# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1848 12 26_S68
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

68

Christ. And that which pertains to the first table of Moses, this we fulfil hereby, though not so abundantly as Christ has done; but we follow after continually, under his redemption or the forgiveness of sins, until we also at some time become wholly holy, and need no more forgiveness; for to this everything is directed. I might also well call them the seven Sacraments, but because this word "Sacrament" has come into abuse through the papists, and is used otherwise in Scripture, I let them remain seven chief parts of Christian sanctification or seven holy things.

Besides these seven chief parts there are yet more outward signs by which one knows the holy Christian Church, namely, when the Holy Ghost sanctifies us also according to the other table of Moses, when he helps us to honor father and mother heartily, and they in turn to bring up children in a Christian manner and to live honorably. When we serve and are subject to our princes and lords faithfully and obediently, and they in turn love their subjects, protect and shield them. Likewise, when we are angry with no one, bear no wrath, hatred, envy, nor desire of revenge against our neighbor, but gladly forgive, gladly lend, help, and counsel. When we are not unchaste and drunkards, proud, haughty, sumptuous, but chaste, modest, sober, friendly, gentle, meek and humble; do not steal, rob, practice usury, covet, overcharge, but are mild, kind, contented, generous; not false, lying, perjured, but truthful, and whatever more is taught of such commandments, as St. Paul teaches all this abundantly here and there. For therefore we must also have the Decalogue,*) not only that it may tell us by way of law what we are bound to do, but also that we may see therein how far the Holy Ghost has brought us with his Holy Things, and how far it still fails; to the end that we may not become secure and think, we have now done it all. And so continually grow in sanctification, and ever more and more become a new creature in Christ; as it is said, crescite et abundetis magis (that ye abound more and more), 1 Thess. 4:1, 5.

*) The holy Ten Commandments.

Although, however, such a sign cannot be perceived so certainly as those above, since also some heathen have practiced themselves in such works, and indeed at times seem holier than the Christians; yet their doings do not proceed so purely and simply from the heart, for God's sake, but they seek something else therein, because they have no right faith nor knowledge of God. But here the Holy Ghost is, who sanctifies the heart, and brings forth such fruit from good fine hearts, as Christ says in the parable, Matt. 13:23. And since nevertheless the first table is higher, and a greater holy thing must be there, I have wished to comprehend everything in the other table. Otherwise I might also well have divided it into seven holy things or chief parts, according to the seven commandments.

Here we have now for certain what, where, and who she is, the holy Christian Church, that is, the holy Christian people of God; and we cannot fail in this, of that we are well assured. Everything else besides these parts can fail and certainly fails, as we shall hear in part. From such a people one should take men for a Council; that might be a Council which would be governed by the Holy Ghost. So also Lyra writes, that the Church is not to be reckoned according to the high or spiritual estates, but according to the people who truly believe. I wonder how he was not burned on account of such a word, that he will not let popes, cardinals, bishops, prelates be the Church, from which there follow quite dreadful heresies, intolerable to the holy Roman Church and much too near to her. Of this elsewhere.

Now when the devil saw that God was building such a holy Church, he did not rest, and built his chapel beside it, larger than God's Church is, and did thus: He saw that God took outward things, such as Baptism, Word, Sacrament, keys, etc., whereby he sanctified his Church; (as he is indeed always God's ape, and will imitate God in all things and make a better) so he also took outward things before him, which were also to sanctify; just as he does with the weather-makers, sorcerers, devil-exorcists, etc. There he lets the Lord's Prayer be prayed too, and the Gospel be read over, that it may be a great holy thing. So he has caused to be consecrated or sanctified by the popes and papists: water, salt, candles, herbs, bells, images, Agnus Dei, pallia, altar, chasubles, tonsures, fingers, hands; who will tell it all? Lastly, the monks' cowls so sanctified that many people have died and been buried in them, as though they would thereby be saved. Now it would be very well if one spoke God's Word, blessing, or prayer over the creature, as the children do at table, and over themselves when they go to sleep and rise up, whereof St. Paul says, 1 Tim. 4:5: "Every creature is good, and is sanctified by the word of God and prayer." For from this the creature gets no new power, but is confirmed in its former power.

But the devil seeks something else, but wills that through his ape-play the creature should get a new power and might. Just as water through God's Word becomes a Baptism, a bath unto eternal life, washes away sin and makes blessed, which is not the nature nor might of water; and bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ; through the laying on of hands sins are forgiven, according to God's institution: so the devil also wills that his jugglery and ape-play be effectual, and do something above nature. Holy water is to wipe out sin, it is to drive out devils, is to ward off poltergeists, is to shield the woman in childbed, as the pope teaches us, etc. Aquam sale, so holy salt is to do also; Agnus Dei, blessed by the pope, is to do more than God himself is able to do. As is described in verses, which I should some time let go out glossed. Bells are to drive the devils away in the storm; Anthony's knives stab the devil; the blessed herbs drive away the poisonous worms; certain blessings heal the cows, ward off the milk-thieves, quench fire; certain letters make one secure in war and also otherwise, against iron, fire, water, beast, etc. Monkery, mass, and the like are to give more than common salvation. And who can tell it all? There has been no need so small but the devil has founded a sacrament or holy thing for it, whereby one may find counsel and help. Besides this he has also had prophets, soothsayers, and wise men, who could reveal secret things, and bring back stolen goods.

Oh, he is far above God, equipped with sacraments, prophets, apostles, evangelists, and his chapels are far larger than God's Church; he has also far a greater people in his holiness than God. Men also believe him more readily and gladly in his promising, in his sacraments, in his prophets, than Christ. He is the great god in the world, as Christ calls him, John 12:14, "prince of this world," and Paul, 2 Cor. 4:4, "the god of this world." With such ape-play he draws the people from faith in Christ, and makes the Word and the Sacraments despised, and almost unrecognizable, since one can more nearly produce, such as: wiping out sin, helping out of troubles, and being saved through the devil's sacrament, than through Christ's Sacrament. For the latter wills through his Holy Ghost to make the people holy and godly, in body and soul, and not to let them remain in unbelief and sin. This is too hard for those who do not gladly wish to be godly or to forsake sin. These can easily fall into such work of the Holy Ghost, after they have learned how they may be saved much more easily without the work of the Holy Ghost, as: through holy water, through Agnus Dei, through bulls and letters, through masses and monks' cowls, therefore there is no need to seek or heed anything else.

Not only that, but the devil has so equipped himself therewith that he would thereby altogether abolish the Word and Sacrament of God, and thought thus: if anyone shall arise who will attack my church, sacrament, and bishops, as though outward things should not make blessed, then God's Word and Sacrament shall also go to the ground together. For they also are outward signs, and his bishops and church are also bodily men. If mine is not to count, then his must count much less. Especially since my church, bishops, and sacrament work and help at once in this life and in the present, so that one must see and grasp it already. For I am at hand and help soon, as one desires. But Christ's Sacraments work for the future and invisible state, in the Spirit, so that one can scarcely smell his churches and bishops a little from afar, and the Holy Ghost so conducts himself as though he were not there, lets them suffer all misfortune and be held as heretics by my church. Meanwhile my church is not only so near that one can truly grasp it, but my works also follow soon, so that everyone thinks she is the true Church of God. Such advantage I have and know.