# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1848 12 26_S69
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

69

So it went also when we began to teach through the Gospel that outward things could not make one blessed, since they were mere bodily creatures, and the devil often used them for sorcery; then the people, even great and learned people, fell into this: that Baptism, as an outward water; the Word, as an outward human speech; the Scripture, as an outward letter made of ink; the bread and wine, as baked by the baker, should be nothing at all; for they were outward, perishable things. Thus they fell to crying: Spirit, Spirit! the Spirit must do it, the letter killeth. So Münzer called us Wittenberg theologians the scribes, and himself the spirit-learned, and many others after him. Therein thou seest how the devil had thus armed and fortified himself: if one should attack his outward doctrine and sacrament (which yet would help quickly and visibly, mightily and at once), then the outward sacraments and words of Christ (which come slowly with their help, or indeed invisibly) must much more go to ruin with them.

Therefore "Ecclesia," the holy Christian people, has not mere outward words, sacraments or offices, such as the ape of God, Satan, also and much more has; but has them commanded, instituted and ordained of God, so that He Himself (no angel) works thereby with the Holy Ghost. And it shall be called not an angel's, nor a man's, nor a creature's, but God's own Word, Baptism, Sacrament or Forgiveness, Office; except that He wills to do it, for the comfort and good of us poor, weak, simple men, and not by His bare, appearing, bright majesty. For who could endure the same for a moment in such sinful poor flesh? as Moses saith, Exodus 33, 20: Non videbit me homo et vivet. (No man shall live that seeth me.) If the Jews could not endure the shoe of His feet on Mount Sinai, Exodus 20, 19, that is, in the tempest and clouds, how would they have endured, with such weak eyes, the sun of His divine majesty and clear countenance? But He will do it through tolerable, pleasant, lovely means, which could not well have been better chosen by ourselves, as: that a pious, kindly man speaks with us, preaches, lays on hands, forgives sin, baptizes, gives bread and wine to eat and to drink. Who can be dismayed at such bodily forms and not much rather rejoice from the heart?

Well then, this happens for the good of us weak men, wherein we see how God deals with us as with dear children, and will not (as He well might) deal with us in majesty, and yet beneath it exercises His majestic, divine works, might and power, as forgiving sin, sweeping out sin, taking away death, bestowing grace and eternal life. Yea, such a thing is lacking in the devil's sacraments and churches. There no one can say: God hath commanded it, bidden it, instituted it, ordained it; He Himself will be there and do all Himself. But one must say: God hath not commanded it, but forbidden it; men have invented it, or rather the ape of God hath invented it and misled the people therewith. For he also worketh nothing but what is temporal, or where it is to be spiritual, it is mere deceit. For he cannot therewith forgive sins eternally and make blessed, as he lies, by holy water, masses and monkery; though he can well cause a cow to have her milk again, which he himself had first stolen through his prophetess and priestess, whom among Christians they call devil's whores, and where they are caught, burn with fire, as is right, not on account of the milk-stealing, but on account of the blasphemy, that she strengthens the devil with his sacraments and churches against Christ.

In sum, if God bade thee lift a straw, or pluck a feather, with such command, order and promise that thereby thou shouldest have forgiveness of all sin, His grace and eternal life; shouldest thou not receive it with all joy and thankfulness, love and praise it, and therefore hold that same straw and feather for a holy thing and let it be dearer to thee than heaven and earth? For however slight the straw or feather is, yet thou gettest thereby such a good as neither heaven nor earth, yea, not all the angels can give thee. Why are we such shameful people, that we do not hold the water of Baptism, bread and wine, that is Christ's body and blood, the spoken word, the laying on of a man's hands for forgiveness, as high a holy thing as we would hold the straw or feather, though in these, as we hear and know, God Himself will work, and it shall be His water, word, hand, bread and wine, whereby He would sanctify thee and save thee in Christ, who hath obtained such for us, and hath given the Holy Ghost from the Father for such a work?

Again, if thou shouldest go in full armor to St. James, or let thyself be killed by Carthusians, barefoot friars, Dominicans, through so severe a life, that thou mightest be saved, and God had not bidden or instituted this, what would it profit thee? He knows nothing of it, but the devil and his crew have devised it, as special sacraments or priestly orders. And if thou couldest bear heaven and earth, that thou mightest be saved, yet it is all lost, and he who lifted the straw (where it were commanded) would do more than thou, even if thou couldest bear ten worlds. Why so? God will have men obey His Word, will have them use His sacraments, will have them honor His Church; so will He make it gracious and gentle enough, and more gracious, also more gentle, than we could desire. For it is said, Exodus 2, 3: "I am thy God, thou shalt have no other gods," it is said also: "Hear ye Him," Matt. 17, 5, and no other. Let this be enough said of the Church. More cannot be said of her, except that one may further expound each particular. The rest must have another meaning. Of this also we will speak.

Besides such outward signs and holy things, the Church has other more outward ways, whereby and wherethrough she is not sanctified, neither in body nor in soul, and which are also neither instituted nor commanded by God; but, as much has been said of it above, that it is outwardly needful or useful, becomes well and is fitting, as: that for preaching or prayer one keeps certain holy days, certain hours, as forenoons or afternoons, that one uses a church building, or house, altar, pulpit, baptismal font, candlesticks, candles, bells, priestly vestments and the like. Which things work nothing nor do aught else than their nature is; just as eating and drinking do nothing more for the sake of the children's Benedicite or Gratias. For the godless and rude people, who say no Benedicite or Gratias, that is, neither ask nor thank God, grow just as fat and strong from eating and drinking as the Christians. The Christians can well be sanctified and remain so without such things, though one preach on the pavement, without a house, without a pulpit, forgive sins, administer the Sacrament without an altar, baptize without a font; as it happens daily that one preaches at home, baptizes, administers the Sacrament, for special reasons. But for the sake of the children and the simple people it is fine, and gives a fine order, that they have a certain time, place and hours, whereby they may direct themselves and meet together, as St. Paul saith, 1 Cor. 14, 40: "Let all things be done decently and in order." And such order no one shall (as also no Christian doth) despise without cause, out of mere pride, merely to set up a disorder against it, but shall keep with the multitude to such order for good, or at least not hinder or disturb it. For that would be done against love and kindness.

Nevertheless they shall remain free, as: if we cannot, from necessity, or other useful reasons, preach at 6 or 7, at 12 or 1, on Sunday or Monday, in the choir or at St. Peter's; then let one preach at other hours, days and places, only that one do not confuse the multitude, but take them along in such a change. For such things are altogether outward, and subject also to reason to govern (as time, place and person require), mightily and wholly; God, Christ and the Holy Ghost ask nothing about it, just as little as about what and where we will eat, drink, dress, dwell, woo, go or stand, except that (as said) without cause no one shall undertake anything of his own, and confuse or hinder the multitude. Just as at a wedding or other gatherings, no one shall, to the vexation of the bride or the company, undertake anything peculiar or hindering, but shall keep himself like the company, sit, go, stand, carry, eat and drink. For one cannot provide each one with a separate table, kitchen, cellar, servant. If anything is lacking to him, let him rise from the table and let the others sit and remain in peace. So here also, it shall all go on peacefully and in order and yet be free, where it is time,