ is common in Scripture, as is also the word spirit, and\nthe Apostles usually present the two in contrast. The sense is this:\nthat Christ, through His sufferings, is taken out of this life that\nconsists in flesh and blood, as a man on earth who lives by flesh and\nblood,--walks and stands, eats, drinks, sleeps, wakes, sees, hears,\ngrasps, and feels,--and, in brief, whatever the body does while it is\nsensible; to all this Christ has died. This is what St. Paul calls a\nnatural body,--that is, the animal life. _In the flesh_, not _after_\nthe flesh,--that is, in the natural functions which the body\nexercises, to such life is He dead: so that this life has now ceased\nwith Him, and He is now removed to another life and quickened after\nthe spirit, passed into a spiritual and supernatural life, that\ncomprises in itself the whole life that Christ now has in soul and\nbody. So that he has no more a fleshy body, but a spiritual body.\n\nThus shall it be with us at the last day, when spiritual life shall\nsucceed to flesh and blood; for my body and yours will live without\nfood and drink,--will not procreate, nor digest, nor grow wanton, and\nthe like, but we shall inwardly live after the spirit,--and the body\nshall be purified even as the sun, and yet far brighter, while there\nprobably will be no natural flesh and blood, no natural or corporeal\nlabor.\n\nThis is the language of St. Paul thereon, I. Cor. xv.: \"The first man\nAdam was made in natural life, and the last in spiritual life.\" And\nit follows, \"As we have the image of the natural man, so shall we\nalso bear the image of the spiritual man.\" From Adam we derive all\nour natural functions, so far as concerns our unreasoning animal\nnature as to the fine senses. But Christ is spiritual,--flesh and\nblood not according to the outward sense; He neither sleeps nor\nwakes, and yet knows all things, and is present in the ends of the\nearth. Like Him shall we be also, for He is the first fruits, the\nearnest and first born (as Paul says) of the spiritual life; that is,\nHe is the first who has risen again and entered upon a spiritual\nlife. Thus Christ lives now after the spirit; that is, He is really\nman, but has a spiritual body. Therefore we should not here question\nhow we may distinguish flesh and spirit from one another, but\nunderstand that the body and flesh are spiritual, and the spirit is\nin the body and with the body. For St. Peter does not say here that\nthe Holy Spirit has raised Christ up, but he speaks more generally;\nas when I say the spirit, the flesh, I do not mean the Holy Spirit,\nbut that which is within us, that which the spirit impels, and that\nwhich proceeds from the spirit. It follows, now:\n\n\nV. 19-21. _By which same He also went and preached to the spirits in\nprison, who aforetime were disobedient, when the long-suffering of\nGod waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, in which\na few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. Which now also\nsaves you through baptism, which is typical by it; not the putting\naway of the filth of the flesh, but the union of a good conscience\nwith God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has ascended\nto heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God,--and angels, and\nprincipalities, and powers, are subject to Him._\n\n\nThis is a strange text, and a more obscure passage, perhaps, than any\nother in the New Testament, for I do not certainly know what St.\nPeter means. At first sight, the words import as though Christ had\npreached to the spirits,--that is, the souls which were formerly\nunbelieving at the time Noah was building the ark; but that I cannot\nunderstand, I cannot even explain it. There has been no one hitherto\nwho has explained it. Yet if any one is disposed to maintain that\nChrist, after that He had suffered on the Cross, descended to these\nsouls and preached to them, I will not dispute it. It might bear such\na rendering. But I am not confident that St. Peter would say this.\nYet the words may well be understood in this sense,--that our Lord,\nafter His ascension into heaven, came and preached in spirit, yet so\nthat His preaching was not in the body. For He speaks not with bodily\nvoice; He does no more what pertains to the natural functions of the\nbody. Whence it must also follow, as it seems, that inasmuch as He\npreached to the spirits in that same spiritual body, such preaching\nmust also be a spiritual preaching, so that He did not go there in\nbody and with oral preaching. The text does not require us to\nunderstand that He went down to the spirits and preached to them at\nthe time of His death. For this is his language, _by which same_,--\nnamely, when He had been put to death in the flesh and made alive\nafter the spirit,--that is, when He had unclothed Himself of His\nfleshly existence and had passed into a spiritual being and life,\njust as He now is in heaven,--_thus_ He went and preached. Now He\ncertainly could not have gone to hell, after He had taken to Himself\nsuch a new existence; wherefore we must understand that He has done\nit after His resurrection.\n\nWhile the words only require that he be considered as speaking here\nof spiritual preaching, we may rest in this view, that St. Peter\nspeaks of the office that Christ performs by means of external\npreaching. For He commanded the Apostles personally to preach the\nGospel. But with the word preached He comes Himself, and is\nspiritually present there, and speaks and preaches to the people in\ntheir hearts; just as the Apostles speak the word orally and in body\nto the ears, so He preaches to the spirits that lie captive in the\nprison-house of the devil. So that this also should be understood\nspiritually, like the preaching.\n\nBut here the expression follows, _to the spirits which aforetime were\nunbelieving_, &c. We should observe, in accordance with the divine\naccount, that in that state of existence in which Christ is at\npresent, those who have lived aforetime and those that are living\nnow, are alike to Him, for His control extends itself alike over dead\nand living: and in that life, the beginning, middle and end of the\nworld are all in one. But here on earth it has properly a measure, so\nthat one age passes on after another, the son succeeds the father,\nand so it continues. But to give an illustration: If a high wood lies\nbefore you, or you look upon it as it stretches along in length\nbefore you, you cannot well overlook it; but if it lies near before\nyou, and you stand above it and can look down directly upon it, then\nyou have it in full view. So it is, that here on earth we can form no\nconception of this life (I speak of), for it passes on (piecemeal as\nit were) foot by foot, to the last day. But as to God, it all stands\nin a moment. For with Him a thousand years are as one day, as St.\nPeter says, in the next Epistle. Thus the first man is just as near\nto Him as the last that shall be born, and He sees all at once, just\nas the human eye can bring together two things widely separated at a\nsingle glance. So the sense here is this, that Christ preaches no\nmore in person, but is present with the word and preaches to spirits,\nspiritually, in the heart. Yet you are not to understand that He\npreaches in this manner to all spirits.\n\nBut to what spirits has he preached? To those who aforetime were\nunbelieving. This is the figure of speech which is called Synecdoche.\nThat is, \"from a part the whole\" (_ex parte totum_),--that is to say,\nnot to these very spirits, but to those who are like them, and are\njust as unbelieving as they. Thus must we look away from this\noutward, to that inward life.\n\nThat is the best rendering, as I think, of those words of St.\nPeter;[6] still I will not too strenuously insist upon it. This at\nleast I can scarcely believe, that Christ descended to those souls\nand preached to them; while the Scripture is against it, and declares\nthat every one, when he arrives there, must receive according as he\nhas believed and lived. Besides, while it is uncertain what is the\nstate of the dead, we cannot easily explain this passage as one that\nrefers to it. But this is certain, that Christ is present and\npreaches in the heart, wherever a preacher of God's word speaks to\nthe ear. Therefore may we safely draw to this conclusion: let him to\nwhom a better understanding is manifest, follow the same.\n\n[Footnote 6: The view generally taken by Protestant expositors of\nthis passage is, that the preaching here referred to took place in\nthe days of Noah, by means of himself or others who were inspired by\nGod to teach and warn. Their interpretation would be in effect,--\"For\nChrist also suffered for our sins, the just for the unjust (that he\nmight bring us to God), being put to death in the flesh, but\nquickened by the Spirit (of God). By which Spirit also he went\n(formerly) and preached to the spirits (now) in prison; which were\ndisobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited, in the days\nof Noah, (120 years,) while the ark was preparing, wherein few,--that\nis, eight souls,--were saved _by_ or _through_ water.\"]\n\nThis is the summary of the sense which I have exhibited: Christ has\nascended to heaven and preached to the spirits,--that is, to human\nsouls; among which human souls have been the unbelieving, as in the\ntimes of Noah.\n\n\nV. 20. It continues,--_when once the long-suffering of God waited in\nthe days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is,\neight souls, were saved by water._ Thus does St. Peter bring us into\nthe Scriptures, that we may study therein; and gives us an\nillustration out of them, from the ark of Noah, and interprets this\nsame figure. For it is pleasant to have one bring forward\nillustrations from such figures, as St. Paul also does when he is\nspeaking, Gal. iv., of the two sons of Abraham, and the two women;\nand Christ, in John v., of the serpent which Moses had erected in the\nwilderness. Such comparisons, when well drawn, are delightful;\nwherefore St. Peter introduces this here, that we may be able to\ncomprehend faith under a pleasing image.\n\nBut he would also tell us, that as it happened when Noah was\npreparing the ark, so it takes place now. As he took refuge in the\nark which swam upon the waters, so, it is to be observed, must you\nalso be saved in baptism. Just as that water swallowed up all that\nwas then living, of man and beast,--so baptism also swallows up all\nthat is of the flesh and corrupt nature, and makes spiritual men. But\nwe rest in the ark, which means the Lord Christ, or the christian\nChurch, or the Gospel that Christ preached, or the body of Christ, on\nwhich we rest by faith, and are saved as Noah in the ark. You also\nperceive how the image comprises in brief what belongs to faith and\nto the cross, to life and death. Where there are only those that\nfollow Christ, there is surely a christian Church, where all that\nsprings from Adam, and whatever is evil, is removed.\n\n\nV. 21. _The like figure whereunto, even baptism, doth now save us;\nnot the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a\ngood conscience toward God._ But you are not kept and saved by merely\nwashing away the filth of the flesh, that the body be clean, as was\nthe practice of the Jews; such purification has no further value. But\nthe answer of a good conscience toward God,--that is, that you feel\nyour conscience to be rightfully at peace within you, that it stands\nin harmony with God, and can say, \"He has promised to me that which\nHe will fulfil, for He cannot lie.\" If you shall rely upon and cleave\nto His word, then shall you be preserved. Faith, alone, is the band\nwhereby we shall be held; no outward work which you can do will\nsuffice.\n\n\n_Through the resurrection of Christ Jesus._ This St. Peter adjoins,\nin order to explain that faith which rests on the fact that Christ\ndied, descended to hell, and has risen again from the dead. Had He\ncontinued subject to death, it would not have advantaged us; but\nsince He has risen and sits at the right hand of God, and suffers\nthis to be proclaimed to us so that we may believe on Him, we have a\nunion with God, and a sure promise, whereby we shall be saved as Noah\nin the ark. Thus has St. Peter given to the ark a spiritual\nsignificance throughout, within which is not flesh and blood, but a\ngood conscience toward God,--and that is faith.\n\n\nV. 22. _Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God;\nangels, and authorities, and powers, being made subject unto Him._\nThis he says for the enlightening and strengthening of our faith. For\nit was necessary that Christ should ascend to heaven and become Lord\nover all creatures and powers universally, that He may bring us\nthither, and make us conquerors. This is said for our consolation,\nthat we may know that all powers, whether they be in heaven or earth,\nmust serve and aid us, even death and the devil,--since all must\nbecome subservient, and lie at the feet of the Lord Christ. This\ncloses the third chapter. The fourth follows.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IV.\n\n\nV. 1. _Forasmuch, then, as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh,\narm yourselves likewise with the same mind; for he that hath suffered\nin the flesh hath ceased from sin._\n\n\nSt. Peter continues still in the same strain. Just as he hitherto has\nadmonished us generally that we should suffer, if it be the will of\nGod, and has set Christ before us as an example,--so he now confirms\nit more broadly, and repeats it again, saying, While Christ, who is\nour captain and head, has suffered in the flesh and presented us an\nexample, (besides that He has ransomed us from our sins,) we also\nshould imitate Him, and prepare ourselves, and put on the same armor.\nFor in the Scriptures the life of the Lord Christ, and especially his\nsuffering, is presented before us in a twofold manner.\n\nSometimes as a gift, as St. Peter has already exhibited it in the\nthird chapter; and to those first, who are built up and instructed in\nthe faith that we are ransomed, and our sins taken away by the blood\nof Christ; and so he is a gift and bestowment upon us, which none can\nreceive except by faith. Whereof he speaks where he says, \"Christ has\nonce suffered for our sins.\" That is certainly the grand doctrine,\nand the most precious one of the Gospel.\n\nAgain, Christ is set before us and offered to us as an example and\npattern for us to follow. For if we only receive Christ, through\nfaith, as a free gift, we shall go farther and do ourselves as He has\ndone for us, and imitate Him in His whole life and sufferings. In\nthis manner St. Peter presents it here. But he does not speak here\nparticularly of those marks of the love which leads us to befriend\nour neighbor, and do good, which are called, specifically, good works\n(for he had said enough of this above), but of such evidences as\nconcern our personal experience, and are of service in strengthening\nour faith, that sin may be put to death in the flesh, and we thereby\nbecome of so much better service to our neighbor. For if I control my\nbody so that it be not lustful, then can I leave my neighbor, his\nwife or child, at peace; while if I subdue hate and envy, I shall\nbecome so much better prepared to be kind and friendly toward my\nneighbor.\n\nWe have repeated often enough already that we are justified through\nfaith, and thus have the Lord Christ as ours; still we must also do\ngood works and show kindness to our neighbor. For we are never\nentirely purified while we live on earth, and every one still finds\nin his body evil lusts. The believer indeed prays for the death of\nsin and the gift of heaven, but is not yet become entirely and\ncompletely strong; but as Christ described the Samaritan, who was not\nyet healed, but was laid under restrictions and directions that he\nmight become sound, so it is also with us. If we believe, then is our\nsin restrained,--that is, the disease which we have derived from\nAdam, and we begin to recover. But it is the case, in one more, in\nanother less, that in proportion as one mortifies and subdues the\nflesh, so much does his faith increase. So that if we have these two\nthings, faith and love, our future experience will be, that we shall\ncontinue to drive sin before us till we die.\n\nTherefore St. Peter says, _arm yourselves with the same mind_; that\nis, take up a firm purpose, and strengthen yourselves with the mind\nwhich you receive from Christ; for, if we are Christians, then must\nwe also say, My Master has suffered and spilt His blood for me, and\nhas died for my sake. Should I then be so base as not to love Him?\nWhile the Master runs upon the spears' points in the conflict, how\nmuch more should the servant advance with joy? Thus do we awaken a\ncourage such that we press onward, and arm ourselves in our own minds\nso as joyfully to persevere.\n\nThe word _flesh_ refers in Scripture not only outwardly to the body,\nbut includes all that is derived from Adam. As when God says, in Gen.\nvi.: \"My Spirit shall not always strive with men, for they also are\nflesh;\" and Isaiah, chap. xl., \"All flesh shall see the Salvation of\nGod,\"--that is, it shall be revealed for all men. So we also make\nconfession in our own form of faith, \"I believe in the resurrection\nof the flesh,\" that is, that men shall rise again. So man uniformly\nthroughout is called flesh, as he lives here in this state of being.\n\nThe marks of the flesh are carefully recounted, one after another, in\nPaul's Epistle to the Galatians v., not only the gross carnal works,\nas lasciviousness, but also the highest and most reckless\nblasphemies, as idolatry and heresy, which belong not only to the\nflesh, but to the reason. We must understand, therefore, that man,\nwith his intellectual nature,--and with respect both to that which is\ninward and that which is outward--that is, the body and spirit,--has\nthe appellation of flesh; and this, because with all his faculties,\ninternal and external, he seeks only that which is carnal, and can\nserve to gratify the flesh. St. Peter says here, too, that Christ\nsuffered in the _flesh_, while it is certain that His suffering\nextended further than to the body merely, for His soul suffered the\ngreatest anguish, as is said by the prophet Isaiah.\n\nIn the same way, also, you are to understand that which follows, in\nthe passage before us: \"_Whoever hath suffered in the flesh hath\nceased from sin._\" For this implies not only such things as the death\nand the torture of the body, but whatever can work misery to\nman--whatever he endures through calamity and necessity. For there\nare many people who are sound in body, and yet inwardly experience\nmuch heart-sorrow and anguish. If it comes upon us for Christ's sake,\nit is serviceable and profitable. For whoever suffers in the flesh\n(says he) ceases from sin, and therefore the Holy Cross is\nprofitable, that sin may thereby be subdued; since it requires you to\nmortify lust, envy and hate, and other wickedness. Therefore God has\nimposed the Holy Cross upon us that He might urge and constrain us to\nbelieve, and extend the hand of kindness one to the other. Hereupon\nit follows:\n\n\nV. 2. _That he henceforth, in the time that still remains for him in\nthe flesh, should live not according to the lusts of men, but the\nwill of God._\n\n\nWe should henceforth, as long as we live, hold the flesh captive\nthrough the Cross, and by mortifications, so as to do that which\npleases God, and not with the idea that we should or can deserve\nanything by it. _Not according to the lusts of men_ (says he),--that\nis, that we should not do that to which we might yet be tempted by\nothers; for we are not to be conformed to this world, as Paul says,\nRom. xii. What the world demands of us we must refuse.\n\n\nV. 3. _For the time past of our life is enough to have wrought the\nwill of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess\nof wine, revellings, banquetings and abominable idolatries._\n\n\nWe have already gone altogether too far, that before our believing we\nhave so shamefully spent our life in accordance with the will of the\nGentiles, which is the same with lusts of men. Therefore as long as\nlife continues we should see to it that we do that which is\nwell-pleasing to God; for we have our enemy in our flesh, the one\nthat is the real knave--not gross matter merely, but more\nparticularly blindness of mind, which Paul calls carnal wisdom,--that\nis, the policy of the flesh. If we have subdued this depravity, that\nother is carefully to be constrained, which does our neighbor injury\nin so secret a manner as not to be observed.\n\nSt. Peter calls that lasciviousness that is accompanied with outward\ngestures or words by which evil intentions are expressed, though the\ndeed itself be not performed, and it is that which is unchaste to the\nsight and hearing, upon which afterward the lust and the act also\nfollow. Thereupon there succeeds such idolatry as is abominable. And\nwe may easily bring all this upon us, for when we have lost faith we\nhave certainly lost God, also, and may fall into more abominable\nidolatries than the heathen, if we view the matter aright.\n\n\nV. 4-5. _And it surprises them that ye run not with them to the same\nexcess of disorderly life, and they calumniate you, who must give\naccount to Him that is ready to judge the living and the dead._\n\n\nThat is, ye have hitherto lived after the manner of the heathen, but\nsince you have now forsaken it, it appears strange to men, and seems\nshameful and foolish, and they say, \"What great fools they are to\nwithdraw themselves from all worldly good and gratification.\" But let\nit seem strange to them; let them libel you; they shall yet be\ncompelled to give in their account; wherefore leave it to Him that\nwill judge righteously.\n\n\nV. 6. _For to this end also was the Gospel preached to the dead, that\nthey should be judged according to men in the flesh, but live to God\nin the spirit._\n\n\nHere we have, however, a strange and remarkable text. The words\nclearly declare that the Gospel is preached not only to the living,\nbut also to the dead, and adds besides, \"in order that they may be\njudged according to men in the flesh.\" Now they certainly have not\nflesh, which can be understood only of the living. It is a wonderful\npassage, however understood: whether it should be made to refer to\nus, or to concern something foreign, I do not know, yet this is my\nunderstanding of it. We are not to be anxious how God will condemn\nthe heathen who died many centuries ago, but only how He will judge\nthose that are now living; so that the passage should be considered\nas spoken of men on earth.\n\nBut as to the word _flesh_, you are to understand, as I said above,\nthat the entire man is called flesh, according as he lives, just as\nhe also is called in respect to his whole nature, spiritual, while he\nfollows after that which is spiritual. Still there is also a\ncommingling of the two things with one another, just as I say of a\nman who is wounded, that he is whole and yet is wounded; and so, too,\nthough the sound part is greater than the wounded part, still he is\nspoken of only with reference to the injured part as wounded; and\nsuch, too, is the method of the Spirit here: therefore he says, that\nthey as to their outward being are condemned, but inwardly, as\nrespects the spirit, are preserved in life.\n\nBut how does that, where He says that they live, agree with that\nwhich he subjoins, that they are dead? I will explain it according to\nmy understanding, yet not so as to limit the Holy Ghost in that he\ncalls the unbelieving dead. For I cannot accept the sense that to\nthose that are dead and perished, the Gospel has been preached. This,\nthen, would be what St. Peter means, that the Gospel has been freely\npublished and universally spread abroad, concealed neither from dead\nnor living--neither from angels nor yet from devils, and preached not\nsecretly in a corner, but so publicly that all creatures might hear\nit that have ears to hear, as Christ gave command in the last of\nMark: \"Go ye forth and preach the Gospel to all creatures.\" If,\ntherefore, it is preached in such a manner, there will those be found\nwho are condemned after the flesh, but live after the spirit.\n\n\nV. 7. _But the end of all things is at hand._ This is also a\nremarkable passage, for already nearly 1500 years are passed since\nthen. St. Peter preached that the time is neither near nor brief, yet\nhe says, _that the end of all things is at hand_; as John also\ndeclares in his first epistle, chap, ii., \"It is the last hour.\" If\nit were not the Apostle's language, we might say it was\ncontradictory: but by this we must firmly abide, that the Apostle has\ntruth with him. Yet what he means here he shall explain himself in\nthe second epistle, where he tells us why the time is said to be\nnear, and says: \"One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a\nthousand years as one day;\" of which I have spoken above. So that we\nmust explain it in this manner, that it shall not be as long\nhereafter to the end of the world as it has been from the beginning\nto the present time. And it is not to be expected that one should\nlive two or three thousand years after the birth of Christ, so that\nthe end shall come before we look for it. Wherefore he further adds:\n\n\nV. 7, 8. _Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all\nthings have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover\nthe multitude of sins._\n\n\nHere you perceive the reason why we are to watch and be sober;\nnamely, that we may be prepared to pray for ourselves and our\nneighbors. Since charity cannot be fervent unless you keep the body\nin subjection, that charity may have place within you. Here St. Peter\nhas quoted a passage from the book of Proverbs, ch. x. 12. _Hate\nstirreth up strife, but love covereth the multitude of sins._ And\nthis is what St. Peter means: Subdue your flesh and lusts: unless you\ndo it, you will easily offend one another, and yet not easily be able\nto forgive one another. Take care, therefore, that you subdue the\nwicked lusts, so you shall be able to show charity one to another,\nand to forgive, for charity covereth sins.\n\nThis passage has been explained to the prejudice of faith, inasmuch\nas they tell us: \"You say that faith alone makes us righteous, and\nthat no one through works may be free from sin. Why then do Solomon\nand Peter, as in this passage, say, _love covers sins_?\" Answer.\nWhoever has hatred toward another, says Solomon, ceases not to stir\nup strife and bitterness. But where there is love, it covers sins and\ncheerfully forgives. Where there is wrath, or in other words, where\nthere is an intractable man, reconciliation is not permitted; he\nremains full of wrath and hate. On the other hand, a man who is full\nof love is he whom one cannot enrage, however much injury may be done\nhim; he perceives it all, but does as though he saw it not. So that\nthe _covering_ is spoken of as regards our neighbor, and not as it\nrespects God. Nothing shall cover up sin before God for you, except\nfaith. But my love covers the sin of my neighbor; and just as God\nwith His love covers my sins, if I believe, so too should I cover my\nneighbor's sins. Therefore He says, Ye should have charity one to\nanother, that one may cover the other's sins. And love covers not\nonly one, two, or three sins, but the multitude of sins; cannot\nsuffer and do too much; covers up all. So St. Paul also speaks and\nteaches in accordance with this passage, I. Cor. xiii. 7. _Charity\nbeareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth\nall things._ It has respect to the best good of all, can suffer all,\nand take for the best whatever shall be imposed upon it. There\nfollows, further:\n\n\nV. 9. _Be hospitable one to another without grudging, and minister\none to another, as every one has received the gift._ He is said to be\nhospitable who cheerfully acts the host. When the Apostles went\nabroad one with another and preached, and sent their younger brethren\nhere and there, it was necessary that one should lodge the other. How\nwell would it be, even now, that men should preach from one place to\nanother, from city to city, from house to house,--and without\nremaining too long in one place, might see to it that where one was\nweak he should be helped, and where one had fallen down he should be\nlifted up, and things of that sort. St. Peter directs that this\nshould take place without murmuring; that no one should suffer it to\nseem too much for him. This is also a work of love, as it follows\nimmediately afterward, that we should minister to one another!\nWherewith? With the gifts of God which every one has received. The\ngospel directs that every one be the servant of the other, and\nbeside, see to it that he abide in the gift which he has received,\nwhich God has bestowed upon him; that is, the state, whatever it be,\nwhereunto he has been called.\n\nGod's will is not that a lord should serve his servant, that the maid\nbe as the mistress, and a prince serve the beggar;--for he will not\nbreak down magistracy. But his meaning is, that men should serve one\nanother spiritually, with their hearts: although you are a high and\ngreat lord, yet should you employ your power to this end, that you\nmay therewith serve your neighbor. Thus should every one hold himself\nfor a servant; the lord may still remain a lord, and yet hold\nhimself, in his own esteem, no better than the servant: so that he\neven cheerfully would become a servant if it were God's ordering; and\nthe same is applicable to other conditions.\n\n\nV. 10. _As good stewards of the manifold grace of God._ God has not\nbestowed upon us all like grace; therefore should every one inquire\nto what he has been appointed, and what kind of gift has been\nbestowed upon him. When he discovers this, let him use it for the\nservice of his neighbor, as St. Peter further explains, and says:\n\n\nV. 11. _If any man speak, let him speak as the word of God._ That is,\nif any one has the grace that enables him to preach and teach, let\nhim teach and preach. As St. Paul says, also, Rom. xii. 3: \"That no\none think more of himself than he ought to think, but every man\naccording as God has dealt to him the measure of faith. For as we\nhave many members in one body and all members have not the same\noffice, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one\nmembers one of another; and have many gifts, differing according to\nthe grace that has been given unto us.\" And then follows, \"Has any\none a prophecy, let it be in accordance with faith; Has any one a\nministry, let him wait on his ministering: Does any one teach, let\nhim wait on his teaching.\" He teaches the same doctrine also\nelsewhere, in his Epistles to the Corinthians and Ephesians.\n\nFor this reason has God distributed various gifts among men which\nshould be employed to this intent alone, that one should minister\ntherewith to another, especially those who are in authority, be it in\npreaching, or some other ministry.\n\nNow St. Peter says, here, _If any one speak, let him speak as the\nword of God._ This point is worthy of special remark, that no one is\nto preach anything but what he is sure is the word of God. There St.\nPeter has shut up the Pope's mouth, and lo! he will be St. Peter's\nsuccessor, so cunningly has he managed it. Further:\n\n\nV. 11. _If any one ministers, let him do it as of the ability which\nGod giveth._ That is, whoever rules in the christian church and has\nan office or ministry for the care of souls, he is not to proceed as\nhe may choose, and say, \"I am sovereign lord, I must be obeyed; what\nI do shall remain established.\" God requires that we should do no\notherwise than as he directs. So that since it is God's work and\nordinance, let a bishop do nothing except he be sure that God\nsanctions it, that it is either God's word or work.\n\nAnd besides, inasmuch as God will not permit that we should regard as\na matter of sport what we do with the christian church, we must stand\nin such an assurance as this, that God speaks and works through us,\nand that our faith may also say, \"That which I have spoken and done,\nGod also has spoken and done; on this I will even die.\"\n\nAnd yet if I am not certain of the matter, then my faith will rest\nupon the sand when the devil assaults me. Thus here it is\nemphatically forbidden us to receive the command of any bishop,\nunless it is also the case, that he is certain that he does what God\ndoes, and can say, \"I have God's word and command for it.\" Where that\nis wanting, we must hold him for a liar.\n\nFor God has prescribed that our conscience must rest on the bare\nrock. This is said also of government in general, that no one might\nfollow his own darkness, and that nothing might be done of which he\nwas not sure that God would sanction it. Whence you perceive how St.\nPeter so long ago thrust down to the ground the government of Popes\nand bishops, as we have it at the present day. Now follows:\n\n\nV. 11. _That God in all things may be glorified through our Lord\nJesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever;\nAmen._ For this reason it is, you are to be so confident, (he means),\nthat God speaks and does all that you speak and do. For if you\nperform a work of which you are not sure that God has done it, you\ncannot praise and give thanks. But where a man is certain of it, in\nthat case he may praise and thank Him for His word and works' sake,\nthough he should be belied and held up for derision. Therefore it is\na shameful and ruinous thing that in Christendom any one should\ngovern in opposition to the word and works of God. Therefore, from\nnecessity, has St. Peter subjoined that in which he instructs how\ngovernment should be ordered among christian people. Then follows,\nfurther:\n\n\nV. 12. _Beloved, be not surprised at the fiery trial which is to try\nyou, as though some strange thing happened unto you._ That is a mode\nof speech not common in our language. But St. Peter uses this very\nphraseology, in order to remind us of that concerning which the Holy\nScripture speaks. For the Scripture is accustomed to speak of\nsuffering as though it were a furnace full of fire and heat. St.\nPeter has spoken in the same manner, above, in the first chapter:\n\"That the trial of your faith be found far more precious than the\nperishing gold that is tried by fire.\" We may also read in the\nprophet Isaiah, chap. xlviii., God says: \"I have tried thee in the\nfurnace of affliction;\" and Ps. xvi., \"With fire hast thou tried me;\"\nand Ps. xxv., \"Lord, thou wilt consume and destroy my nerves and my\nheart;\" also, Ps. lxv., \"We have passed through fire and water.\" Thus\nthe Scriptures are accustomed to illustrate what we call suffering,\nby burning or trial by fire. This is St. Peter's conclusion, that we\nshould not suffer ourselves to be surprised, or to think it strange\nand wonderful that the heat or fire should meet us, whereby we are\ntried, just as gold is when it is melted in the fire.\n\nWhen faith begins, God does not neglect it; He lays the cross upon\nour back in order to strengthen us and make our faith mighty. The\nGospel is a powerful word, but it cannot enter upon its work without\nopposition, and no one can be sure that it possesses such power, but\nhe who has experienced it. Where there is suffering and the cross,\nthere its power may be shown and exercised. It is a _living_ word,\nand therefore it must exercise all its energy upon the dead. But if\nthere is no such thing as death and corruption, there is nothing for\nit to do, and none can be certain that it possesses such virtue, and\nis stronger than sin and death. Therefore, he says, _are you tried_;\nthat is, God appoints for you no flame or heat (in other words, cross\nand suffering, which make you glow as in a furnace), except to try\nyou, whether you rely upon His word. Thus it is written, Wisdom x.,\nof Jacob, \"God appointed for him a severe conflict, that he might\nlearn by experience that divine wisdom is the strongest of all\nthings.\" That is the reason why God imposes the cross on all\nbelievers, that they may taste and prove the power of God which\nthrough faith they have possessed.\n\n\nV. 13. _But be ye partakers of the sufferings of Christ._ St. Peter\ndoes not say that we should feel the sufferings of Christ, that\nthereby we should be partakers with Him through faith, but would say\nthis: just as Christ has suffered, so are you to expect to suffer and\nbe tried. If you do thus suffer, then do you therein have fellowship\nwith the Lord Christ. If we would live with Him, we must also die\nwith Him. If I wish to sit with Him in His kingdom, I must also\nsuffer with Him, as Paul also says, repeatedly.\n\n\nV. 13. _Rejoice, that in the time of the revelation of His glory, ye\nmay be glad with exceeding joy._ Though you should be brought to\ntorture and the flames, you would still be happy. For though there be\npain as to the body, there shall yet be a spiritual joy, inasmuch as\nyou are to be happy forever. For this joy springs here from\nsuffering, and is everlasting. Yet whoever cannot bear his sufferings\ncheerfully, and is dissatisfied, and chooses to contend with God, he\nshall endure, both here and hereafter, eternal torment and suffering.\nThus we read of holy martyrs, that they have submitted cheerfully to\ntorture, thus opening the way to eternal enjoyment; as for instance,\nof St. Agatha, that she went as joyfully to prison as though it had\nbeen to a dance. And the Apostles went also with joy, and thanked God\n\"that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ's sake.\"\n\n\n_In the time of the revelation of His glory._ Christ does not permit\nHimself as yet to be seen as a Lord, but is still a sharer with us in\nour labors. So far as He is Himself concerned, He is truly such, but\nwe who are His members, are not Lords as yet. Still we shall yet be\nLords, when His glory at the last day shall be revealed before all\nmen, brighter than the sun.\n\n\nV. 14. _If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you._\nChrist is a hateful name with the world; whoever preaches of Him must\nendure to have the most esteemed on earth slander and revile his\nname. But this in our times is more strange and unseemly, that they\nwho persecute us bear also the name of Christ; they say they are\nChristians and baptized, yet in fact renounce and persecute Christ.\nThis is indeed a sad strife. They hold the same name as tenaciously\nas we do, against us. For this reason we greatly need\nconsolation,--although the most discreet and pious follow after\nus,--that we may abide firmly and remain cheerful. But how?\n\n\nV. 14. _For the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you. On their\npart He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified._ Ye (he\nsays) have within you a Spirit, that is, the Spirit of God and of\nglory, such as makes you glorious. But this does not take place on\nearth, but it shall take place when the glory of Christ shall be\nrevealed at the last day. Besides, He is not only a Spirit that makes\nus glorious, but one which we also regard as glorious in Himself. For\nit belongs peculiarly to the Holy Spirit to purify and glorify, even\nas He has made Christ pure and glorious. Now the same Spirit (he\nsays) rests upon you; and forasmuch as ye bear the name of Christ, it\nis slandered by them. For He must endure to be reviled and slandered,\nto the highest degree. Therefore it is not you who receive the\nreviling; it belongs to the Spirit, which is a Spirit of glory: be\nnot anxious; He will regard it and raise you to honor. This is the\nconsolation which we as Christians have, that we may say, That word\nis not mine, this faith is not mine, they are all the work of God:\nwhoever reviles me reviles God, as Christ says in Matthew x.,\n\"Whoever receiveth you receiveth me;\" and on the other hand, \"Whoever\nreviles you reviles me.\" St. Peter, therefore, would say, Know that\nthe Spirit which you have is strong enough easily to punish His\nenemies; as God says also in Ex. xxiii., If thou wilt hearken to my\ncommandments, I will be the enemy of thine enemies. And the Scripture\noften repeats it, that the enemies of the saints are the enemies of\nGod. If we only have experience that we are Christians, and believe,\nwe shall not be ashamed, but the reviling is directed more especially\nagainst God Himself. Therefore, he says, be ye cheerful and happy,\nfor that opposition is to the Spirit, which is not yours, but God's.\nNow he adds an admonition:\n\n\nV. 15, 16. _But let no one suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an\nevil-doer, or a busy-body in other men's matters; but if any man\nsuffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify\nGod on this behalf._ He would say, now, You have heard how you are to\nsuffer, and conduct yourselves under it, but beware that it do not\ncome upon you because you have deserved it on account of your evil\ndeeds, but for Christ's sake. Yet this is not now the case with us,\nfor we must suffer, notwithstanding the fact that those who persecute\nus bear also the name of Christ, so that no one can die because he is\na Christian, but only as an enemy of Christ, and even they who\npersecute him say they are real Christians, and say, too, that he is\nblessed who dies for Christ's sake. Here the Spirit alone must\ndetermine, since you must know that you are a Christian in the sight\nof God. God's tribunal is a secret one, and when He has uncovered the\nmatter, He will judge no more according to the name, since at that\ntime the name of the most exalted must vanish away.\n\nNow, St. Peter says, If ye suffer in this manner, _be ye not ashamed,\nbut glorify God._ Here he makes the suffering and anguish the more\nwelcome, because it is great, insomuch that we praise God through it,\nand because we are not worthy of it. Yet now all will shrink\ntherefrom. Of what advantage is it to embrace the cross in\nmonasteries? The cross of Christ does not save me. I must, indeed,\nbelieve in His cross, but I must myself bear my own cross. His\nsuffering must I experience inwardly, if I would possess the true\ntreasure. Let St. Peter's bones be holy, yet how does it help you?\nYou and your bones should be holy, too, which can take place only\nwhen you suffer for Christ's sake.\n\n\nV. 17. _For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of\nGod; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that\nobey not the Gospel of God?_ He here brings two passages from the\nprophets together in one. As to the first, Jeremiah says, xxv.:\n\"Behold, I send my judgments upon the city which is called by my\nname; and if first of all I afflict my dearly beloved children who\nbelieve on me, who first of all must suffer and past through the\nfire, do ye who are my enemies, ye who do not believe, suppose that\nye shall escape punishment?\" So in chap. xlix. he says: \"They whose\njudgment was not to drink the cup, have assuredly drunken, and\nthinkest thou that thou art he that shall not drink?\" That is, I\nstrike my beloved, that you may see how I shall treat my enemies.\nObserve here the force of the words: if God holds his saints in such\nesteem, yet has been willing to have them judged and exposed with\nsuch severity, what will then be done with the others?\n\nSo also Ezekiel, chap. ix., saw armed men with their swords, who were\nto slay all, to whom God said, begin at my sanctuary. That is what\nSt. Peter means in this place. Therefore he says, the time is come,\nas the prophets have foretold, when judgment must begin with us. When\nthe Gospel is preached, God arrests and punishes sin, since it is He\nthat kills and makes alive. The pious he gently strokes, and first of\nall is the rod of kind correction: but what then will be done with\nthose that do not believe? As though he had said, if He proceeds with\nsuch severity toward His own children, you may infer what must be the\npunishment of those who do not believe.\n\n\nV. 18. _And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the\nungodly and the sinner appear?_ This passage is also taken from the\nbook of Proverbs, chap. ii. 31.: \"If the righteous be recompensed in\nthe earth, where shall the godless abide?\" The same thing also is\nsaid here by St. Peter. The righteous can hardly be saved and only\njust escapes. The righteous is he who believes, yet in his faith,\neven, _he_ has trouble and labor in order to persevere and be saved,\nfor he must pass through the fire. Where then will _he_ be found who\nhas not faith? If God gives thus to faith a shock that makes it\ntremble, how can _he_ abide steadfast who is without faith? whence he\nconcludes:\n\n\nV. 19. _Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God,\ncommit their souls to Him as a faithful creator, in well-doing._ That\nis, they to whom God appoints suffering, that they have not\nthemselves sought out and invited, should commit their souls to his\ncharge. These are they that do good, abide in good works, fall not\naway because of suffering, commit themselves to their Creator, who is\nfaithful. This is to us a great consolation. God created thy soul\nwithout thy care or cooperation, while as yet thou wast not; so is he\nalso able to preserve it. Therefore commit thyself to Him, yet in\nsuch a way that it be joined with good works. Not that you are to\nthink,--now I will not be afraid to die; you must see to it that you\nare a true Christian and prove your faith by your works. But if you\ngo on so venturously, it will be wise to examine how it will go with\nyou. This is the last admonition which St. Peter gives to those that\nsuffer for Christ's sake. We pass now to\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER V.\n\n\nV. 1-4. _The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an\nelder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and partaker of the\nglory which shall be revealed. Feed the flock of Christ which is\namong you, and take the oversight of it, not by constraint, but\nwillingly, not for the love of vile gain, but of a ready mind, not as\nLords over the heritage, but be ye examples for the flock. Thus when\nthe Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive the enduring\ncrown._\n\n\nThere St. Peter gives a direction for the behaviour of such as are to\npreside over the people in the spiritual government. He has already\nsaid in the last chapter, that no one should teach or preach\nanything, unless he be sure that it is the word of God, so that our\nconscience may stand on the firm rock. For this is imperative on us\nas Christians, that we must be assured what is well-pleasing to God,\nor not. Where this is wanting none can be a Christian. Afterward he\ntaught us, that whatever work or office any one might have, he should\ndischarge it as though God wrought in it. But the present passage\nrefers particularly to the bishops or pastors as to what their\nfitness and conduct should be. But here you must pause and learn the\nmeaning of the words. The expression presbyter or priest is a Greek\nword, rendered in Dutch an elder, just as in Latin these were called\nsenators; that is, a number of aged, careful men of much experience.\nSo Christ also has called his officers and his council, who bear\nspiritual rule; that is, who are to preach and provide for some\nchristian church. Therefore you must not mistake, though they are\ncalled at the present day by a different title, priests. For of those\nwho are now called priests, Scripture knows nothing. Put the real\nstate of things as it now comes to pass out of sight, and apprehend\nthe matter thus: that St. Peter and the other Apostles, when they\narrived at a city where there were faithful people or Christians,\nhave selected there some few aged men of honorable standing, having\nwife and children, and being well-grounded in the Scriptures. These\nwere called presbyters. After this Peter and Paul call them\n_Episcopos_, that is, bishop. So that priest and bishop are one and\nthe same thing. Of this we have a fine example in the legend of St.\nMartyn, where an individual, with several companions, arrives in\nAfrica at a certain place, and perceives a man lying there in a\nhovel, whom they took for a husbandman, though they knew not who he\nwas. Afterwards, when the people had come together at that place,\nthis very man arose and preached, when they perceived that it was\ntheir pastor or bishop; for at that time they were not distinguished\nfrom other people by their peculiar kind of clothing and attendance.\n\nThose elders, says St. Peter, who are to care for and to oversee the\npeople, do I admonish, who am also one. Hence you clearly perceive\nthat they whom he calls _elders_, have been in the ministry and have\npreached, since he speaks of himself also as an elder. And here St.\nPeter humbles himself--does not say that he was a Lord, although he\nmight have had authority for it since he was an Apostle of Christ,\nand speaks of himself not only as a fellow-elder, but also as a\nwitness of the sufferings that were in Christ. As though he had said,\nI do not merely preach, but am a partaker with Christians, even\nsuffering Christians. Thereby he shows that wherever Christians are\nthey must suffer and be persecuted. Such is a genuine Apostle. If\nsuch a Pope or a bishop were to be found among these men that bear\nthe title at the present day, we would gladly kiss his feet.\n\n\n_And partaker of the glory which shall be revealed._ This is\nsomething still more exalted, and evidently a bishop must not lightly\nsay it. For here St. Peter claims to be a saint. He was certain that\nhe should be saved, for he had strong assurance, as when Christ said,\n\"I have chosen you\"--yet it had cost much pains ere the Apostles\nattained it. They must first be humbled and wickedly derided. Now,\nalthough he knew that he was a partaker of salvation, still he is not\nproud, neither does he exalt himself, although he is a saint. But\nwhat were the elders therefore to do? It follows:\n\n\nV. 2. _Feed the flock of Christ which is among you._ Christ is the\nchief Shepherd, and has many shepherds under Him,--as also many herds\nof sheep which He has committed to His shepherds, here and there, as\nSt. Peter writes in this place, in many lands. What are these\nshepherds to do? They are to feed the flock of Christ. This the Pope\nhas arrogated to himself, and thus claims that he is sovereign lord,\nand will dispose of the sheep as he chooses. We know very well what\nfeeding is,--namely, that the shepherd should distribute provision\nand set food before the sheep, that they may thrive. Besides, they\nare to guard lest the wolves come and rend the sheep,--that is, that\nthey may not assault and worry them.\n\nNow St. Peter says, particularly, the _flock of Christ_, as though he\nshould say: Do not imagine that the flock is yours, ye are only\nservants. But our bishops speak with all confidence the reverse of\nthis. They say, you are _my_ sheep. But we are Christ's sheep; for so\nhe said above, \"Ye are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of\nyour souls.\" The bishops are Christ's servants, and their business is\nto guard Christ's sheep, and feed them. Therefore to feed them is\nnothing else but to preach the Gospel, whereby souls are nourished,\nmade fat and fruitful,--since the sheep thrive upon the Gospel and\nthe word of God. This is alone the office of a bishop. So Christ says\nalso to Peter, \"Feed my sheep,\"--that is, the sheep which you are to\nfeed, are not yours, but mine. Yet from this they have inferred the\ndoctrine that the Pope has external power over all Christendom, and\nyet none of them preaches to you one word out of the Gospel; and I\nfear that since St. Peter's times there has been no Pope that has\npreached the Gospel. There has certainly been none who has written\nand left anything behind him in which the Gospel was contained. Saint\nGregory, the Pope, was certainly a holy man, but his sermons are not\nworth a farthing; so that it would seem that the See of Rome has been\nunder the special curse of God. It is very possible that some Popes\nmay have endured martyrdom for the Gospel's sake; but nothing has\nbeen written of them to show that it was the Gospel. And yet they go\non and preach that they must feed the flock; and yet they do nothing\nbut bind and destroy the conscience, by laws of their own, while they\npreach not a word of Christ.\n\nIt is probable, indeed, that among all Christians many might be\nfound, both men and women, as able to preach as those who are thus\nemployed. But certainly among all these multitudes there are many\npeople who have not this ability. And therefore some one must be\nselected to strengthen them, so that the wolves shall not come and\ntear the sheep. For a preacher must not only feed the sheep, so as to\ninstruct them how they are to be good Christians, but, besides this,\nmust guard against the wolves, lest they attack the sheep and lead\nthem astray with false doctrine, and introduce error such as the\ndevil would not find fault with. But there are many people to be\nfound at the present day, quite ready to tolerate our preaching of\nthe Gospel, if we would not cry out against the wolves and preach\nagainst the prelates.\n\nBut though I were to preach the simple truth, and feed the sheep and\ngive them good instruction, still it is not enough unless the sheep\nbe guarded and protected, so that the wolves do not come and carry\nthem off. For what is it that is built, if I throw out one stone and\nsee another thrown into its place? The wolf can very readily endure\nto have the sheep well fed; he had rather have it so, that they may\nbe fat. But this he cannot endure, the hostile bark of the dogs.\nTherefore is it a most important matter, if well considered, that we\nshould truly feed the flock, as God has commanded it.\n\n\n_The flock_, he says, _which is among you_,--that is, which is with\nyou, not that they are to lie at your feet. And _oversee them not by\nconstraint, but willingly, not out of love for vile gain._ There he\nhas expressed, in a single word, what the prophet Ezekiel writes,\nchap. xxxiv., of shepherds or bishops. And this is the meaning: you\nare not only to feed them, but also pay attention and be carefully\nfaithful where it is called for and there is need. And here he uses a\nGreek word, _Episcopountes_,--that is, _being bishops_, and it comes\nfrom the word _Episcopos_,--that is, rendered in Dutch, _an\noverseer_, _a guardian_, who is on the watch or look-out, and takes\nnotice of what every one around him wants. Observe, then, how a\nbishop and an elder are one and the same thing. So that _that_ is\nfalse which they now say, that the bishop's office is a dignity, and\nthat _he_ is a bishop who wears a pointed hat on his head. It is not\na dignity, but a ministry; so that he who has it should oversee and\nprovide for us, and be our guardian, so as to know what is generally\nneeded; that when one is weak and has a troubled conscience, he\nshould then give help and comfort; when one falls, that he should\nraise him up, and things of this sort; so that the people of Christ\nmay sufficiently be cared for, both in soul and body. For this\nreason, I have often said, that if a proper form of government was to\nbe now established, there must in such a case be in one city as many\nas three or four bishops, who should have the oversight and care of\nthe Church, providing for the general wants.\n\nAnd here St. Peter touches on two points which might well appall any\none from taking the charge over a people. In the first place, there\nare some to be found who are truly devoted, yet yield reluctantly to\nbecoming preachers; for it is a wearisome office for any one to have\nthe general oversight,--how the sheep live, so as to direct and help\nthem,--since there must be oversight and watchfulness night and day,\nthat the wolf do not break in; so that body and life must be devoted\nto it. Therefore he says, _you are not to do it of constraint_. True\nit is, that no one should force himself uncalled into the ministry;\nbut if he is called and required for it, he should enter it\nwillingly, and discharge what his office demands. For they who do it\nfrom constraint, and who have no appetite and love for it, will not\nproperly discharge it.\n\nBut there are others, worse than these, who stand up before the\npeople and thereby seek their own gain, so as to feed their own\nbelly. These men are anxious for the wool and milk of the sheep; they\nask no questions about the food,--just the course of our bishops\nnow,--a thing that has become almost everywhere a scandal and a\nshame, for in a bishop it is especially scandalous. For this reason\nboth the apostles Peter and Paul, as well as the prophets also, have\nrepeatedly spoken of it. So Moses says, \"You know that I have coveted\nno man's cattle.\" The prophet Samuel, also, \"You know that I have\ntaken of you no man's ass or ox.\" For if he whose duty it is to feed\nthe flock is anxious merely for wealth and gain, he will in a short\ntime become a wolf himself.\n\n\nV. 2. _But of a ready mind._ That is, that a bishop have an appetite\nand inclination thereto. This is the character of those who willingly\nminister, and do not seek the wool of the sheep. Thus we have two\nkinds of false shepherds: the one, those who serve unwillingly; the\nother, those who do it gladly, but for the sake of avarice.--Further,\nhe says:\n\n\nV. 3. _Not as lords over the heritage._ This is the character of\nthose who rule willingly enough for honor's sake, in order that they\nmay rise high, and become powerful tyrants. Therefore he admonishes\nthem that they should not act as though the people was subject to\nthem, so that they might be gentlemen, and might do as they chose.\nFor we have a Master, who is Christ, who rules over our spirits. The\nbishops are to do no more than feed the sheep. Here St. Peter has\nbroken down and condemned all that rule which the Pope now maintains,\nand clearly determines that they have not power to give one word of\nadditional command, but that they are to be only servants, and say,\n\"Thus saith Christ thy Master, therefore you are to do it.\" So Christ\nalso speaks: \"The kings of this world have dominion, and men call\nthem who are in authority their gracious lords; but you are not to be\nlike them.\" Now the Pope speaks the reverse,--\"Ye shall rule and have\nauthority.\"\n\n\nV. 3-4. _But be ye an example for the flock; so shall ye, when the\nChief Shepherd shall appear, receive the enduring crown._ That is,\nsee to it that you go before them at their head, and exhibit such a\nconduct that your life may be an example to the people, and they may\nfollow after you. But our bishops say to the people, \"Go there and do\nso and so;\" and they sit on cushions and play the gentleman, imposing\nburdens on us which they will not bear themselves, while they will\nnot preach a word, and call others to account if they have not done\nit for them. But if it should be required of them, they would soon be\nweary of their dignity.\n\nTherefore St. Peter does not appoint any temporal reward for bishops.\nAs though he would say, \"Your office is so great that it never can be\nrewarded here, but ye shall receive an eternal crown, which shall\nfollow it, if ye truly feed the sheep of Christ.\" This is the\nadmonition which St. Peter gives to those who are to care for souls,\nfrom whence you may confidently infer and clearly prove, that the\nPope, along with his bishops, is Antichrist, or an enemy of Christ,\nsince he does nothing of that which St. Peter here requires, and\nneither teaches nor practices it himself, but even acts the\ncounterpart, and will not only not feed the sheep or let them be fed,\nbut is himself a wolf and tears them, and yet makes it his boast that\nhe is the vicar of the Lord Christ. He certainly is that, for since\nChrist is not there, he, like the devil, sits and rules in Christ's\nplace.\n\nWhence it is necessary carefully to remember these plain texts and\nothers like them, and to hold them up against the Pope's government,\nso that when any one asks or questions you, you may be able to answer\nand say, \"Christ said and practised so and so; the Pope teaches and\npractices directly the opposite. Since they are opposed to one\nanother one of them must be false; but certainly Christ is not.\nWhence I conclude that the Pope is a liar and the real Antichrist.\"\n\nIn this way must you be prepared with Scripture, so that you can not\nonly challenge the Pope as Antichrist, but know how to prove it\nclearly, so that you could die secure of it, and withstand the devil\neven in death.--It follows, further:\n\n\nV. 5. _Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elders._ We\nhave now the last admonition in this chapter. St. Peter would have\nsuch order in the christian church, that the young should follow the\nold, so that all may go on harmoniously; those beneath submissive to\nthose above them. If this were now to be enforced, we should not need\nmany laws. He would strictly have it so that the younger shall be\ndirected according to the understanding of the older, as these shall\nbest judge that it shall be for the praise of God. But St. Peter\npresumes that such elders are to be instructed and established in the\nHoly Ghost. For should it happen that they are themselves fools, and\nwithout understanding, no good government could originate with them;\nbut if they are persons of good understanding, then it is well that\nthey should rule the youth. But St. Peter is not speaking here of\ncivil, but of church government, that the elders should rule those\nthat are spiritually younger, whether they be priests or even old\nmen.\n\n\n_Be ye all of you subject one to another, and therein manifest\nhumility._ Here he turns and modifies his command, directing each to\nbe subject one to another. But how is that consistent, that the\nelders should rule, and yet all should be subject one to the other?\nAre we then to overturn what has been said? Some one perhaps would\ngive such a gloss as this, that St. Peter spoke above of the\nelders,--here he speaks of the younger. But we shall let the words\nstand, granting that they are spoken generally; as Paul also says in\nRom. xii., \"That each in honor prefer one another.\" The younger\nshould be subject to the old, yet in such a manner that the latter\nshall not regard themselves as masters, but even should submit and\nfollow, where a younger is more judicious and learned; just as God in\nthe Old Testament often selected young men, provided they were more\nwise than the old.\n\nSo Christ also teaches, in Luke xiv.: \"When thou art bidden, sit not\ndown in the highest place, lest a more honorable than thou be bidden,\nand then he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, give this\nman place; and thou begin with shame to take the lower place; but\nwhen thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place, that when\nhe that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee: Friend, go up\nhigher;\" and then he introduces the passage as it is found in many\nplaces: \"He who exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that\nhumbleth himself shall be exalted.\"\n\nTherefore should the younger be subject to the elder, and yet the\nelder on the other hand should be so disposed that each one in his\nheart shall hold himself as the least. Were this done we should have\ndelightful peace, and all would go well on earth. This, therefore,\nsays he, should we do, _exhibit humility_.\n\n\n_For God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble._ That\nis, those who will not give place God casts down; and on the other\nhand, he exalts those who humble themselves. It is a common\nexpression--would to God he lived like common folks.\n\n\nV. 6. _Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God._\nSince God requires that each should be subject to the other; if it is\ndone willingly and cheerfully, he will exalt you. But if you will not\ndo it willingly, you shall do it from constraint. He will cast you\ndown.\n\n\n_That He may exalt you in his own time._ It seems, when God suffers\nhis own children to be cast down, as though he would at length desert\nthem. Therefore he says: Do not mistake on this account, and suffer\nyourself to be blinded, but be confident, since you have a sure\npromise that it is God's hand and will. Therefore should you not\nregard the time, however long it be, that you are brought low; for\nthough He has cast you down, He will yet lift you up. Hence it\nfollows:\n\n\nV. 7. _Cast all your cares upon Him, for He careth for you._ You have\nsuch a promise as this, whereby you may rest secure that God doth not\nforsake you, _but careth for you_. Therefore let all your cares go,\nand cast your burden on Him. These words are exceedingly precious;\nhow could He have made them more sweet or tender? Why does He employ\nso great allurement? It is in order that no one might easily despond\nand give up his purpose. Therefore He gives us such consolation as\nthis: that God not only looks upon us, but cares also for us, and has\na heartfelt regard for our lot. He further says:\n\n\nV. 8. _Be sober, be vigilant, for your adversary the devil goeth\nabout as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour._ Here he gives\nus a warning, and would open our eyes, and it would be well worthy\nthat the text should be written in golden letters. Here you perceive\nwhat this life is, and how it is described, so that we might well be\never wishing that we were dead. We are here in the devil's kingdom,\njust as in case a pilgrim should arrive at an inn, where he knew that\nall in the house were robbers; if he must enter there he will yet arm\nhimself in the best way he can devise, and will sleep but little: so\nare we now on earth, where the prince is an evil spirit, and has the\nhearts of men in his power, doing by them as he will. It is a fearful\nthought if we properly regard it. Therefore St. Peter would warn us\nto take heed to ourselves, and act the part of a faithful servant,\nwho knows the state of things here. For this reason he says: be\nsober, for they who indulge themselves here in eating and drinking,\nand are like fat swine, are such as can be fitted for nothing useful.\nTherefore must we have ever by us such a talisman as this.\n\nAnd be vigilant (he says), not only as to the spirit but also as to\nthe body. For a vitiated body, prone to sleep when it eats and drinks\nitself full, will give the devil no opposition, though it belong even\nto those swine who have a faith and spirit.\n\nWherefore should we then be sober and vigilant? _Because your enemy\nthe devil goeth about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour._\nThe evil spirit, sleeps not--is cunning and wicked. He has purposed\nwith himself that he will assault us, and he knows the right trick\ntherefor; goes about like a lion that is hungry, and roars as though\nhe would gladly devour all. Here St. Peter gives us an important\nadmonition, and forewarns us of our enemy, that we may protect\nourselves against him; as Paul also says, \"we are not ignorant of the\ndevices of the wicked spirit.\" That \"going about\" tends to make us\nheedless, and thereupon follow wrath, hatred, pride, lust, contempt\nof God.\n\nAnd here observe especially, that he says _the devil goeth about_. He\ndoes not pass before your eyes, when you are armed against him, but\nlooks out before and behind you, within and without, where he may\nattack you. If he now meets you here, he will quickly return there,\nand attack you in another place; he changes from one side to the\nother, and employs every kind of cunning and art that he may bring\nyou to fall; and if you are well prepared in one place, he will\nquickly fall in upon another; and if he cannot overthrow you there,\nthen he assaults you somewhere else, and so never gives it up, but\ngoes round and round, and leaves no rest to any one. If we then are\nfools and do not regard it, but go on and take no heed, then has he\nas good as seized upon us.\n\nLet every one now look to this; surely each shall trace something of\nthis in his own experience. He that has examined knows it well.\nTherefore it is so sad for us that we go about so heedlessly. If we\nrightly regard it, we should cry out, _death rather than life_. Job\nhas spoken thus: \"Man's life on earth is nothing but an encampment, a\nmere conflict and strife.\" Why then does God thus leave us in life\nand misery? In order that faith may be exercised and grow, and that\nhastening out of this life, we may have a desire of death, and an\nanxiety to depart.\n\n\nV. 9. _Whom withstand, firm in the faith._ Sober you should be, and\nvigilant, but to this end,--the body must be in a proper frame. Yet\nwith all this, the devil is not routed; this only suffices to afford\nthe body less occasion for sin. The true sword is this, that ye be\nstrong and firm in the faith. If you in heart grasp hold of the word\nof God and maintain your hold by faith, then the devil cannot gain\nthe advantage, but will be compelled to fly. If you can say, \"This\nhas my God said--on this I stand,\" then shall ye see that he will\nquickly depart, and ill-humor, evil lusts, wrath, avarice, melancholy\nand doubt, will all vanish. But the devil is artful, and does not\nreadily permit you to come to this, and so assaults you in order to\ntake the sword out of your hand; if he can make you full, so that\nyour body is unguarded and inclined to wantonness, then will he\nquickly wrench the sword from your grasp. Thus He served Eve: she had\nGod's word; if she had continued to depend on it she would not have\nfallen, but when the devil saw that she held the word so loosely, he\ntore it from her heart, so that she let it go and he triumphed.\n\nThus St. Peter has sufficiently instructed us how to contend with the\ndevil. It requires not much running hither and thither; is besides a\nwork that you can do, yet no longer than you depend through faith on\nthe word of God. If he comes and would drive you into despondency\nbecause of sin, only seize hold of the word of God that speaks of the\nforgiveness of sin, and venture yourself thereon; then will he be\ncompelled quickly to let you alone. St. Peter says, moreover:\n\n\n_Knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren\nthat are in the world._ That is, be not surprised that you must meet\nopposition from the devil; but comfort yourselves, inasmuch as ye are\nnot alone, but there are others besides you who must endure such\nsuffering, and reflect that you have your brethren to share with you\nin the strife.\n\nThere now you have the Epistle in which you have sufficiently heard a\ntruly christian doctrine; in what a masterly manner he has described\nfaith, love, and the Holy Cross; and how he instructs and warns us as\nto how we should contend with the devil. Whoever comprehends this\nEpistle, has doubtless enough, so that he needs nothing more but that\nGod teach him richly from that which likewise overflows in the other\nbooks. But that is besides nothing different from this; for here the\nApostle has forgotten nothing which it is necessary for a Christian\nto know.\n\nFinally, he does what every faithful preacher should do, in that he\nnot only takes care to feed the sheep, but also cares and prays for\nthem; and concludes with a prayer that God may give them grace and\nstrength, that they may understand and retain the word.\n\n\nV. 10. _But the God of all grace who hath called us unto His Eternal\nglory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you\nperfect, establish, strengthen, settle you._ That is the wish\nwherewith he commits them to God--God, who alone bestows grace, and\nnot a single grace, but all grace richly in one, who has called you\nthrough Christ that ye might have Eternal glory, not through any\ndesert of your own, but for Christ's sake; if ye have Him, ye have\nthrough faith, without merit of yours, Eternal glory and salvation,\nwhich will prepare you, that you may be strong, grow, and stand, and\nthat ye may be able to accomplish much; and to this end He will\nstrengthen and establish you, that ye may be able to bear and suffer\nall.\n\n\nV. 11. _To him be praise and power for ever and ever, Amen._ Praise\nis the sacrifice that we as Christians should offer up to God. He\nonly adds, in conclusion:\n\n\nV. 12. _By your faithful brother Silvanus, (as I suppose), have I\nwritten briefly, to admonish and manifest that this is the true grace\nof God wherein ye stand._ Although I well know (he would say) that\nyou have heard this before and know it well, so that you do not need\nthat I should teach it unto you, yet have I written this to you (as\nthose that are truly Apostles should do), that I might also admonish\nyou that you abide therein, since you are tried and exercised; and\nyou are not to imagine that I preach any otherwise than as you have\nalready heard.\n\n\nV. 13. _The Church that is at Babylon greets you._ Such was the\npractice of writing in the Epistles the farewell. _The Church at\nBabylon_, says he, _greets you_. I suppose, but am not fully\nconfident, that he here meant Rome, for it has been generally\nsupposed that the Epistle was written from Rome. Still, there were\ntwo Babylons,--one in Chaldea, the other in Egypt, which is now Al\nCair. But Rome is not called Babylon, except figuratively, in the\nsense, as was said above, of thronging corruption. Thus, Babel means,\nin the Hebrew, a confusion. So, perhaps, he has called Rome a\nconfusion, or Babel, since _there_ was also such disorderly conduct,\nand a confused multitude of all kinds of shameful practices and\nvices; and whatever in the whole world was scandalous had flown\ntogether there. In this same, he says, is a church gathered of such\nas are Christians, who greet you. But I will readily leave every one\nto hold it as he will, for no importance attaches to it.\n\n\n_My son, Marcus, also._ Some say that he here means Mark, the\nEvangelist, and calls him his son, not literally, but\nspiritually,--as Paul calls Timothy and Titus his sons, and says to\nthe Corinthians that he has begotten them in Christ.\n\n\nV. 14. _Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity._ This custom has\nnow passed away. In the Gospel we read distinctly that Christ\nreceived his disciples with a kiss, and such was then a practice in\nthose lands. Of this kiss, St. Paul often speaks, also.\n\n\n_Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen._ That is, who\nbelieve in Christ. This is the adieu wherewith he commits them to\nGod.--Thus we have concluded this first Epistle. God grant His grace,\nthat we may hold and keep it. Amen.\n\n\n\n\nTHE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER.\n\n\n\n\nPREFACE.\n\n\nSt. Peter wrote this Epistle because he saw how the true, pure\ndoctrine of faith had become falsified, darkened and suppressed. And\nhe has wished to meet a two-fold error, springing from a wrong\nunderstanding of the doctrine of faith, and guard against it in both\ndirections; namely, that we should not ascribe to works the power of\nmaking us righteous and acceptable before God, though these works\nbelong to faith; and, on the other hand, that no one should think\nthat there may be faith without good works. For if any one preaches\nconcerning faith, that it justifies us without any addition of works,\nthe people say, \"One need do no works,\" as we see it in our daily\nexperience; and, on the other hand, when they fall on works and exalt\nthem, faith must be prostrated, so that the middle way is one to be\nretained with difficulty, where there are not preachers of the right\nkind.\n\nNow, we have ever taught this doctrine, that to faith we are to\nascribe all things, one as well as another; that it alone makes us\njust and holy in the sight of God. Moreover, that if faith is\npresent, out of it good works must and should proceed, since it is\neven impossible that we should pass this our life quite indolent, and\ndo no works. Thus St. Peter in this Epistle would also teach us, and\nthus meet those who perhaps out of the former Epistle might have\nreceived the wrong apprehension that it sufficed for faith, though we\nshould at the same time do no work. And against this the first\nchapter especially aims, wherein he teaches that believers should try\nthemselves by good works, and become assured of their faith.\n\nThe second chapter is against those who exalt works merely, and\ndepreciate faith. Therefore he admonishes them against the false\nteachers who should come, who, through the teachings of men, should\ndestroy faith entirely. For he clearly saw what a cruel trial there\nwould yet be in the world, as had even then already begun; as St.\nPaul says, II. Thes. ii., \"The mystery of iniquity already works.\"\n\nThus is this Epistle written as a warning for us, that we prove our\nfaith by our good works, and yet that we trust not to our works.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I.\n\n\nV. 1. _Simon Peter, a servant and Apostle of Jesus Christ, to those\nwho have attained like faith with us, in the righteousness which our\nGod gives, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ._ Such is the subscription\nand the superscription of this Epistle, that we may know who writes\nit, and to whom he writes it, even to those who have heard the word\nof God and abide in the faith. But what sort of a faith is this? In\nthe righteousness (says he) which God gives. Thus he grants\njustification to faith alone,--as St. Paul, also, in Rom. i. In the\nGospel is that righteousness revealed which avails with God, which\ncomes from faith; as it stands written: \"The just shall live by\nfaith.\" Thus St. Peter would admonish them that they should be armed,\nand not let the doctrine of faith be torn away, which they have now\napprehended and thoroughly known.\n\nAnd to this end he adjoins, _in the righteousness which God gives_,\nthat he may separate from it all human righteousness. For by faith\nalone are we righteous before God; wherefore faith is called a\nrighteousness of God, for with the world it is of no account; yea, it\nis even condemned.\n\n\nV. 2. _Grace and peace be multiplied among you, through the knowledge\nof God and Jesus Christ our Lord._ This is the greeting usually\nprefixed to the Epistles; and it amounts to this: I wish you, in\nplace of my service for you, to increase in grace and peace, and grow\never richer and richer in the grace which comes from the knowledge of\nGod and the Lord Christ,--that is, which none can have but he who has\nthe knowledge of God and Jesus Christ.\n\nThe Apostles, and the prophets also, in the Scripture, are ever\nsetting forth the knowledge of God. As Isaiah, xi: \"They shall not\ninjure or destroy in my whole mountain, for the land is filled with\nthe knowledge of God, as the land is covered with the water.\" That\nis, so overflowingly shall the knowledge of God break forth, as when\na mass of water gushes up and rushes forth and swallows up a whole\nland.\n\nThence shall such peace then follow, that no one shall wrong another,\nor make him suffer.\n\nBut this is not to know God, that you should believe as the Turks,\nJews, and devils believe, that God has created all things, or even\nthat Christ was born of a virgin, suffered, died, and rose again; but\nthis is the true knowledge, whereby you hold and know that God is thy\nGod and Christ is thy Christ, which the devil and the false\nchristians could not believe. So that this knowledge is nothing else\nbut a true christian faith; for if you thus know God and Christ, you\nwill then confide in them with your whole heart, and trust them in\ngood and ill, in life and death. Such trust evil consciences cannot\npossess. For they know no more of God, except that He is a God of St.\nPeter and all the saints in heaven. But as their own God they know\nHim not, but hold Him as their task-master and angry judge. To have\nGod, is to have all grace, all mercy, and all that man can well\nreceive; to have Christ, is to have the Saviour and Mediator, who has\nbrought us to say that God is ours, and has obtained all grace for us\nwith Him. This also must be implied, that Christ is yours and you are\nHis, then have you a true knowledge. A woman that lives unmarried can\nwell say that a man is a husband, but this can she not say, that he\nis her husband. So may we all well say, this is _a_ God, but this we\ncannot say all of us, that He is _our_ God, for we cannot all trust\nupon Him nor comfort ourselves as His. To this knowledge belongs also\nthat which the Scripture calls _faciem et vultum domini_, the face of\nthe Lord, whereof the prophets speak much; who ever sees not the face\nof the Lord knows Him not, but sees only His back,--that is, an angry\nand ungracious God.\n\nAnd here you perceive, that St. Peter does not set himself\nparticularly to write of faith, since he had already done that\nsufficiently in the First Epistle, but would admonish believers that\nthey should prove their faith by good works; for he would not have a\nfaith without good works, nor works without faith, but faith first\nand good works on and from faith. Therefore, he says, now, also:\n\n\nV. 3. _According as His divine power (whatever serves for life and\ngodliness) is abundantly given us._ This is the first point, where\nPeter essays to describe what sort of blessings we have received\nthrough faith from God, even that to us (since we have known God by\nfaith) there is given every kind of divine power. But what sort of\npower is it? It is such power as serves us toward life and godliness;\nthat is, when we believe, then we attain this much, that God gives us\nthe fullness of His power, which is so with and in us, that what we\nspeak and work, it is not we that do it, but God Himself does it. He\nis strong, powerful, and almighty in us, though we even suffer and\ndie, and are weak in the eyes of the world. So that there is no power\nnor ability in us if we have not this power of God.\n\nBut this power of God which is in us, St. Peter would not have so\nexplained, as that we might make heaven and earth, and should work\nsuch miracles as God does; for how would we be advantaged by it? But\nwe have the power of God within us so far as it is useful and\nnecessary to us. Therefore, the Apostle adjoins, and says, _whatever\nserves for life and godliness_; that is, we have such power of God\nthat by it we are eminently favored with grace to do good and to live\nforever.\n\n\n_Through the knowledge of Him who hath called us._ Such power of God,\nand such rich grace, come from no other source but from this\nknowledge of God; for if you count Him for a God, He will deal also\nwith you in all things as a God. So Paul also says, I. Cor. i., \"Ye\nare in all points enriched in every kind of word and knowledge, even\nas the preaching of Christ is made powerful in you, so that ye have\nhenceforth no want.\" This is now the greatest thing of all, the\nnoblest and most needful that God can give us,--so that we are not to\nreceive all that is in heaven and on earth; for what would it help\nyou, though you were able to go through fire and water, and do all\nkinds of wonderful works, and had not this? Many people who perform\nsuch miracles shall be condemned. But this is wonderful above all\nthings else, that God gives us such power, that thereby all our sins\nare forgiven and blotted out, death, the devil and hell, subdued and\nvanquished; so that we have an unharassed conscience and a happy\nheart, and fear for nothing.\n\n\n_Through His glory and virtue._ How does that call come, whereby we\nare called of God? Thus: God has permitted the holy Gospel to go\nforth into the world and be made known, though no man had ever before\nstriven for it, or sought or prayed for it, of Him. But ere man had\never thought of it, He has offered, bestowed, and beyond all measure\nrichly shed forth such grace, so that He alone has the glory and the\npraise; and we ascribe to Him alone the virtue and the power, for it\nis not our work, but His only. Wherefore, since the calling is not of\nus, we should not exalt ourselves as though we had done it, but\nrender to Him praise and thanksgiving, because He has given us the\nGospel, and thereby granted us power and might against the devil,\ndeath, and all evil.\n\n\nV. 4. _Whereby are given unto us exceeding precious and great\npromises._ St. Peter adjoins this, that he may explain the nature and\nmethod of faith. If we know Him as God, then do we have through faith\nthat eternal life and divine power wherewith we subdue death and the\ndevil. Though we see and grasp it not, yet is it promised to us. We\nreally have it all, though it does not yet appear, but at the last\nday we shall see it present before us. Here it begins in faith;\nthough we have it not in its fullness, we have yet the assurance that\nwe live here in the power of God, and shall afterward be saved\nforever.\n\nWhoever has this faith has the promise; whoever does not believe\npossesses it not, and must be lost forever. How great and precious a\nthing this is, Peter explains further, and says:\n\n\n_So that ye by the same might become partakers of the divine nature,\nwhile ye flee from the corrupting lusts of the world._ This we have,\nhe says, through the power of faith, that we should be partakers and\nhave association or communion with the divine nature. This is such a\npassage that the like of it does not stand in the New or Old\nTestament, although it is a small matter with the unbelieving that we\nshould have communion with the divine nature itself. But what is the\ndivine nature? It is eternal truth, righteousness, wisdom; eternal\nlife, peace, joy, happiness, and whatever good one can name. Whoever\nthen becomes partaker of the divine nature, attains all this,--that\nhe is to live forever, and have eternal peace, delight and joy, and\nis to be perfectly pure, just, and triumphant over the devil, sin and\ndeath. Therefore St. Peter would say this much: As little as any one\ncan take away from God, that He should not be eternal life and\neternal truth, just as little shall any one take it away from you.\nWhatever one does to you he must do to Him, for whoever would crush a\nChristian must crush God.\n\nAll this, that word, the divine nature, implies, and he also used it\nto this end, that he might include it all; and it is truly a great\nthing where it is believed. But, as I said above, this is merely\ninstruction, in which he does not lay down a ground of faith, but\nsets forth what great, rich blessings we receive through faith;\nwherefore he says, that ye shall have all if ye so live as to prove\nyour faith, whereby ye flee worldly lusts. So he speaks, now,\nfurther:\n\n\nV. 5. _Give then all your diligence, and add to your faith, virtue._\nHere St. Peter takes up the admonition, that they should prove their\nfaith by good works. Since such great blessing is bestowed upon you\nthrough faith (he would say), that ye really have all that God is, do\nthis besides: be diligent, and not sluggish; add to your faith,\nvirtue; that is, let your faith break out before the world, so as to\nbe zealous, busy, powerful, and active, and to do many works; let it\nnot remain idle and unfruitful. Ye have a good inheritance and a good\nfield, but see to it that ye do not let thistles and weeds grow upon\nit.\n\n\n_And to virtue, discrimination._ Discrimination or knowledge is, in\nthe first place, that one should manifest an outward conduct, and the\nvirtue of faith, in accordance with reason. For we should so far\nbridle and check the body, that we may be sober, vigorous, and fitted\nfor good works; not that we should torture and mortify ourselves as\nsome famous saints have done. For though God is likewise opposed to\nthe sins that remain in the flesh, yet does He not require that for\nthis reason you should destroy the body. Its viciousness and caprice\nyou should guard against, but yet you are not to ruin or injure it,\nbut give it its food and refreshment that it may remain sound and in\nliving vigor.\n\nIn the second place, discrimination means that one should lead a life\ncarefully exact, and act with discretion in regard to outward things,\nas food and things of that sort,--that one should not act in these\nthings unreasonably, and that he should give his neighbor no\nprovocation.\n\n\nV. 6. _And to discrimination, temperance._ Temperance is not only in\neating and drinking, but it is regularity in the whole life and\nconduct, words, works, manners; that we should not live too\nexpensively, and should avoid excess in ornament and clothing; that\nnone come out too proudly, and make too lofty a show. But in regard\nto this St. Peter will not fix any rule, measure, or limit, as the\nOrders have prescribed for themselves, who have wished to do all by\nrule, and have framed statutes which must be exactly observed. It is\na thing not to be tolerated in Christendom, that men should require\nby laws that there be a common rule on _temperance_; for people are\nunlike one to another; one is of a strong, another is of a weaker\nnature; and no one in all things is at all times situated as another.\nTherefore every one should see to himself how he is situated, and\nwhat he can bear.\n\n\n_And to temperance, patience._ Thus would St. Peter say: though ye\nlead a temperate and discreet life, ye are not to think that ye shall\nlive without conflict and persecution. For if ye believe, and lead a\nfair christian life, the world will not let it alone; it must\npersecute and hate you, in which you must show patience, which is a\nfruit of faith.\n\n\n_And to patience, godliness._ That is, that we in all our outward\nlife, whatever we do or suffer, should so conduct ourselves that we\nmay serve God therein, not seeking our own honor and gain, but that\nGod alone may be glorified thereby; and that we should so demean\nourselves that men may take knowledge that we do all for God's sake.\n\n\nV. 7. _And to godliness, brotherly love._ In this St. Peter obliges\nus all to extend a helping hand one to another, like brethren, so\nthat one should protect another, and none hate nor despise nor injure\nanother. This is also an evident proof of faith, whereby we show that\nwe have the godliness of which he has spoken.\n\n\n_And to brotherly love (charity), common love._ Common love extends\nto both friend and enemy, even to those who do not show themselves\nfriendly and brotherly towards us. Thus St. Peter has here\ncomprehended in few words whatever pertains to the christian life,\nand whatever are the works and fruits of faith, discretion,\ntemperance, patience, a God-fearing life, brotherly love, and\nkindness to every one.\n\n\nV. 8. _For if such dwell richly in you, it will not permit you to be\nidle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ._ That\nis, if ye do such works, then are ye on the right path, then do ye\nhave a real faith, and the knowledge of Christ becomes active and\nfruitful in you. Therefore see to it that ye be not such as beat the\nair. Restrain your body, and act toward your neighbor even in such a\nmanner as ye know that Christ has done toward you.\n\n\nV. 9. _But to whomsoever such is wanting, he is blind, gropes with\nthe hand, and has forgotten the purifying of his former sins._\nWhoever has not such a preparation of the fruits of faith, gropes\nlike a blind man here and there, rests in such a life that he knows\nnot what his state is, has not real faith, and has of the knowledge\nof Christ nothing more than that he can say he has heard it.\nTherefore he goes along and gropes like a blind man on the way, in an\nunconscious life, and has forgotten that he was baptized and his sins\nwere forgiven him, and is unthankful, and is an idle, negligent man,\nwho suffers nothing to go to his heart, and neither feels nor tastes\nsuch great grace and blessing.\n\nThis is the admonition which St. Peter gives to us who believe, to\nurge and enforce those works by which we shall evidence that the true\nfaith is in us. And, besides, this ever remains true, that faith\nalone justifies; where this then is present, there works must\nfollow.--What follows further, now, is meant to strengthen us.\n\n\nV. 10. _Wherefore, dear brethren, give so much the more diligence to\nmake your calling and election sure._ The election and eternal\nforeknowledge of God is indeed in itself sure enough, so that man\ndoes not need to make that sure. The calling is also effectual and\nsure. For whoever hears the Gospel, and believes thereon, and is\nbaptized, he is called and saved. Since we then are also thereunto\ncalled, we should apply so much diligence (says Peter), that our\ncalling and election may be assured with us also, and not only with\nGod. This is now such a mode of scriptural expression as St. Paul\nuses, Eph. ii., \"Ye were strangers to the covenant of promise, so\nthat ye had no hope and were without God in the world.\" For although\nthere is no man, neither bad nor good, over whom God does not reign,\nsince all creatures are His, yet Paul says he has no God who does not\nknow, love, and trust Him, although he had his being in God Himself.\nSo here, also; although the calling and election are effectual enough\nin themselves, yet with you it is not yet effectual and assured,\nsince you are not yet certain that it includes you. Therefore St.\nPeter would have us make such calling and election sure, by good\nworks.\n\nThus you see what this Apostle attributes to the fruits of faith.\nAlthough they are due to our neighbor, that he may be benefited by\nthem, still the fruit is not to be wanting, that faith may thereby\nbecome stronger, and do more and more of good works. Besides, this is\nquite another kind of power from that of the body, for that grows\nweary and wastes away if it is used and urged somewhat too far: but\nas to this spiritual power, the more it is used and urged, the\nstronger it becomes; and it suffers injury if it is not exercised.\nFor this reason did God introduce Christianity at the first in such a\nmanner as He did, driven and tried by the wrestling of faith, in\nshame, death, and bloodshed, that it might become truly strong and\nmighty, and that the more it was oppressed the more it might rise\nabove it. This is St. Peter's meaning in this place, that we should\nnot let faith rust and lie still, since it is so ordained that it is\never made more and more strong by trial and exercise, until it is\nassured of its calling and election, and cannot fail.\n\nAnd here is also a bound set as to how we should proceed with\nreference to election. There are many light-minded persons who have\nnot felt much of the power of faith, who fall in this matter,\nstumbling upon it; and they trouble themselves at first with it, and\nby reason would satisfy themselves whether they are elected, so that\nthey may be assured whereon they stand. But desist from this, at\nonce; it is a thing that cannot be apprehended (grasped). But if you\nwill be assured, you must reach it by the way which St. Peter here\nstrikes out for you. If you choose another for yourself, you have\nfailed already, and your own experience must teach you so. If faith\nis properly exercised and tried, then are you at last assured of the\nfact that you cannot fail, as now further follows:\n\n\n_For if ye do these things ye shall never fall._ That is, ye are to\nstand fast, not stumble nor sin, but go onward thoroughly upright and\nactive, and all shall go well with you. But if you would set it right\nby your reasonings, the devil will soon throw you into despair and\nhatred of God.\n\n\nV. 11. _And so shall an entrance be ministered unto you abundantly,\ninto the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ._\nThis is the way by which we enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore,\nno one should propose, by such dreams and reasonings concerning faith\nas he has invented in his heart, to enter therein. There must be a\nliving, active, tried faith. God help us! How have our deceivers\nwritten, taught and spoken against this text, yet whoever has even\nthe least measure and only a spark of faith, shall be saved when he\ncomes to die.\n\nIf you would pry into this matter, and in this way attain such faith\nquickly and suddenly, you will then have waited too long. Yet you are\nto understand well, that they who are strong have enough to do,\nalthough we are not to despair even of such as are weak, for it may\nindeed well happen that they shall endure, though it will be sorely\nand hardly, and will cost much striving; but whoever carefully sees\nto it in his life, that faith is invigorated and made strong by good\nworks, he shall have an abundant entrance, and with calm spirit and\nconfidence go into that life to come, so that he shall die\ncomfortably, and despise this life, and even triumphantly go on, and\nwith gladness hasten to that. But those, who would come in otherwise,\nshall not enter thus with joy; the door shall not stand open to them\nso wide; they shall, moreover, not have such an abundant entrance,\nbut it shall be, narrow and a hard one, so that they tremble, and\nwould rather their life-day should be in weakness, than that they\nshould die.\n\n\nV. 12. _Wherefore I will not be negligent to remind you always of\nsuch things, although ye know them, and are established in this\npresent truth._ That is the same that we also have often said,\nalthough God has now let such a great light go forth through the\nrevelation of the Gospel, so that we know what true christian life\nand doctrine is, and see how all Scripture insists upon it, yet this\n(light) we are not to neglect but use daily, not for doctrine, but\nfor the sake of remembrance. For there is a twofold office in the\nchristian church, as St. Paul says, Rom. xii.: \"If any one teaches,\nlet him wait on teaching; if any one admonishes, let him wait on\nadmonition.\" To teach, is when any one lays down the ground of faith,\nand sets it forth to those who have no knowledge of it. But to\nadmonish, or as Peter here says, _to remind_, is to preach to those\nwho know and have heard the matter already, so that they are seized\nhold of and awakened, in order that they should not be heedless, but\ngo onward and prosper. We are all beladen with the old sluggard load,\nwith our flesh and blood, that chooses for ever the byroad, and keeps\nus ever subject to its load, so that the soul easily falls asleep.\nTherefore we are ever to urge and shake it, as a master urges his\nservants, lest they become sluggish, although they know very well\nwhat they should do; for while we must pursue this course for our\ntemporal support, far more must we do it in this case in spiritual\nmatters.\n\n\nV. 13. _For I count it proper, so long as I am in this tabernacle, to\nawaken and remind you._ Here St. Peter calls his body a tabernacle\nwherein the soul dwells; and it is a phrase like that where in the\nfirst Epistle he speaks of the body as a vessel or an instrument. So\nSt. Paul also speaks, II. Cor. v.: \"We know that if our earthly house\nof this tabernacle were broken down, that we have a house built by\nGod, a house not made with hands, eternal in heaven, and for the same\nwe long earnestly, for our dwelling which is from heaven. For as long\nas we are in this tabernacle we earnestly long,\" &c. Also, \"but yet\nwe are consoled and know that while we are at home in the body we are\nabsent from the Lord, but we have far greater desire to be out of the\nbody and to be at home with the Lord.\" There the Apostle Paul speaks\nalso of the body as a house, and makes two homes, and two\nsojournings. So Peter speaks here of the body as a tabernacle wherein\nthe soul rests, and he makes it mean enough; he will not call it a\nhouse, but a hut or pent-house, such as shepherds have. Great is the\ntreasure, but small is the house in which it lies and dwells.\n\n\nV. 14, 15. _For I know that I must soon lay off my tabernacle, even\nas the Lord Christ hath showed me. But I will take care that ye by\nall means, after my departure, may keep such things in your\nremembrance._ Here Peter testifies of himself that he has become\nassured of eternal life, and to him God had shown beforehand when he\nshould die; but this took place for our and our faith's sake, for\nthere must have been some such persons as knew assuredly that they\nwere elected, who should lay down and settle faith, that we might\nknow that they preached not the doctrine of men, but the word of God.\nBut ere they have come to such an assurance, God has thoroughly\nproved them first, and purified them. Thus Peter now says, I will not\nonly remind you with the living voice, but set such things also in\nwriting, and charge you, through others, that ye ever hold them in\nremembrance, through my life and after my death, and not let them go.\nThere see how great anxiety the Apostle had for souls; yet, alas! it\nhas helped nothing.\n\n\nV. 16-18. _For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we\nhave made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus\nChrist, for we have been witnesses of His majesty, when He received\nfrom God the Father honor and praise, by a voice which came to Him\nfrom the excellent glory, this is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am\nwell pleased; and this voice, which came from heaven, we heard, when\nwe were with Him on the holy mount._ There St. Peter touches upon the\nhistory written in the Gospel, Matt. xvii., how Jesus took to Himself\nthree of his disciples, Peter, James and John, and led them aside up\na high mountain, and was glorified before them, and His face shone\nlike the sun, and His clothing was white as the light, and there\nappeared to Him Moses and Elias, who spoke with Him, while a light\ncloud overshadowed them, and a voice out of the cloud said, This is\nmy beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him. When the\ndisciples heard that, they fell on their faces, and were very much\nafraid. But Jesus went to them, roused them up, and said, stand up,\nbe not afraid; then they lifted up their eyes, and saw no one but\nJesus only, and when they went down from the mountain He charged them\nthat they should tell no one of this sight till He arose from the\ndead.\n\nSo St. Peter would now say, that which I preach to you of Christ and\nof His coming, this Gospel that we preach, we have not devised or yet\nimagined, nor taken it from cunning fabulists who know how to speak\nbrilliantly of all things (such as at that very time the Greeks\nwere), for it is mere fable, and fancy, and idle babbling that they\ncunningly give forth, and wherein they would be wise,--such we have\nnot listened to, nor have we followed them; that is, we preach not\nwhat is from the hands of men, but are sure that it is of God, and\nhave become so through our eyes and ears;--that is to say, When we\nwere with Christ upon the mountain, and saw and heard His glory; for\nHis glory was this, that His face shone like the sun, and His\nclothing was as white as snow; besides, we heard a voice from the\nhighest Majesty, \"This is my beloved Son; hear ye Him.\"\n\nSo confident should every preacher be, and not be in doubt thereon,\nthat he has God's word, that he could even die for it, since it is\nworth our life. Now there is no man so holy that he must needs die\nfor the doctrine which he has taught of himself; wherefore it is\ninferred here that the Apostles have had assurance from God that\ntheir Gospel was God's word. And here it is also shown that the\nGospel is nothing else than the preaching of Christ. Therefore we\nshould hear no other preaching, for the Father will have no other.\n\"That is my dear Son,\" He says; \"hear Him.\" He is your Teacher--as\nthough He had said, \"When ye hear Him, then ye have heard me.\"\nWherefore Peter now says, we have preached Christ and made Him known\nto you, that He is Lord, and rules over all things, and all power is\nHis; and that whosoever believes on Him has likewise such power. Such\nthings we have not ourselves devised, but have seen and heard them\nthrough God's revelation, by which He has charged us that we should\nhear Christ.\n\nBut why does Paul separate from one another the power and the coming\nof Christ? The power consists, as we have heard above, in that He is\nmighty over all things; that all must lie at His feet; and this shall\ncontinue as long as the world stands. While we are flesh and blood,\nand live upon the earth, so long shall Christ's kingdom flourish,\neven to the last day. Then shall come another period, when He shall\ngive up the kingdom to God the Father, whereof St. Paul speaks, I.\nCor. xv.: \"Christ the first fruits; afterwards those that belong to\nChrist, who are His at His coming. Afterward is the end, when He\nshall answer for the kingdom to God and the Father.\" Also: \"But when\nall shall be subject to Him, then shall the Son also be subject to\nHim who subdued all for Him.\"\n\nHow? Is then the kingdom not God the Father's now? Is not all subject\nto Him? Answer:--St. Paul explains himself in the same place, and\nsays: \"So that God may be all in all;\" that is, whatsoever any one\nshall need or should have, that God will be; as St. Peter has told us\nabove, that we should be partakers of the Divine nature. Wherefore we\nshall also have all that God has, and all that is needful for us we\nshall have in Him,--wisdom, righteousness, strength and life,--a\ntruth which we now believe, hearing it merely, and having it in the\nword of God. But then shall the word cease, when our souls shall be\nenlarged and see and feel it all as a present thing. This is what St.\nPaul means, and St. Peter also: that the power of Christ's kingdom\nnow proceeds; now He gives the word, and thereby, through His\nhumanity, reigns over the devil, sin, death, and all things. But at\nthe last day this shall be made clear. Therefore, although God ever\nrules, still it is not yet manifest to us. He clearly beholds us, but\nwe behold Him not. Therefore must Christ surrender up to Him the\nkingdom, so that we also shall see it, while we then shall be\nChrist's brethren and God's children. Thus Christ received from God\nhonor and glory (St. Peter here says) when the Father made all things\nsubject to Him, and made Him Lord, and glorified Him by this voice,\nin which He says, \"This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am well\npleased.\"\n\nBy this St. Peter would confirm his doctrine and preaching, that it\nmight be known whence it came. But this experience was no more than\nthat he had heard this, and was able to preach of it. But the Holy\nSpirit must also come and strengthen him, that he may believe in it,\nand preach and confess it cheerfully. The former thing belongs only\nto the office of the preacher, not to the soul; but this belongs to\nthe Spirit.\n\n\nV. 19. _We have also a sure word of Prophecy, and ye do well in that\nye give heed to it, as to a light that shines in a dark place, till\nthe day break and the morning star rise in your hearts._ There St.\nPeter grasps right hold upon the matter, and would say this much: all\nthat I preach is to subserve this end, that your conscience may be\nassured, and your heart may stand firm on this, and not let itself be\ntorn therefrom, and that thus both I and you may be certain that we\nhave God's word. For it is an important matter as respects the Gospel\nthat we should receive and hold it clean and pure, without addition\nand false doctrine. Therefore Peter begins henceforth to write\nagainst human doctrines.\n\nBut why does he say we have a sure word of prophecy? Answer: I hold,\nindeed, that we shall have no more prophets, such as the Jews had in\nformer times in the Old Testament. But a prophet eminently should he\nbe who preaches of Jesus Christ. Therefore, although many prophets in\nthe Old Testament have foretold concerning things to come, yet they\ncame and were sent by God, for this reason especially, that they\nshould foretell Christ. Those, then, who believe on Christ are all\nprophets, for they have the true head-article that the prophets\nshould have, although they have not the gift of making known things\nto come; for as we, through the faith of our Master, are Christ's\nbrethren, are kings and priests, so are we prophets also, all of us\nthrough Christ. For we can all say what belongs to salvation and\nGod's honor and a christian life, besides of future things, so much\nas this is necessarily known to us, viz., that the Last Day shall\ncome, and that we shall rise from the dead; besides, we understand\nthe whole substance of Scripture. Whereof Paul also says, I. Cor.\nxiv.: \"Ye can all prophecy, one after another.\"\n\nThis now, is, what Peter says: we have such a word of prophecy as is\nsure in itself; see to it only that it be sure to you; and ye do well\nin paying heed to it:--as though he should say: It will be a thing of\nnecessity to you to hold firmly by it; for it is in regard to the\nGospel as though one were imprisoned in the house, in the midst of\nthe night, when it was stock dark. Then it were a matter of necessity\nthat one should kindle a light, till the day came when he could see.\nEminently such is the Gospel in the midst of the night and darkness,\nfor all human reason is mere error and blindness, while the world is\neven nothing else but a kingdom of darkness. In this darkness has God\nnow kindled a light, even the Gospel, whereby we may see and walk,\nwhile we are on the earth, till the morning dawn comes and the day\nbreaks.\n\nThus this text is also strongly against all human doctrine; for since\nthe word of God is the light in a dark and gloomy place, it follows\nthat all besides is darkness. For if there were another light besides\nthe word, St. Peter would not have spoken as he has. Therefore look\nnot to this, how gifted those men are with reason who teach any other\ndoctrine, however grandly they put it forth; if you cannot trace\nGod's word in it, then be in no doubt as to its being mere darkness.\nAnd let it not disturb you at all that they say they have the Holy\nSpirit. How can they have God's Spirit if they do not have His word?\nWherefore they do nothing else but call darkness light and make the\nlight darkness, as Isaiah says, chap. v.\n\nThis is God's word--even the Gospel--that we are ransomed by Christ\nfrom death, sin and hell: whoever hears that, he has this light and\nhas kindled this lamp in his heart, even that by which we may see the\none that enlightens us, and teaches us whatever we should know. But\nwhere this is not, there we rush on, and by matters and works of our\nown device would find out the way to heaven. Whereof, by your light,\nyou can judge and see that it is darkness. Wherefore since they have\nnot the light, neither would receive it, they must remain in darkness\nand blindness. For the light teaches us all that which we ought to\nknow and what is necessary to salvation--a thing which the world by\nwisdom and reason knows not. And this light we must still have and\ndepend upon, even to the last day. Then shall we have no more need of\nthe word, just as we put out the lamp when the day breaks.\n\n\nV. 20, 21. _And this ye should know first of all, that no prophecy of\nthe Scripture is of any private interpretation; for prophecy came not\naforetime by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were\nmoved by the Holy Spirit._ Here Peter falls upon the matter of false\ndoctrine: since ye know this, he says, that we have the word of God,\nabide thereon, and suffer yourselves not to be drawn from it by\nothers that teach falsely, though they come and give forth that they\nhave the Holy Spirit. For this ye should know first of all (the\nsecond matter he would speak of afterward), that no prophecy of the\nScripture is of any private interpretation; by this be directed, and\ndo not think that ye shall explain the Scripture by your own reason\nand wisdom.\n\nIn this the private interpretation of Scripture by all the fathers is\nthrown down and rejected, and it is forbidden to build on such\ninterpretation. Though Jerome, or Augustine, or any one of the\nfathers have explained it of himself, yet would not we have it from\nhim. Peter has forbidden you to explain it of yourself at all. The\nHoly Spirit will explain it Himself, or it shall remain unexplained.\nIf now any one of the holy fathers can prove that he has his\nexplanation from the Scriptures, which give assurance that it should\nbe so explained, then it is right; where this is not the case, I for\none shall not believe him. Thus Peter lays hold on the boldest and\nbest teachers; wherefore we should rest assured that none is to be\nbelieved who sets the Scripture forth where he of himself opens and\nexplains it. For there can be no true sense obtained by private\ninterpretation. Here have all the teachers and fathers who have\nexplained the Scripture stumbled, so far as they are extant to us. As\nwhen they refer the passage of Christ, Matt. xvi.: _Thou art Peter,\nand on this rock will I build my church_, to the Pope. That is a\nhuman, self-invented explanation; therefore, no one is to believe\nthem, for they cannot prove out of the Scripture that Peter is ever\nspoken of as Pope. But this we can prove, that the rock is Christ and\nfaith, as Paul says. This explanation is the right one; for of this\nwe are sure, it has not been invented by men, but drawn from God's\nword. Now what is found written and foretold in the prophets, says\nPeter, that men have not searched out nor invented; but holy and\npious men have spoken it from the Holy Spirit.\n\nThus this is the first chapter, wherein St. Peter has first of all\ntaught us what those really good works are whereby we must give proof\nof our faith. In the second place, that no man in Christendom should\npreach anything but God's word alone. The reason why it should be so\nis no other, as we have said, except that men should preach that word\nwhich shall remain forever, whereby souls may be won, and eternal\nlife. Now there follows a just admonition, which Christ and Paul and\nall the Apostles have also given, that each should look out for\nhimself and guard against false teachers.\n\nIt is especially necessary for us to observe it carefully, so that we\nshall not suffer that right and authority which all Christians have,\nto be torn from us, to judge and decide on all doctrines; and shall\nnot let it come to this, that we first wait till the Councils\ndetermine what we are to believe, and then follow that. This we are\nnow to look at.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER II.\n\n\nV. 1. _But there were false teachers also among the people, as also\namong you there shall be false teachers._ This is what St. Peter\nwould say: All prophecy must proceed from the Holy Spirit, even to\nthe end of the world, just as it has gone forth from the beginning of\nthe world, so that nothing shall be preached but what is God's word.\nYet it has ever so happened, that close upon the true prophets and\nword of God, there have been false teachers, and so also it shall\ncontinue. Therefore, since ye have God's word, ye should take heed to\nyourselves that ye do not have false teachers besides. This is a\nsufficient admonition, and it cannot fail where the true word of God\nis preached; that close upon it false teachers also should rise up.\nThe reason is this,--not every one lays hold on the word, and\nbelieves thereon, although it is preached to all. They who believe\nthereon, follow it, and hold it fast; but the greater part, they who\ndo not believe, receive a false sense therefrom, whence they become\nfalse teachers. This matter we have not seriously considered, nor\nhave we attended to this warning; but we have gone astray, and\nwhatever has been preached that we have done. Thereon we have\nstumbled and fallen, and been led away by delusion, as though the\nPope, with his priests and monks, could not err. Thus those that\nshould have been on their guard against such things, have been the\nfirst that have urged them upon us. So that we are not free from\nblame, though we have a wrong belief, and follow after false\nteachers: it shall be of no help to us, that we have not known, since\nwe were warned beforehand. Besides, God has bidden us that we should\neach determine what this or that one preaches, and give account\nthereof; if we do not, then are we lost; wherefore it concerns every\none's own soul's salvation to know what God's word is, and what false\ndoctrines are.\n\nSuch warnings against false teachers are, besides, very frequent,\nhere and there, throughout the Scripture. St. Paul, Acts xx., gives\njust such an admonition in his preaching, when he blesses those of\nEphesus and gives them his farewell; and he speaks in this manner: \"I\nknow that after my departure there shall come in among you grievous\nwolves, who shall not spare the flock; yea, there shall even of your\nown selves arise men who shall teach corrupt doctrine, who shall draw\ndisciples after them.\" Christ proclaims it also in Matt. xx.: \"If\nanyone shall say to you (he says), lo! here is Christ, or lo! there,\nthen are ye not to believe it; for there shall arise false Christs\nand false prophets, and great signs and wonders shall they do, that\nshall lead into error, if it were possible, even the elect.\" And\nagain, Paul, I. Tim., iv.: \"The Spirit speaks expressly that in the\nlast times some shall depart from the faith, and cleave to erring\nspirits and doctrines of the devil by which they speak lies in\nhypocrisy.\" As forcefully as such admonition has gone forth, so\ncareful should we have been; yet it has been of no avail. The\nadmonition has been kept silent, and thus we have still wandered, and\nsuffered ourselves to be led astray.\n\nNow let us see who those false teachers may be, of whom Peter here\nspeaks. I think that God has ordained by special counsel that our\nteachers should have been called doctors, that it might be seen whom\nPeter means. For he as much as uses the word here; false\ndoctors,--that is, false teachers, he says,--not false prophets or\nfalse apostles. In this he fairly hits the high schools, where such a\nclass of men is made, and whence all the preachers have come forth\ninto the world; so that there is not even a city under the Popedom,\nwhich does not have such teachers made in the high schools. For all\nthe world thinks that they are the fountain, the streams of which are\nto teach the people. This is a desperate error, since no more cruel\nthing has ever come upon the earth than has come forth from the high\nschools. Therefore Peter says, that such vain, false teachers are to\nbe; but what shall they do? This follows further:\n\n\n_Who shall privily introduce damnable heresies._ He calls them\ndamnable heresies (sects), or states and orders, because whosoever is\npersuaded into them is already lost. These shall they secretly bring\nin, he says, not that they shall preach that the Gospel and the Holy\nScriptures are false, for that would have worked quite against\nthem,--but these names, God, Christ, faith, church, baptism,\nsacrament, they shall still hold, and suffer to continue. But under\nthese names they bring forward and set up something of another sort.\nFor there is a great difference, whether I say this man preaches\nagainst this doctrine or in accordance with it. When I preach thus,\nthat Christ is the Son of God and truly man, and whoever believes on\nHim shall be saved,--that is right preaching and the true Gospel. But\nif one preaches that Christ is not the Son of God, nor truly man,\nmoreover that faith does not save, it is said in plain contradiction\nto it. Whence St. Peter speaks not (for this is what our high\nschools, priests and monks do not attempt), except of those associate\ndoctrines which they introduce through the true doctrine. As when\nthey speak after this manner,--it is true that Christ was God, and is\nman; that He died for our sins, and no one can be saved who does not\nbelieve upon Him. But that belongs only to the common estate (of\nChristians); but we will set up a more complete one, in which men\nshall vow chastity, poverty, and obedience, as well as fast, endow\ninstitutions, &c. Whoever does this shall go full tide up to heaven.\nWhere now men preach and hear such things as that there is nothing\nbetter and more saving than virginity and obedience, and that the\nmonk and the priest are in a higher and more perfect estate than\nmankind in general, there is nothing said against the pure christian\ndoctrine directly, nor are faith and baptism denied, nor that Christ\nis the Saviour. But yet there is such doctrine brought in with them,\nleading men away from the right path, that they build upon their own\nlife and works, and hold nothing more in regard to Christ, but just\nthese words: we believe that Christ is the Son of God, and man; that\nHe died and rose again; that He is the Saviour of the world, &c. But\nthey repose no faith in Him, for if they did that, they would not\nrest an hour upon their life.\n\nThus they have also preached and said among the people: \"Ye are\nChristians already, but that is not enough; ye must also do such and\nsuch works, build churches and cloisters, found masses and vigils,\"\n&c.\n\nThe great multitude has tumbled into this notion, and thought it was\nright. Hereby Christendom is divided and separated into as many\nsects, almost, as there are states and people.\n\nBut this is what men should have preached and taught: Ye are\nChristians indeed, and, just as well as those a hundred miles away,\nye have all of you one Christ, one baptism, one faith, one spirit,\none word, one God; so that no work that man can do helps to make a\nChristian. Thus, were men included in a common faith, there would be\nno difference before God, but one would be as another. This unity\nhave they rent asunder, in that they say, \"You are a Christian, but\nyou must do works in order that you may be saved;\" and thus they lead\nus away from faith to works. Therefore St. Peter says, if we will\nexplain it right, nothing but this: there shall come high schools,\ndoctors, priests and monks, and all classes of men, who shall bring\nin ruinous sects and orders, and shall lead the world astray by false\ndoctrines. Such are those whom he means here, for they all hold to\nthe notion that their state and Order saves them, and they cause men\nto build and trust thereon; for where men do not hold to this view,\nthey carefully keep clear of entering them.\n\n\n_And shall deny the Lord who bought them._ \"Oh,\" say they, \"we do not\ndeny the Lord at all!\" But if any one says, \"Since you are ransomed\nby Christ, and His blood blots out your sin, what will you blot out\nby your mode of life?\" Then they say, \"Ah! faith does not do it\nalone, works must also aid towards it.\" Thus they confess the Lord\nChrist indeed with their mouth, but with their hearts they quite deny\nhim. See how admirably St. Peter expresses it. They deny the Master,\nhe says, who has bought them: they should be under Him as under a\nmaster whose own they were. But now, though they believe indeed that\nHe is their master and has purchased the whole world by His blood,\nyet they do not believe that they are bought, and that He is their\nmaster; and they say \"He has indeed bought and ransomed them, but\nthen this is not enough,--we must first by our works expiate the sin\nand make satisfaction for it.\" But we say, if you yourself take away\nand blot out your sin, what has Christ then done? You certainly\ncannot make two Christs who take away sin. He should and must be the\nonly one that puts away sin. If that be true, then I cannot\nunderstand how I am myself to cancel my own sin. If I do it, I can\nneither say nor believe that He takes it away. And it is the same\nthing with denying Christ; for although they hold Christ to be their\nmaster, they deny that He has bought them. They believe, indeed, that\nHe sits above in heaven and is Lord; but that which is His peculiar\noffice, to take away sin, this they take from Him, and ascribe it to\ntheir own works. Thus they leave to Him nothing more than the name\nand title; but His work, His power, and His office, they will have\nthemselves. So that Christ has truly said, \"Many shall come in my\nname, and say, I am Christ, and shall seduce many.\" For they are this\npreeminently, not who say, \"I am called Christ,\" but \"I am He;\" for\nthey seize to themselves the office that belongs to Christ, thrust\nHim from His throne, and seat themselves thereon. This we see before\nour eyes, insomuch that no one can deny it. Therefore St. Peter calls\nthem damnable or ruinous heresies, for they run all of them straight\nto hell; so that I suppose that among a thousand, hardly one is\nsaved. For whoever shall be saved therein must say this much: \"My\nobedience, my chastity, &c., do not save me; my works do not take\naway any sin from me.\" But how many there are who have these views,\nand remain in such a damnable state!\n\n\n_And shall bring upon themselves quick damnation._ That is, their\ncondemnation shall quickly overtake them; although it is plain that\nGod forbears long, yet He will come soon enough. But it is not a\nthing that respects the body, that we should be able to see it with\nour eyes, but just as the fifty-fourth Psalm says, \"They shall not\nlive out half their day;\" that is, death shall seize upon them ere\nthey themselves suspect, so that they shall say, like Hezekiah, Is.\nxxxviii., \"I have said in the midst of my life, I must go down into\nthe grave;\" as though they should say, \"O Lord God, is death already\nhere?\" For those men who do not live by faith, who are never more and\nmore weary of life, the longer they live the longer they would live,\nand the holier they seem the more terrible will death be to them,\nespecially to those who have scrupulous consciences and cruelly urge\nand vex themselves by works, for it is not possible to vanquish death\nby human powers. Where faith is wanting, the conscience must tremble\nand despair. Where faith is strong, death comes too slow; while, on\nthe other hand, he comes to the unbelieving always too soon, for\nthere is no end to the thirst and love of life.\n\nThis is what Peter means here: these people who set up such sects,\nand so deny Christ, must come to die with the greatest unwillingness,\ntrembling and desponding; for they can have no other thought but\nthis, \"Who knows whether God will be gracious to me and will forgive\nmy sins?\" and they remain forever in such doubt, \"who knows it,--who\nknows it?\" and their conscience is never at peace. The longer they\nthus continue, the more terrible is death to them; for death cannot\nfirst be subdued, till sin and an evil conscience have been taken\naway. So will their condemnation come upon them hastily, so that they\nmust abide in eternal death.\n\n\nV. 2. _And many shall follow their destruction._ It may be seen\nbefore our eyes, that it has come to pass just as St. Peter first\ndeclared. There has been not a father or mother who has not wished to\nhave a priest, monk, or nun, from among their children. Thus one fool\nhas made another; for when people have seen the misfortune and misery\nthat are found in the marriage state, and have not known that it is a\nsafe estate, they have wished to do the best for their children, to\nhelp them to a happy life and freedom from wretchedness. So that St.\nPeter has foretold here nothing else but just that the world should\nbecome full of priests, monks, and nuns. Thus youth, and the best\nthat are in the world, have run with the multitude to the devil. St.\nPeter says it, alas! only too truly, that many should follow them to\nthis destruction.\n\n\n_By whom the way of truth shall be blasphemed._ This, too, is a thing\nthat may be seen before our eyes. To blaspheme is to libel, damn, and\ncurse; as when one condemns the christian estate as error and heresy.\nIf one now should preach and say that their course is against the\nGospel, because they lead men away from faith to works, then they go\nabout and cry, \"Thou art cursed, thou leadest the world astray.\" And\nthey blaspheme even yet more, in perverting what Christ has said, and\nsaying no! to it. As when they, out of that which Christ has bidden,\nmake nothing but a story, so that they forbid what Christ would have\nleft free, and make that sin which He makes none, besides condemning\nand burning whoever preaches against it. The way of truth is a\nwell-ordered life and walk, in which there is no fraud nor hypocrisy,\nsuch as that faith is in which all Christians walk. This they cannot\nbear; they blaspheme and condemn it, so as to praise and sustain\ntheir Order and sect.\n\n\nV. 3. _And through avarice, with feigned words shall they make\nmerchandise of you._ This is specially the way of all false teachers,\nthat they preach from avarice, that they may fill their belly, just\nas we see that not one of them has held a mass or vigil _gratis_. So,\ntoo, there is never a cloister or monastery built, whereto there must\nnot fall a full measure of tribute. So, too, there is not a cloister\nin the world that serves the world for God's sake. It is all of it\ndone merely for gold. But if any one really preaches faith, _that_\ndoes not bring in much gold; for then, all pilgrimages, indulgences,\ncloisters, and monasteries, to which more than half the wealth of the\nworld has been devoted and given, must cease; whereof none has any\nuse but the priests and monks only.\n\nBut how do they act to get the gold into their own hands? _With\nfeigned words_, says Peter, _shall they make merchandise of you_. For\nthey have selected the word by which they make money of the people,\nfor this very purpose, as when they say, \"If you give the dear\nVirgin, or this or that saint so many hundred florins, you do a most\nexcellent good work, and merit so much indulgence and forgiving of\nsin, and ransom as many souls from purgatory.\"\n\nThis and the like are just carefully feigned words, to the end that\nthey may shave us of our gold; for in all this there is really no\ndesert, nor grace, nor blotting out of sin. Still they explain the\nnoble words of Scripture all of them in such a way, that they may\ntraffic with them for gold. So, also, there has come of the holy,\ngracious Sacrament, nothing else but a traffic, for they do nothing\nwith it but smear the people's mouth, and scrape their gold from\nthem. Observe, then, whether St. Peter has not drawn and painted our\nclergy to the life.\n\n\n_Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation\nslumbereth not._ They shall not drive this on at length, nor carry it\nout, (he would say); for when they urge it most strongly, their\nsentence and condemnation shall fall upon them. Even now it goes\nforth; they shall not escape it,--as St. Paul also says, II. Tim.\niii.: \"Their folly shall be revealed to all, so that they shall be\nput to shame;\" God grant that they may be converted and come out from\ntheir dangerous state, when they hear and understand it, for though\nthere are some who have not been seduced into this state, yet is it\nin itself nothing but a mere pernicious sect.\n\nThus St. Peter has attempted to describe the shameful, godless life\nthat should succeed to the genuine doctrines of the Gospel, which the\nApostles preached. Now he goes further, and sets before us three\nterrible examples--of the angels, of the whole world, and of Sodom,\nhow God condemned them,--and speaks thus:\n\n\nV. 4. _For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but has thrust\nthem down to hell in chains of darkness, and given them over to be\nreserved for judgment._ By these words St. Peter terrifies those who\nlive so gay and secure as we see those do who cleave to that which\nthe Pope has enacted, in that they are so confident and shameless\nthat they would tread every one under foot. Therefore he would say\nthis much: Is it not great presumption on their part that they go on\nso eagerly, and would bring every thing to pass by their own head, as\nthough God should yield to them, and spare them, who yet spared not\nthe angels? As though he had said, these examples should justly\nterrify even the saints, when they see such a severe sentence in that\nGod has not spared those high spirits and noble beings who are far\nmore learned and wise than we, but has thrust them into chains of\ndarkness;--such is the severe sentence and condemnation whereto He\nhas ordained them, in which they are held bound and imprisoned, so\nthat they cannot flee away out of the hands of God, since they have\nbeen cast into outer darkness, as Christ says in the Gospel.\n\nAnd here St. Peter shows that the devils have not yet their final\npunishment, but still go about in a hardened, desperate state, and\nlook every moment for their judgment, just as a man that is condemned\nto death is perfectly desperate, hardened, and more and more wicked.\nBut their punishment has not yet overtaken them, but they are now\nonly bound and reserved for it. This is the first example.--Now\nfollows the second:\n\n\nV. 5. _And spared not the old world, but saved Noah, the eighth\nperson, a preacher of righteousness, and brought the flood upon the\nworld of the ungodly._ This is, moreover, a fearful example, such\nindeed that there is not a more bitter one in the Scripture. One\nmight almost despair in view of it, who was even strong in faith. For\nwhen such language and such a sentence go to a man's heart, and he\nthinks of it, that so he too ought to die, he must tremble and\ndespond, if he is not well prepared, since among so many in the whole\nworld, no one but these eight only were saved. But how have they\ndeserved it, that God by such a severe sentence should have drowned\nall, one with another, in one mass, husband and wife, master and\nservant, young and old, beast and bird? Because they led such a\nwicked life. Noah was a pious man and a preacher of righteousness,\nand had already lived five hundred years, before the flood, when God\ncommanded him to build an ark,--on which he wrought a hundred years\nthereafter; and he led throughout a uniformly godly life. Whence you\nmay judge what a cross he had to bear, and in what care and anxiety\nthe pious man stood, when he must needs show, by words and works,\nthat he was a Christian. For it cannot be allowed that faith should\nconceal itself, and not break out before men by words and well-doing.\nSo this man, alone, perhaps, long before God bade him build the ark,\nexercised the preacher's office, and spread the word of God not in\none place, but, beyond doubt, through many lands. So that he must\nthus have suffered much and great persecution even, inasmuch as he is\nspecially (as Peter says) sustained and kept by God, or he would soon\nhave been overwhelmed and slain; for he must thus needs bear upon\nhimself much envy and hate, and make even many high, wise and holy\npeople his enemies. Had the matter not been helped, then the world\nwould have despised the word of God, and been ever growing more\nwicked. When they had now driven on their wickedness to great length,\nGod said, \"My Spirit shall not always strive with men, since they are\nflesh; yet will I give them the term of an hundred and twenty years.\"\nBesides, \"I will destroy from the earth the men whom I have created,\nfrom man even to the reptile, (I will destroy them).\" These words he\npreached and enforced daily, and began to build the ark as had been\ncommanded him; and he labors on it a hundred years. But the people\nlaughed at him, and were only so much the more obstinate and foolish.\nBut what the sin was for which God destroyed the world, the text of\nGen. vi. tells us, that the children of God,--that is, those who came\nof holy parents, and were instructed and brought up in the faith and\nin the knowledge of God, sought after the daughters of men, since\nthey were fair, and took for their wives whom they would. Thereafter\nthey came from this to be powerful tyrants, who did everything that\nthey chose after their own caprice; wherefore God punished the world\nand destroyed it by the flood.\n\n\nV. 6. _And reduced the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes,\noverthrowing and condemning them._ This is the third example drawn\nfrom the destruction of those five cities, Gen. xix. Whereof also the\nprophet Ezekiel speaks, in chap. xvi., addressing the city of\nJerusalem: \"this was the sin of Sodom thy sister,--pride, fullness of\nbread, luxury and idleness, and that to the poor they did not reach\nout the hand, and have lifted themselves up, and have wrought such\nshameful cruelty before me that I have even destroyed them.\" For\nSodom was a land, like the garden of the Lord, as Moses says, and a\nrich mine of costly oil and wine and all things, so that every one\nwould think, here dwells God. For this they were secure, and led such\na shameful life as Moses has written of. Such sin breaks out only\nwhere there is an assurance that they have enough to eat and drink\nand to spare, and idleness is joined therewith; just as we still see,\nthe richer cities are the more shamefully do men live in them; but\nwhere there is hunger and cumber there the sins are so much the\nfewer. Therefore God permits, in regard to those that are His, that\ntheir education should be severe, that they may remain pure.\n\nThese are the three fearful examples whereby St. Peter threatens\nthose that are godless. And as he insists upon it so, we must hold\nthat this is its import. And it is spoken especially of the spiritual\norder--pope, cardinals, bishops, priests, monks and nuns, and all who\nhang upon them. These are, as it were, angels in the Apostles' stead,\nappointed to this very end, that they should preach and make known\nGod's word; for an angel is a messenger, or one sent, who discharges\nhis message by word of mouth, for which reason preachers are called\nin Scripture angels,--that is, messengers of God. Such angels should\nour clergy be. But as these angels of old fell off from God, and set\nthemselves above God, and wished to be their own masters, so these do\nalso, and have nothing but just the name of messengers, as those have\nthe name alone of angels. So these also, as they have gone off from\nGod, shall be held in chains of darkness and reserved to\ncondemnation; as he has said above, that their sentence does not\nlinger, nor their damnation slumber, although punishment has not as\nyet overtaken them.\n\nBeside, they are like that former world, who, although they heard the\nprophets and the word of God, yet blasphemed and reviled them; and as\nMoses writes, took to themselves wives according to their pleasure,\nwhomsoever they would, and became great and powerful tyrants.\nObserve, then, whether all that which Moses wrote of those is not now\ntaking place. These are the great scamps that live in revelry,\noppress the world by their tyranny, and no one must ask of them why\nthey play the fool. Whomsoever they will they take for wife or\ndaughter, in spite of any one's complaining; for if any one finds\nfault with it they are themselves judges, and there is no one who can\nwin their cause of them. Therefore whatever they can devise to bring\ninto their hands by oppression or fines, that also they execute. And\nif any one should seize upon it, they then say, \"it is the spiritual\npossession of the churches; it is exempt, and no one must lay hands\non it.\" And as to those who preach God's word, they punish them to\nthe taking away their life, and declare God's sentence on those that\nlaugh at them; they will not hear the word, and they persecute the\nvery preachers of righteousness, and, remaining great and mighty\nlords, would retain their title, so that they may be called\nspiritual, like those that are God's children, yet rule with full\npower in all obstinacy; but they must at last be subdued and\ndestroyed. But the others who preach God's word shall be kept and\nsustained.\n\nThirdly: as the land where the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were was\na mine of fat, and all had enough of what the earth could bear,\nthereby the people became indolent, glutted themselves with food and\ndrink, and to none of the poor did they reach out the hand. Such is\nthe case also with our Spiritual Estate, who possess generally the\nbest land, the best castles and cities, and the greatest rents and\ntribute, while they have enough also to eat and drink. Besides, there\nis not a more indolent class of people on earth, that lives without\nanything of care or labor, and is fed by the sweat of the poor. But\nwhat indolence brings along we may see before our eyes. The Pope\nforbids them to take a married wife, so that if they then keep their\nconcubines and have children they must give gold to the bishop for\nevery child, whereby they will smooth the thing over and cancel the\nsin. I will not here speak of other secret sins which one dare not\nlightly stir up.\n\nFinally, you here see that St. Peter accounts of the Spiritual Estate\nno otherwise than as of Sodom and Gomorrah, for they are all such\npeople as no one can be benefited by who lend none a helping hand,\nbut seize to themselves all they can, under the pretence, which they\nput forth, that what is given to them is given to God, and they let\nno one be helped though he suffer want. Wherefore just as those were\noverthrown and turned to ashes, so shall these also be destroyed at\nthe last day.\n\n\nV. 7. _And rescued righteous Lot who was troubled greatly by the\nlibertine course of the wicked._ Was it not a great aggravation that\nthey not only rushed publicly and shamelessly into whoredom and\nadultery, but into such sins as may not be mentioned,--insomuch that\nthey did not even spare the angels who came to Lot, and they rushed\non thus in their course, both young and old, in all the corners of\nthe city! Against this, righteous Lot had daily preached and warned\nthem, but all in vain, except that he is vexed by them, since he must\nstand still yet cannot smooth over the evil, just as is the case with\nus now, for there is no more hope to reform or help this grievous\ncourse of life that the world leads.\n\n\nV. 8. _For while that righteous man dwelt among them, since he must\nsee and hear it all, they vexed his righteous soul from day to day,\nby their ungodly deeds._ Here Peter describes the cross which this\nholy man must have borne, while he preached to the people and brought\nup his daughters in faith; and so it is accounted toward him by God.\nNow St. Peter decides how the godless shall be kept for punishment at\nthe last day.\n\n\nV. 9, 10. _The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of\ntemptation, but to reserve the unjust to the day of judgment to be\npunished, but especially those that walk after the flesh in the lust\nof uncleanness._ This is certainly deep passion and earnestness in\nthe Apostle. If God spared not (says he) the young new world, how\nmuch more severely and fearfully will he now punish those to whom the\nGospel has been revealed and preached, and before which no such great\nlight has arisen; as Christ also declares, Matt. xi., \"Woe to thee,\nCapernaum, who art exalted even to heaven! thou shalt be thrust down\nto hell; for if the deeds that have been done in thee had been done\nin Sodom, it had been standing at this day; for I say unto you, it\nshall be more tolerable for Sodom in that day than for you.\" But such\nthreatening is in vain. The godless do not turn themselves for it.\n\nTo live in the lust of uncleanness is to live just like an\nunreasoning beast--according to mere sense and every kind of lust. So\neverything is ordered by the Pope, ordered as it has pleased him, and\nall must subserve their wilfulness and tyranny; and they have warped\nand explained all just as it has pleased them, and thereupon said,\n\"the holy See at Rome cannot err,\" while there is not one who has\npreached anything of faith or love; but they have taught nothing\nexcept what they have themselves imagined.\n\n\nV. 10, 11. _And those who despise governments, presumptuous,\nself-conceited, tremble not to revile dignities, whereas the angels,\nwho are greater in power and might, bring not a railing accusation\nagainst them before the Lord._ He calls kings, princes and lords, and\nall civil magistracy, governments; and not the Pope and bishops, for\nthese are not to be lords at all; since Christ, in the New Testament,\nis represented only as a servant--so that one Christian is to serve\nanother, and hold him in honor. Wherefore _this_ is St. Peter's\nmeaning: that they should be subject and obedient to civil\nmagistracy; as the sword is introduced by God's ordinance, stand thou\nin fear. Yet they do the very reverse of this. They have excepted\nthemselves, and say they are not subject to the civil magistracy;\nyea, they have not only excepted themselves, but have even subjected\nthose to themselves, and trampled on them with their feet, and permit\nthemselves shamelessly to be called lords, even by kings and princes,\njust as the Pope writes of himself that he is a lord of heaven and\nearth, and has in his hand both the civil and spiritual sword, and\nthat every one must fall at his feet.\n\nBesides, St. Peter says that they do not tremble to blaspheme\ndignities; for it has become to the Pope a small and slight thing to\nput kings and princes under ban, to curse them, and depose them, and\nmoreover excite mischief among them, and stir them up one against\nanother. And as to those who have opposed themselves, these he has\nquickly overthrown and trodden on, not because they have done\nanything against faith or love, but only because they have not been\nwilling to be subject to the Romish See, or kiss the Pope's foot,\nbecause, forsooth, his power was as much greater than that of secular\nprinces as the sun is than the moon, or as the heaven is high above\nthe earth; so they lyingly blasphemed, while yet they are bound to be\nsubject and obedient to them, and should bless them and pray for\nthem, as Christ our Lord subjected Himself to Pilate, and gave to the\nEmperor the penny tribute. They ought, therefore, to tremble at\nreviling against dignities; yet are they unaffrighted and\npresumptuous in regard to it, and they revile with all zeal and\nrecklessness, while yet if even the strongest angels cannot endure\njudgment against themselves from the Lord, and besides are struck\ndumb from cursing and reviling the very One from whom they cannot\nescape, how then will these wretched people endure it?\n\n\nV. 12, 13. _But these are like unreasoning brutes, that are born, in\naccordance with their nature, to be taken and destroyed; they speak\nevil of that which they do not know, and in their own ruin shall they\nperish, and receive therefrom the reward of their unrighteousness._\n_Unreasonable brutes_, Peter calls them, as though they had within\nthem not a spark of anything that smacked of spirit, performed no\nspiritual duty that they should do, but lived like the fool, and\nbecame effeminate through a carnal life. But in that he says they are\nnaturally born to be taken and destroyed, it may be understood in a\ntwo-fold manner: first, as of those that take and destroy, such as\nthe wolf, lion, bear, the sparrow-hawk and eagle,--so these grasp to\nthemselves, and tear away from others all they can, goods and honor.\nSecondly, of those that shall be taken, crushed and destroyed at the\njudgment of the last day.\n\n\n_They count temporal enjoyment as the fullness of pleasure._ See how\nindignant St. Peter is! I must not chide the young gentlemen so\ngrievously. They think if they only live well, and have good times,\nthen they have enough of all things, and are right well off; this one\ncan easily trace in their spiritual claim, when they say that whoever\ntouches them as to their property or their belly, is of the devil.\nThey themselves cannot deny this, that their whole system is framed\nto this end, that they may have lazy and idle times, and all that can\nsuffice them. They will lade themselves with no trouble or labor, but\nevery one must make and devote enough for them. They must go to the\nchoir and pray. God has commanded all men that they should eat their\nbread by the sweat of their brow, and He has imposed trial and\nanxiety upon all. Meanwhile, these young masters would slip their\nheads out of this noose, and busy themselves with kisses. But this is\nthe greatest blindness, that they are so dumb, and therefore hold\nthat such a shameful life is right and lovely.\n\n\n_Spots are they, and blemishes._ They know not but that they adorn\nChristianity, as the sun and moon do heaven, and are the noblest and\nmost precious jewels, like gold and precious stones; yet St. Peter\ncalls them spots of shame and blemishes. The true christian life\ndevelops from faith, serves every one in love, bears the holy cross,\nwhich is the true badge, ornament, jewel and honor of the Christian\nChurch;--but these have, in place of the cross, lust and luxury;\ninstead of love to their neighbor, they seek their own interest,\nsnatch all to themselves, and let nothing go from themselves to\nanother for his advantage. Thus they know of faith just nothing at\nall. For they are nothing but the spots and stains which Christianity\nmust have as its shame and derision. That is chiding enough,\ncertainly, for our spiritual lords.\n\n\n_They lead an effeminate life through your charity, feast richly on\nyour goods._ What was given at first out of christian love, to\nprocure a common fund for widows and worthy persons, and also for the\npoor, so that no one among the Christians need suffer want or\nbeg,--property of this kind is now all devoted to monasteries and\ncloisters, from which our ecclesiastics fill their bellies, living\nupon it most luxuriously, and revelling in it; and to this end they\nsay it belongs to them, and no one shall restrain them for it. The\nHoly Spirit will not permit that the servants of the church should\nlead an effeminate life from other people's labor; but to the\nlaboring class, and to man, woman and child generally, was it\nproperly devoted of old.\n\n\nV. 14. _They have eyes full of adultery._ Such must always follow\nwhen the body is crammed with food and drink, and loiters indolent,\nas was said above. Wherefore does St. Peter say,--not, they are\nadulterers,--but, _they have eyes full of adultery_? It is as much as\nthough he should say, They think ever on nothing but fornication, and\ncan never restrain their roguery, nor be satisfied and quiet. This is\nthe cause of their continual gluttony and revel, so far as they can\npush it, and thus they are suffered to live at large and unpunished,\njust as they like,--as follows:\n\n\n_Their sin is not to be interfered with._ The Pope has forbidden any\nprince or secular magistrate to punish ecclesiastics, and where they\nmaintain their own authority he puts them under bann. But this matter\nis committed to the bishops; yet, since they are knaves themselves,\nthey look through their fingers. Thus they have excepted themselves\nfrom subjection to civil government and the sword, so that no one\nshall dare to restrain them in their caprice, and they all live\naccording to their own lusts, like those of old before the deluge.\n\n\n_They allure to themselves light-minded souls._ With such great show\nas they exhibit in their knavish life, as going through with mass,\nbegging, singing, &c., do they allure and draw light-minded and\nunstable souls, who are without faith, to imagine that everything is\nspiritual; and all is shaped to this end, that men may think that in\nthat estate every one shall have enough, and good times besides, and,\nmoreover, that he shall reach heaven; and yet it is all done only to\nthis end, that they may fill their bellies and their dirt-bag.\n\n\n_They have a heart penetrated with covetousness._ This vice is so\ngross and open among the ecclesiastics, that even the common people\nhave complained of it. Yet he says not, they are covetous, but, they\nhave a heart penetrated with covetousness, and especially exercised\ntherein. This may be seen in the fact that they have invented so many\nswindling and cunning stories that it is impossible to count them, by\nwhich they bring all the world's wealth to themselves.\n\nAll that this class practices and pursues is simple, pure\ncovetousness, and must all be worth money enough. They show it also\nmost plainly of all, as they are equipped and prepared on all sides\nto call on men for their gold; so that St. Peter was certainly not a\nliar.\n\n\n_They are children of cursing._ That is, in the Hebrew, as much as to\nsay, they are cursed children, subject to the curse of God, so that\nbefore God they have no favor or salvation, and only become more\nwicked from day to day, and continually, also, greater blasphemers of\nGod; so that they surely lade themselves full enough with the wrath\nand terrible judgment of God. That is surely spoken severely and\nfearfully enough; while it is high time that whoever can flee and\nrun, should flee and run forth from this cursed state. Should we bear\nsuch a _title_, _that_ is certainly pitiful; but if the High Majesty\nalso arraigns, curses, and condemns,--who will endure it?\n\n\nV. 15. _They have forsaken the right way, and gone in error._ They\nshould have taught the right way,--how we must cleave to Christ, and\ncome to God by faith, and through love to our neighbor; and\nthereafter bear the holy cross, and endure whatever meets us\ntherefor. But they preach no more than this, \"go hither and\nthither,--be monk and priest,--found churches, masses, &c., &c.;\" and\nthey lead away the people from faith to their own works, which yet\nare such as are of no use to their neighbor.\n\n\nV. 15, 16. _And have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor,\nwho loved the reward of unrighteousness, but had a rebuke for his\ntransgression, the dumb beast of burden speaking with man's voice and\nreproving the folly of the prophet._ Here he brings in an\nillustration from the fourth book of Moses, xxii.-xxiv. When the\nchildren of Israel had journeyed out of Egypt and had come into the\nland of the Moabites, king Balak sent to a prophet in Syria, by the\nname of Balaam, and besought him that he would come and curse the\nJewish people, that they might become weak and that he might slay\nthem. Then God appeared to Balaam, and forbade him to curse the\npeople; therefore the prophet declines to comply with Balak.\nThereupon the king sent to him once more, and promised to give him\nlarge wealth. Then God permits him to go to him, yet he shall say\nnothing but what He shall direct him to say.\n\nUpon this, he rose up and mounted upon an ass. The angel of God came\nand walked in the way, and stood before him with a drawn sword. The\nass saw it, and turned aside out of the way, at which the prophet\nstruck her, that she should go in the way. Then the angel went to a\nnarrow place where the ass could not turn aside, and when she presses\nherself against the wall and bruises the prophet's foot, she is\nforced to fall under him upon her knee, while he is angered so as in\nhis rage to strike the ass with his staff. Then God opens the mouth\nof the beast to speak with the voice of a man, and she said, \"What\nhave I done to you that you should strike me so?\" And he said, \"Ah!\nif I had now a sword in my hand, I would slay you.\" Then the ass\nanswered and said, \"Am I yet the ass upon which thou hast ridden\ncontinually even to this day, and have I done it for no more than\nthis?\" Then were the eyes of the prophet opened, so that he saw the\nangel with the drawn sword, at which he was affrighted and would have\nturned back; but the angel of the Lord bade him go on, but thereupon\nforbade him to speak anything else than what He should say to him.\n\nWhen now the prophet was come to the king, he takes him up to a\nheight from which he could see the whole people of Israel. Then the\nprophet bade him erect seven altars, and on each offer a sacrifice;\nand then went aside and asked the Lord what he should say. And God\ngave him his word in his mouth. And he rose up to bless and glorify\nthe people of Israel with fair words; and this he did three times,\none after another. Then was the king filled with wrath, and said,\n\"Did I not call thee that thou shouldst curse mine enemies? and yet\nthou hast blest them now these three times. I had thought that I\nshould have honored thee, but the Lord hath turned thee away from\nhonor.\" Balaam answered and said, \"Yet I told thee at first, that\nthough thou shouldst give me thine house full of silver and gold,\nstill I could speak nothing else but what God should say to me.\"\n\nYet did the prophet afterward give the king counsel how he should\nmanage with the people, although he might not curse them and overcome\nthem by power,--so that they sinned against God. Then the king sets\nup an idol, by name Baal-Peor, and causes that the Moabite women,\ndaughters of lords and princes, should ensnare the people to\nthemselves to sacrifice to their gods; and when they had brought them\nto themselves, they made supplication to the idol with meats and\ndrinks, and committed sin with the women. Then was God angry, and\ncommanded the chief of the people to be hung upon the gallows, and\npermitted four and twenty thousand men to be overcome in one day.\nSuch was this prophet Balaam's advice, for the sake of gold.\n\nOf this St. Peter here speaks, and would say that our ecclesiastics\nare specially Balaam's children and scholars; for just as he gave\nevil counsel to set up an idol so that the children of Israel should\nbe brought to sin and provoke God that they should be slain, so have\nour bishops also set up an idol, in God's name,--to wit, their human\ndoctrine of their own works; and they let faith go, and they lure to\nthemselves christian souls whom they injure, and thereby provoke God\nto anger, so that he has punished the world with blindness and\nstupidity. For all this we may thank our spiritual masters.\n\nThus Peter compares especially these false teachers to the prophet\nBalaam, since they even, like Balaam, purely for the sake of gold,\nset up such idolatry and ruin souls.\n\nBesides, he mentions his right name, for Bileaam or Balaam is he\ncalled in Hebrew, a swallower or swiller, like one who gapes his\nthroat open, and swallows and devours all. This shameful name must he\nbear, because he has brought so many people into sin, insomuch that\nthey are destroyed and overcome.\n\nSuch Balaamites are our bishops and ecclesiastics, who are the throat\nof the devil, by which he draws so many souls to himself, and\nswallows them down. But the surname of this prophet is, the son of\nBosor,--that is to say, flesh,--or, as Moses says, son of Beor, that\nis, of a fool. A fool is his father. So are these, also, blind, dull\nand foolish people, who must yet needs rule; such a people as the\nflesh bears, for the spirit makes men of another stamp. So God has\ngiven these in the Scripture their own name, and therein they are so\npainted to the life, that we may know in what account they are to be\nheld.\n\nNow the dumb beast of burden, the ass, signifies the people that lets\nitself be bridled and ridden, and goes as it is led, like the ass,\nwho was forced and beaten cruelly when he went out of the way into\nthe ditch, and must neither give place before the angel in the way so\nlong as it could help, nor turn aside, and so must fall down. For in\nthe same way have these seducers also urged on the people, until\nthese last have become sensible that it is a thing not to be endured,\nand that they deal unfairly with them, and have wished to turn them\naside from the way. But the harshness has been so gross whereby they\nhave troubled the people, that at length God has opened our lips and\ngiven words into our mouths, so that even the children speak of it;\nwhereby their folly is made plain, so that they must be ashamed. In\nthis way we ought to meet them when they go about, and give out that\nit belongs not to the laity to read the Scripture, and therefore say,\nwe must hear what the Councils determine. For then you may answer,\nHas not God spoken even by an ass? Be content with our knowing that\nye, in times past, preached the word of God; but now ye have become\nfools, and are possessed by avarice, what wonder is it that now the\ncommon people have been roused and impelled by God to speak the\ntruth, though it has been so burdened and oppressed like a dumb beast\nof burden. This is their likeness, taken from the prophet Balaam. Now\nSt. Peter says further of these false teachers:\n\n\nV. 17. _They are wells without water, and clouds driven about by the\nwhirlwind._ In like manner Solomon presents us a comparison, in Prov.\nxxv., and says, \"As when a great cloud and strong wind go forth, and\nyet no rain follows, so is a man who makes high boastings of himself,\nand does not make good his words.\" So Peter says here, also, _they\nare wells without water, and clouds driven about by the whirlwind_;\nthat is, they make great show, and have nothing beside. They are like\nthe dry, false and exhausted wells, although they have the fame and\ntitle of being true wells. For Scripture calls those who teach,\nwells, as the ones from whom should flow that wholesome doctrine by\nwhich souls are to be quickened. To this office are they anointed and\nset apart. But what do they do? Nothing, as a general thing; for they\nhave nothing else but just the bare name, just as they are called\nshepherds, and yet are wolves.\n\nBesides, they are the clouds which the wind drives about--not like\nthe thick, black and lowering clouds which are wont to give us rain,\nbut like those fleecy ones which move about and fly in the air, and\nare very light, which the wind drives wherever it will, after which\nno rain can follow. So our teachers also sweep about and move high in\nChristendom, like the clouds in heaven, but let themselves be driven\nabout wherever the devil chooses, to whom they are ready to yield in\nall kinds of lusts. But yet they preach not a word of God, like true\nteachers and preachers, who are called clouds in Scripture (as Is.\nv.),--as also by all that gives forth water, preachers are typified\nin Scripture.\n\n\n_For whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever._ They live\nnow at their ease, and things go with them just as they themselves\nwould have them. But there shall come an eternal darkness upon them,\nalthough they do not believe nor apprehend it.\n\n\nV. 18. _For they speak in swelling words, which have nothing back of\nthem._ If you ask how they may be called wells without water, and\nclouds without rain, while they yet preach throughout the whole\nworld, St. Peter answers: they rain and preach, alas! altogether too\nmuch; but they are only vain, swollen and puffed-up words, by which\nthey blow the poor people's ears full, so that men think it is\nsomething fine; and yet it is nothing but show. Just as the monks,\nwith high, bold words, set forth their obedience, poverty and\nchastity, so that men think they are a holy people, while yet it is\nnothing but mere trickery, and certainly no faith nor love can be\nfound among it. Like this, also, is their pretence that the estate of\nbishops is a more perfect estate, while these yet do nothing else but\nride about pompously on their fine horses, and now and then\nconsecrate churches and altars, and baptise bells. Such puffed-up and\nswollen words are the whole spiritual law of the Pope, throughout.\n\n\n_And they allure, through guile, to the lust of the flesh, those who\nhad well-nigh escaped, and now they walk in error._ This is what\nthese wells and teachers do, so that they who were almost escaped\nmust fall into the snare of wickedness, and for the first time be\ntruly captured. A child that has been baptised, rescued from all\nsins, snatched from the devil and set out from Adam into Christ, when\nhe comes to reason is soon entangled and led away into error. Men\nshould be taught of faith, and love, and the holy cross, while our\nclergy go their own way, throw up their work whereby these persons\nfall back again into error, even though they had escaped it. But how\ndoes this come to pass? Thus: in that by guile they allure the people\nto the lust of the flesh. Their strongest persuasion is in their\nsaying that priests, monks and nuns should not be married, and should\nbind themselves to maintain chastity, by which they do no more than\nallure to unchastity, forasmuch as the wretched people must perish in\ntheir wicked lusts, and there is nothing to help them.\n\nBut here you clearly see that Peter speaks of none other than\nteachers who bear rule in Christendom, where men are baptised and\nbelievers,--for among the Turks and heathen, no one has so escaped;\nit is only among Christians, where they have the chance to lead souls\nastray, and bring them into the snare of the devil.\n\n\nV. 19. _And they promise them freedom, while they themselves are the\nservants of corruption, for of whom any one is overcome, his servant\nhas he become._ They set up Orders by which a man is to be saved,--as\nThomas, the monk preacher, has shamelessly written, that when a man\nshall enter into one of these Orders, be it as vile as it may, it is\nas though he had but just come forth from his baptism; and then they\npromise him freedom and forgiving of sins by works of his own. Such\nblasphemy must we hear, while they set their human fancies and\nludicrous conceits, destitute of faith, on a level with faith and\nbaptism which God has established, and which are peculiarly his work.\nWho is to endure this and still keep silent? Such stories have the\nmonks gotten up, and they cram them into the young; and such teachers\nas these men have set up for saints. But the other saints, truly\nsuch, they have burnt to ashes.\n\n\nV. 20. _For if they have escaped the pollution of the world through\nthe knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, but shall be\nagain entangled and overcome in the same, their last end is worse for\nthem than the first._ There Peter shows why they are the servant of\ncorruption. To confess Christ is to know what he is, even our\nSaviour, who forgives us our sins from pure grace. By this confession\nwe escape the vice and come out from the pollution of the world. But\nthough they should already have been delivered from sin in baptism,\nthey shall afterwards be plunged therein, for that they have again\ngone from faith to their own works. For where there is no faith, the\nSpirit is absent; but where the Spirit is absent, there is nothing\nbut flesh, so that there can be nothing at all that is pure. So has\nit come to pass hitherto in regard to Christianity. Rome first heard\nthe pure Gospel, but afterward went back and fell away to human\ndoctrines, until even upon herself all abominations have come up; so\nthat her last end has become worse than her first, in that she is now\nfar more hopeless in her heathenism than she ever was before she\nheard the word of God.\n\n\nV. 21. _For it had been far better for them that they had never known\nthe way of righteousness, than that they should know it, and turn\nthemselves away from the holy command that has been given them. For\nit has happened to them according to the proverb, The dog turns to\nhis own vomit again, and the sow after her washing wallows in the\nmire._ This proverb St. Peter has taken out of the book of Prov.\nxxvi., where Solomon says, \"A man who repeats his folly is like the\ndog who turns again to his vomit.\" By baptism they have thrown off\nunbelief, and have been washed from their polluted life, and have\nentered upon a pure life of faith and love, while they fall off from\nit again to unbelief and their own works, and defile themselves again\nin the dirt. So that we are not to make this proverb bear on works;\nfor little is accomplished by one's saying and directing at\nconfession, \"Thou shalt henceforth be chaste, meek, and patient,\" &c.\nBut if you will be pious, pray God that he will give you a real\nfaith, and see to it that you forsake your unbelief. When you shall\nthen have attained faith, good works shall afterwards take care of\nthemselves, so that you will live purely and chastely, even though\nyou should secure yourself by no other means; and though, again, you\nmight awhile conceal the mischief in your heart, yet at last it comes\nout.\n\nThis is the second chapter of this Epistle, wherein Peter speaks\nspecially of our teachers, how shamefully we have been treated by\nthem. We have indeed had warning enough, but we have not minded it,\nso that the fault is ours that we have not laid hold on the Gospel,\nand that we have by our lives deserved such anger of God. We hear it\ngenerally, all of us, with gladness, when some one assaults and\nupbraids the Pope along with his priests and monks; but yet, no one\nwill draw advantage to himself from it. It is not such a trifling\nmatter of sport that one must laugh at it, but of such seriousness\nthat the heart should fear and tremble on account of it. Therefore\nshould we lay hold upon it with seriousness, and pray that God would\nturn away from us his anger and such plagues. For this calamity has\nnot come upon us unforeseen, but it is sent upon us by God as a\npunishment,--as Paul says, II. Thes. ii.: \"Since they have not\nreceived the love of the truth, that they might be saved, therefore\nshall God send upon them strong delusion so that they shall believe a\nlie,\" &c., &c. For had the punishment gone but so far that the false\nteachers only were lost, it would have been yet a little thing\nagainst the fact that they have had the rule, and carried all the\nworld with them to hell. Therefore, in regard to the evil, we are to\ntake no counsel except to apprehend the matter in Godly fear and\nhumility, confess our guilt, and pray God to turn away the punishment\nfrom us. By prayer must one contend against the false teachers,\nalthough the devil do not let him win.--Now follows, next:\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER III.\n\n\nV. 1, 2. _This is the second Epistle which I write to you, beloved,\nin which I stir up your pure minds to remembrance, that ye may think\nupon the word which was said to you before by the holy prophets, and\nupon our command, who are Apostles of the Lord and Saviour._ Here St.\nPeter comes to us again, and warns us in this chapter to be prepared,\nand look every moment for the last day. And so he says in the first\nof it, that he has written this Epistle, not in order to lay down a\nground of faith, which he had done before, but to awaken, remind,\narrest, and urge them not to forget the same, and to abide in the\nclear view and understanding which they have of a true christian\nlife. For it is the preacher's office, as we have said often, not\nonly to teach, but also continually to admonish and restrain. For\nsince our flesh and blood ever clings to us, God's word must be\nstronger in us, that we may not give room to the flesh, but strive\nagainst it, and gain the upper hand of it.\n\n\nV. 3, 4. _And know, first of all, that in the last days there shall\ncome scoffers who walk after their own lusts, and say, Where is the\npromise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things\nremain as from the beginning of creation._ Yet are men swayed hither\nand thither by a book concerning Antichrist, wherein it is written\nthat the people before the last day shall fall into such error that\nthey shall say, there is no God, and shall scoff at all that is\npreached of Christ and the last day. That is true, whencesoever it\nhas been taken. But we are not so to understand it as that the whole\nworld shall say and hold such things, but the greater part. For that\ntime is even now at hand, and shall prevail yet more when the Gospel\nshall come down among the people, when the proud ones shall lift\nthemselves up, and the secrets of many hearts break forth, which are\nnow hidden and unknown. There have even already been many who have\naltogether rejected the idea of the coming of the last day.\n\nOf such scoffers St. Peter here warns us, and tells us of them\nbeforehand, that they must come, and rush into this hazard and live\nas they list. At Rome and in Italy this word is now at length\nfulfilled, and they who come thence, bring such errors also forth\nwith them; for just as they have a long time perplexed themselves\ntherein, so, also, must they perplex the people by the same means.\nAnd even though the last day were now before the door, such people\nmust come abroad. So shall be fulfilled that which Christ says, Mat.\nxxiv.: \"Just as it was in the time of Noah, so shall it also be at\nthe coming of the Son of Man; for as they were in the days before the\ndeluge, they ate, they drank, they married and were given in\nmarriage, even to the day when Noah entered into the ark, and they\nknew it not till the flood came and swallowed them all; so, also,\nshall the coming of the Son of Man be.\" Also, \"The Son of Man shall\ncome at an hour when ye think not.\" Also, Luke xxi.: \"This day shall\ncome as a snare, upon all that dwell upon the earth.\" And once more,\nLuke xvii.: \"As the lightning lightens over us from heaven, and\nshines upon all that is under the heaven, so shall the Son of Man be\nin His day,\"--that is, so quick and unforeseen and sudden shall He\nbreak in upon it, while the world shall be living above all, for\nitself first, and shall throw God's word to the winds.\n\nTherefore this shall be a sign of the last day that it is near, when\nthe people shall live as they list, according to all their lusts, and\nsuch talk goes about among them as this: \"Where is the promise of his\ncoming? the world has stood so long and continued to abide, is it now\nfor the first time to be otherwise?\" Thus Peter warns us that we\nshould not be surprised, and that we have a sure sign that the day\nwill soon come.--It follows, further:\n\n\nV. 5, 6. _But this in their obstinacy they will not know, that the\nheavens of old, besides the earth standing out of the water and in\nthe water, were (made) by God's word, yet through the same, was the\nworld in its time destroyed by the flood._ Such people they are, he\nsays, as show not so much diligence as to read the Scripture, but\nobstinately refuse to think and be aware that so also it was of old,\nwhen Noah built the ark; the world which stood and was made through\nthe water and in the water, was destroyed by water, and the people\nwere yet so safe and secure that they thought, surely there is no\ndanger,--yet they were all alike destroyed by water. As though he\nshould say,--if God has for once destroyed the world by water, and\nshown by an example that he can sink it, how much more will he do it\nnow that he has promised to do it.\n\nBut here St. Peter speaks somewhat particularly of the creation. The\nheaven and the earth stood fast aforetime; they were made of water\nand stood in the water, by the word of God. Heaven and earth have a\nbeginning; they have not been forever; the heaven was made from the\nwater, and there was water above and beneath,--but the earth is made\nand stands in the water, as Moses writes, whom St. Peter here quotes.\nAll is sustained by God's word, as it also was made by the same, for\nit is not their nature so to stand. Therefore if God did not sustain\nit, it must all soon fall down and sink into the water. For God spoke\na word of power when he said, \"let the waters under the heavens\ngather themselves into a separate place, that the dry land may be\nseen;\" that is, let the water put itself aside and give room for the\nearth to come forth, whereon man might dwell,--yet naturally the\nwaters should spread themselves over the earth. Therefore this is, at\nthe present day, one of the greatest miracles that God works.\n\nNow St. Peter would say this: so obstinate and stupid are these\nscoffers, that they will not do honor to the Holy Spirit, though they\nread how God holds up the earth in the water, whence they should be\nconvinced that all stands in the hands of God. Therefore, since God\nat that time drowned the earth, so he will deal with us even yet\nagain. For that example should certainly convince us that, as in that\nvery case he has not lied, so again he will not lie.\n\n\nV. 7. _But the heaven which yet is, and the earth, are by his word\nsustained, that they be reserved for fire in the day of Judgment and\ncondemnation of ungodly men._ At that time, when God destroyed the\nworld by a flood, the water pressed down from above, up from beneath\nand from all sides, so that nothing could be seen but water only;\nbecause the earth, as its nature was, must be swallowed up in the\nwater. But now he has promised, and given the rainbow for a sign in\nheaven, that he will no more destroy the world by water. Therefore he\nwill destroy it and let it perish by fire, so that here it shall be\nfire only, as there it was water only. Of which St. Paul, II. Thes.\ni., says: \"When now the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven,\ntogether with the angels of his power, and with flaming fire,\" etc.\nSo I. Cor. iii.: \"Every one's work shall be revealed; the day of the\nLord shall make it clear, which shall be revealed with fire.\" So when\nthe last day breaks and bursts in on the world, it will in a moment\nbe fire only; what is in heaven and in earth shall be turned to dust\nand ashes, and all things must be changed by fire, as that change\ntook place by water. This shall be a sign that God will not lie so\nlong as He has left that for a sign.\n\n\nV. 8-10. _But of this one thing, beloved, be ye not ignorant; that\none day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as\none day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men\ncount slackness, but he is long-suffering toward you, and wills not\nthat any one should perish, but that all should come to repentance;\nbut the Day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night, in which\nthe heavens shall pass away with a great noise, but the elements\nshall be melted with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that\nare therein shall be burned up._ With these words St. Peter meets\nthose of whom he has just spoken, who say: \"The Apostles have said\nmuch about the Last Day coming quickly,--and yet so long a time is\npast, and still all continues as heretofore.\" And he has quoted this\npassage from Moses, in the lxxxix. Ps., where he says: \"A thousand\nyears are in thine eyes as yesterday, when it is past.\" This is the\nscope of it.\n\nThere are two ways of viewing things,--one for God, the other for the\nworld. So also this present life and that to come, are twofold. This\nlife cannot be that, since none can reach that but by death,--that\nis, by ceasing from _this_ life. This life is just to eat, drink,\nsleep, endure, bring up children, etc., in which all moves on\nsuccessively, hours, day, year, one after another: if you wish now to\napprehend that life, you must banish out of your mind the course of\nthis present life; you must not think that you can so apprehend it,\nwhere it will all be one day, one hour, one moment.\n\nSince then in God's sight there is no reckoning of time, a thousand\nyears must be before him, as it were, a day. Therefore the first man,\nAdam, is just as near to him as he who shall be last born before the\nlast day. For God sees not time lengthwise but obliquely, just as\nwhen you look at right-angles to a long tree which lies before you,\nyou can fix in your view both place and parts at once,--a thing you\ncannot do if you only look at it lengthwise. We can, by our reason,\nlook at time only according to its duration; we must begin to count\nfrom Adam, one year after another, even to the last day. But before\nGod it is all in one heap; what is long with us is short with\nhim,--and again, here there is neither measure nor number. So when\nman dies, the body is buried and wastes away, lies in the earth and\nknows nothing; but when the first man rises up at the last day, he\nwill think he has lain there scarcely an hour, while he will look\nabout himself and become assured that so many people were born of him\nand have come after him, of whom he had no knowledge at all.\n\nThis, then, is St. Peter's meaning: the Lord does not delay his\npromise as some scoffers let themselves imagine, but is\nlong-suffering; therefore should ye be prepared for the last\nday,--for it will come soon enough to every one after his death, in\nthat he will say, \"lo! I have but just now died!\" But it comes upon\nthe world all too soon: when the people shall say, \"there is peace,\nno danger threatens,\" it shall break forth and come upon them, as St.\nPaul says, I. Thess. v. And with so great a noise shall the day tear\nits way and burst forth like a great storm, that in a moment must all\nbe wasted.\n\n\nV. 11, 12. _Since then all this must pass away, how careful should ye\nbe in all holy conduct and a Godly life, that ye wait for and hasten\nto the coming of the day of the Lord._ Since ye know this, that all\nmust pass away, both heaven and earth,--think how ye shall be\nprepared to meet this day, by a holy and godly life and conversation.\nFor Peter describes this day as one that is to come even now, so that\nmen should be prepared for it, to hope for it with joy, and even\nhasten to run to meet it, as that which sets us free from death, sin\nand hell.\n\n\nV. 12, 13. _In which the heavens shall pass away by fire, and the\nelements shall be melted with fervent heat; but we look for a new\nheaven and a new earth, according to his promise, in which dwelleth\nrighteousness._ God has promised by the prophets, here and there,\nthat he would create a new heaven and a new earth,--as in Is. lxv.,\n\"Behold, I will create a new heaven and a new earth, wherein ye shall\nbe happy, and shout and leap for joy.\" So in xxx. \"The appearance of\nthe moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the splendor of the\nsun shall be seven times as bright, as though seven days were joined\none into another;\" and Christ says, Matt. xiii., \"The righteous shall\nshine like the sun, in their Father's kingdom.\" How that is to pass\naway we cannot know, except that the promise is, that such a heaven\nand earth are to be, wherein no sin, but righteousness only, and the\nchildren of God shall dwell; as also St. Paul says, Rom. viii., there\nshall be pure love, pure joy, and nothing but God's kingdom.\n\nHere some may disquiet themselves as to whether the saints shall have\ntheir station in heaven or on earth. The text seems to imply that man\nshall dwell upon the earth,--yet so that all heaven and earth shall\nbe a paradise wherein God dwells, for God dwells not alone in heaven,\nbut in all places, wherefore the elect shall be also even where He\nis.\n\n\nV. 14. _Therefore, my beloved, since ye look for such things, be\ndiligent, that ye may be found of him without spot, and blameless, in\npeace._ Since ye have escaped, he says, such misery, and come to so\ngreat joy, ye should suffer yourselves to be persuaded to despise\nwillingly all that is upon the earth, and suffer cheerfully whatever\nduty requires. Therefore should ye be diligent, that ye may live a\npeaceful and blameless life.\n\n\nV. 15. _And the long-suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ account for\nyour salvation._ In that He so spares, and delays, and does not come\nto speedy judgment, take account of this as designed for your\nbenefit. He had good reason to be angry and to punish, yet out of His\ngrace He does it not.\n\n\nV. 15, 16. _As also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom\nthat has been given unto him has written, as he also in all his\nletters speaks thereof, in which are some things hard to be\nunderstood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they also do\nother Scriptures, to their own destruction._ There St. Peter bears\ntestimony for the Apostle Paul in respect to his doctrine, which\nshows plainly enough that this Epistle was written long after St.\nPaul's Epistles. And this is one of the passages which might be\nadduced to maintain that this Epistle is not St. Peter's, as also\nthere was one before this in this chapter--namely, where he says,\n\"the Lord wills not that any should be lost, but that every one\nshould give himself to repentance.\" For it falls some little below\nthe Apostolic spirit; still it is credible that it is none the less\nthe Apostle's, for since herein, he is writing not of faith but of\nlove, he lets himself down somewhat, as the manner of love is,\ninasmuch as it humbles itself toward its neighbor, just as faith\nrises above itself.\n\nBut he has yet seen that many unstable spirits wrested and perverted\nSt. Paul in his words and doctrines, inasmuch as some things in his\nEpistles are hard to be understood,--as when he speaks in this way,\n\"that no one is justified by works, but by faith alone;\" so, too,\n\"the law is given to make sin more gross;\" so, too, \"where sin\nabounded, there grace much more abounds,\" and more passages of the\nsame sort. For when men hear such, then they say, if that is true, we\nwill go on indolently, and do no good work, and so be righteous, as\nmen even now say, that we forbid good works; for if one so perverts\nSt. Paul's own words, what wonder is it that they should, in like\nmanner, pervert ours?\n\n\nV. 17, 18. _But ye, my beloved, since ye know this beforehand, beware\nfor yourselves that ye be not led away by the error of the wicked\nlikewise, and fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace,\nand in knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom be\npraise, now and forever. Amen._ Since ye know, he says, all that has\nbeen said above, and see that many false teachers must come, who lead\nthe world astray, and such scoffers as pervert the Scripture and will\nnot understand it, take care of yourselves; guard against them with\ndiligence, that ye fall not from the faith by doctrines of error; and\ngrow, so as to become stronger from day to day by the steadfast\npractice and preaching of the word of God. Here observe how great\ncare the Apostle shows for those who have come to believe, which\nurged him even to write these two Epistles, wherein is richly\ncomprehended what a Christian should know, besides also that which is\nyet to come. May God give his grace, that we also may seize hold upon\nand retain it. Amen.\n\n\n\n\nTHE EPISTLE OF SAINT JUDE.\n\n\nV. 1, 2. _Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, but a brother of James, to\nthose that are called to be holy in God the Father, and preserved in\nJesus Christ, mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied._ This\nEpistle is ascribed to the holy Apostle, St. Jude, brother of the two\nApostles, James the Less and Simon, by the sister of the mother of\nChrist, who is called Mary (wife) of James or Cleopas, as we read in\nMark vi. But this Epistle cannot be looked upon as being that of one\nwho was truly an Apostle, for the author speaks in it of the\nApostles, as being much their junior. It has even nothing peculiar\nabout it, except that it refers to the second Epistle of St. Peter,\nfrom which it has taken nearly all its words, and is scarcely\nanything else than an Epistle against our clergy, bishops, priests\nand monks.[1]\n\n[Footnote 1: It is well known that at an early period the book of\nJude was reckoned among the _antilegomena_. This was mainly in\nconsequence of its references to the Apocryphal books of Enoch and of\nthe Ascension of Christ. Yet De Wette, than whom none would be more\ndisposed to sift it thoroughly, says, \"no important objection to the\ngenuineness of the Epistle can be made good; neither the use of the\nApocryphal book of Enoch, nor the resemblance of v. 24 to Rom. xvi.\n25, nor a style of writing which betrays a certain familiarity with\nthe Greek tongue. The Epistle is less open to suspicion, as the\nauthor does not distinctly claim to be an Apostle, nor can a pretext\nfor forgery be discovered.\" Again, he says: \"they who regard the Son\nof Alpheus and the brother of the Lord as one and the same person,\nare quite consistent in regarding our Jude likewise as an Apostle.\"\nTo this view De Wette himself does not accede, and thus agrees\nsubstantially with Luther.]\n\n\nV. 3. _Beloved, since I gave all diligence to write unto you of the\ncommon salvation, I am necessitated to write to you, and admonish\nyou, that ye should contend earnestly for the faith which was once\ndelivered to the saints._ That is as much as to say,--I am\nnecessitated to write to you, so that I may remind and admonish you\nhow ye should go forward and persevere in the faith which has\nalready, before this, been once preached to you; or as though he\nshould say, It is necessary that I should admonish you that ye be on\nyour guard and remain in the right way; but as to why this is needed,\nhe gives the reason, and says:\n\n\nV. 4. _For there are some men who have secretly come in, who were\nordained of old to this condemnation._ For this cause will I remind\nyou that ye should abide in the faith which ye have heard, because\nthere is even now a wavering, and already there have come preachers,\nwho set up other doctrines besides faith, by which people are led\naway gently and unsuspectingly from the true way. So St. Peter also\nsaid, in his Epistle, \"there shall be false teachers among you, who\nshall secretly bring in destructive heresies, &c.\" These, he says,\n\"are long ago appointed to such a sentence of condemnation.\" This we\nnow well understand, since we know that no one is righteous and\njustified by works of his own, but only through faith in Christ,\ninsomuch that he must rely on the work of Christ as his chief good.\nThen where there is faith, whatever is done as works is all done for\nthe good of our neighbor, and thus we guard ourselves against all\nworks which are not performed with the intent that they shall be of\nservice to our neighbor, as is now the estate of priests and monks.\nTherefore wherever any one now secretly introduces anything else than\nthis doctrine of faith, in regard to such orders and works, he leads\nthe people astray, so that they shall be condemned along with him.\n\n\n_Who are godless, and turn the grace of God into wantonness._ That\nGospel which is given us concerning the grace of God, and which sets\nChrist before us, as he is offered to and bestowed upon us, with all\nthat he has, that we may be freed from sin, death and all evil, such\ngrace and blessing offered to us by the Gospel, they use merely to\nindulge their wantonness,--that is, they call themselves Christians,\nindeed, and praise the Gospel, but they bring in such an order, as\ntherein to work their own caprice, in eating and drinking and wanton\nlife, while they make their boast and say we are not in a secular but\na spiritual estate, and under such names and pretence they have\ngrasped all enjoyment, honor and pleasure. This, already, says Jude,\nbegins. For we read that it had already begun a thousand years ago;\nthat the bishops then wished to be Lords and to be more highly\nexalted than common christians, as we also see in St. Jerome's\nEpistles.\n\n\n_And they deny God, that he alone is Lord, and our Lord Jesus\nChrist._ This is what St. Peter said also in his Epistle; but this\nthey deny (as we have heard). It is not done by their _mouth_, for\nwith this they confess that God is one Lord, but they deny that\nChrist is Lord in fact, and by their works; they hold, not Him, but\nthemselves as their Lord,--for while they preach that fasts,\npilgrimages, church ordinances, chastity, obedience, poverty, etc.,\nare the way to salvation, they lead the people astray to their own\nworks, and yet are silent about Christ; and it is just as much as if\nthey said, Christ is of no avail to you, His works noway help you,\nbut you must by your own works merit salvation. Thus they deny the\nLord who has bought us with his blood, as Peter says.\n\n\nV. 5, 6, 7. _I will therefore remind you that ye once knew this, that\nthe Lord, when he saved the people out of Egypt, afterward destroyed\nthose that believed not. Also, the angels, who kept not their first\nestate, but left their own habitation, he has reserved to the\njudgment of the great day, in everlasting chains, under darkness. As\nalso Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities lying about them, which in\nlike manner as these, rioted in fornication, and went after strange\nflesh, are set forth for an example, and bear the pain of eternal\nfire._ Here he adduces, also, three examples, as St. Peter does in\nhis Epistle; but the first which he presents is to this effect: that\nGod permitted the children of Israel whom he had brought out of Egypt\nby many wonderful works, when they did not believe, to be overthrown\nand defeated, so that of them all not more than two survived, when\nthere were numbered, of all that went forth from twenty years of age\nand above, more than six hundred thousand men. This example he sets\nforth as a warning and a terror; as though he should say, those who\nare now called Christians, and under this name turn the grace of God\ninto wantonness, are to beware to themselves that it do not come to\npass with them as it came to pass with those. And true enough, these\nare the times when the Popedom is exalted and the Gospel kept secret\nthrough the whole world; when, too, there comes continually one\nplague after another, by which God has punished the unbelieving and\nthrown them into the throat of the Devil.\n\n\nV. 8. _Like them also are these dreamers, who defile the flesh._\nThese teachers he calls dreamers; for just as when a man lies in a\ndream he deals with images, and thinks he has something real, but\nwhen he wakes up it is nothing at all,--but he sees then that it was\na dream, and counts it of no importance,--so, too, what these say is\nnothing else than a mere dream; for when once their eyes shall be\nopened, they shall see that it is nothing at all. As when they go\nabout pretending that their tonsure and cowl, obedience, poverty and\nchastity are well-pleasing to God, they have this before their eyes;\nyet, in God's sight it is nothing but a mere dream. So he has given\nthem a truly fitting name, inasmuch as they deal with dreams, by\nwhich they cheat themselves and the world.\n\nBut especially do the Apostles ascribe to the clerical order the vice\nof leading an unchaste life; and God long ago foretold that they\nshould have no wives. Now it is scarcely possible that God should\nwork as many miracles as there are persons in the order, so that it\ncannot be that they are chaste. So, likewise, has the prophet Daniel\nspoken, chap. xi., of the Pope's rule: \"He shall not regard women (in\nmarriage).\" This is the external characteristic, as the inward is\nthat they are dreamers.\n\n\n_Who despise government, and speak evil of dignities._ Their third\ncharacteristic is, that they will not be subject to civil authority.\nYet we have been taught, while we live on earth, that we are all\nunder obligation; that we are to be subject and obedient to the\nsovereignty; for the Christian faith does not do away with civil\nrule,--therefore no one can except himself from it, because the\nPope's decree concerning the Church's freedom is a mere devil's law.\n\n\nV. 9. _But Michael the archangel, when he contended with the devil,\nand disputed about the body of Moses, durst not let drop against him\na railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee._ This is one of\nthe reasons why this Epistle was formerly rejected, because here an\nexample is adduced which is not found in Scripture, to the effect\nthat the angel Michael and the devil contended with one another about\nthe body of Moses. But this should have been found there, since so\nmuch is written about Moses in the last of Deuteronomy, of God's\nburial of him, and yet no one knew his grave. Besides, Scripture\ntestifies in regard to him, that no other prophet has arisen in\nIsrael like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, &c. But it has\nbeen said, in reference to the same text also, that his body was left\nconcealed, so that the Jews might not regard it with idolatrous\nveneration, and for this reason the angel Michael must needs oppose\nthe devil, who wished that the body should be discovered, that the\nJews might pray to it; and although Michael was an archangel (says\nJude), yet was he not so bold as to curse even the devil,--and yet\nthese scoffers trample under foot the authority that has been\nordained of God; they curse in seven, eight and nine ways, though\nthey are men merely; while this archangel dared not curse the worst\ndevil that was ever condemned, but said no more than, the Lord\nrestrain and punish thee.\n\n\nV. 10. _But these scoff at what they know nothing of, for what they\nknow naturally as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt\nthemselves._ Such scoffers are they, that they can do nothing else\nbut anathematize and curse, and give over to the devil for his own\nnot only kings and dignities, but God also and the saints, as may be\nseen in the bull, _C[oe]na Domini_. They know not that our salvation\nstands on the foundation of faith and love; they cannot endure that\ntheir works should be rejected and condemned, and that it should be\npreached that Christ alone must help us by His works. Therefore they\ncurse and scoff at all Christian doctrine which they are ignorant of.\nBut what they know, through natural perception,--as the founding of\nmasses and the like,--will bring in gold and treasures; to this they\ndevote themselves with energy, and thereby corrupt themselves and\nevery one else.\n\n\nV. 11. _Woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain._ Cain\nstruck his brother dead, simply because he was more pious than\nhimself. For his brother's offering was acceptable before God, but\nhis own was not. So now the way of Cain is, to rely on one's own\nworks, and scoff at those works which are good and true, and\ncircumvent and slay those who go in the right way, just as these very\nones also are doing.\n\n\n_And have hurried for reward into the error of Balaam._ They should\nbe fixed inwardly in the hope of Divine grace; yet they go forth and\nput their trust in various outward works, of this kind and that, and\nthey do them only for the sake of gold, that they may fill their\nbellies, like the prophet Balaam, as we have heard in Peter's\nEpistle.\n\n\n_And perished in the rebellion of Korah._ Of the rebellion of Korah,\nand how he was destroyed, with his house, we have an account in the\nfourth book of Moses, xvi. Moses was summoned and called for this\npurpose, that he should lead the people out of Egypt; and his brother\nAaron likewise was appointed of God as High Priest. Now Korah was\nalso of the same tribe, and their friendship should have been\nenduring, and something more than common: yet he attaches to himself\ntwo hundred and fifty men of the foremost and most distinguished\namong the people, and excites such a commotion and tumult, that Moses\nand Aaron are forced to flee. And Moses fell upon his face, and\nprayed that God might not accept their sacrifice; and he bade the\ncongregation of the people draw back from them, and said to them:\n\"Hereby shall ye surely know if the Lord hath sent me; if these men\ndie and disappear as all men disappear, then the Lord hath not sent\nme; but if the Lord shall do some new thing, so that the earth shall\nopen her mouth and swallow them up, and they go down alive into hell,\nthen shall ye know that these men have reviled the Lord.\" When he had\nspoken these words, the earth quaked and opened, and swallowed up\nKorah, together with the other leaders of the rebellion, with all\nthat they had, so that they went down alive into hell; and the fire\nconsumed the other two hundred and fifty men who had joined\nthemselves to him.\n\nThis example Jude sets forth for these scoffers who blame us for\nmaking a commotion, while we preach against them, for they are the\nreal ones who make all the trouble. For Christ is our Aaron and\nchief-priest, whom we should allow to rule alone; but this the Pope\nand bishops have been unwilling to endure. They have set themselves\nup, and have wished to have the power to rule along with the\nauthority, and so have arrayed themselves against Christ; but God has\npunished them, in that the earth has swallowed them up and covered\nthem, since they are absorbed and swallowed up in an earthly life and\npleasure, and are nothing but pure worldliness.\n\n\nV. 12, 13. _These live on your charities, and are vileness itself,\nwhile they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear; clouds\nthey are without water, driven about by the wind; barren, fruitless\ntrees, twice dead and plucked up by the roots; wild waves of the sea,\nwhich foam out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom is reserved\nthe blackness of darkness forever._ Of this we have heard enough in\nSt. Peter's Epistle. All the world have brought up their children to\nbe ecclesiastics, and to have an easy life of it, and not to support\nthemselves by their own hands and labor; nor must they even preach,\nbut only live without care in their luxury, and keep up good spirits\nby feeding on the wealth that poor people earn by their sweat. So men\nthink they must be the best part, and the jewel, as it were, of\nChristendom, while they are merely shame-spots and an abomination,\nand live well, as we say, on the wealth that belongs to them as\npriests. They are without care or fear; they think the devil may not\noverthrow them; they feed not the sheep, but are themselves the\nwolves that devour the sheep; they are clouds that hang over us in\nthe air, sit up high in the churches, as those that should preach,\nand yet they do not preach at all, but let themselves be driven by\nthe devil this way and the other.\n\nSo, too, he says, they are leafless, fruitless trees, like the trees\nof autumn; they have neither fruit nor leaf; they stand there only\nlike other trees; let themselves be looked upon as Christian bishops,\nbut there is with them neither word nor work, but all is dead to the\nroot. Moreover, they are like wild waves of the sea; that is, as the\nwind tosses and throws up waves and billows upon the water, so these,\ntoo, go just as the devil leads them. And they foam out their own\nshame; like a heated pot, they are so full of pollution that they run\nover, and cannot retain command of themselves, but all must out. They\nare wandering stars, planets as they are called, that go backward,\nand not in a steady, straight course, so that they make no true\nprogress; their life and doctrine is mere error, in which they lead\nthemselves astray, and all that follow after them. Therefore for them\nis reserved the blackness of darkness forever.\n\nThus Jude has appraised and painted our spiritual masters, who, under\nthe name of Christ and Christianity, introduce all sorts of\nprofligacy, and snatch to themselves all the wealth of the world, and\nauthoritatively subject all men to themselves.\n\nThere follows now, further:\n\n\nV. 14. _Enoch, also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of such, and\nsaid, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of His saints, to\nexecute judgment upon all._ This language of Enoch is nowhere to be\nfound in Scripture. For this reason some of the Fathers did not\nreceive this Epistle, although there is not a sufficient reason for\nrejecting a book on this account. For St. Paul, also, in II. Tim.\niii., makes mention of two that opposed Moses, Jannes and Jambres,\nnames that are not even to be found in the Scriptures. But be this as\nit will, we let it pass. Still this is true, that God, from the\nbeginning of the world, has left it to some to make His word known\n(the word that promises His favor and salvation to believers, but\nthreatens the unbelieving with judgment and condemnation), even till\nChrist's coming down from heaven, when it is openly preached to the\nwhole world. But before the birth of Christ God took to Himself for\nthis purpose only a single line, from Adam to Abraham, and thence to\nDavid, down to Mary the mother of Christ, who possessed His word.\nThus the Gospel has always been preached in the world, but never so\ngenerally as now in these last times.\n\nThus, also, this father, Enoch, insisted on that word of God which he\nreceived from his father, Adam, and which he had of the Holy Spirit.\nFor the Scripture says also of him, Gen. v., that he led a godly\nlife, and therefore he was taken of God, so that he was seen no more.\nHence, also, has been derived the notion that He will come again\nbefore the last day; but it is not to be supposed that men would\nunderstand it of a spiritual advent, as that his preaching was based\nupon the last day, as this passage is, wherein that day is spoken of\nwith as much assurance as though it were in full view. _The Lord is\ncoming already_, he says, _with many thousand saints_; that is, with\nsuch a multitude as cannot be numbered. For this can only be said of\nthe last day, on which He will come with all His saints, to execute\njudgment. For before this, He has not come with many thousand saints,\nbut alone, into the world; and this, not to judge, but to bestow\ngrace.\n\n\nV. 15. _And to punish all the ungodly among them, for all their\ngodless life, wherein they have been ungodly._ This passage Jude does\nnot inappropriately quote, inasmuch as he is speaking of false\nteachers, who are to come before the last day; and the conclusion is\nthence to be drawn, that the Lord by his coming will overthrow the\nPope and his government; since there is no other help for it; for as\nlong as the world stands, there will be no (voluntary) ending or\nreformation of it. The passage, moreover, cannot be understood of any\nothers, but of our clergy, who have shamefully led all the world\nastray. Their system cannot be worse, and even though it were worse,\nit must yet hold on to the name of Christ, and under the same\nintroduce all kinds of mischiefs. Thus he refers this passage to the\nlast judgment, and names those who shall suffer judgment. Whence we\ninfer what our young clerical gentlemen shall expect at the last day,\nbe the time long or short.\n\n\n_And for all the hard speeches which Godless sinners have uttered\nagainst Him._ There he at once strikes upon their life and preaching,\nand would say this much:--They speak fiercely and harshly against the\nLord who is to come; they are shameless and proud; they deride and\nrevile him, as St. Peter has said. He speaks not of their sinful,\nshameful life, but of their godless state. But the godless is he who\nlives without faith, although he leads a passable life outwardly.\nOutwardly wicked works are indeed the fruits of unbelief, but we\nspeak more particularly of that as a godless state, where the heart\nis full of unbelief. These very godless ones the Lord will punish, he\nsays, because their preaching is shameless and presumptuous, for they\nstick ever to their own wilfulness; do not permit themselves to be\nswayed at all, and are as hard as an anvil, to condemn and revile\ncontinually. Thus has Enoch struck in this passage at the very estate\nwhich before the last day should be in the world, as we now see it\nbefore our eyes. Jude says, further:\n\n\nV. 16. _There are murmurers and complainers who walk after their own\nlusts, and their mouth speaketh swelling words._ When men will not\nlet their own circumstances be fair and favorable, then there is\nnothing but murmuring and complaining. So when one does not give a\nBishop the title he claims, then they cry out against disobedience.\nBesides, they are such a class of people as we cannot guard against,\nfor they give out that they have a right over soul and body; they\nhave grasped in their own hands both the civil and spiritual sword,\nso that they cannot be controlled, since no one must preach against\nthem; they have got rid of all tax, tribute, and rent, so that no one\ndares to touch their wealth, besides, none dares preach a word\nwithout first asking them about it. And even though one should attack\nthem with Scripture, yet they say that none but they only must be\nsuffered to explain Scripture. Thus they live in all respects as they\nwill, according to their lusts. For they cannot explain that to us,\nas they would be glad to, since we have subjected ourselves both to\nthe Gospel and to the civil sword, but they would be free and\nuncontrolled of both. And, moreover, their whole law and claim is\nnothing but the fullness of mere high, proud, puffed-up words, which\nhave nothing to back them.\n\n\n_And they hold themselves up for respect, for advantage sake._ This\nis their way of judging all, according to the person; in all the\nPope's laws, through and through, you do not once find that a bishop\nis to humble himself below a priest, or aim at anything, as the fruit\nof a christian walk,--but all is merely of this sort: the curate is\nto be subject to the priest, the priest subject to the bishop, the\nbishop to the archbishop, but he to the patriarch, the patriarch to\nthe Pope, and after this, how each is to wear the robe, the tonsure\nand the cowl, possess so many churches and benefices.\n\nThus they have reduced it all to an outward matter, and such is the\nchild's play and fool's work, they are driving at; and they have\naccounted it gross sin, if any one does not hold to such views. So\nthat Jude says well, that they put a mask upon everything, and have\nthis only before their eyes. Thus no one knows anything of faith, of\nlove, nor of the Cross; whence the people generally are content to\neat and play the fool, and devote all their property in the manner\nthey do, as if to the true service of God; it is thus that they hold\nthemselves up to respect for advantage sake.\n\n\nV. 17, 18. _But, my beloved, remember ye the words that were said\nbefore by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, when they said to\nyou that in the last times there should come scoffers who should walk\nafter their own lusts, in a godless state._ This passage shows also\nclearly, that this epistle is not by St. Jude the Apostle, for he\ndoes not count nor reckon himself among the other Apostles, but\nspeaks of them as of those who preached long before him; so that it\nis reasonable to suppose that another pious man wrote the epistle,\none who had read St. Peter's epistles and had drawn this from that\nsource. Who these scoffers are, we have said above: they walk,\nmoreover, after their own lusts,--not merely their fleshly lusts, but\nthose of that godless life which they lead, and they shape all as it\npleases them; they care neither for worldly authority, nor the word\nof God; they are neither under external nor internal government,\nwhether divine or human; they float about between heaven and earth in\ntheir lust, just as the devil leads them.\n\n\nV. 19. _These are they who make sects, sensual, who have not the\nSpirit._ There he has touched on what Peter speaks of, their secretly\nbringing in of pestilent sects, for these are they that have\nseparated themselves; they divide the unity that is in faith, will\nnot let the ordinary estate of a Christian answer,--namely, that\nwherein one serves another,--but they set up other estates, and\npretend to serve God by these. Besides they are sensual or brutish\nmen, who have no more understanding and spirit than an ox or an ass;\nthey walk according to their natural reason and fleshly mind. They\nhave no God's-word by which they judge themselves, or by which they\ncan live.\n\n\nV. 20, 21. _But, ye beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy\nfaith, through the Holy Spirit, and pray, and keep yourselves in the\nlove of God._ There he defines, in few words, that in which a\nthoroughly Christian life consists. Faith is laid for the foundation\non which we are to build; but to build is to grow from day to day in\nthe knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ, and this takes place\nthrough the working of the Holy Spirit. When we are thus built up, we\nshall do no work to merit anything or to be saved by it, but all to\nthe service of our neighbor. Thus we are to watch, that we abide in\nlove, and not fall from it, like these fools who set up particular\nworks and a peculiar life, and so draw people away from love.\n\n\n_And look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life._\nThat is the hope, toward which the Holy Cross moves. Therefore should\nour life be so shaped as to be nothing else than a steady longing and\nwaiting for that life to come; yet so that that waiting be grounded\non the mercy of Christ, so that we shall call upon Him with such an\nunderstanding as that he is to help us from this to that life out of\npure mercy, and not for any work or merit of ours.\n\n\nV. 22, 23. _And of these take pity, and distinguish them; but as to\nthose, save them and draw them out of the fire._ That is not well\nexpressed in Dutch, but Jude would say this much: on some take pity,\nsome save; that is, let your life be so shaped that it shall allow\nyou to have compassion on these who are wretched, blind and dumb;\nhave no joy or pleasure over them, but let them go, keep from them\nand have nothing to do with them. But as to those others, whom ye can\ndraw forth, save them by fear,--deal kindly and gently with them, as\nGod has dealt with you; treat them not harshly or rudely, but feel\ntoward them as toward those that lie in the fire, whom you are to\ndraw forth and rescue with all care, consideration and diligence; if\nthey will not suffer themselves to be drawn out, we should let them\ngo and weep over them,--but not like the Pope and his inquisitors,\nburn and destroy them by fire.\n\n\n_And hate the garment spotted by the flesh._ We have indeed received\nthe Holy Spirit by faith, and have been made clean; but as long as we\nlive here, the old garment of our flesh and blood clings to us still\nand will not relax its hold. This is the spotted garment that we\nshould lay off and draw away from as long as we live.\n\n\nV. 24, 25. _Now unto Him that is able to keep you from stumbling, and\npresent you faultless before the presence of His glory with joy; to\nGod who alone is wise, our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion\nand power, now and forever. Amen._ This is the close of this Epistle.\nThus the Apostles do when they have written, taught, admonished and\nprophesied; thus they pray, express their wishes, and give thanks.\nThus we have seen in the Epistles both what is true christian and\nfalse unchristian doctrine, as well as life.\n\n\n\n\nPRINTED AT WITTEMBERG BY HANS LUFFT, 1524.","title":"The Epistles of St. Peter and St. Jude Preached and Explained","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":87850}