THE EPISTLES OF ST. PETER AND ST. JUDE PREACHED AND EXPLAINED

BY

MARTIN LUTHER. 

Wittemberg, 1523-4. 

TRANSLATED, WITH PREFACE AND NOTES, BY

E. H. GILLETT. 

NEW YORK:ANSON D. F. RANDOLPH, No. 683 BROADWAY. 1859. 

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, byE. H. GILLETT, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern Districtof New York. 

EDWARD O. JENKINS, Printer & Stereotyper, No. 26 FRANKFORT STREET. 

PREFACE BY THE TRANSLATOR. 

Several years ago, among the dusty piles of old pamphlets stored awayupon the upper shelves of the Union Theological Seminary library, Imet with several works of Luther, in the original editions, as theywere issued during his lifetime from his press at Wittemberg. Amongthem were his Commentaries, or rather Lectures, on the Epistles ofPeter and Jude. [1] The forbidding aspect of the page, with theobsolete spelling of its words, and its somewhat coarse typography, was rather an incitement to master it; for here was Luther, presenting himself to the eye of the reader just as, more than threehundred years ago, he presented himself to the eyes of thousands ofhis countrymen. Upon a partial perusal of the Commentary, I becamesatisfied that it would repay a more attentive study; and finding, upon investigation, that it had never been translated into English, Iset myself to the task which had been so long neglected. The pleasinglabor was accomplished, and the manuscript laid aside for severalyears. The conviction, confirmed by a re-perusal of it, that othersbesides myself would be interested in the work, has led me todetermine on its publication. 

[Footnote 1: Another copy of this same edition of Luther on Peter, belonging to a clergyman's library which was sold at auction in thiscity, four or five years since, brought an almost fabulous price. ]

Luther's Commentary on the Galatians, excellent as it is, is toovoluminous and expensive to be very extensively circulated, while thephraseology of the early translation, which has not been modified, prevents its proper appreciation by modern readers. And yet any onethat would truly know the man, and the secret of his power, muststudy these in his writings. The Commentary on the Epistles of Peterand Jude, presented in a literal but more modern style to the Englishreader, is not liable to these objections; and yet, in the variety ofits themes, the clearness of its exposition, the stinging force ofits rebukes, the simplicity and directness of its language, it isscarcely surpassed by any of Luther's other writings. On the greatsubject of justification by faith alone, he is here, as in hisCommentary on the Epistle to the Galatians, full and emphatic. Therelation of faith to works is clearly and carefully defined, whilethe subjects presented in the text afford full opportunity fordiscussing the great questions that concern the relative duties ofcivil and social life. The volume thus becomes at once a manual ofdoctrine and of duty. On the foundation of faith is reared thesuperstructure of a Christian life. Luther is seen to have fullyapprehended the force of all the objections that could be urgedagainst his teachings, and with convincing ability he vindicates themfrom every charge. Throughout the volume we have ever before us theearnest, devout spirit of the Reformer, for the most part unfoldingin the simplest manner the great doctrines of the Gospel, butoccasionally indulging in volcanic outbursts of indignation againstthe hierarchical corruptions of his day, and pouring out upon themthe lava-tides of withering rebuke. 

It may seem strange that this work of Luther's has never before beentranslated. But, unlike his Commentary on the Epistle to theGalatians, which he himself translated into Latin, that it might havea wider circulation among the learned of Europe, this was publishedby him only in the German language, which was little known inEngland, and hence it was deprived of that notoriety which would havedrawn special attention to it, as well as of that Latin dress whichwould have facilitated an English translation. It is well known, moreover, that Luther formed a most humble estimate of his ownwritings, and was uniformly reluctant to collect his works involumes, or bestow upon them any editorial care. He seemed perfectlywilling to have them sink to oblivion, and could not be persuaded bythe most urgent representations to do anything which might rescuethem from such a fate. Besides, it is to be noted that a perusal ofthis volume especially would soon satisfy the reader, that after theaccession of Queen Elizabeth to the throne, it stood little chance ofsecuring the necessary approval or _imprimatur_ of an English bishop. 

Yet the work is one of no little historical as well as antiquarianinterest. It has done its part in one of the greatest intellectualand religious conflicts of the world. It is the sword that a giantwielded, and that has done execution on a broad field. In the greatarmory of the Reformation-writings, scarcely another deserves a moreconspicuous place. It presents those views of the relative spheres ofDivine and human authority which became prevalent wherever the causeof Reform advanced. It unmasked popular errors, rebukedecclesiastical corruption, and vindicated most effectively the simpledoctrines of faith. Here, moreover, we see Luther clad in the armorwith which he boldly challenged the Papacy to a lifelong combat. Theman is before us, girded for the battle, and we see the weapons uponwhich he relies. If one of those cannon balls with which Englishvalor won the battle of Cressy, --the first in which the efficiency ofthe new invention was tested, --could be picked up there now, and itcould be ascertained that it did service in that famous battle, itwould be an object of no small interest, at least to the antiquary;but in regard to this treatise of Luther, we know full well that Romefelt its visitation as something more terrible than a bombshellexploding beneath the dome of St. Peter's. Under the authority ofPeter himself it demolished the very foundations of the throne uponwhich his pretended successors were seated, and gave a most effectiveimpulse to the onward movement of reform. 

Nor is this all. It is still capable of doing effective service. After all the rust and tarnish of three centuries, these words ofLuther are remarkably fresh, and seem almost like a living utteranceof to-day. Their critical value is not indeed great, although by nomeans contemptible, for the quick sagacity of the Reformer indetecting the meaning and the force of the Scriptural argument, isevident on every page, and is rarely at fault; but his clear views ofthe Gospel, his untrammeled freedom of thought, his strong goodsense, and his most effective energy of application are everywhereconspicuous. His language is uniformly simple and direct. Theexposition contained in this volume was first delivered from thepulpit. According to the title-page, it is Scripture "preached andexplained, " and in addressing it to the people, Luther did not failto keep in view the object upon which he set so high an estimate, when he said, "I preach as simply as possible. I want the commonpeople, and children, and servants, to understand me. "

The care with which he fortifies his positions with Scripturalcitations is likewise obvious. He rarely presents views upon anytheme from which one who acknowledges the authority of Scripture willfeel forced to dissent, unless, with some, the subject of baptismshould an exception. In regard to this, he speaks like one who as yetsees "men as trees walking. "

Considerable space is given up to an exposure of the errors andabuses of the Papacy, but the exposure is made uniformly by the lightof Scripture. Vehement as are Luther's occasional bursts ofindignation, he never wanders from the subject, and never venturesbeyond where he is sustained by the clear warrant of the word of God. 

In the purpose of presenting this translation to English readers, Ihave been encouraged by the prospect of affording to others the sameopportunity of acquaintance with Luther's modes of thought andfeeling which I have myself enjoyed. I believe, moreover, that hisexposition has a high value, apart from the interest which attachesto it as the production of the great hero of the Reformation. Occasionally, the views presented have seemed to be such as requiredsome explanatory note or correction, and in a few instances this hasbeen appended, but the necessity has rarely occurred, and Luther isleft throughout to speak for himself. The translation is strictlyliteral, and almost the only variations from the original are somarked, by being inclosed in parentheses. These will readily bedistinguished from the passages or words included in parentheses ofthe original text, by their explanatory character. 

It would have been a far easier task to have given a more liberal andpolished rendering of Luther's language. But I think most readerswould prefer to have me give them Luther, rather than--thetranslator. There are occasional roughnesses of expression, and somesentences which were evidently not very lucidly reported, but theyare features of the book which presents Luther to us, and even thewart on the face must appear in the faithful portrait. 

For assistance in the labor of revising some of the more difficultpassages, I am indebted to Prof. ROBINSON, of the Union TheologicalSeminary, and to Rev. M. BUSHE, pastor of a German church in thiscity. By their aid, which I take this occasion gratefully toacknowledge, I feel confident that nearly every passage, in which thetext of the original is not in fault, has been correctly rendered. 

I had hoped, in this connection, to present an estimate of Luther'swritings, from the pen of one of the most eminent German scholarswhich our country can boast. The permission to do so was kindlygranted, but the limited space allowed for prefatory remark forbidsit. I will only add the expression of my own conviction, that fromthe exceedingly voluminous works of Luther, other selections of highmerit might be made, the translation and publication of which wouldbe welcomed with grateful acknowledgment by a large class of Americanand English readers. I should be highly gratified if theencouragement afforded by my words or example should induce any onemore competent than myself, or who can command more leisure for it, to prosecute the work which I have only just begun. 

E. H. GILLETT. HARLEM, March 8th, 1859. 

THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER

INTRODUCTION. 

Before we enter upon this Epistle of St. Peter, it is necessary topresent a brief Introduction, [1] that it may be understood how thisEpistle is to be ranked, and in order that a right apprehension of itmay be attained. 

[Footnote 1: Literally, _instruction_. ]

In the first place, it must be understood that all the Apostlespresent one and the same doctrine; and it is not correct to speakof[2] four Evangelists and four Gospels for all which the Apostleswrote is one Gospel. But _Gospel_ means nothing but a proclamationand heralding of the grace and mercy of God through Jesus Christ, merited and procured through his death. And it is not properly thatwhich is contained in books, and is comprehended in the letter, butrather an oral proclamation and living word, and a voice which echoesthrough the whole world, and is publicly uttered that it mayuniversally be heard. Neither is it a book of laws, containing initself many excellent doctrines, as has hitherto been held. For itdoes not bid us do works whereby we may become righteous, butproclaims to us the grace of God, bestowed freely, and apart from anymerit of our own; and it tells how Christ has taken our place, andrendered satisfaction for our sins, and canceled them, and by His ownworks justifies and saves us. 

[Footnote 2: Count. ]

Whoever sets forth this, by preaching or writing, _he_ teaches thetrue Gospel, as all the Apostles did, especially St. Paul and St. Peter, in their Epistles. So that all, whatever it be, that setsforth Christ, is one and the same Gospel, although one may use adifferent method, and speak of it in different language from another, for it may perhaps be a brief or extended address, or a brief orextended writing. But yet, if it tends to this point, that Christ isour Saviour, and we through faith on Him, apart from works of ourown, are justified and saved, it is still the same Word, and but oneGospel, just as there is also but one faith and one baptism in thewhole Christian world. 

So, also, one Apostle has written the same [Gospel] that is containedin another's writings; but they who insist most largely andemphatically on this, that faith on Christ alone justifies, are thebest Evangelists. Therefore St. Paul's Epistles are more a Gospelthan Matthew, Mark and Luke, for the latter give little more than thehistory of the works and miracles of Christ; but of the grace whichwe have through Christ, none write so emphatically as St. Paul, especially in his Epistle to the Romans. And yet, since moreimportance by far belongs to the word than to the works and deeds ofChrist, and where we are to be deprived of one it were better that weshould want the works and the history than the word and the doctrine;those books are to be most highly esteemed which most largely treatof the doctrine and words of the Lord Christ; for though the miraclesof Christ had never been, and we had no knowledge of them, we shouldyet have had enough in the _word_, without which we could not havehad life. 

Thus this Epistle of St. Peter is one of the noblest books in the NewTestament, and contains indeed the pure Gospel; for he takes the samecourse as St. Paul and all the Evangelists, in inculcating the truedoctrine of faith, --as that Christ has been given us, who takes awayour sin and saves us, as we shall hear. 

Hence you may judge of all books and doctrines, what is Gospel ornot; for what is not set forth or written of in this manner, you maysafely decide to be false, however excellent in appearance. Thispower to decide is one that all Christians possess, --not the Pope orCouncils, who boast that they only have the power to determine. --Thisis sufficient introduction and preface. Let us now listen to theEpistle. 

THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 

CHAPTER I. 

V. 1, 2. _Peter an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangersscattered abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Capadocia, Asia and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, throughsanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of theblood of Jesus Christ. _

That is the superscription and subscription. Here you quicklyperceive that it is the Gospel. He calls himself an Apostle--that is, one sent to declare a message; therefore it is correctly rendered inDutch, a messenger, or a twelfth-messenger, [1] because they weretwelve. But since it is generally understood what Apostle (the Greekword) means, I have not rendered it in Dutch. But its peculiarmeaning is, one who bears a message by word of mouth; not one whocarries letters, but a capable man who presents a matter orally, andadvocates it, --of the class that in the Latin are called _Oratores_. So he would now say, I am an Apostle of Jesus Christ, --that is, Ihave a command from Jesus Christ that I, from Christ, am to proclaim. 

[Footnote 1: _Tswolffbott_ in the original, for which we have noequivalent English word. ]

Observe, here, how promptly all those who teach human doctrine areexcluded. For _he_ is a messenger of Jesus Christ who presents thatwhich Christ has commanded; should he preach otherwise, he is not amessenger of Christ, and therefore should not be listened to. But ifhe does this, it is just as important as though you heard Christhimself present. 

_To the strangers scattered abroad. _ This epistle was written tolands which were formerly Christian but are now subject to the Turk, yet it is possible some Christians might be found there even at thisday. Pontus is a large, broad region, lying on the sea. Capadocia isin the same neighborhood, and borders on it. Galatia lies back ofthem. Asia and Bithynia border on the sea--extending eastward--andare extensive regions. Paul also preached in Galatia, and in Asia;whether in Bithynia also, I do not know. In the other two he did notpreach. _Strangers_ are such as we call foreigners. He names them sobecause they were Gentiles; and it is a thing to surprise us, thatSt. Peter, inasmuch as he was an Apostle to the Jews, should stillwrite to the Gentiles. The Jews called these (of whom we speak)Proselytes, --that is, associated Jews, such as adopted their law, butwere not of a Jewish family or the blood of Abraham. Thus he writesto those who had previously been heathen (of the Gentiles), but werenow converted to the faith, and had joined the believing Jews, and hecalls them _elect strangers_, who certainly are Christians, to whomalone he writes. This is a point worthy of observation, as we shallhear. 

_According to the foreknowledge of God the Father. _ They are elect, he says. How? Not of themselves, but according to God's purpose: forwe should be unable to raise ourselves to heaven, or create faithwithin ourselves. God will not permit all men to enter heaven; thosewho are his own he will receive with all readiness. The humandoctrine of free-will, and of our own ability, is futile. The matterdoes not lie in our wills, but in the will and election of God. 

_Through sanctification of the Spirit. _ God has predestinated us thatwe should be holy, and, moreover, that we should be spiritually holy. Those precious words, Holy and Spiritual, have been perverted for usthrough the greed of the preachers, in that they have denominated thestate of priests and monks holy and spiritual, and have thusscandalously robbed us of these noble, precious words, as also of theword Church, since with _them_ the Pope and Bishops are the Church, while they do according to their own pleasure whatever they choose, in virtue of the declaration, "The Church has forbidden it. " Holinessis not that which consists in the estate of monks, priests andnuns, --the wearing of the tonsure and cowl; it is a spiritual word, meaning that there is an inward holiness in the spirit before God. And this is the reason specially why he said this, in order to showthat there is nothing holy but that holiness which God produceswithin us. 

For although the Jews had much outward or ceremonial holiness, therewas yet in this no genuine holiness. Peter would say here, God haspredestinated you to this end, that ye should be truly holy; as Paulalso says, in Eph. Iv. , "In righteousness and true holiness"--thatis, in a genuine and well-founded holiness, --for outward holiness, such as the Jews had, is of no value before God. 

Thus the Scripture calls us holy, while we yet live on earth, if webelieve. But the Papists have taken the name from us, and say, we arenot to be holy; the saints in Heaven alone are holy. Thus we arecompelled to reclaim the noble name. You must be holy, but you mustalso beware against imagining that you are holy through yourself orby your own merit, but only that you have God's word, that Heaven isyours, that you are truly pious and made holy by Christ. 

This you must confess if you would be a Christian. For it would bethe greatest affront and reviling of the name of Christ, if we tookfrom the honor due to Christ's blood, in that it is this that washesaway our sins, or from the faith that this blood sanctifies us. 

Therefore, you must believe and confess if you would be holy; but bythis blood, not by your own excellence must it be, insomuch that forit you would be willing to give up life and all that you possess, andendure whatever might come upon you. 

_To obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Christ. _ Hereby, hesays, are we made holy, if we are obedient, and believe the word ofChrist, and are sprinkled with his blood. And here St. Peter speaksin a somewhat different manner from St. Paul. But it is in substancethe same as when Paul says that we are saved through faith in Christ;for faith makes us obedient and submissive to Christ and his word. For to obey the word of God and the word of Christ is the same thing, and to be sprinkled by his blood is the same as to believe. For it isdifficult to nature, hostile to it, and exceedingly humbling, tosubmit to Christ, give up all its own possessions, and account themcontemptible and sinful. But yet it must be brought into subjection. 

Of sprinkling, the Psalm _Miserere Domine_ (li. ) also speaks:"Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be clean. " It refers to the lawof Moses, from which St. Peter has derived it, and he discloses Mosesto our view, while he brings in the Scripture. When Moses had builtthe tabernacle, he took the blood of bullocks and sprinkled it overall the people. 

But _this_ sprinkling sanctifies not in the spirit, but onlyoutwardly. Therefore there must be a spiritual purification, since anoutward holiness, and one that pertains to the flesh, is of no availbefore God. And so God, by this sprinkling, has typified thespiritual sprinkling. As though Peter had said, the Jews who were inthat holiness which was outward were held as righteous, and personsof a pure life. But you are reputed base, yet you have a bettersprinkling; you are sprinkled in the Spirit, that you may be purefrom within. The Jews were sprinkled outwardly with the blood ofbullocks, but we are sprinkled inwardly in the conscience, so thatthe heart is made pure and joyful. 

Thus the Gentiles are Gentiles no longer. The righteous Jews, withtheir sprinkling, are no more righteous, but all is reversed. Theremust be a sprinkling which converts us and makes us spirituallyminded. 

To preach sprinkling is to preach that Christ has shed his blood, andfor us has ascended to his Father, and intercedes, saying, "BelovedFather! behold my blood which I have shed for these sinners. " If youbelieve this, you are sprinkled. Thus you see the right method ofpreaching. If all the popes, monks and priests were to fuse all thematter of their preaching into one mass, they would not even thenteach and present as much as St. Peter here does in these few words. 

Thus you have the subscription of the Epistle, wherein he manifestshis office and what he preaches, as you have now heard. For thisalone is the Gospel, and all else that does not accord with it is tobe trodden under foot, and all other books are to be avoided in whichyou find some fine pretence of works and prayers and indulgence thatdoes not teach similar doctrine, and is not confessedly groundedthereon. All Papal books have not a letter of this obedience, of thisblood and sprinkling. Now follows the greeting to those to whom hewrites. 

_Grace and peace be multiplied. _ Here St. Peter adopts the ApostlePaul's mode of greeting, although not to the same extent, and it isas much as though he had said, ye have now peace and grace, but yetnot in perfection; therefore must ye continue to increase in themtill the old Adam die. Grace is God's favor, which now begins in us, but which must continue to advance and grow even till death. Whoeverconfesses and believes that he has a gracious God, possesses it, while his heart gains peace also, and he is afraid neither of theworld nor of the devil; for he knows that God, who controls allthings, is his friend, and will deliver him from death, hell and allevil, --therefore his conscience has peace and joy. Such is the desireof St. Peter for those that believed, and it is a true Christiangreeting with which all Christians might well greet one another. 

Thus we have the superscription, with the greeting; now he begins theEpistle, and says:

V. 3-9. _Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, has begotten us again to a livelyhope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to aninheritance imperishable, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God throughfaith to salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time, wherein yegreatly rejoice, though now for a little time (if need be) ye are sadthrough manifold temptations; that the trial of your faith might befound more precious than the perishable gold (that is tried by fire), to praise, honor, and glory, when Jesus Christ shall be revealed, whom ye have not seen and yet love, in whom through ye believe andsee him not, yet for your faith's sake ye rejoice with joyunspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, eventhe salvation of your soul. _

In this preface you perceive a truly Apostolic address andintroduction to the matters in hand, and as I have said already, thisis the model of a noble Epistle. For he has already exhibited andmade manifest what Christ is, and what we have attained through him, when he says, that God hath begotten us again to a lively hopethrough the resurrection of Christ. 

Thus all good things are bestowed upon us by the Father, not for anydesert of ours, but of pure mercy. These are true Gospel words whichare to be preached, but how little--God save us--of this kind ofpreaching is to be met with in all sorts of books, even those thatmust be considered the best; how little agreement is there, as St. Jerome and St. Augustine have written, in this position, --that JesusChrist is to be preached, that he died and rose again, and that hedied and rose again that through such preaching men might believe onhim and be saved. That is preaching the true Gospel. Whatever is notpreached in this wise is not the Gospel, do it who will. 

This is now the _summa summarum_ of these words. Christ, through hisresurrection, has brought us to the Father; and so, too, St. Peterwould bring us to the Father by the Lord Christ, and he sets himforth as Mediator between God and us. Hitherto we have been taughtthat we should call upon the saints; that they are our intercessorswith God, while, moreover, we have had recourse to our dear Virgin, and have set her up as Mediatress, and have let Christ go as an angryjudge. This the Scripture does not do; it goes further, and exaltsChrist; teaching that he is our Mediator, by whom we come to theFather. Oh! it is a blessing infinitely vast that is bestowed upon usthrough Christ, that we may go into the presence of the Father andclaim the inheritance of which St. Peter here speaks. 

These words also well exhibit the feelings which the Apostle had, aswith the deepest reverence he begins to praise the Father, and wouldhave us adore and bless Him for the sake of the infinite riches whichHe has bestowed upon us, in that He has begotten us again, and this, too, before we had desired or sought it; so that nothing is to bepraised but pure mercy, in order that we may not make our boast ofany works, but confess that we hold all that we have of God'scompassion. 

There is no more the law and vengeance before us, as heretofore, whenHe affrighted the Jews so that they were forced to flee, but darednot go toward the mount. He vexes and chastises us no more, but showsus the greatest friendship, creates us anew, and appoints us, not todo some work or works, but produces within us an entirely new birthand new being, that we should be something different from what wewere before, when we were Adam's children, --namely, such as aretransplanted from Adam's heritage into the heritage of God; so thatGod is our Father, we are His children, and thus also heirs of allthe good which He possesses. Observe with what emphasis thescriptures present this matter; it is all a living, not a vain, matter in which we are concerned. Since we are thus begotten againthe children and heirs of God, we are equal in honor and dignity withSt. Paul, St. Peter, our blessed Virgin, and all the Saints. For wehave the treasure and all good things from God just as richly asthey; for it is just as necessary for them to be begotten again asfor us, --therefore they have nothing more than all other Christians. 

_To a living hope. _ That we continue to live on earth is mainly tothis end, that we should be of service to others. Otherwise, it werebetter that God should have taken away our breath and let us die assoon as we were baptized and had begun to believe. But He suffers usto live here in order that we may bring others also to believe, doingto them as He has done toward us. But while we remain on earth, wemust live in hope; for although we are assured that through faith wehave all the good things of God, (for faith brings along with itassuredly the new birth, the adoption, the inheritance, and makesthem yours, ) still you do not as yet behold them; but the matterexists in hope, while it is of but small importance that we may notsee it with our eyes. This he calls _the hope of life_; that is, by aHebrew phrase, as though for sinful man we should say, a man of sin. We call it a living hope; that is, one in which we certainly expect, and may be assured of, eternal life. But it is concealed, and a veilis drawn over it, that we see it not. It can only be apprehended inthe heart and by faith, as St. John writes in his Epistle, 1 John v. :"We are now the children of God, and it doth not yet appear what weshall be; but we know that when it shall appear that we are like Him, we shall behold Him as He is. " For _this_ life, and _that_, cannot becommingled, cannot consist with one another, so that we should eat, drink, sleep, watch, and do other works of the flesh which this liferenders necessary, and at the same time have our full salvation. Therefore we can never arrive at eternal life unless we die, and thispresent life passes away. Thus, as long as we are here we must standin hope, until it be God's pleasure that we should behold theblessings that are ours. 

But how do we attain to this living hope? By the resurrection ofChrist from the dead, he says. I have often asserted that no one canbelieve on God except through a mediation, since we can none of ustreat for ourselves before God, inasmuch as we are all children ofwrath; but we must have another by whom we may come before God, whoshall intercede for us and reconcile us to God. But there is no othermediator than the Lord Christ, who is the Son of God. Therefore thatis not a true faith which is held by the Turks and Jews, --I believethat God has created heaven and earth. Just so does the devil, too, believe, but it does not help him. They venture to present themselvesbefore God without having Christ as mediator. So St. Paul speaks inthe fifth of Romans, "We have access to God by faith, not throughourselves, but through Christ. " Therefore we must bring Christ withus, must come with Him, must satisfy God by Him, and do all that wehave to transact with God through Him, and in His name. That is thethought implied here by St. Peter, and he would also say, we surelyexpect this life, although we are still on earth. But all comes in noother way than through the resurrection of Christ, since He hasarisen and ascended to heaven, and is seated at the right hand ofGod. For on this account He ascended, in order to bestow upon us HisSpirit, that we might be born again, and now through Him might cometo the Father and say, "Behold, I come before thee and pray, notbecause I rely on my own request, but because my Lord Christ has gonebefore me and is become my intercessor. " These are all glowing wordswherever there is a heart that believes; where there is not, all iscold and unimpressive. 

Hence we may determine what genuine Christian doctrine or preachingis. If the Gospel is to be preached, it must concern the resurrectionof Christ. Whoever does not preach this is no Apostle; for it is thehead article of our faith. And those books are truly the noblestwhich teach and enforce such doctrine, as was said above. So that wemay easily discover that the Epistle of James is no true ApostolicEpistle[2] for it contains scarcely a letter of these things in it, while the greatest importance belongs to this article of faith. Forwere there no such thing as the resurrection, we should have neithercomfort nor hope, and all beside that Christ has endured or sufferedwould have been in vain. 

[Footnote 2: The well-known views of Luther in regard to the Epistleof James, and the grounds upon which he rejected it from the canon ofthe New Testament, are presented in this passage. He was tooimpatient of the _seeming_ contradiction between Paul and James uponthe subject of faith, and too hastily concluded that they wereirreconcilable. A careful consideration of the scope of the argumentin the Epistle of James, removes the difficulty, as may be seen atlarge in later commentators. There is no historical reason forcasting discredit upon the Epistle of James. The early Christianwriters furnish very decided testimony in its favor. Clement of Romehas alluded to it twice. Hermas has not less than seven allusions toit, according to Lardner fully sufficient to prove its antiquity. Origen, Jerome, Athanasius, and most of the subsequent ecclesiasticalwriters quote from it, and it is found in all the catalogues ofcanonical books published by the general and provincial Councils. Butan argument of still greater weight is, the fact that it is insertedin the Syriac version of the New Testament, executed at the close ofthe first, or early in the second century. None certainly wouldquestion that the Jewish believers to whom it was addressed would bethe best judges of its genuineness and authenticity, and by them itwas unhesitatingly accepted. ]

Therefore one should teach after this manner: You perceive thatChrist has died for you, has taken upon Himself sin, death, and hell, and bowed Himself under them. But in no respect were they able tocrush Him, for He was too strong for them; but He has risen up frombeneath them, and has vanquished all, and brought them in subjectionto Himself; and to this end, that you might be relieved from them, and made to triumph over them. If you believe, you possess this. Allthese things, by our own power, we could not effect; hence it wasnecessary that Christ should do it, otherwise He had never needed tocome down from heaven. We can only conclude that if one preaches ofour own works, _that_ preaching does not agree and cannot consistwith this. Oh, so thoroughly as we Christians should know this! soclear should the Epistle be to us!

V. 4. _To an imperishable and undefiled and unfading inheritance. _That is, we hope not for a blessing or an inheritance that is faroff. But we live in the hope of an inheritance that is just at hand, and that is imperishable as well as undefiled and unfading. Thisblessing is ours henceforth and forever, although we do not nowbehold it. These are powerful and excellent words; into whosesoevermind they enter, he will, I imagine, not be greatly anxious afterworldly good and pleasure. How can it be possible that one whoassuredly believes this, should yet cleave to perishable possessionsand lusts?

If worldly good is presented in contrast with this, it is at onceseen how it all passes away and endures but for a time; but thisalone lasts forever and will never consume away. Besides, _that_ isall impure, and defiles us, for there is no man so devoted thatworldly prosperity will not soil his purity. But _this_ inheritancealone is pure; whoever has it is ever undefiled; it will not fade; itendures and does not corrupt. All that is on earth, however hard itbe, is yet changeable and has no permanence. Man, as soon as he growsold, becomes deformed: but this does not change, but abides forever, fresh and green. On earth there is no pleasure that will not atlength become irksome, as we see that men grow weary of all things;but with this blessing such is not the case. This do we possess onlyin Christ, through the mercy of God, if we believe, and it is freelybestowed upon us. For how is it possible that we poor wretches shouldbe able to deserve such good through our own works as no human reasonor sense can conceive?

_That is reserved in heaven. _ Certain it is that our inheritance isimperishable, undefiled and unfading. It is only for a little whileconcealed from us, until we close our eyes and are buried, when, ifwe believe, we shall surely find and behold it. 

V. 5. _Who are kept by the power of God through faith untosalvation. _ We wait for this priceless inheritance, he says, in thehope to which we have attained through faith; for this is their orderof succession: From the word follows faith, from faith is the newbirth, from the new birth we pass to hope, so that we certainlyexpect and are assured of the blessing. So that Peter has hereasserted, in a truly christian manner, that it must take place byfaith, not by our own works. 

But St. Peter says here, more particularly, _ye are kept by the powerof God--to salvation_. But there are many people who, if they hearthe Gospel, --namely, that faith alone, irrespective of works, justifies, --break in at once and say, "Yes! I believe too!" To thinktheir thoughts which they themselves conceive, is faith. Yet we havealso been taught from Scripture that we cannot do the least workwithout God's Spirit; how then by our own power should we be able todo the highest work, --namely, believe? Wherefore such thoughts arenothing else but a dream and a fiction. God's power must be presentand work within us, in order that we may believe; as Paul also says, Eph. I. , "God grant you the spirit of wisdom that ye may know what isthe exceeding greatness of His power toward us who have believed, according to the working of His mighty power, " &c. Not only is itGod's will, but a power of God that is far from unimportant. For ifGod produces faith in men, it is certainly as great a work as thoughHe recreated heaven and earth. 

Therefore those fools know not what they say, who ask, How can faithalone answer, while many an one believes who yet performs no goodwork? For they imagine their own vain dream is faith, and that faithmay exist without good works. But we say, just as Peter says, thatfaith is a divine power; when God produces faith, man must be bornagain and become a new creature; good works, flowing from a purifiednature, must follow faith. So that we must not say to a Christian whohas faith, Do this or that work, --for he performs of himself andunbidden, mere good works. 

But this must be said to him, that he is not to deceive himself witha false, imaginary faith. Wherefore let those rude babblers go, whocan say a great deal on the subject that is nothing after all butmere scum and vain prating. Of whom Paul also speaks, 1 Cor. Iv. , "Iwill come to you and will seek out not the speech of those that arepuffed up, but the power; for the kingdom of God does not stand inword, but in power. " Wherever this power of God is wanting, there isneither genuine faith nor good works. So that they are mere liars, who pride themselves on their Christian name and faith and yet lead awicked life. For if it were of God's power, they would certainly beotherwise. 

But what does St. Peter mean when he says, _ye are kept by the powerof God to salvation_? This is his meaning: So tender and precious amatter is that which pertains to the faith which the power of God(that is with us and with which we are filled) produces in us, thatHe gives us a correct, clear understanding of all things that respectsalvation, so that we may judge all that is on earth, and say, thisdoctrine is true, that is false; this conduct is right, that is not;this work is good and acceptable, that is evil. And whatever such aman determines is just and true, for he cannot be deceived; but hewill be kept, and preserved, and remains, a judge of all doctrines. 

On the other hand, wherever faith and this power of God are wanting, there is nothing but error and blindness; there reason suffers itselfto be led hither and thither, from one work to another, for it wouldgladly reach heaven by its own works, and is ever imagining afterthis sort, "Yes! this work will bring you to heaven: do it and youshall be saved. " Hence there are so many chapters, cloisters, altars, popes, monks and nuns in the world. Into such blindness does Godpermit the unbelieving to fall. But he keeps us, who believe, in ajust apprehension, so that we may not fall into condemnation, butattain to salvation. 

_Which is ready to be revealed in the last time. _ That is, theinheritance that is appointed for them was long ago acquired, andprepared from the foundation of the world, but now is hidden, as yetcovered up, reserved and sealed. But this is only for a little while, when in a moment it shall be opened and revealed, so that we shallbehold it. 

V. 6. _In which ye rejoice greatly, though now for a season (if needbe), ye are in heaviness through manifold temptation. _ Are you aChristian, and do you look for this inheritance or this salvation?then must you cleave to this alone, and despise all that is uponearth, and confess that all worldly reason, wisdom and glory arenothing--a thing the world will not be able to bear; wherefore youare to expect that men shall condemn you and persecute you. Thus St. Peter joins faith, hope, and the holy cross together, for one followsupon the other. 

And here he gives us a source of consolation if we suffer and arepersecuted. This sadness shall last a little while; afterward yeshall be exceeding glad, for this salvation is already prepared foryou; wherefore be patient under your sufferings. 

This is moreover a truly christian consolation, --not such comfort ashuman doctrines give, which attempt nothing more than to find relieffrom outward ill. I speak not of bodily comfort (he seems to say); itis no real injury that ye have to endure outward ill, only go onwardvigorously and be steadfast; inquire not how you may be free from thetrouble, but think with yourself, My inheritance is prepared and heldout to me; it is only a short time before my suffering must cease. Thus we should lay aside temporal consolations, and over against themplace that eternal consolation which we have in God. 

Besides, it is here to be observed that the Apostle continues andtells us in what circumstances all this will be, as he will hereaftersay in the third chapter, _if it be God's will_. 

There are many people who would storm heaven and enter it at once, wherefore they impose a cross upon themselves for their own fanciedgood; for reason will do nothing but propose for ever its own works, that God will reject. They should not be our own works which weselect, but we should wait for whatever God imposes upon us andordains for us, that we may go on and follow wherever He leads us; sothat you are not to run after your own pleasure, in case it should be(that is, by God's appointment) that you are to suffer, but accept itand comfort yourself with the salvation which is not temporal buteternal. 

V. 7, 8. _That the trial of your faith (or that your tried faith) befound much more precious than the perishable gold, (that is tried inthe fire), to praise, honor, and glory, when Jesus Christ shall berevealed, whom ye have not seen, yet love, in whom ye also believethough ye see him not. _ This should be the end of the cross and allkinds of reverses, --to enable us to distinguish between false andreal faith. God lays his hand upon us, therefore, to try our faithand reveal it to the world, so that others may be induced to believe, and we also be praised and honored. For just as we exalt God, so willHe in return exalt, esteem and honor us, insomuch that the falsehypocrites, who do not walk in the right way, shall be put to shame. 

Scripture throughout likens temptation to fire. Thus St. Peter herecompares the gold that is tried by fire to the trial of faith bytemptation and suffering. The fire does not take away from the gold, but it makes it pure and bright, so that all dross is removed. So Godhas imposed the cross upon all Christians, that they might thereby bepurified. And it has been well said, let faith remain pure as theword is pure, so that we shall depend on the word alone, and trust tonothing else: for we need such fire and cross as this daily, becauseof the old corrupt Adam. 

Thus, it is characteristic of a christian life that it shouldcontinually grow and become more holy; for if we are led to faiththrough the preaching of the Gospel, then shall we be justified andgrow in holiness; but while we remain in the flesh we can never befully purified. Therefore God throws us into the midst of thefire, --that is, into suffering, shame and calamity, --so that we maybecome more and more purified, until we die--a point we can attain byno works of our own. For how can an outward work make the heartinwardly clean? Moreover, if faith is to be tried (purified), allthat is additional and false must be separated and removed. Thencewill result a noble reward, --praise and glory when Christ shall berevealed. On this it follows:

V. 8, 9. _But because of your faith, rejoice with joy unspeakable andglorious, and attain also the end of your faith, even the salvationof your souls. _ An unspeakably glorious joy shall that be, says St. Peter, whereof we have honor and praise. The world has such a joythat we receive nothing from it but shame, and of which we arecompelled to be ashamed. Here St. Peter has evidently spoken offuture joy, --and there is scarcely so clear a passage on the subjectof the future joy as the one in this place, --and still he findshimself unable to express it. 

This is one point of the introduction, in which the Apostle has shownwhat faith in Christ is, and how we must be tried and purified byreverse and suffering when God appoints it for us. --Now followsfurther how this faith is in Scripture constituted and denominated. 

V. 10, 11, 12. _Of which salvation the prophets have inquired andsearched diligently, who have prophesied of the grace that shouldcome unto you; searching what or as to what time, the spirit ofChrist which was in them, designated and testified beforehand thesufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow; to whom it wasrevealed, that not for their own sake, but for ours, did theyminister that which is now preached to you, by those who havepreached the Gospel, through the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven;into which also the angels desired to look. _

Here St. Peter directs us back to the Holy Scriptures, that we maytherein see that God keeps whomsoever He has called of us, for nomerit of ours, but of mere grace; for the whole of Scripture isdirected to this end, that it may draw us away from our own works andbring us to faith. And it is necessary that we should study theScriptures carefully that we may be well assured of our faith. Paulalso teaches us the same thing in the Epistle to the Romans, chap. I. , where he says that God promised the Gospel before by His prophetsin the Holy Scriptures. So Rom. Iii. : that the faith whereby we arejustified, is testified of through the law and the prophets. 

So we read also in Acts xvii. How Paul preached faith to theThessalonians, leading them to the Scripture and explaining it tothem, and how day by day they had recourse to the Scripture, andexamined whether those things which Paul had taught them were so. Solikewise ought we to do, going back, and from the Old Testamentlearning on what to base the New. Besides, we shall there discoverthe promise of Christ, as Christ himself also says, John v. : "Searchthe Scriptures, for it is they that testify of me. " And "if yebelieve Moses, ye must also believe me, for he wrote of me. "Therefore we should let vain babblers go who despise the OldTestament, and say it is of no further use, --since from thence alonemust we derive the ground of our faith; for God sent the Prophets tothe Jews to this end, that they should bear witness of the Christthat was to come. Therefore it is that the Apostles throughoutconvicted and convinced the Jews out of their own Scriptures thatthis was the Christ. 

Thus the books of Moses and the prophets are the Gospel, since theyhave first preached and written of Christ that which the Apostlesafterward preached and wrote. Yet there is a distinction betweenthem. For although both, as to the letter, have been written out onpaper, yet the Gospel, or the New Testament, cannot be said soproperly to be written, but to have consisted in the living voicewhich published it, and was heard generally throughout the world. Butthat it should also have been written, is an extraneous matter. Butthe Old Testament was composed only in writing, and is thereforecalled the letter; and the Apostles give Scripture this same namealso, as it only pointed to the Christ that was to come. But theGospel is a living proclamation of Christ who has already come. 

Besides, there is also a distinction among the books of the OldTestament. In the first place, there are the five books of Moses, thefoundation of the Scriptures, and which are especially called the OldTestament. Then come both histories and books of narration, whereinexamples of all kinds are recorded, whether of those who held orrejected the law of Moses. In the third place, there are the prophetsthat are based on Moses, and what he has written they have in clearlanguage more fully explained and elucidated. But the bearing of allthe prophets and of Moses is one and the same. 

But you ought to understand also about that which men say, that theOld Testament is given up and laid by. In the first place, there isthat distinction between the Old and New Testament, as we have saidabove, that the Old prefigured Christ, but that the New gives us thatwhich was promised first in the Old, and pointed out to us by types. But these types have now ceased, because the end which they were tosubserve has been answered and attained, and that which wasprefigured by them has been fulfilled. So that now there should be nofurther distinctions of food, clothing, place and time. All are alikein Christ, in whom all has been fulfilled. The Jews have not beensaved by this, for it was not given them to this end that it shouldmake them holy, but to foreshadow to them the Christ who was to come. 

Besides, in the Old Testament God introduced a twofoldgovernment, --an external and an internal. There He undertook to ruleHis people, both inwardly in the heart, and outwardly in person andin property. Therefore He gave them such a variety of laws, commingled one kind with the other. So it was under the governmentthat pertained to the person, that a man might give his wife a billof divorce and put her away. 

But to the spiritual government pertained the command, Thou shaltlove thy neighbor as thyself. But now He rules in us onlyspiritually, by Christ; while the government that pertains to thebody and the outward state, he exercises through the instrumentalityof civil magistracy. So that when Christ came the external ceased, and God gives us direction no more as to the _outward_ person, timeand place. But He rules us only spiritually through the word, so thatwe may direct as to all that is outward, and be bound in nothing thatpertains to the body. 

But what pertains to His spiritual government has not been abandoned, but stands forever, now as then, --the law of love to God and ourneighbor, contained in the books of Moses, which God will still havesustained, and by which He will condemn all the unbelieving. 

Besides, the figures, as to their _spiritual_ import, remain; thatis, whatever is signified by the outward figures, although theoutward part has been done away. Thus that a man should separate fromhis wife and send her away, because of adultery, is a figure and typewhich even now is spiritually fulfilled; for thus also has Godrejected the Jews when they would not believe on Christ, and haschosen out the Gentiles. So, also, He does still; if any one will notwalk in the faith, He suffers him to be excluded from the ChristianChurch, that he may be led to reform. 

Of a similar import also is this, that a woman after her husband'sdeath must take her husband's brother, and bear him children, and hemust suffer himself to be called by his name, and must enter on hispossessions. This, although it has now ceased, or rather becomeinvalid, so that it may be done or neglected without sin, is a figurewhich even now has a significance in respect to Christ. For He is ourbrother, for us has died and ascended to heaven, and has commanded usthat we, through the Gospel, should plant the seed in our souls andmake them fruitful, be named after him, and enter on his possessions. Therefore I must not boast that I convert men, but it must all beascribed to the Lord Christ. It is the same also with all the otherfigures of the Old Testament, which it would be too tedious tospecify. 

But all in the Old Testament which is not external, is still inforce, as all those passages in the prophets concerning faith andlove. Wherefore Christ also confirms it in Mat. Vii. : "All thingswhatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so tothem; for this is the law and the prophets. " Besides, Moses and theprophets testify of the Christ that was to come. As, when I preach ofChrist that He is the only Saviour by whom all must be saved, I mayquote to sustain me the passage in Gen. Xxii. : "In thy seed shall allnations be blessed. " Thence I draw a living voice and language. Through Christ, who is Abraham's seed, must all men be blessed. Fromthat it follows, that we were all cursed and condemned in Adam;wherefore it is necessary that we should believe on the Seed, if wewould escape condemnation. Out of such passages may we lay down theground of our faith, and let it remain, that we may therein see howthey bear witness of Christ, so that our faith may be strengthenedthereby. That is what St. Peter intends now by these words, in whichhe says:

V. 10. _Of which Salvation the Prophets have searched and inquireddiligently, who have prophesied of the grace that should come toyou. _ In this same manner Paul also speaks, toward the close of theEpistle to the Romans, of the revelation of the mystery which washidden from all ages of the world, but is now revealed and made knownthrough the writings of the prophets. And so you find in the NewTestament many passages quoted from the prophets, by which theApostles show that all has been fulfilled just as the prophetsforetold. 

This Christ Himself proves from the prophet Isaiah, Mat. Xi. : "Theblind see, the lame walk, " &c. As though He had said, just as it waswritten there it is taking place now; so also we read in Acts ix. , ofPaul, and in the xviii. , of Apollos, how they confounded the Jews, and convinced them out of Scripture that this was the Christ. Forwhatever the prophets had foretold, all had now come to pass inChrist. So (Acts xv. ) the Apostles show how the Gospel must bepreached to the heathen that they might believe. This has also cometo pass, and been put in train, so that the Jews might be convincedand compelled to confess, that all had taken place just as Scripturehad foretold. 

V. 11. _And have investigated what or at what time the Spirit ofChrist which was in them;_ St. Peter would say, although the prophetshave not particularly known of a set and definite time, yet have theyin general testified to all the circumstances of time and place;--as, that Christ should suffer, and what death he should die, and that theGentiles should believe on him: so that one might certainly know bythese signs when the time had come. The prophet Daniel has approachedstill nearer, but yet speaks somewhat darkly thereof, as to whenChrist should suffer and die--when that or this should take place. So, also, they had a sure prophecy that the kingdom of the Jewsshould cease before Christ came. But the day and exact time when thisshould come to pass was not fixed. For it was enough when this timecame, that they should thereby know for a surety that Christ was notfar off. The prophet Joel also prophesied of the time when the HolySpirit should come, where he says, "I will in the last days pour outmy spirit upon all flesh, " &c. , which passage St. Peter quotes inActs ii. , and shows that he speaks of that very time and of theparticular persons. 

From all which you perceive how, with great diligence, the Apostlesexhibit throughout the ground and confirmation of their preaching anddoctrine. The Councils and the Popes now reverse this course, andwould deal with us apart from Scripture, commanding us, by obedienceto the church and the terrors of excommunication, that we shouldbelieve on them. The Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, andwere certain that they were sent by Christ, and preached the trueGospel; yet they did not exalt themselves, and did not ask men tobelieve them, unless they conclusively proved from Scripture that itwas just as they said, so that the mouth of the unbelieving wasstopped, insomuch that they could object nothing further. And shallwe believe those grossly unlearned heads who do not preach God's wordat all, and can do nothing else but cry out continually, "Surely thefathers cannot have been in error, and this has been decided now fora long time, so that it must no more be a question?" But this we canclearly prove from the Scriptures, that no one can be saved but hewho believes on Christ, so that against this they can say nothing. But on their side they will never be able to prove to us fromScripture that he is to be condemned who does not fast on this orthat day. Therefore we ought not and shall not believe them. 

Now St. Peter says further:

V. 11. _Which spirit testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should thereafter be revealed. _ This may beunderstood of both kinds of suffering, --that which Christ, and wealso, suffer. St. Paul calls the sufferings of all Christians thesuffering of Christ. For just as the faith, the name, the word andwork of Christ are mine, inasmuch as I believe on Him, so Hissuffering is also mine, since I suffer also for His sake. Thus willthe sufferings of Christ be daily fulfilled in Christians, until theend of the world. 

This is then our consolation in all the sufferings that weexperience, that all that we suffer Christ shares with us, that Heaccounts it all as His own suffering. And of this we are assured, that speedily after suffering glory shall follow. But this we mustalso understand, that Christ was not glorified before He suffered, sothat we are to bear our cross with Him first, that afterward we mayshare His joy. 

All that we now preach, he says, the prophets previously foretold anddescribed in the most explicit manner, just as the Holy Spiritrevealed it to them. That we so imperfectly understand the prophetsis, because we do not understand their language, since they havespoken clearly enough. Therefore they that are acquainted with thelanguage, and have the Spirit of God, which all believers have, tothem it is not difficult of apprehension since they know the scope ofall Scripture. But if any one does not understand their language, andhas not the spirit, or a christian apprehension, it might seem to himas though the prophets were drunken and full of new wine; althoughwhere we must want one, the spirit without the language is betterthan the language without the spirit. The prophets have a peculiarphraseology, but the sentiment is the same which the Apostles preach, for both have spoken largely of the suffering and of the glory ofChrist, as well as of those things that relate to faith. As whenDavid speaks of Christ (Ps. Xxi. ), "I am a worm and no man, " wherebyhe shows how deeply he is cast down and despondent in his suffering. Likewise, also, he writes of his people and of the affliction ofChristians, in Psalm xlv. : "We are despised, and accounted as sheepfor the slaughter. "

V. 12. _That not for their own sakes but for ours did they ministerthat which is now preached unto you, by those who have preached theGospel to you, through the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven;_ thatis, the prophets possessed enough thereof to know the fact. But thatthey should have left it behind them (on record) calls for ourgratitude; they have become our servants, and have so ministered tous, that we, through them, might go to school and learn the samelesson. There we have an argument to show that our faith should growstronger, and we be enabled to arm and sustain ourselves against allfalse doctrine. 

_Into which also the angels desired to look. _ So great things havethe Apostles declared to us, through the Holy Spirit, which descendedupon them from heaven, as even the angels would gladly look into. When this Spirit opens our eyes and makes us see what the Gospel is, we shall have an appetite for it and a joy in it, although we cannotbehold it with bodily eyes, but must believe that we are partakersand fellow-heirs of the righteousness, truth, salvation and all theblessings which God has to bestow. For since He has given us His onlySon, that highest good, He will also, through Him, give us all goodthings, riches and treasures, whereof the angels in heaven have alltheir joy, and of which they are most desirous. All this is offeredto us through the Gospel, and if we believe we shall also have a likedesire for them. But our desire for them cannot be as perfect as thatof the angels, so long as we live on earth; but it is a goodbeginning in us, if we experience, through faith, something of it. But in heaven it is so great that no human heart can conceive it; butif we reach that place we shall ourselves feel it. 

Thus you see how St. Peter teaches us to arm and equip ourselves withScripture. For hitherto he has described what it is to preach theGospel, and shown that as it heretofore has been preached by theprophets, so it should still be, and should be preached in likemanner. Now he proceeds farther, and admonishes us in this chapterthat we should cleave to the same preaching of the Gospel by faith, and follow after it by love, and therefore says, --

V. 13-16. _Gird up therefore the loins of your mind; be sober, andfix your hope firmly on the grace which is offered you through therevelation of Jesus Christ, as obedient children, not conformable tothe previous lusts of your ignorance; but as He who has called you isHoly, be ye also holy in all your conduct, as it is written, Be yeholy for I am Holy. _

This is an admonition to faith, and the sense is this: while suchthings are preached to you and bestowed upon you through the Gospelas the angels would rejoice and be desirous to behold, rely on them, and fix your confidence thereon with all firmness, so that it shallbe a real faith, and not a painted or fictitious fancy or dream. 

_Gird up the loins of your mind. _ Here Peter speaks of a spiritualgirding of the mind, just as one girds his sword to the loins of hisbody. This girding has Christ also enforced, Luke xii. , where hesays, "Let your loins be girt about. " In some places the Scripturesspeak of the loins with reference to bodily lust; but here St. Peterspeaks of the loins of the spirit. As to the body, Scripture speaksof the loins with reference to natural generation from the father; aswe read, Genesis xlix. , that from the loins of Judah Christ shouldcome. Likewise the bodily girding of the loins is the same withchastity, as Isaiah says, chapter xi. , "Righteousness shall be thegirdle of his loins, and faith the girdle of his reins. " That is, only by faith is wicked lust subdued and restrained. 

But this spiritual girding, whereof the Apostle speaks, means more. As a virgin is pure and inviolate in body, so is the soul spirituallyinviolate through faith, by which it becomes Christ's bride. But ifit falls from faith into false doctrine, it must be brought to shame. Hence Scripture uniformly calls impiety and unbelief, adultery andwhoredom, --that is, when the soul relies on human doctrines, and thuslets go its hold on faith and Christ. This St. Peter here forbids, when he calls on us to gird up the loins of our mind; as though hewould say, ye have now heard the Gospel and have come to believe, therefore see to it that ye abide therein, and do not sufferyourselves to be drawn away with false doctrine, so that ye shall notwaver and run hither and thither with works. 

And here he adopts a peculiar mode of speech, not after the manner ofSt. Paul, where he speaks of "the loins of your mind. " He calls_that_ mind here which we speak of as disposition; as when I say, "This seems to me right and as Paul speaks, so we understand it, sowe are _disposed_. " In this he refers especially to faith, and wouldsay: ye have attained a correct apprehension that we must bejustified through faith; abide in that mind; gird it up well, holdfast thereon, and suffer not yourselves to be torn from it; thenshall ye stand well. For many false teachers shall come in and set uphuman doctrines that they may pervert your understanding and loosethe girdle of your faith; wherefore be admonished, and bind it wellto your mind. 

The hypocrites who rest on their own works, and hence pass acarefully abstemious life, are thus minded, that God must bring themto heaven for their works' sake; they are puffed up, become proud, abiding in their own opinion and blindness, like the Pharisees, Lukexviii. Of whom also Mary speaks, in the _Magnificat_, where she usesthe same word that stands here in Peter, He hath scattered the proudin the disposition of their hearts, --that is, in their own minds. 

_Be sober. _ To be sober is of service outwardly to the body, and isthe chief work of faith. For though a man has been justified, hestill is not secured from evil lusts; faith has indeed begun tosubdue the flesh, but this is ever bestirring itself, and likewiserunning riot in all sorts of lusts, which would gladly break forthagain and act after their own will. Therefore the spirit must dailywork to restrain and subdue it, and must charge itself therewith, without intermission, and have a care of the flesh that it do notdestroy faith. Therefore those persons deceive themselves, who indeedsay they have faith, and imagining that this is enough, livethenceforth according to their own caprice. Where the faith isgenuine it must control the body and hold it in check, so that itshall not do what it lusts after. Therefore St. Peter says that weshould be sober. 

Yet he would not have us destroy the body or weaken it too much, aswe find many do who have fasted and tortured themselves to death. St. Bernard, even, continued for a long time in this folly, although hewas truly a holy man, for he mortified his body to such an extentthat his breath was offensive and could not be endured. Yet heafterwards forsook it, and charged his brethren that they should notinflict injury upon the body; for he saw very well that he hadrendered himself unfit to be of service to his brethren. ThereforeSt. Peter requires nothing more than that we should be sober, --thatis, mortify the body to such an extent as to prevent its being in ourapprehension too wanton; for he fixes no definite time how long weshould fast, as the Pope has done, but leaves it to each, individually, to fast so that he remain sober and do not burden thebody with gluttony, to the end that he remain in possession of reasonand reflection, and consider how far it is necessary for him to holdthe body in check. For it is utterly idle to impose one and the samecommand upon a whole congregation and church, since we are so unlikeone to the other; one strong, another weak in body, --so that one mustmortify it more, another less, provided the body is to remain soundand in the best state for exertion. 

But another multitude mistake here, determined that they will notfast, and that they may eat flesh, and herein are wrong. For thesepersons reject the Gospel also, and are unprofitable as well as theothers; doing no more than contemn the Pope's command, unwilling togird up their mind and spirit, as Peter says, leaving the body to itsown caprice, that it may become corrupt and wanton. It is well tofast; but that only can be called true fasting, when we give the bodyno more food than is needful for it that it may retain its health andendure labor and watchfulness--that the old ass do not become tooobstinate, and going on the ice to dance, break a bone; but go onsubject to control, and following the spirit; not after the manner ofthose who, whenever they fast, fill themselves so full of fish andthe best wine, that their bellies are puffed out. Thus St. Peterdirects us to be sober, and now says further:

_And fix your hope firmly (or with all deliberation) on the gracewhich is offered you. _ The christian faith is of such a nature thatit plants itself freely on the word of God with entire confidence, ventures freely thereupon, and goes joyfully onward. Therefore Peterwould say: The loins of your mind are girt about, and your faith isgenuine, when you venture it thus on that Word, let it cost what itwill, --property, honor, limb, or life. 

Thus has he with these words in truth well described a genuine andunfeigned faith. It must not be a corrupt and sleepy faith, becomingthus only a dream, but a living and active reality, that we may withall deliberation devote ourselves to it and cleave to the Word, sothat, let God permit it to go with us as it will, we will yet pressonward through good and ill. Thus when I come to die I must venturepromptly on Christ, lift my head boldly, and rely upon the word ofGod which cannot deceive me. Thus must faith go straight forward, innothing permit itself to be led astray, and subject to scrutiny allthat it sees, hears and feels. Such faith St. Peter requires asconsists, not in thought or word, but in such power as this. 

Again, St. Peter says: Set your hope on the grace which is offeredyou. That is, ye have not deserved this great grace, but yet it isfreely offered you; for the Gospel, which reveals this grace, is noinvention or discovery of our own, but the Holy Spirit has sent itdown from heaven into the world. But what is it that is offered tous? This, that we have already heard, that whosoever believes onChrist and cleaves to the Word possesses _Him_, with all theblessings He has to give, so that He is Lord over sin, death, thedevil and hell, and is assured of eternal life. This treasure isbrought to our doors and laid in our bosom without our help ordesert, yes, beyond our expectation and without our knowledge orthought. Therefore the Apostle would have us venture thereoncheerfully, for God, who offers us such grace, will surely notdeceive us. 

_Through the revelation of Jesus Christ. _ God permits none to makethe offer of His grace except through Christ. Therefore no man shouldattempt to approach Him apart from this Mediator, as we have alreadyabove heard sufficiently. For He will hear no one but him who bringsHis dear Son with him, whom He alone regards, and for His sake thosethat depend upon Him. Therefore He would have us confess the Son, that we are reconciled through His blood to the Father, so that wemay approach before Him. For to this end did Christ come into theworld, assume flesh and blood, and joined Himself to us, that Hemight obtain such grace for us with the Father. So, too, all theprophets and patriarchs have been kept and saved, through such faithon Christ. For they all have exercised faith in the promise which Godmade to Abraham, "Through thy seed shall all nations be blest. "Therefore, as we have said, to the Jews and to the Turks, faith is ofno avail, neither to any that rest upon their own works and wouldthereby reach heaven. So Peter says, this grace is offered you, butit is through the revelation of Jesus Christ (or to render it moreclearly into our language), because that Jesus Christ has beenrevealed to you. 

Through the Gospel it is made known to us what Christ is, that we maylearn of Him, moreover, that He is our Saviour. He rescues us fromsin and death, and helps us out of every evil, reconciles us to theFather, and, apart from our own works, justifies and saves us. Whoever then does not thus confess Christ must be lost; for althoughyou may know that He is the Son of God, that He died and has risen, and sits at the right hand of the Father, --still you have not yettruly known Christ, it is all of no avail to you; but you must knowand believe that He has done it all for your sake, if your faith isto help you. Therefore that is a vain, senseless doctrine that hasbeen hitherto preached and taught in the great schools, which havehad no experience of this knowledge, and have only attained toimagine how the curse afflicted Christ our Lord, and how He sitsabove in heaven unemployed, and possesses a joy with Himself; andthus their hearts remain barren, so that faith cannot live in them. But Christ does not stand there for Himself, but He is to be preachedthat He is ours. For what necessity could there then have been thatHe should have come down to earth and have shed His blood? But sinceHe has been sent into the world, as He says, John iii. , "that theworld through Him might be saved. " He certainly must have fulfilledthis mission, because He was sent from the Father. For this sendingforth and proceeding from the Father is to be understood not only ofthe divine nature, but also of the human nature and of His ministry. As soon as He was baptized this began, and He has fulfilled it, forwhich end He was sent and came into the world, to wit, that He mightpreach the truth and obtain it for us, that all who believe on Himshall be saved. Thus has He revealed Himself, and presented Himselfto our knowledge, and offered us grace. 

V. 14. _As obedient children. _ That is, conduct yourselves asobedient children. Obedience in Scripture means faith. But the Pope, with his high schools and cloisters, has even wrested the word fromus, and falsely rendered what is recorded in Scripture concerningthis obedience, as the passage in I. Kings xv. : "Obedience is betterthan sacrifice. " For while they perceive that obedience is highlypraised in Scripture, they have usurped the claim of it tothemselves, so that they might blind the people, and that men shouldthink it was obedience to their stuff of which the Scripture speaks. Thus they would bring us away from God's word to their lies, and tothe obedience of the devil. Whoever hears the word of God andbelieves thereon, is an obedient child of God. Therefore, whatever isnot the word of God, tread it under your feet and pay no attention toit. 

_Not conformed to the former lusts of your ignorance. _ That is, thatyou should not exhibit such ostentation and lead such a course oflife as before, and that you be not found in the same condition inwhich you formerly were. Once you were godless, and lived inlewdness, gluttony, drunkenness, avarice, pride, anger, envy andhate, which was an evil, heathen-like state, and one of unbelief, andwhen you had gone into such a state like the blind, you have notknown what you have done. Avoid now those same evil lusts. Here youperceive how he makes the charge against ignorance, that all evilproceeds therefrom. For where faith and the knowledge of Christ arewanting, there remains mere error and blindness, so that men areignorant of what is right and wrong, insomuch that the people fallinto every kind of vice. 

Thus has it been hitherto: where Christ has been kept out of sightand eclipsed, there error has begun to prevail; and throughout theworld the question has torn its way, how man may be saved. This is atonce a sign of blindness or ignorance, that the true apprehension offaith is lost, and no one knows anything more about it. Hence theworld is so full of such various sects, and all are divided, forevery one will devise for himself a way to heaven of his own. In ourmisfortune we must be continually falling deeper in our blindness, since we cannot help ourselves. Therefore St. Peter would say: Yehave already befooled yourselves enough; now desist therefrom, sinceye have been instructed and have attained to a correct understanding. 

V. 15, 16. _But according as He that hath called you is holy, so beye also holy in all your conduct, as it is written, Be ye holy for Iam holy. _ Here St. Peter quotes a passage from the Old Testament, Lev. Xix. , where God says: "Be ye holy for I am holy;" that is, sinceI am your Lord and God, and ye are my people, ye too must be as I am. For a faithful master secures that his people shall be like him, andwalk in obedience, and be conformed to the master's will. As then Godour Master is holy, so are His people holy also, and we are all holyif we walk in faith. Scripture says not much of the saints that havedied, but of those who live on the earth. So David puts forth hisclaim in Ps. Lxxxv. : "Lord, preserve my soul, for I am holy. "

But here our learned men have for once perverted the passage, andthey say: the prophet had a particular revelation, in that he calledhimself holy; whereby they themselves confess that they do violenceto faith, and have not the revelation of Jesus Christ, otherwise theywould surely be sensible of it. For whoever is a Christianexperiences within himself such a revelation; but they who do notexperience it are not Christians. For whoever is a Christian entersinto a participation with Christ our Lord, of all his good things. Since, then, Christ is holy, he must also be holy, or deny thatChrist is holy. Hast thou been baptized? then thou hast put on theholy garment, which is Christ, as Paul says. 

The word Holy means that which is God's own, and which belongs to Himalone, or as we render it in Dutch (_geweiht_), consecrated. Thus, Peter here says: you are merely required to give God His own;therefore beware that ye do not suffer yourselves to be led backagain to worldly lusts, but let God alone rule, live and work withinyou; then shall ye be holy, even as He is holy. 

Thus he has hitherto described the grace which is extended to usthrough the Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, and has taughtus how we should therefore conduct ourselves, namely: that we abidein a pure, inviolate mind of faith, since we know that no work thatwe can do or imagine, can at all help us: when such doctrine as thisis preached, reason objects, and says, Ah! if that is true, I neednot do any good work. And then the great heads fall foul of it, andfrom a christian condition, educe a freedom of the flesh, imaginingthey may do what they will. These St. Peter here meets, andanticipates them, and teaches how we are to use our christian freedomonly towards God. For nothing more is needed but faith, to the endthat I should give God the honor due Him, and embrace Him as my God, confessing that He is just, true and merciful; such faith sets usfree from sin and all evil. If now I have made such a return to God, whatever time I yet live I am to live for my neighbor, so as to serveand help him. The greatest work that follows from faith is this: thatwith my mouth I should confess Christ, sealing that confession withmy blood, and laying down my life for it, if so it be. Yet God doesnot need this work; only I am to perform it, that my faith maythereby be tried and known, so that others also may be brought tobelieve. Thereafter follow also other works, which must all bedirected to this end, that I may thereby serve my neighbor, --all ofwhich God must work in us; for it profits not that we should lead acarnal life and do whatever we please. Therefore St. Peter now says:

V. 17-21. _And since ye call on the Father, who judgeth withoutrespect of persons, according to every man's work, pass the time ofyour sojourning here in fear; and be aware that ye are not redeemedwith corruptible silver or gold, from your vain conduct in thetraditions of your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, asof an innocent and unspotted Lamb, who indeed was provided previouslybefore the world began, but is revealed in these last times for you, who through Him believe on God, who raised Him from the dead, andhath given Him dominion, that your faith and hope might be in God. _

So says St. Peter: Ye have through faith hereunto attained, that yeare the children of God, and He is your Father. And ye have obtainedan incorruptible inheritance in heaven, (as has been already said. )Thus nothing more now remains, except that the veil be taken away, and that be uncovered which is now concealed, for which ye are stillto wait until ye shall behold it. Though ye are now arrived at thatstate in which ye may joyfully call God your Father, yet is He sorighteous that he will reward every man according to his works, andrespect not persons. Wherefore thou art not to imagine, although thouhast that great name so that thou art called a Christian or a childof God, that He will therefore continue thine if thou livest withoutfear, and thinkest that it is enough that thou dost glory in such aname. The world indeed judges by the person, since it does not punishall alike, and respects those who are friendly, rich, reputable, learned, wise, and powerful. But God regards nothing of this kind; itis all alike to him, be the person as great as he may. Thus in Egypthe struck the son of King Pharaoh dead, as well as the son of thepoor miller. 

Therefore the Apostle would have us expect such judgment from God, and stand in fear, so that we do not glory in our title that we areChristian, and thereupon become negligent, as though he would forthis reason pass us over more readily than others. For in this theJews were formerly deceived, who boasted that they were Abraham'sseed and God's people. Scripture makes no difference in respect tothe flesh, but in respect to the spirit. It is true that Christ wasto be born of Abraham's seed and that a holy people should springfrom him, but it does not therefore follow that all who are born ofAbraham are the children of God. He also promised that the Gentilesshould be saved, but he has not said that he would save _all_ theGentiles. 

But here now a question arises: When we say that God saves us aloneby faith, without regard to works, why does St. Peter say that Hejudges not according to the person, but according to works? Answer. What we have taught as to faith alone justifying before God, is truebeyond doubt, since it is so clear from Scripture that it cannot bedenied. That which the Apostle here says, that God judges accordingto the works, is also true; but we must certainly hold, therefore, that where there is no faith, there can be no good work; and on theother hand, that there is no faith where there are no good works. Therefore join together faith and good works, since it is in boththat the sum of the whole christian life consists. As you now live, so will it be with you, for thereafter God will judge you. Therefore, although God judges us according to our works, still it remains truethat works are only the fruits of faith, by which we perceive whenthere is faith or unbelief; therefore God will sentence you from yourworks and convict you, either that you have or have not believed. Soit is that no one can convict and judge a liar, except from hiswords. Yet it is evident that he is not made a liar by the word, butbecame a liar before he spoke the lie, for the lie must come from theheart into the mouth. Therefore, understand this passage thus, in theplainest way: that works are fruits and signs of faith, and that Godjudges men according to such fruits which must certainly follow it, so that it shall be openly seen whether there is faith or unbelief inthe heart. God will not judge by this whether you are _called_ aChristian, or have been baptized, but will ask you, "_Art_ thou aChristian? then tell me where are the fruits by which you canevidence your faith. "

Therefore St. Peter goes on to say: Since ye have such a Father, whojudges not after the person, pass the time of your pilgrimage infear; that is, stand in fear before the Father, not of pain andpunishment, --as the Christless, and even the devil, is afraid, --butlest He forsake you and withdraw His hand; just as a dutiful child isafraid lest he provoke his father, and do something that might notplease him. Such a fear would God have within us, that we guardourselves against sin, and serve our neighbor, while we live hereupon the earth. 

A Christian, if he truly believes, possesses all the good things ofGod, and is God's child, as we have heard. But the time which he yetlives is only a pilgrimage: for the spirit is already in heaven byfaith, through which he becomes Lord over all things. But to this endGod permits him yet to live in the flesh, and his body to remain onearth, that he may help others and bring them also to heaven. Therefore we are to use all things on earth as a guest, who goes onwearily and arrives at an inn where he must tarry over night, and canreceive nothing from it but food and lodging; yet does not say thatthe property of the inn is his. So must we also proceed in regard toour temporal possessions, as though they were not ours, and weenjoyed only so much of them as is needful to sustain the body, andwith the rest we are to help our neighbor. Thus the christian life isonly a night's sojourning; for we have here no abiding city, but mustfind it, where our Father is, in heaven. Therefore we should not herelive in wantonness, but stand in fear, says St. Peter. 

V. 18. _And be aware that ye are not redeemed with corruptible silveror gold, from your vain conduct in the traditions of your Fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ. _ This should draw you, hewould say, to the fear of God, wherein ye should stand, that yeshould remember how much it has cost that ye might be redeemed. Before, ye were citizens of the world, and were held in subjection tothe devil, but now, God has rescued you from such a state, and setyou firm in another, so that your citizenship is in heaven; but yeare strangers and guests upon earth. And see at how great a cost Godhas reclaimed you, and how great the treasure is, wherewith ye arepurchased, and brought into this state, to become the children ofGod. Wherefore pass your sojourning in fear, and see to it that ye donot despise such redemption, and lose the noble, precious treasure. 

What now is the treasure wherewith ye are ransomed? Not corruptiblegold or silver, but the precious blood of Christ the Son of God: thetreasure is so costly and noble, that no human sense or reason canconceive it, insomuch that only one drop of this innocent blood weremore than enough for the sin of all the world: yet has the Fatherbeen willing to dispense his grace so richly upon us, and deniedHimself so much as to suffer Christ His Son to shed all His blood forus, and has bestowed upon us the whole treasure. Therefore He wouldnot have us disregard such great grace, and count it as a smallmatter, but continue on our guard, so as to live in fear, that thistreasure be not taken away from us. 

And here it is well to remark, that St. Peter says, ye are ransomedfrom your vain conversation in the traditions of your fathers; for hethereby strikes to the ground all the supports whereon we lean whenwe imagine our view must be right because it has thus been preservedfrom of old, and our forefathers all of them have so held it, amongwhom there were certainly wise and pious people. It is as much as tosay, all which our fathers have ordained and done, was evil; whatfrom them has been taught you of the worship of God, is also evil;for it has cost the Son of God His blood to redeem the peopletherefrom; whatever, therefore, has not been washed in this blood, isall poisoned and cursed by reason of the flesh. Thence it follows, the more a man undertakes to make himself righteous and has notChrist, the more only he confounds himself, and sinks deeper inblindness and wickedness, and condemns himself in respect to thisprecious blood. 

External matters, important in themselves, are even trifling incomparison with this, that a man should teach how we may be justifiedby works, and devise a worship of God according to our reason; forthereby the innocent blood is most deeply dishonored and reviled. 

The heathen have committed many great sins, in that they have prayedto the sun and moon, which they held for the true worship of God, though this was joined with other sins. But human justification(justification by human works) is mere reviling of God, and thegreatest of all sins that a man commits. So, also, that mode of lifewherewith the world is now busied and which it holds as the worshipof God, and piety, is in God's sight more provoking than any othersin, as is the priestly and monkish order, and which while it appearsfair before the world, is yet without faith. Therefore whoever willnot obtain favor before God through this blood, it were better forhim that he should never come into God's presence, for he therebyonly the more and more dishonors His Majesty. 

V. 19. _As of an innocent and unspotted lamb. _ But here St. Peterexplains the Scripture, --for this though so short is an exceedinglyrich Epistle, --since as soon as he had spoken of their vain course inthe traditions of the fathers, he finds much instruction for us inthe prophets--as in the prophet Jer. Xvi. : "The heathen shall come toyou from the end of the world, and say, our fathers have gone astraywith lies, " as though St. Peter had said, there the prophets foretoldthat ye should be redeemed from the tradition of your fathers. 

So when he says here, ye are redeemed by the blood of Christ, as ofan innocent and unspotted lamb, he would again refer to theScripture, and explain that which is contained in the prophets andMoses--as Is. Liii. : "Like a lamb he is led to the slaughter. " So asto the type, Ex. Xii. , of the Paschal Lamb, all this he hereexplains, and says, this lamb is Christ; and as the one of old was tobe unspotted, so must this, also, whose blood is shed for us, beunspotted and innocent. 

V. 20. _Which indeed was provided previously, before the world began, but is revealed in these last times for you. _ That is, we have notdeserved nor even prayed this of God, that the precious blood ofChrist should be shed for us, therefore we can glory in no respect;the glory belongs to none but God alone. God has promised andrevealed or made known to us, not for any merit of ours, that whichHe from all eternity had provided and foreordained, before the worldwas made. In the prophets it is indeed promised, yet dimly and notopenly; but now, since Christ's resurrection and the sending of theHoly Spirit, it is publicly preached and disseminated throughout thewhole world. 

This is now the latter age (the last time), as St. Peter says, wherein we live--now--from the ascension of Christ until the lastday. So the Apostles and prophets, and Christ Himself, also, call itthe last hour; not that the last day was to come immediately afterChrist's ascension, but because after this preaching of the Gospel ofChrist no other should ever come; and there will be no furtherrevelation or manifestation, except as this is explained andrevealed. One revelation after another has indeed gone forth. Therefore God says, Ex. Vi. , "By my name Jehovah was I not known tothem. " For the patriarchs, although they knew God, yet at that timehad not so clear a manifestation of Him as was afterwards put forththrough Moses and the prophets; but now there has no more glorious orclear manifestation of Him come into the world than the Gospel. Therefore it is the last; all dispensations have run their course, but the present, --the last, --which is revealed to us. 

Besides, the time hereafter is not long to the end of the world, asSt. Peter shows, II. Pet. Iii. , where he says: "One day is with theLord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. " And so hewould lead us by this reckoning of time, to conclude, after God'smethod, that it is the last time, and that the end approaches, butthe time which still remains is nothing in the sight of God. Thesalvation is already revealed and completed: God permits the world tostand yet longer, merely that His name may be more widely honored andpraised, although He for Himself is now fully revealed. 

V. 21. _For you, who through Him believe on God, who raised Him fromthe dead, and hath given Him dominion that your faith and hope mightbe in God. _ For our sakes, he says, is the Gospel revealed. For Godand the Lord Christ have not needed it, but have done it for ourprofit, that we might believe on them; and that, not throughourselves, but through Christ, who intercedes for us with the Father, whom He has raised from the dead, that He might be Lord over allthings; so that whoever believes on Him possesses all His goodthings, and through Him has access to the Father. Thus we have faithin God, and a hope through the same faith. Faith alone must save us, but it must be a faith in God; for if God does not help us, then weare not holpen; so that it is not enough, although you had all men'sfriendship, but you must have the friendship of God, that you mayboast that He is YOUR Father, and that you are His child, and confidein Him even more than in your beloved father and mother, that He willhelp you in all your troubles, and this only through the one Mediatorand Saviour, the Lord Christ. Such faith comes not (he says) fromhuman power, but God creates it in us, because Christ has merited itby His blood; to whom He has given glory, and whom He has seated atHis right hand, that He, by God's power, should produce faith in us. 

Hitherto we have heard St. Peter admonishing us that we should girdup the loins of our mind, that we may remain undefiled and live infaith; then, also, that which meanwhile is so important, that weshould walk in fear and never forget that we are called Christians, since God is a judge who respects none, but judges one like theother, without distinction of persons. 

V. 22-25. _And purify your souls, through obedience of the truth inthe Spirit, to unfeigned love of the brethren, and have fervent lovetoward one another, out of pure hearts, as those who have been bornagain, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, namely, of theliving word of God, which endures forever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man like the flower of grass. The grasswithereth and the flower thereof falleth away, but the word of theLord endureth forever; and this is the word which is preached untoyou. _

Paul, in Gal. V. , points out the fruits which follow faith. Thefruits of the Spirit, he says, are joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. So St. Peter speakshere of the fruit of faith, --to wit, that we should purify our souls, through obedience to the truth in the Spirit. For where there is realfaith it brings the body in subjection to itself, and controls thefleshly lust; and although it does not entirely destroy it, yet itmakes it subject and obedient to the Spirit, and holds it in check. St. Paul implies the same thing when he speaks of the fruits of theSpirit. It is a great achievement that the Spirit should attaincontrol over the flesh, and restrain the evil lust which descends tous from our parents: for it is not possible that we should succeedwithout grace in leading a chaste life in the married state, to saynothing of the unmarried. 

But why does he say then, purify your souls? He is well aware thatthe desires of the flesh remain with us after baptism, even to thegrave. Therefore it is not enough that a person should refrain fromworks and remain pure outwardly, while he permits evil lusts tocleave to his heart, but must thereafter beware that the soul bepure, as well as whatever proceeds out of the heart, and that thesoul be opposed to these wicked lusts and desires, and continuallycontend therewith, until it is free from their power. 

And here he adjoins an excellent provision: that we should purify oursouls, [3] _through obedience to the truth in the Spirit_. Much hasbeen preached on chastity, and many books have been composed on thesubject. They have said, we should fast for so long a time, we shouldnot eat flesh, we should not drink wine, etc. , that we may be freefrom temptation. These things may perhaps have aided somewhat to thatend, but it has not been enough, it has not subdued lust. 

[Footnote 3: Make them chaste. ]

So St. Jerome writes of himself, that he had mortified his body tosuch an extent that he had become like a Moor; still it had been ofno avail, and he had dreamed of being at Rome at a revelry amongharlots. 

St. Bernard also subjected himself to such austerities, and somortified his body that it became offensive, as I said above. Theyendured severe temptation, and purposed thus to subdue it by externalmethods. But since it is external, it is only an outward plaster, with no inward application. So that it does not suffice to subduelust. 

But here St. Peter has prescribed an appropriate remedy, --namely, obedience to truth in the Spirit, as Scripture also has done in otherplaces, --as Isaiah xi. : "Faith shall be the girdle of his reins. "This is the true plaster that girds the reins, for it must proceedfrom within outward, not from without inward. For it has penetratedinto the flesh and blood, the marrow and other parts of the livingsystem; it is not outward in the dress or clothing. Therefore it isnot to be expected that we should subdue lust with outward things; wemay weaken the body and destroy it with fastings and labors, but theevil lusts are not thereby banished; yet faith can subdue them, andguard them, that they shall be compelled to give the Spirit place. 

So likewise speaks the prophet Zachariah, ix. , of the wine whichChrist has, whereby the pure grow, and of which he gives them todrink. Other wine usually invites to wicked lust, but thiswine, --that is, the Gospel, --subdues it, and makes the heart chaste. This is what St. Peter speaks of when any one heartily embraces thetruth, and is obedient to it in spirit. This is the true help and themost powerful remedy for it, since you will find none which can stillall evil thoughts like it; for if this enters our hearts, evilinclinations quickly leave; let whoever will try it, he shall find ittrue, and whoever has tried it, knows it well; but the devil lets noone easily attain it, and comprehend the word of God so as to delightin it; for he well knows how powerful it is to subdue evil lusts andthoughts. 

St. Peter, therefore, would here say, if you would remain chaste, then must you render obedience to the truth in the Spirit, thatis, --we must not only read and hear the word of God, but apprehend itin our hearts. Therefore it is not enough that a man should preach orhear the Gospel once, but he must ever press after it and persevere;for such grace does the word possess, that the more we taste it themore delightful it is; although there is, throughout, one and thesame doctrine of faith, yet it cannot be listened to too much wherethe heart is not wanton and untamed. 

_To unfeigned love of the brethren. _ To what end, then, are we tolive a chastely holy life? In order that we may be saved thereby? No!but in order that we may be useful to our neighbor. What am I to dothat I may restrain my sin? I am to have obedience to the truth inthe Spirit. But why am I to restrain it? In order that I may be ofservice to others, for I must first control my body and the flesh bythe Spirit, and thus I can afterward be of service to others. --Itfollows further:

_And have fervent love toward one another out of pure hearts. _ TheApostles Peter and Paul distinguish brotherly love, and love ingeneral, from one another. Brotherhood is, that Christians shoulddwell altogether as brethren, and make no distinctions betweenthemselves. For since we all have a common Christ, one baptism, onefaith, one treasure, I am no better than thou; that which thou hast, I have also, and I am just as rich as thou. The treasure is the same, except that I may have it in a better shape than thou, since I mayhave it lying in gold, but thou in a poor garment. Therefore as wehave the grace of Christ and all spiritual blessings in common, soshould we also hold body and life, property and honor, in common, that one should be of service to another in all things. 

Here he speaks plainly: _in unfeigned brotherly love_. The Apostleslove to make use of the word, but have clearly perceived that were wecalled Christians and brethren universally one with another, it wouldbe false, a feigned or imagined thing, and would be only hypocrisy. We have many brotherhoods set up in the world, but they are vaindeceptions and corruptions, which the devil has devised and broughtinto the world, which are only antagonist to the true faith and togenuine brotherly love. Christ is mine as well as St. Bernard's;thine as well as St. Francis'; if one therefore should come to youand say, I shall go to heaven if I belong to this or thatbrotherhood, then tell him that he is deceived; for Christ cannotsuffer, and will not allow any other than the common brotherhood, which we all have one with another; yet you come here, you fool, andwill set up one of your own. This I will readily permit, that they beset up, not to help the soul, but as some one's endowment, and thusserve as a fund from which they who need shall be helped. 

Thus we all of us, as Christians, have attained a brotherhood inbaptism, whereof no saint possesses more than I or you. For just ascostly as that one was purchased, at the same price was I alsopurchased. God has devoted as much toward me as to the greatestsaint, except that _he_ may have employed the treasure better, andmay have a stronger faith than I. 

But love is greater than brotherhood, for it extends even to ourenemies, and especially to those who are not worthy of love. For asfaith performs its work where it sees nothing, so also should lovesee nothing, and there especially exercise its office where thereappears nothing lovely, but only disaffection and hostility. Wherethere is nothing that pleases me I should the more seek to bepleased. And this spirit should go forth fervently, says St. Peter, from the whole heart, just as God loved us when we were not worthy oflove. --Now follows further:

_As those who have been born again. _ Again we should do this, becausewe are not what we were before (he says), but have become newcreatures. This has not come to pass through works, but is aconsequence of the new birth. For thou canst not make the new man, but he must grow, or be born; as a husbandman cannot make a tree, butit must grow, itself, out of the earth, and as we certainly do notbecome the children of Adam, except as we are born and derive sinfrom our parents. So here it cannot come to pass through works thatwe should become the children of God, but we must also experience thenew birth. This, therefore, is what the Apostle would say: since yethen have become new creatures, ye should conduct yourselvesotherwise than ye did, and lead a new life. As ye before lived inhate, ye are now to walk in love--in all respects the reverse. Buthow has the new birth taken place? This, also, follows:

V. 23. _Not of corruptible, but of incorruptible seed, even of theliving word of God which endures for ever. _ Through a seed are weborn again, for nothing grows as we see otherwise than through seed. Did the old birth spring from a seed? then must the new birth alsospring from a seed. But what is this seed? Not flesh and blood! Whatthen? It is not corruptible, but an eternal word. It is, moreover, that whereon we live, --food and nourishment. But especially is it theseed whereby we are born again, as he here says. 

But how does this take place? After this manner: God lets theword--the Gospel--go forth, and the seed falls in the hearts of men, and wherever it fastens on the heart the Holy Spirit is present, andmakes a new man; then the man becomes another, of other thoughts, ofother words and works. Thus you are entirely changed. All that youbefore avoided you now seek out, and what you before sought afterthat you fly from. In respect to the birth of the body, it is thecase that when conception takes place the seed is changed, so that itis seed no longer. But this is a seed which cannot be changed; itremains for ever; it changes me, so that I am transformed in it, andwhatever is evil in me passes away from my nature. Therefore it isindeed a wonderful birth, and of extraordinary seed. --Now St. Petersays, further:

V. 24, 25. _For all flesh is grass, and all the glory of man like theflower of grass; the grass withereth, and the flower thereof fallethaway, but the word of the Lord endureth for ever. _ This passage istaken from the prophet Isaiah, xl. , where the prophet speaks in thismanner: "Cry! what shall I cry? Cry thus: all flesh is grass, and allits glory like a flower of the field; the grass withereth and theflower falleth away, but the word of God endureth for ever. " Thesewords St. Peter introduces here; for this is, as I have said, a richepistle, and well spiced with Scripture. 

Thus speaks the Scripture, then: _The word of God endures for ever. _What is flesh and blood is corruptible, like the grass which is yetgreen, so that it blooms; so whatever is rich, strong, wise and fair, and thus is flourishing (which all belongs to the bloom), yet youobserve its bloom wither; what was young and vigorous will become oldand ugly; what is rich will become poor, and the like. And all mustfall by the word of God. But this seed cannot perish. --Now Peterconcludes:

_This is the word which is preached unto you. _ As though he wouldsay, ye are not to look far in order to reach the word of God; yehave it before your eyes; the word is that which we preach; therewithmay you subdue all evil lusts. You are not to seek it from afar; youhave nothing more to do than fully to apprehend it when it ispreached. For it is so near us that we may hear it, as Moses alsosays, in Deut. Xxx. : "The word that I command you is not far fromthee, that thou must go therefor far away; ascend into heaven or gobeyond the sea, but it is near thee, even in thy mouth and in thyheart. " It is indeed soon spoken and heard. But if it enters ourhearts it cannot die or perish, and will not suffer you to perish; aslong as you cleave to it, it will cleave to you. 

As when I hear that Jesus Christ died to take away my sins, and haspurchased heaven for me, and bestows upon me all that He has, then Ihear the Gospel; the word quickly is gone if some one preaches it, but if it falls into the heart and is apprehended by faith, it cannever pass away. This truth no creature can overthrow; the clearestreasoning avails nothing against it; and if I too would strike thedevil while I am in his jaws, and am able to lay hold on this, I mustoppose him from this and abide fast by the word. Therefore he wellsays, ye must look for no other Gospel than that which we havepreached to you. 

So St. Paul also says, in the first part of the Epistle to theRomans: "I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of Godwhich saves all that believe in it. " The word is a divine and eternalpower; for although the voice or speech is soon gone, yet thesubstance remains, --that is, the sense, the truth, which is conveyedby the voice. As when I put a cup to my mouth in which wine iscontained, I swallow the wine, although I do not thrust the cup downmy throat. 

So likewise is the word which the voice conveys; it falls into ourhearts and lives, while the voice remains without and passes away. Therefore it is indeed a divine power; yea, it is God Himself. Forthus He speaks to Moses, Exodus iv. : "I will be in thy mouth;" andPs. Lxxx. : "Open thy mouth wide, proclaim glad tidings; say thou arthungry, I will satisfy thee, I will presently speak to theecomfortable things. "

So, also, in John xiv. , Christ says: "I am the way, the truth, andthe life. " Whoever confides in this is born of God; so that this seedof our Lord is itself divine. All this goes to teach us that wecannot be helped by works. Although the word is a small matter, andseems as nothing while it proceeds out of the mouth, yet is theresuch an immense power in it that it makes those who confide in it thechildren of God. John i. Thus does our salvation raise us to anexalted blessedness. 

This is the first chapter of this Epistle, wherein you perceive inwhat a masterly manner St. Peter preaches and treats of faith, whencewe easily see that this Epistle is true Gospel. Now comes the secondchapter, that will instruct us in matter of works, how we shouldconduct ourselves toward our neighbor. 

CHAPTER II. 

V. 1-5. _Wherefore lay aside all malice, and all guile, andhypocrisies, and hatred, and all evil speakings, and desire thesincere milk of the word, as new-born babes, that ye may growthereby, if ye have besides tasted that the Lord is gracious, to whomye are come as to a living stone, which indeed is rejected by men, but before God is elect and precious. And be ye also as living stonesbuilt up into a spiritual house, and a holy priesthood, to offer upspiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. _

Here he begins to show what the characteristic and fruit of achristian life should be. For we have said often enough that achristian life consists in two things, --faith toward God and lovetoward our neighbor. Besides, although christian faith has been givenus, yet as long as we live many evil lusts remain in the flesh, sinceevery saint must be in the flesh, but what is in the flesh cannot beentirely pure. Therefore St. Peter says, be ye armed, that ye mayguard yourselves against the sins which still cleave to you, andstrive continually against them. For the worst enemies that we havehide themselves in our bosoms, and in our very flesh and blood, wake, sleep, and live with us, like a wicked spirit which we have broughthome with us and cannot send off. Wherefore, since through faithJesus Christ is entirely yours, and ye have obtained salvation andall His blessings, let it be your aim henceforth to lay aside allwickedness, or all that is evil, and all guile, so that no one acttoward another deceitfully or falsely; as with the world it hasbecome a common expression to say, the world is full of falsehood, which is indeed so. But we Christians should not act with suchdeceit, but uprightly and with pure hearts, toward men as toward God, fairly and justly, so that none take the advantage of another insale, purchase or promise, and the like. 

Likewise also St. Paul says to the Ephesians, ch. Iv. , "Lay asidelying, and speak truth every one with his neighbor. " Truth is, thatyea be yea, and nay, nay, --but hypocrisy, when any one representshimself by his outward mien as being what he is not in his thoughts. For solemn is the obligation that we should show ourselves to be whatwe are at heart. A Christian should so act that he could permit allmen to see and know what he thinks in his heart. Let him, then, inall his walk and conduct, be anxious only to praise God, and servehis neighbor, and be afraid of no one; and let every one be in heartwhat he is in appearance, and not act a feigned part, whereby heshall make others gape with wonder. 

Furthermore, St. Peter says that we should lay aside hatred and evilspeaking. Here he fitly takes up the common vices among men, in theirintercourse with one another. This evil speaking is exceedinglycommon and injurious, --is soon done, insomuch that none of us isaware of it. Therefore he says, be on your guard, if ye already havea christian spirit, that ye may know what are the fruits of thisspirit. 

V. 2. _And desire the sincere milk of the word, as new-born babes. _Here he institutes a comparison, and would say, --ye are like thosenew-born babes who seek nothing but the milk: like them, striving forthe breasts and milk, so be ye also eager for the word; endeavor forit, have an appetite for it, that ye may suck in the intelligible, sincere milk. 

These words are, indeed, figurative; for he did not mean literalmilk, or literal sucking, as he does not speak of a literal birth. But he speaks of another milk which belongs to the mind, which isspiritual, which is procured by the soul, which the heart must drawin. It must be, moreover, sincere (or unfalsified), not as the customis, to sell false wares; since there is truly strong obligation, andgreat necessity, that to the new-born and young Christian, the milkshould be given pure, and not corrupted. But this milk is nothing butthe Gospel, which is also the same with seed, whereby we areconceived and born, as we have heard above. Yet it is also the foodwhich nourishes us when we arrive at maturity; it is also the harnesswherewith we equip and clothe ourselves, --yea, it is all these incommon. But whatever is appended to it is human doctrine, whereby theword of God is falsified; therefore the Holy Spirit would have it sothat every Christian shall see to it, what he sucks for milk, andshall himself learn to decide in regard to all doctrines. 

But the breasts which yield this milk, and which the babes suck, arethe preachers in the christian Church. As the bridegroom says to thebride, in Cant. Iii. , "Thou hast two breasts like two young roes;they are as though they were hung with a bundle of myrrh;" as thebride says, Cant. I. , "My beloved is like a bundle of myrrh that liescontinually between my breasts. " That is, we should ever _preach_Christ. The bridegroom must resort to the breasts; so that it isunjust, and the milk will be corrupt, if we do not preach Christalone. 

There is this, besides: when it is preached that Christ died for us, and rescued us from sin, death, and hell, --this is delightful andsweet, like milk; but after this, the cross also must be preached, that we are to suffer, as we have done; and this is a strong draught, it is strong wine. Therefore, Christians should have at first giventhem the weakest drink, --that is, milk. For it cannot be preached inits simplicity, except Christ be preached first of all; which is notbitter, but is mere sweet, rich grace, from which you receive yet nosmart. This is the sincere milk of the word. 

But here St. Peter has supported himself by Scripture, as he isthroughout rich from the Scriptures. In the Old Testament it iswritten, both in Exodus xxiii. , and Deuteronomy xiv. , "Thou shalt notseethe the kid in its mother's milk. " For what reason did God permitthat to be written? Of what concern to Him was it that no sucklingshould be killed while as yet it sucks milk? Because He would therebygive us to understand that which St. Peter here teaches; and it is asmuch as if he had said, preach gently to the young and weakChristians; let them be carefully fed, and thrive in the knowledge ofChrist; burden them not with strong doctrine, for they are as yet tooyoung, but after they have become strong, let them then beslaughtered and sacrificed on the cross. 

So, also, we read in Deut. Xxiv. , "If any one have recently taken awife, then he need not go out to war for the first year, lest heshould be slain, --but abide at home cheerfully with his wife. " Allgoes to this point, that we should bear for a time with them that areyoung Christians, and proceed tenderly with them. But when they havegrown, God brings them to the holy cross, lets them even die likeother Christians, so that then the kid is slain. --Now followsfurther:

V. 2, 3. _That ye may grow thereby, if ye have besides tasted thatthe Lord is gracious. _ It is not enough that we should hear theGospel once; we must ever be anxious for it, that we may grow. Afterfaith has become strong, we may provide and eat each kind of food. But to those who have not heard the Gospel, this is not said; theyknow neither what is milk or what is wine. Therefore he adds, if yehave besides tasted that the Lord is gracious; as though he had said, whoever has not tasted it, to him it is not a thing of the heart, tohim it is not sweet; but they who have tried it, who grow by the foodand by the word, to them it tastes pleasant and is sweet. 

But it is said to be _tasted_, when I believe with my heart thatChrist has given Himself for me, and has become my own, and my sinand misery are His, and His life also is mine. When this reaches myheart, then it _tastes_; for how can I but receive joy and gladnesstherefrom? I am heartily glad, as though some good friend shouldbestow on me a hundred florins. But as to him whose heart it does notreach, he cannot rejoice himself therewith. But they taste it bestwho lie in the straits of death, or whom an evil conscienceoppresses; for in that case hunger is a good cook, as we say, thatmakes the food have a good relish. For the heart and conscience canhear nothing more soothing, when they feel their misery; after _this_they are anxious, they smell the provision afar off and cannot besatisfied. So also speaks Mary, in the _Magnificat_: "The hungry alsohas he filled with good things. " But that hardened class who live intheir own holiness, build on their own works, and feel not their sinand misery, they taste this not. Whoever sits at table and is hungry, he relishes all, readily; but to him who is previously full, nothingrelishes, but he can only murmur at the most excellent food. Therefore the Apostle says, if ye have besides tasted that the Lordis gracious. But it is as though he had said, If ye have not tastedit, then I preach to you in vain. --He further says:

V. 4. _To whom ye art come as to a living stone. _ Here he falls backagain upon the Scripture, and quotes the prophet Isaiah, chap. Xxviii. , where he also says: "Hear now what God says to you, scorners: ye say, we have made a league with death and with hell, andhave made lies our trust. Therefore thus saith the Lord, I lay in thefoundation of Zion an elect, precious corner stone, a surefoundation, " etc. 

This passage Paul has also quoted, and it is an important passage ofScripture, for Christ is the precious head-stone which God has laid, on which we must be built. 

And observe how St. Peter quotes the expression, and shows the stoneto signify Christ. Just as Isaiah had spoken of setting confidenceupon Him, St. Peter likewise says, it is as much as trusting in Him;thus is Scripture truly explained. The builders lay the foundationstone where it may stand sure and firm, that it may bear up the wholebuilding. So Christ, the living stone, bears up the whole building;and it is called the building, in order that we, bound one toanother, may set our confidence and security on Him. 

V. 4. _Which indeed is rejected of men, but before God is elect andprecious. _ Here he brings forward a passage of the prophet David, inPs. Cxvii. : "The stone which the builders rejected has become thecorner stone, and it is wonderful in our eyes. " Which passage Christalso refers to in Mat. Xxi. So Peter, in Acts iv. , where he says:"This is the stone which ye builders rejected. " Ye are builders, hesays: for they taught the people, went about with great speeches, laid down many laws, but made mere work-saints and hypocrites. ThenChrist comes and tells them, ye are hypocrites and broods of vipers;pronounces upon them many terrible judgments; judges them as sinners, and not as great saints, so that they could not endure it; they evenreject Him--say to Him, "You are a heretic; do you caution that a manshould not do good works? Ay! you must die. " Therefore Peter says, here, this is the corner stone which indeed was rejected of men, whereon ye must be built by faith. This is now wonderful in our eyes, as the prophet says; it seems strange to us, and where the Spiritdoes not teach it, it is utterly incomprehensible. Therefore he says, in God's eyes the stone is elect, and an extremely precious stone; itis of great importance also that it takes away death, satisfies forsin, and rescues from hell, besides that it freely bestows heaven. 

V. 5. _And be ye also as living stones, built up into a spiritualhouse. _ How can we build ourselves up? By the Gospel and that whichis preached. The builders are the preachers; the Christians who hearthe Gospel are they who are built, and the stones which are to befitted on this corner stone; so that we are to repose our confidenceon Him, and let our hearts stand and rest upon Him. I must thereforetake heed to myself that I have the form which this stone has, for ifI am laid upon Him by faith, then I must also bear such marks andfashioning as He had, and every one else with me. It is the fruit offaith and a mark of love, that we all be fitted one to another, andall thus become one building. To the same end, also, St. Paul speakson this subject, although in a different manner, I. Cor. Iii. : "Yeare the temple of God. " The house of stone or wood is not His house:He will have a spiritual house, --that is, the christian congregation, wherein we are all alike, in one faith, one like the other, and alllaid and fitted one to the other, and locked into one another bylove, without any wickedness, deceit, hypocrisy, hatred and slanders, as He has said. 

_And a holy priesthood. _ There he casts down the outward and bodilypriesthood, which had existed before under the old dispensation, asalso the outward Church, which he takes entirely away, as though hehad said, "That outward institution with the priesthood has allceased, wherefore another priesthood now begins, and anothersacrifice is offered, even one that is entirely spiritual. " We havehad much disputing on this point, maintaining that those who are nowcalled the clergy are not priests in the sight of God; and this isconfirmed out of this passage of St. Peter. Therefore apprehend itwell, and if one should meet you with the objection, and attempt toshow, as some have done, that He speaks of a twofold priesthood, --ofoutward and spiritual priests, --then bid him lay aside his vainspeeches that he may see clearly, and take nieswort[1] that he mayclear his brains. St. Peter says, also, Ye are to build yourselves upinto a spiritual or holy priesthood. Ask now those priests whetherthey are holy: their life clearly shows, as we see, that thiswretched set is plunged into avarice, fornication, and all manner ofvice. Whoever has this priesthood must certainly be holy. Whoever isnot holy, he does not possess it. Therefore St. Peter speaks hereonly of one kind of priesthood. 

[Footnote 1: Aromatic snuff. ]

We ask further, whether he makes a distinction between spiritual andworldly, since the clergy are now called spiritual, and otherChristians worldly?

Yet they must confess, no thanks to them, that St. Peter here speaksto all those that are Christians, even to those who lay aside allwickedness, deceit, hypocrisy and malice, etc. , and are like new-bornchildren, and drink the pure milk: so that their lie must bite itselfin their mouth, since it stands forth a thing not to be gainsaid, that St. Peter speaks to all that are Christians; whence it is clearthat they lie, and that St. Peter says nothing of their priesthood, which they have fancied and arrogate to themselves alone; whereforeour bishops are nothing but Nicholas-bishops, and as is theirpriesthood so are also their laws, sacrifices and works. It might bean excellent play to act out in the deep night, except that under themask the divine name is reviled. 

Therefore those alone are the holy and spiritual priesthood, who aretrue Christians and built upon this stone. 

For since Christ is the bridegroom, and we all of us are the bride, so then the bride has all which the bridegroom has, even His ownbody; for if He gives Himself to the bride, He gives Himself for whatHe is, and on the other hand the bride gives herself to Him. NowChrist has been anointed the high and most exalted priest by GodHimself; has also sacrificed His own body for us, which is the officeof the high priest; besides, He prayed on the cross for us. Again, Hehas also preached the Gospel, and taught all men to know God andHimself. 

These three offices has He also given to all of us: therefore, sinceHe is a priest and we are his brethren, so all Christians have it intheir power and charge, and an obligation rests upon them, to preachand to come before God, and that one should entreat for another andoffer himself up to God; and provided that any one begin to preachthe word of God or address it to others, he is then a priest. 

_To offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through JesusChrist. _ As to spiritual offerings, it is not necessary that weshould present them to the Pope; neither is sacrifice such as it wasin the Old Testament, when men were required to sacrifice the tenthof all they had. Such outward sacrifices and priesthood have all nowceased, and all has become new and spiritual. The priest is Christ;and we all, since He has sacrificed His own body, must offer upourselves. Here is now fulfilled all that was typified by outwardsacrifices in the Old Testament, since they have all passed away, andall of them may be said compendiously to preach the Gospel. Whoeverpreaches this exercises and carries out all that former--strikes thecalf dead, --that is, kills the carnal mind and the old Adam. For thisstubborn nature in flesh and blood must be slain by the Gospel; thusdo we permit ourselves to be offered upon the cross and to die. Herein is exercised the true priest's office, in that we sacrifice toGod that wicked rogue, the corrupt old dolt (of our nature); if theworld does it not, we must do it ourselves; but it must in the end beall removed, whatever we have of the old Adam, as we heard above inthe first chapter. This is the only sacrifice that pleases and isacceptable to God. From this you may perceive whereto our foolish andblind leaders have brought us, and how this text has been kept underthe bench. Now you may say, If that is true, that we are all priestsand ought to preach, what sort of an institution is there? must therethen be no distinction among the people, and are the women, also, tobe priests? Answer. In the Old Testament it is permitted to no priestto wear the tonsure. Not that it is wrong in itself; a person mightvery well suffer himself to be shorn if he chose, but it is reasonthat none make a distinction between himself and commonChristians, --a thing which faith will not permit. So that they whoare now called priests are all laymen like the others, and only some, for the office' sake, are selected out of the Church to preach. Thusthere is only an outward distinction for the office' sake, inasmuchas one is called of the Church; but before God there is nodifference, and some individuals are selected from the multitude, inorder that they may bear and exercise the office which they all have;not that one is more elect than another. Therefore, no one shouldrise up of himself and preach in the Church, but one is to beselected and instituted out of the congregation, who may be removedwhen it is desirable. 

Yet have these men assumed a position of their own; as thoughdirected by God, they have arrogated to themselves such license, thatalmost in the heart of christendom there is a greater distinctionthan that which exists between us and the Turks. When you look uponChristians you must observe no distinction, and you are not to say, this is a man or a woman, a servant or a master, old or young; asPaul tells us, Gal. Iii. : They are all one and a purely spiritualpeople. So that all alike are priests, all alike may proclaim God'sword, except that a woman is not to speak in the Church; but let themen preach, because of the command that they are to be subject totheir husbands--as St. Paul teaches us, I. Cor. Xiv. : Such order Godpermits to remain, but makes no distinction of the election. Butwhere there are no men, but women only, as in the Nun's Cloisters, there a woman may be selected to preach. 

This is now the true priesthood, which consists in those three pointsas we have heard, --namely, that we sacrifice spiritually; that wepray for the Church; that we preach. Whoever will do this, he is apriest, as all are bound to be, inasmuch as they should preach theword, pray for the Church, and offer themselves up before God. Letthose fools then go who call the institution of the priestsspiritual, who yet bear no other office but just to wear the tonsureand to be anointed. If the being shorn and anointed makes a priest, then might I easily shear an ass and anoint him, so that he should bea priest also. 

Finally, St. Peter says, that we are to offer up spiritualsacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Since Christ isthe corner stone whereon we are laid, it must be only through himthat we are to treat with God, as we have heard sufficiently above;for God does not look upon my cross even though I torture myself todeath, but he looks upon Christ through whom my works are acceptablebefore God, which otherwise would not be worth an alms of a straw'svalue. Therefore Scripture calls Christ properly a precious cornerstone which imparts its virtue to all who through faith are builtupon it. So, also, St. Peter teaches us in this passage how Christ isthe living stone--what Christ is; and the figure is a fine one, sinceit is easy to understand by it how we are to believe on Christ. --Itfollows, now, further:

V. 6-10. _Therefore it is contained in Scripture, Behold I lay inZion an elect precious corner stone, and whoever believeth on Himshall not be put to shame. To you therefore who believe, He isprecious, but to the unbelieving, the stone which the buildersrejected is made a corner stone, and a stone of stumbling and a rockof offence, even to those that stumble at the word and believe notthereon, whereunto they were appointed. But ye are the chosengeneration, the royal priesthood, the holy nation, the peculiarpeople, that ye should show forth the praise of him who has calledyou out of darkness into his wonderful light: who once were not apeople, but are now the people of God, to whom God did not showmercy, but (now have obtained mercy) to whom He is now merciful. _

I have before said, that St. Peter has enriched and fortified hisEpistle well with Scripture, just as all preachers should do, inorder that their foundation may rest entirely on the word of God. Here also he introduces four or five texts, one upon another. Thefirst he has taken from the prophet Isaiah, word for word, thatChrist is a precious corner stone or foundation, and is the verypassage which we have just treated of and somewhat explained. It istruly an eminent proof text of the doctrine of faith, which is to belaid down as a foundation when we are to preach in a place whereChrist has not been preached before. For it must be confessed thatChrist is the stone on which faith should be built and should stand. 

But that the prophet does not speak in this place of a material stoneis evident from this, that it afterward follows, "whoever believes onHim shall not be made ashamed. " If I am to _believe_ on Him, it mustbe a stone in a spiritual sense. For how am I to believe on stone andwood? Besides, He must be truly God, since, in the first commandment, God has forbidden that we should believe on anything else, but on Himonly. Since then this stone is laid as a foundation on which we areto trust, it must be God Himself. On the other hand, He cannot be Godalone, but must also therewith be like man, because He must be a partof the building, and not merely a part, but the head. If a man thenerects a building, one stone must be like the other, that each havethe complexion, nature, and form of the other: therefore, since weare built on Christ, he also must be like us, and of the same naturewith the other stones that rest upon Him, even a real humanity as weall have. Thus does the Scripture, by simple and few words, expressso great a matter, even the entire _summa_ of our faith, and in suchbrief words comprises more than any man can express. 

Now what this that builds us up is, I have already said--namely, faith, whereby we are laid on Christ, and repose our trust upon thisstone, and thus become like Him; and then this also must follow, thatthe building must be fitted one part to the other, for the otherstones must all be laid and placed upon this stone. That is, ofcourse, that love is a fruit of faith. 

But why does the prophet call Him a foundation stone? For thisreason: that no man can build a house except he lay one stone firstas a foundation, for the other stones in the building cannot standexcept on the foundation stone. 

So we must all of us rest on Christ, and confess Him for a foundationstone. Therefore we are not to pride ourselves that the stone mustreceive something from us, but we must receive blessing from italone; for we do not bear it up, but it bears us up, and upon Himlies sin, death, hell, and all that we have to bear. So that allthis--and whatever jars against us--cannot injure us if we have beenplaced on this foundation. 

For if we remain resting on him, and leave ourselves upon Him, wemust then remain where He is; just as natural stones must be left ontheir foundation stone. 

Besides, the prophet calls Him a corner stone. The Holy Spirit has away of His own of saying much in few words. Christ is a corner stonebecause he has brought Gentiles and Jews together who were at deadenmity one with another, and thus the Christian Church has beengathered of both classes, whereof the Apostle Paul writes largely. The Jews gloried in the law of God, and that they were God's people, and so despised the heathen. But now Christ has come, has taken awaytheir boasting from the Jews, and called us who were Gentiles; andthus he has made us both one, by one faith, and He has so dealt withus that we both must confess that we have nothing of ourselves, butare all sinners, and only must expect righteousness and heaven fromHim, and that we Gentiles may as justly claim that Christ has come tohelp us, as the Jews; wherefore He is the corner stone that joinsboth together in one, so that it becomes one building and one house. 

This, now, is the conclusion to which the prophet comes: Whoeverbelieves on Him shall not be put to shame. When the Holy Spirit says, that they shall not be ashamed who believe on Christ, he gives us tounderstand what he has in view, --to wit, that he has alreadypublished and confirmed the sentence, that the whole world must beconfounded and put to shame. Yet he would draw forth some out of themultitude, so that no one may escape the shame but he who believes onChrist. So Christ explains Himself in the last of Mark: "Whoeverbelieves and is baptised shall be saved; but he who believes notshall be damned;" in which words, moreover, He accords with theprophets. So that Peter said well in the first chapter, that theprophets sought out the time, and diligently inquired after thesalvation and concerning the future grace that was previouslypromised. So now Christ is to be preached, that He it is who hasrescued us from this shame into which we were all plunged. 

Now let any one come forward who chooses, and exalt free-will, anddefend human ability. Though you should commingle together all humanworks and doctrines, and whatever springs from man, you have enoughin this single passage to overthrow it all, so that it must all falllike dry leaves from the tree. 

For it is doomed that whatever does not rest upon this stone, _that_is already lost. He does not suffer that you should attain anythingby works. With such simplicity speaks forth the Spirit and the DivineMajesty, that it despises no one, yet with such authority that itovercomes all things. Who, then, will set himself against it, or whowill not be terrified by it? Therefore God would have us entirelydespair as it regards ourselves, and appropriate to ourselves onlythe blessings which _He_ has, and build on that foundation which nocreature can overthrow; so that no one should trust in his ownrighteousness, but on Christ's righteousness, and on all that Christhas. But what is it to rest upon His righteousness? Nothing else butthat I should despond in regard to myself, and think with myself, --myrighteousness, my truth, must go to pieces, and what is builtthereon; while His righteousness, His truth, His life, and all theblessings which He has, are eternal. There lies the foundation onwhich I stand; whatever stands not on this foundation, will allnecessarily fall. But he who lets himself fall back on this, he aloneshall not be put to shame, and shall rest safe, so that no violenceshall ever injure him at all. Therefore Christ must be not only astone, but God will lay Him also as a foundation on which we shouldconfide. God has said this, who cannot lie. 

Now this stone is not subservient to itself, but suffers itself to betrodden on, and buried in the earth so that it cannot be seen, andthe other stones lie upon it and can be seen. Wherefore, it is givento us that we should partake of Him, and rest upon Him, and believethat what He has shall all be ours, as what He has procured; that Hehas done it for us; so that I may say, --this is my own property andtreasure, over which my conscience can exult. --But St. Peter saysfurther:

V. 7, 8. _To you, therefore, who believe, He is precious; but to theunbelieving, the stone which the builders rejected has become acorner stone, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence. _ Thisexceedingly precious stone, says Peter, is indeed, to some, preciousand honorable. But on the other hand, it is also to many notprecious, but despised, and a stone of stumbling. How is this? TheScripture ascribes to it a twofold aspect, inasmuch as there are somethat believe thereon, and, on the other hand, many who do not believethereon. To them who believe, is He precious; so that my heart mustbe glad if I repose my confidence and trust upon Him. Therefore hesays, --to you that believe, He is precious; that is, ye are greatlydependent on Him; for although He in Himself is precious andexcellent, yet this may be of no service or help to me. Therefore Hemust be precious to us for this reason, because He gives us so manyprecious blessings; as an excellently precious stone, which does notretain its virtue in itself, but breaks forth and imparts all itspowers, so that I have all that _it_ is. 

But the unbelieving hold Him not as such a precious stone, but rejectHim, and stumble upon Him, because He is not pleasing to them, butobnoxious and hateful; although He is yet delightful in Himself. These are not only the great, openly avowed sinners, but much morethose great saints who rest on their free-will, on their own worksand righteousness, who must stumble on this stone and run upon it. Now God pronounces the sentence, that they who rest thereon, withoutworks, come to be justified through faith alone; but these do notattain thereto, for they would be justified by their ownrighteousness, as St. Paul says, Rom. X. 

Therefore this has become the stone, says St. Peter, which thebuilders rejected. And here he dovetails the Scriptures into oneanother, but explains the passage which he quoted above from thecxvii. Psalm, "The stone which the builders rejected, has become thecorner stone. " Who the builders are, I have sufficiently shown: eventhose who taught, preached the law, and would justify men by works;who agree with Christians, as summer and winter with each other;therefore those preachers who preach of works, reject this stone. 

Besides this, he quotes another passage still, from the prophetIsaiah, chap. Viii. The prophet has there described that which was totake place, as St. Peter here does, and speaks thus: "The Lord shallbe your fear, who shall be to you for holiness; but for a stone ofstumbling and a rock of offence shall He be, to both houses ofIsrael. " This is the sense of the prophet: The Lord shall be to youfor holiness, --that is, He shall be hallowed in your hearts; ye areto have no other sanctification, neither this nor that, except as yebelieve. To the others, He shall be a stone whereon they shallstumble and be offended. 

But what, now, is this offence and perplexity, or stumbling? This isit: when we preach Christ, and say, See why this stone is laid for afoundation, that you, wholly desponding and despairing in yourself, might hold your works and your own righteousness as a merelycondemned thing, and might place your confidence upon Him alone, andbelieve, that Christ's righteousness may become your righteousness;when those men hear this, they revolt at it, stumble and vexthemselves, and say, "How? do you mean to say that virginity, andmasses, and the like good works, amount to nothing? It is the devilthat bids you say that!" For they cannot understand, in this matter, that their claims are not good; they think they have done well in thesight of God; quote passages to prove it from the Scriptures, andsay, God has commanded that we should perform good works. If wedispute this, they begin and cry out, "Heretic! Heretic!" "Fire!Fire!" So that they cannot endure this stone, and they stumbleagainst it. So inconsistent are they one with another, that upon thisstone they must stumble; as Christ says, Matt. Xxi. , "Have ye notread in Scripture, --the stone which the builders rejected is becomethe corner stone? (and it follows) and whosoever shall fall upon thisstone shall be dashed in pieces, and on whom it shall fall, it shallgrind him to powder. " Therefore, do as ye will, ye cannot dishonorthe stone; it is laid, and it will continue to lie. Whoever, then, will run upon it and dash himself thereon, must necessarily bebroken. 

That is the stumbling and the vexation whereof Scripture has much tosay. Thus the Jews stumble to this day against this stone, --and thiswill not cease until the last day shall come; then shall this stonefall upon all the unbelieving and grind them to powder. Wherefore, although Christ is such an elect, precious stone, He must yet becalled a stone of offence and stumbling, by no fault of His. And justas the Jews did, we continue to do at the present day; for as theygloried in the name of God, that they were God's people, so it is thecase now, that men, under the name of Christ and the christianchurch, deny Christ, and reject the precious stone. He has come thatthey might reject their works; but this is a thing they cannotsuffer, and they reject Him. Therefore it follows:

_Who stumble at the word and believe not thereon, whereunto they wereappointed. _ If they are told that their works are not good and are ofno avail before God, they cannot and will not hear it. Now God haslaid down Christ as a foundation, whereon they should have beenplaced, and through Him have obtained complete salvation; and He hascaused Him to be preached throughout the whole world, that they, through the proclamation of the Gospel, might be grounded on Him. Yetwould they not receive Him, but rejected Him, and remain in their ownnature and works; for if they suffered themselves to rest upon Him, then would their own honor, riches, and power fall, insomuch thatthey would never rise again. --St. Peter says further:

V. 9. _But ye are the chosen generation, the royal priesthood, theholy nation, the peculiar people. _ There he gives Christians a truetitle, and has quoted this passage from Moses, Deut. Vii. , where hesays to the Jews, "Ye are a holy people to the Lord your God, and theLord your God has chosen you as his peculiar people out of all thenations that are on the earth. " So, Ex. Xix. , he says: "Ye shall bemy possession before all peoples, and shall be to me a kingdom ofpriests and a holy people. " There you see where Peter's words arefrom. As I have said before, so I say again, that it should beunderstood how Scripture is wont to speak of priests. Let no one betroubled as to those whom the people _call_ priests; let every onecall them as he pleases, but abide thou by the pure word of God, andwhat _this_ calls priests do thou call priests also. We could wellendure it that those should call themselves priests whom the bishopsand the Pope consecrate, and let them call themselves as they will, only see to it that they do not call themselves priests of God, forthey cannot quote a word from Scripture in proof of it. 

But should they claim that in this passage he speaks of them, answerthem as I have instructed you above, and ask them to whom St. Peteris here speaking, --so shall they of necessity be made ashamed; for itis certainly clear and plain enough that he speaks to the wholecongregation, to all Christians, in that he says, ye are the chosengeneration and the holy people, since he has hitherto spoken of nonebut of those who are built upon this stone and believe. Therefore itmust follow, that whoever does not believe is no priest. If they say, then, "Ah! we must explain the passage just as the holy fathers haveinterpreted it;" then do you say, Let the fathers and teachers, whoever they may be, explain as they will, yet St. Peter, who hasreceived greater testimony from God than they, besides being moreancient, tells me so and so, therefore I will hold with him. Thepassage, moreover, needs no gloss, for he speaks in express words ofthose that believe. Now those are not the only believers who areanointed and wear the tonsure; therefore we will readily grant themthat they call themselves by this name, for the question is not whatthey permit themselves to do; but the dispute is here, --whether theyare styled priests in Scripture, and whether God calls them by thisname. There may be some selected out of the Church, who are itsofficers and ministers, and appointed to this end, that they shouldpreach in the Church and administer the sacraments; but we are allpriests before God if we are Christians. For since we are built uponthis stone, which is our high priest before God, we must also possessall that He has. 

Therefore I would be glad to find this word priests becoming ascommon as it is for us to be called Christians. For it is all thesame, --priest, baptized, Christian. As little as I would suffer thatthose who are anointed and shorn should call Christians un-baptized, so little would I endure that they only should be regarded aspriests. Yet have they arrogated it entirely to themselves. So toothey have named _that_ the church which the Pope and his cardinalsrule over, but Scripture refutes this. Therefore mark this well, thatyou may know how to establish the distinction as to how God names uspriests, and how men call themselves such. 

For we must yet again state that this word _priest_ should become ascommon as the word Christian. For to be a priest belongs not to anoffice that is external, it is only such a service as has to do withGod's presence. 

So we conclude that we are all kings. Priests and kings are allspiritual names, as Christians, saints, the Church. And just as youare not called a Christian because you have much gold or wealth, butbecause you are built upon this stone and believe on Christ, so youare not called a priest because you wear a tonsure or long robe, butfor this reason, that you come into God's presence. Likewise you arenot a king because you wear a gold crown, and have many lands andpeople subject to you, but because you are lord over all things, death, sin, and hell. For you are as really a king as Christ is aking, if you believe on Him. Still He is not a king as the kings ofthis world are, wears no crown of gold, rides forth with no greatsplendor and large equipage. But He is a king over all kings, --onewho has authority over all things, and at whose feet all must lie. AsHe is a lord, so also am I a lord; for what He possesses that have Ialso. 

But perhaps some one may object. St. Peter says here, also, thatChristians are kings, while we have it before our eyes that they arenot all kings, so that this passage is not to be understood as thoughHe spoke of all in the Church. For whoever may be a Christian, hecertainly is not a king in France or a priest at Rome. But when I askwhether the King of France is also a king in the sight of God, thishe passes over, for God will not judge by the crown. On earth, indeed, and before the world, he is indeed a king, but when deathcomes then his kingdom is gone, for then he must lie at the feet ofthose that believe. We are speaking of an eternal kingdom andpriesthood, inasmuch as every one who believes is in truth a kingbefore God; but who does not know that we are not all shorn andanointed priests? But because those men have been anointed, they arenot therefore priests in the sight of God, just as they are not kingsbefore God because they have been crowned. Crowned kings and anointedpriests are of the world, and are made by men; the Pope may make asmany such priests as he chooses, but far be it that he should makeone a priest before God, for these God himself will make. 

Therefore, when St. Peter says here, "ye are the royal priesthood, "it is as much as though he had said, "ye are Christians. " Would younow know what sort of a title, and authority, and glory, Christianshave: you learn it here, that they are kings and priests, and achosen people. --But what this priest's office is, follows after:

_That ye should show forth the praises[2] of Him that hath called youout of darkness into His wonderful light. _ This belongs to the officeof a priest, that he be a messenger of God, and receive from Godhimself the command to preach His word. The praises, (says St. Peter, ) that is, the wonderful work that God has performed in you, inthat he brought you out of darkness into light, you are toproclaim, --which is the office of the High Priest. And this is theway in which your preaching is to be discharged, that one brotherproclaim to another the powerful work of God: how ye have beenransomed from sin, death, hell, and all evil, by Him, and have beencalled to eternal life. Thus shall you also instruct others how theymay come also to the same light. For your whole duty is discharged inthis, that you confess what God has done for you; and then let thisbe your chief aim, that you may make this known openly, and callevery one to the light, whereto ye have been called. Where you seepeople who are ignorant, you are to direct and teach them as you havelearned, namely, how a man may be saved through the virtue and powerof God, and pass from darkness to light. 

[Footnote 2: In the German, _tugend_ or virtue. ]

And here you observe that St. Peter plainly says, that there is onlyone single light, and concludes that all our reason, howeversharp-sighted it is, is mere darkness; for although reason may countone, two, three, and also discern what is black or white, great orsmall, and judge outwardly of other matters, still it cannotunderstand what faith is. Herein it is stark blind, and if all menshould put their shrewdness together, they could not understand aletter of this divine wisdom. Therefore St. Peter speaks here ofanother light, that is truly wonderful; and tells us earnestly, allalike, that we are all in darkness and blindness if God hath notcalled us to his true light. 

Experience teaches us this, also. For when it is preached that wecannot come before God by our works, but must have a mediator, whomay come into God's presence and may reconcile us to him, reason mustconfess that she never could have known such a thing; so that if shewould understand it she must have another light and knowledge. Therefore all that is not of God's word and faith is darkness. Forhere reason gropes like a blind man, --is ever changing from this tothat, and knows not what it does. But if we speak in this manner tothe worldly, learned, or wise, they begin to cry out and blusteragainst it. Therefore St. Peter is a bold Apostle indeed, in that hedares make that darkness that all the world calls light. 

So we see that the first and most eminent office which we asChristians are to discharge is, that we should make known the praiseof God. What then are the praiseworthy things and the noble deedswhich God has put forth? They are, as we have often said, thatChrist, through the power of God, has wounded death, chained hell, subdued sin and brought us to eternal life: these are praises sogreat that by no man are they possibly to be conceived; we can onlybe silent. Therefore it is of no avail that to us Christians humandoctrines should be preached, but we should be taught of such a poweras subdues the devil, sin and death. And here St. Peter has once morebrought together many proof-texts, and it is throughout common withhim thus to heap passage on passage, for all the prophets speak ofthis, that God's name and honor, and his arm or power should behonored and extolled, and that he would perform such a work that thewhole world would sing and speak of it. Of this are the prophets inall places full. On this same St. Peter here expatiates. Besides, they have spoken much of light and darkness, that we must beenlightened with God's light, thereby showing that all human reasonis darkness. --St. Peter says, further:

V. 10. _Ye who once were not a people, but are now a people of God, to whom God did not show mercy, but to whom he is now merciful. _ Thispassage is found written in the prophet Hosea, chap. Ii. , and St. Paul has also quoted it in Rom. Ix. : "I will make those to be calledmy people, who were not my people. " The import of all is this:Almighty God chose his people Israel as a peculiar people, andmanifested his great power in their behalf, and gave them manyprophets, and performed many wonderful works toward them, that Hefrom that people might permit Christ to become man; and for thechildren's sake has it all taken place. Therefore they are called inScripture the people of God. But the prophets have extended thisfurther, and said that this election should be more comprehensive, and should even include the Gentiles. Therefore St. Peter says here, ye are now the people of God, who once were not the people of God. Hence it is evident that he wrote the epistle to the Gentiles and notto the Jews. Thereby he shows that the passage out of the prophet hasbeen now fulfilled--that they are now a holy people--they have theproperty, priesthood, kingdom, and all which Christ has, if theybelieve. --It follows further, in Peter:

V. 11-12. _Dearly beloved, I admonish you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, and lead anhonest life among the Gentiles, so that they, if they slander you asevildoers, may see your good works, and praise God when it shall cometo that day. _

St. Peter here uses a somewhat different mode of speech from St. Paul, who would not speak in the same manner, as we shall hear: forevery Apostle has his own way of speaking, just as each prophet hasalso. He has hitherto been firmly laying down his foundation of thechristian faith, which may serve as his text. Now he proceeds andteaches how we should conduct ourselves toward all men. This is thetrue method of preaching, that faith should be first set forth, --whatit does, and what its power and nature are, even that it gives fullyto us everything that is necessary to holiness and salvation, --thatwe can do nothing except by faith, and through this we have all whichGod has. God has thus proceeded with us and given to us all that isHis, and has Himself become our own, so that we have, through faith, all things that are good and needful for us. What then are we to do?Are we to live in indolence? It were far better that we should die, though we had all. But while we live here we should act in ourneighbor's behalf, and give ourselves to him for his own, as God hathgiven Himself to us. Thus faith saves us, but love leads us to giveto our neighbor whenever we have enough to give. That is, faithreceives from God; love gives to our neighbor. This matter is spokenof in few words, yet much may easily be preached thereon, and it maybe further extended than it has here been by St. Peter. 

This is now the sense of the Apostle, when he says, Dear brethren, Iadmonish you as strangers and as pilgrims. Since, then, you are onewith Christ, form one household, and His goods are yours, your injuryis His injury, and He takes as His own all that you possess;therefore you are to follow after Him, and conduct yourselves asthose who are no more citizens of the world. For your possessions lienot upon the earth, but in heaven; and though you have already lostall temporal good, you still have Christ, who is more than all else. The devil is the prince of this world and rules it; his citizens arethe people of this world; therefore, since you are not of the world, act as a stranger in an inn, who has not his possessions with him, but procures food, and gives his gold for it. For here it is only asojourning, where we cannot tarry, but must travel further. Thereforewe should use worldly blessings no more than is needful for healthand appetite, and therewith leave and go to another land. We arecitizens in heaven; on earth we are pilgrims and guests. 

_Abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul. _ I will notdetermine, here, whether St. Peter speaks of outward impurity, --or asSt. Paul's language is, all that is called carnal, --whatever man doeswithout faith, while he is in the body and a carnal life. I hold, indeed, that St. Peter had a somewhat different mode of speech, yetdo not think that he uses the word soul, as St. Paul does, forspirit; but St. Peter has given in more to the common Greek word, than St. Paul. Yet much stress is not to be laid upon this: let it beunderstood of all kinds of lusts, or all kinds of carnal desire orimpurity. But this at least he would teach us, that no saint on earthcan be fully perfect and holy. Yet the high schools have even troddenthe passage under their feet, nor do they understand it; they thinkit is said only of sinners, as though the saints had no more wickedlusts remaining. But whoever will study carefully into theScriptures, must note a distinction, because the prophets sometimesspeak of the saints in an obvious way, as though they were perfectlyholy in every respect; while on the other hand they speak also ofthem as having evil lusts and being troubled with sins. 

In regard to those two positions, those persons cannot see their way. Understand, then, that Christians are divided into two parts, --intoan inward nature which is faith, and an outward which is the flesh. If we look upon a Christian as it respects faith, then he is pure andentirely holy; for the word of God has nothing impure in it, andwherever it enters the heart that depends upon it, it will make thatalso pure. Because, in respect to faith all things are perfect:according to that, we are kings and priests and the people of God, aswas said above. But since faith exists in the flesh, and while we yetlive on earth we feel at times evil dispositions, as impatience andfear of death, &c. 

These are all the fault of the old man, for faith is not yet mature, has not attained full control over the flesh. 

This you may understand from the parable in the Gospel, Luke x. , ofthe man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell amongthieves, who beat him and left him lying half dead, whom theSamaritan afterward took up, and bound up his wounds, and took careof him, and saw to it that he should be nursed. There you perceivethat this man, since he is to be attended upon, is not sick untodeath, --his life is safe; all that is wanting is, that he should berestored to health. Life is there, but he is not completely restored, for he lies yet in the hands of the physicians and must yet givehimself up to be healed. So it is with us as respects the Lord JesusChrist; we are assured of Eternal life, yet we have not completehealth; something of the old Adam still remains in the flesh. 

Similar also is the parable in the xiii. Of Matthew, where Christsays, the kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman takes andmingles in the meal until it is leavened throughout. When the meal ismade into dough, the leaven is all in it, but it has not penetratedand worked through it, but the meal lies working, until it isleavened throughout, and no more leaven need be added. Thus thoughyou have what you should have, through faith, whereby you apprehendthe word of God, yet it has not penetrated throughout, wherefore itmust continue to work till you are entirely renewed. In this way youare to discriminate in regard to the Scriptures, and not mangle themas the Papists do. 

Therefore I say, when you read in Scripture of the Saints, that theywere perfect, understand it thus: that they as to faith were entirelypure and without sin, but the flesh still remained, that could nothave been entirely holy. Therefore Christians desire and pray thatthe body or the flesh be mortified, that it may be entirely pure. This those who teach otherwise have neither experienced nor relished, which leads them to speak just as they imagine and conceive byreason; wherefore they must err. In regard to this, those greatsaints who have written and taught much, have greatly stumbled. Origen has not a word of it in his books. Jerome never understood it. Augustine, had he not been driven to contend with the Pelagians, would have understood it as little. When they speak of the saints, they extol them as highly as if they were something different from, and better than, other Christians: certainly as though they had notfelt the power of the flesh and complained thereof as well as we. 

Therefore St. Peter says here, as ye would be pure and have completesanctification, continue to contend with your evil lusts. So alsoChrist says in the Gospel of John xiii. : "Whoever is washed, mustalso wash his feet;" it is not enough that his head and hands beclean, therefore he would yet have them wash their feet. 

But what does St. Peter mean, in that he says, refrain from the luststhat war against the soul? This is what he would say: You are not toimagine that you can succeed by sports and sleep. Sin is indeed takenaway by faith, but you have still the flesh which is impulsive andinconsiderate; therefore take good care, that ye overcome it. Bystrong effort must it be; you are to constrain and subdue lust, andthe greater your faith is, the greater will the conflict be. Therefore you should be prepared and armed, and should contendtherewith without intermission. For they will assault you inmultitudes, and would take you captive. 

Hence St. Paul says, also, Rom. Vii. : "I have a desire toward the lawof God after the inward man; but I find another law in my members, which opposes itself to the law in my spirit, and takes me captive, that I cannot do as I would, "--as though he had said, I fight indeedagainst it, but it will not finally yield. Therefore I would gladlybe free, but in spite of my wishing it, it may not come to pass. Whatthen am I to do? "Wretched man that I am, (says he, ) who shalldeliver me from the body of this death. " In this same manner, also, all the saints cry out. But those people who are without faith, thedevil leads in such a way that he permits them only to enter onsinful courses, to follow him and make no opposition. But as to theothers, he thinks, I have already taken them captive by unbelief. Iwill permit them then to go so far only, as to do no great sin andhave no great assault and be kept from swearing and knavery. 

But believers have always opposition enough, --they must ever stand inthe (attitude of) struggle. Those who are without faith and have notthe Spirit, do not feel this, nor do they have such an experience;they break away and follow their wicked lusts; but as soon as theSpirit and faith enter our hearts, we become so weak that we think wecannot beat down the least imaginations and sparks (of temptation), and see nothing but sin in ourselves, from the crown of the head, even to the foot. For before we believed, we walked according to ourown lusts, but now the Spirit has come and would purify us, and therearises a conflict. Here the devil, the flesh, and the world, opposethemselves to faith; whereof the prophets complain, here and there, in the Scriptures. 

Wherefore St. Peter here means, that the strife does not take placein sinners, but in believers, and gives us an encouragement, inasmuchas when we are on our guard against wicked lusts, we are repellingthem. If thou, then, hast wicked thoughts, thou shouldest not on thisaccount despair; only be on thy guard, that thou be not takenprisoner of them. Our teachers have proposed to relieve the matter inthis way (by directing, ) that men should torture themselves untilthey had no more evil thoughts, that they might be at last bold andfree. But you are to understand, if you are a Christian, that youmust experience all kinds of opposition and wicked dispositions inthe flesh. For wherever there is faith, there come a hundred evilthoughts, a hundred strugglings more than before; only see to it thatyou act the man, and not suffer yourself to be taken captive; andcontinue to resist, and say, I will not, I will not. For we must hereconfess, that the case is much like that of an ill-matched couple, who are continually complaining of one another, and what one will dothe other will not. 

That may yet be called a truly christian life that is never atperfect rest, and has not so far attained as to feel no sin, providedthat sin be felt, indeed, but not favored. Thus we are to fast, pray, labor, to subdue and suppress lust. So that you are not to imaginethat you are to become such a saint as these fools speak of. Whileflesh and blood continue, so long sin remains; wherefore it is everto be struggled against. Whoever has not learned this by his ownexperience, must not boast that he is a Christian. 

Hitherto we have been taught, that when we made confession, or joinedourselves to some spiritual institution, we were at once pure andneeded no longer to contend with sin. They have said, moreover, thatbaptism purifies and makes holy, so that nothing evil remains in theperson. Then they have thought, "now will I have a pleasing rest, "but the devil has come and assaulted them worse than before. Therefore understand the thing well, though you confess and permityourselves to receive absolution, you must do even as the soldier, who in battle runs upon the points (of the javelins); whenever thecritical moment approaches, and the conflict rages, compelling him tostrike right bravely, as if to repel outrage, then he must draw outhis sword and lay about him; but while the strife threatens only, solong must there be untiring vigilance. So, although you have beenbaptized, be on your guard, inasmuch as you are not safe for an hourfrom the devil and from sin, even though you think you will have nomore assaults. 

Therefore a christian life is nothing else but a conflict andencampment, as the Scripture says; and therefore the Lord our God iscalled the Lord of Sabaoth, --that is, a Lord over the hosts. So also, _Dominus potens in prælio_--the Lord mighty in battle. 

And thereby He shows how powerful He is, that He permits His peopleto be exposed in the conflict and rush upon the points (of thejavelins). Yet so that while the trumpets are ever sounding He isever observant, (saying) beware here, beware there; thrust here, strike there. Besides, it is a lasting conflict, in which you are todo all that you can, so that you may strike down the devil by theword of God. We must therefore ever make resistance, and call on Godfor help, and despond of all human powers. --Now follows further:

V. 12. _And lead an honest life, that those who have slandered you, as evil-doers, may see your good works and praise God. _ Mark now whatan excellent order St. Peter has observed. He has already taught uswhat we should do in order to subdue the flesh with all its lusts. Now he teaches us again why this should be. Why should I subdue myflesh? that I may be saved? No, but that I may lead an honest lifebefore the world. For this honest life does not justify us, but wemust first be justified and believe before we attempt to lead anhonest (pious) life. But as to outward conduct, this I am not todirect to my own profit, but that the unbelieving may thereby bereformed and attracted, that they through us may come to Christ;which is a true mark of love, though they slander and asperse us, andhold us as the worst wretches. Therefore we should exhibit such anexcellent course of action, that men shall be compelled to say, Certainly they cannot be blamed. 

We read that when the emperors reigned, and persecuted theChristians, no fault could be found with the latter, except that theycalled on Christ and considered Him as God. So Pliny writes in hisletter to Trajan, the Emperor, that he knew of no wrong that theChristians did, except that they came together every morning, early, and sang songs of praise in order that they might honor their Christand receive the sacrament; besides this, none could bring any chargeagainst them. Therefore St. Peter says: Ye must endure to have menasperse you as evil-doers, and for this reason you are to lead such alife that you shall do no man injury, and in this manner you shallbring about their reformation. _Till that day arrive;_ that is, yemust endure it as long as men reproach you, till all shall be setforth and revealed, so that it shall be seen how unjust they havebeen toward you, and that they must glorify God on your account. SoSt. Peter continues:

V. 13-17. _Submit yourself to every ordinance of man for the Lord'ssake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as those thatare sent by Him for the punishment of evil-doers and to the praise ofthose that do well. For this is the will of God, that by well-doingye may silence the ignorance of foolish men. As free, and not asthough ye had your freedom as a cover of wickedness, but as theservants of God. Be respectful toward every man. Love thebrotherhood; fear God; honor the king. _

In such a beautiful order does St. Peter proceed, and teaches us howwe should conduct ourselves in all things. Hitherto he has spoken ina general manner of the conduct that belongs to every condition. Nowhe begins to teach how we should act toward civil magistracy. Forsince he had said enough as to the first matter, of our duty to Godand ourselves, he now adds how we are to conduct toward all men. 

And now he would say, in the first place, and before all else, sinceye have done all that was necessary that ye might attain to a truefaith and hold your body in subjection, let this now be your firstbusiness, to obey the magistracy. 

This, which I have here rendered in the Dutch, every _ordinance_ ofman, is in the Greek [Greek: ktiois], and in Latin _creatura_. Thisthing has not been understood by our learned men. The Dutch languagewell expresses what the word means, where it is said, we are to obeywhat the ruler enacts (creates). So he uses the word here as thoughhe said, what the magistracy enacts (creates) yield obedience to. Forto enact (create) is to lay down a command and ordinance; it is ahuman creation. But they have hence inferred that _creatura_ means anox or an ass, as the Pope also speaks of it. If this were Peter'smeaning, then we should need to become subject even to a slave. Buthe here means a human ordinance, law or command, --and what they enactwe are to do. 

What God makes, authorizes, and requires, --that is His ordinance, asthat we should believe. So, also, that is a human and secularcreation which is constituted by commands, as external governmentmust be. To this we are to be subject. Therefore understand theexpression as meaning, _creatura humana, quod creat et condit homo_(what man makes and constructs). 

_For the Lord's sake. _ We are not bound to obedience to the sovereignpower for its own sake, he says, but for God's sake, whose childrenwe are; and we should be drawn to this, not that we may therebyacquire a merit, --for what I do for God's sake, I must freely do asan act of service: moreover, I would do from mere cheerfulness, whatHis heart desires. But why should we be obedient to the magistracyfor God's sake? Because it is God's will that evil-doers should bepunished, and those that do well should be protected, that there maybe concord in the world. So we should demand that there be civilpeace, which God requires; but the majority are unbelieving, so thatHe has enacted and ordained, in order that the world might not go toanarchy, that the magistracy should bear the sword and restrain thewicked, in order that if they are not disposed to be at peace, theymay be compelled to it. This He executes through the magistracy, sothat the world may be ruled to the good of all. Whence you see thatif there were none wicked, there would be no need of magistracy;wherefore he says, _to the punishment of evil-doers, and to thepraise of those that do well_. The just should have the honor of itwhen they do right, since they exalt and crown worldly magistracy, insomuch that others may take example from them, --not that any onemay thereby merit any thing before God. Such is Paul's language, also, in Rom. Xiii. : "The power is not established to the fear ofthose that do well, but for the evil; therefore, if thou wouldst notbe afraid of the power, do well. "

V. 15. _For this is the will of God, that by well-doing ye shouldsilence the ignorance of foolish men. _ In these words St. Petersilences those vain babblers who glory in their christian name, andprevents them from coming forward and saying, Since faith issufficient for a Christian, and works do not justify, what is thenthe necessity of being subject to the civil power, and paying tributeand taxes? And he tells them thus, that although we have no need ofit, we ought readily to do it to please God, so that the mouth ofthose enemies of God who asperse us may be stopped, and they be ableto bring up nothing against us, and be compelled to say that we arehonest, obedient people. So we read of many saints, that they weresummoned to war, under heathen rulers, and slew the enemy, yet weresubject and obedient (to those that summoned them), as we Christiansare bound to be to the magistracies, although it is now maintainedthat we could not be Christians if we lived among the Turks. 

Now you may perhaps say here, But still Christ has commanded that weshould not resist evil, but if any one strike us on one cheek we areto turn the other also; how, then, can we strike and execute others?Answer: the heathen formerly objected in like manner to theChristians, and said, if such and such should come to pass, yourgovernment must be suppressed. But we reply, it is true thatChristians for themselves should not resist the evil, neither shouldthey revenge themselves when they are injured, but endure injusticeand violence, so that they cannot be severe even toward those who donot believe. But the magistracy of the sword is not therebyforbidden; for although honest Christians have no need of the swordand law (since they live so that none can complain of them, do no manwrong, but treat every one kindly and cheerfully, endure all that isdone to them), yet the sword must be borne on account of theunchristian, that these, when they injure others, may be punished, sothat the general peace shall be preserved and the just be protected. Thus God has provided another rule, that they who would not ofthemselves be restrained from evil, might be so compelled by thepower that they should do no injury. Therefore God has establishedmagistracy for the sake of the unbelieving, insomuch that evenchristian men might exercise the power of the sword, and come underobligation thereby to serve their neighbor and restrain the bad, sothat the good might remain in peace among them. And still the commandof Christ abides in force, that we are not to resist evil. So that aChristian, although he bears the sword, does not use it for his ownsake nor to revenge himself, but only for others; and, moreover, thisis a mark of christian love, that with the sword we support anddefend the whole Church, and not suffer it to be injured. Christteaches those only who, while they believe and love, obey also. Butthe greater multitude in the world, as it does not believe, obeys notthe command. Therefore they must be ruled as unchristian, and theircaprice be put under restraint; for if their power was suffered toobtain the upper hand, no one could stand before them. 

Thus there are two kinds of government in the world, as there arealso two kinds of people, --namely, believers and unbelievers. Christians yield themselves to the control of God's word; they haveno need of civil government for their own sake. But the unchristianportion require another government, even the civil sword, since theywill not be controlled by the word of God. Yet if all were Christiansand followed the Gospel, there would be no more necessity or use forthe civil sword and the exercising of authority; for if there were noevil-doers there certainly could be no punishment. But since it isnot to be expected that all of us should be righteous, Christ hasordained magistracy for the wicked, that they may rule as they mustbe ruled. But the righteous He keeps for Himself, and rules them byHis mere word. 

Therefore christian government is not opposed to the civil, nor iscivil magistracy opposed to Christ. Civil government does not ceaseby Christ's ministry; but it is an outward thing, like all otheroffices and institutions. And as these exist distinct from Christ'soffice, so that an unbeliever may exercise them just as well as aChristian, so it is also with the exercise of the civil sword, sinceit neither makes men Christian or unchristian. But of this I havespoken often enough elsewhere. --It follows, further:

V. 16. _As free, and not as though ye had your freedom as a cover forwickedness, but as the servants of God. _ This is said especially forus, who have heard of christian freedom, that we may not go on andabuse this freedom; that is to say, under the name and show ofchristian freedom do all that we lust after, so that from thisfreedom shall spring up a shamelessness and carnal recklessness, aswe see even now takes place, and had begun even in the Apostle'stimes, as is easily discovered from the epistles of St. Peter and St. Paul, when men did what the great multitude do now. We have now, again, through the grace of God, come to the knowledge of the truth, and we know that that is mere deception which popes, bishops, priestsand monks have hitherto taught, laid down and enforced; and ourconscience is enlightened and has become free from human ordinancesand from all the control which they have had over us, so that we areno longer obliged to do what they have commanded under peril of oursalvation. To this freedom we must now hold fast, and never sufferourselves to be robbed of it; but for this very reason we should becarefully on our guard not to make this freedom a cloak of our shame. 

The Pope has here proceeded unrighteously in aiming to force andoppress men by his laws. For among a christian people there shouldand can be no compulsion, and if the attempt is made to bind theconscience by outward laws, faith and the christian life are soonsuppressed; for Christ's are only to be led and ruled in the spirit, since they know that they, through faith, already have all wherebythey are to be saved, and stand in need of nothing more to this end, and henceforth are under obligation to do nothing more than good totheir neighbor, helping him with all they have, as Christ has helpedthem, and moreover that all the works which they do should be donefreely and without constraint, and flow forth from willing and happyhearts; this is grateful to God, exalts and praises Him for theblessings that have been received. So St. Paul writes (I. Tim. I. ), That for the righteous no law is made, for they do freely ofthemselves, and unsummoned, all that God requires. 

Since now such enforcement of human doctrines is rejected andchristian freedom is preached, the reckless spirits that are withoutfaith coïncide with it, and thereby would become good Christians, inasmuch as they keep not the law of the Pope, claiming this freedomwhich relieves them from obligation to it; and yet they observe notthat which true christian freedom requires, --namely, to do good totheir neighbor with cheerfulness, and irrespective of its beingcommanded, as real Christians do. Thus they make christian freedomjust a cloak, under which they work only their shame, and disgracethe noble name and title of that freedom which Christians have. 

This St. Peter here forbids, for this is what he would say: althoughye are free in all external matters (if ye are Christians), andshould not be forced by laws to subject yourselves to the control ofworldly rule, since for the righteous no law is given (as we havesaid), yet ye should do it of yourselves, voluntarily and withoutcompulsion, --not that ye must be held in obedience by necessity, butin order to please God, and for the advantage of your neighbor. Thisalso Christ did Himself, as we read in Matt. Xvii. , that he paidtribute when he need not have done it, but was free, and Lord overall things. So likewise he subjected Himself to Pilate and permittedHimself to be judged, while as yet He said to him, "You could havehad no power or authority over me except it had been given you fromabove, " in which words He gave confirmation to the authority to whichHe meanwhile subjected Himself, that He might please His Father. 

Whence you see that that multitude has no claim to christian freedomwho will do nothing, neither what the world nor what God requires, but abide in their insubordinate disposition, although they maketheir boast of the Gospel. 

Though we be free from all laws, we must yet have respect to weak andignorant Christians, since this is a work of love. Hence Paul says, Rom. Xiii. : "Owe no man anything, but to love one another. " Thereforelet him who would glory in his freedom, do first what a Christianshould do: let him first do good to his neighbor, and thereafter makeuse of his freedom in such a way as this. When the Pope, or even anyone, imposes his authority upon him, and would force him to obey it, let him say, "My good fellow, Pope, I will not do it, for thisreason, because you choose to make a command of it, and invade myfreedom. "[3] For we are to live in freedom as the servants of God, (so St. Peter here says, ) not as servants of man. Yet in case any onedesires that of me in which I can be of service to him, I willcheerfully do it out of good will, not scrupulous whether it havebeen commanded or not, but for the sake of brotherly love, andbecause God also requires that I should do good to my neighbor. ThusI will not be forced to become subject to worldly princes and lords, but what I do I will do of my own self, --not because they command me, but for service to my neighbor. Of this kind should all our works be, springing forth from affection and love, and all having respect toour neighbor, since we have no need on our own account to do goodworks. It further follows:

[Footnote 3: In the views presented by Luther, in this connection, wehave a distinct enunciation of the noble principles of theNon-conformists of England--principles which were familiar to thegreat Reformers and to the early Puritans. They could not admit anyhuman authority to invade the domain of divine legislation. To aconformity in externals which did not require them to admit the rightof the civil magistracy to enact laws for the church, they werewilling to yield as far as was necessary to edification. But when thecommand issued from the ruling power, in usurpation of theprerogative of the great and only head of the church, and obediencewas to be construed as acquiescence in such usurpation, their replywas kindred in tone and spirit to that which Luther here puts intothe lips of a christian man in answer to Papal arrogance. ]

V. 17. _Be respectful toward every man. _ This is not a command, but afaithful admonition. We are each of us assuredly under obligation, although we are free; for this freedom does not extend to evil-doing, but merely to well-doing. Now we have repeatedly said, that everyChristian, through faith, attains to all that Christ has Himself, andis, moreover, His brother. Therefore, as I give all honor to the LordChrist, so also should I do toward my neighbor. This consists, notmerely in outward behavior, that I should bow to him, and things ofthat sort, but much more: that inwardly in my heart I should highlyregard him, as I also highly regard Christ. We are the temple of God;as St. Paul says, I. Cor. Iii. , for the spirit of God dwelleth in us. If now we bend the knee before a place of worship, or a picture ofthe holy cross, should we not do it far more before a living templeof God?[4]

[Footnote 4: One is reminded here of the noble reply of that Englishmartyr, John Bradford, when he was required to bow down to a woodencross. Stretching out his arms, as he stood before his tyrannicaljudges, he exclaimed, "Why, here is a living cross, and God made it;yet would I not worship even that. "]

So St. Paul teaches us, also, in Romans xii. , that each should esteemthe other better than himself, so that each should place himselfbelow the other, and give him the preference. The gifts of God aremanifold and various, so that one is in a more exalted position thananother; but no one knows who is most exalted in the sight of God, for he may easily raise hereafter to the highest place one who hereoccupies the meanest position. Therefore should every one, howeverhigh he be exalted, humble himself and honor his neighbor. 

V. 17. _Love the brotherhood. _ I have spoken above of the distinctionwhich the Apostles make between love in general, and brotherly love. We are required even to love our enemies: this is common christianlove. But brotherly love is, that we Christians should love oneanother as brethren, and communicate one to another, since we allalike have our blessings from God. This is the love which St. Peterhere particularly requires. 

_Fear God; honor the King. _ He says not that we are to have greatregard of lords and kings, but still that we are to honor them, although they are heathen, as Christ also did, and those prophets whofell at the feet of the King of Babylon. But here perhaps you willsay, "hence, you perceive, that we are to be obedient to the Pope andare to fall at his feet. " Answer: Certainly, if the Pope attains totemporal power and conducts himself like another sovereign, we are tobe obedient even to him, as when he speaks after this manner: "Iforbid you wearing the cowl or tonsure; besides, on this day you areto fast, not that it is of any avail before God, nor is necessary tosalvation, but because I, as a temporal ruler, require it. " But incase he goes further, and says, "This, in God's place, I forbid yourdoing--this you are also to receive as though it came from GodHimself, and are to observe it under pain of excommunication anddeadly sin, " then you are to say, "Pardon, my master, I will not doit. "

To the power we are to be subject, and are to do what it bids, whileit does not bind the conscience and only forbids in respect tooutward things, even though it should proceed tyrannically towardsus; for "if any one will take away thy coat, let him take thy cloakalso. " But if it invade the spiritual domain and constrain theconscience, over which God only must preside and rule, we certainlyshould not obey it, but rather even slip our neck out from under it. 

Temporal authority and government extend no further than to matterswhich are external and respect the body. But the Pope not onlyarrogates this to himself, but would seize upon the spiritual also;and yet he has nothing of it, for his commands have respect tonothing but clothing, food, canonries and prebends--a matter whichbelongs neither to civil nor spiritual control. For how is the worldbenefitted by these things? Besides, it is impious to make sins andgood works to consist in such matters, where they do not belong;wherefore Christ cannot suffer it. But civil government he can welltolerate, since it does not encumber itself with the matters of sinsand good works, and spiritual concerns, but has to do with otherthings, --as protecting and fortifying cities, building bridges, imposing taxes, gathering tribute, extending protection, guarding theland and the people, and punishing the evil-doers. Therefore, to sucha prince, while he imposes no ordinance upon the conscience, aChristian may readily render obedience, and he does itunconstrainedly, since he is free of all things. 

Therefore, whenever an emperor or a prince asks me what my faith is, I shall tell him, not because he commands it, but because I am underobligation to confess my faith publicly before every man. But in casehe should go further, and command me that I should believe thus orso, then I shall tell him: "My good sir, do you attend to your civilgovernment; you have no authority to intrude on God's domain, wherefore I certainly shall not obey you. You cannot yourselftolerate invasion into your sovereignty: if any one against your willpasses the limits, you shoot him down with musketry. Do you imaginethen that God will tolerate it, that you should thrust Him from Histhrone and seat yourself in His place?" St. Peter calls civilmagistracy only a human ordinance. So that they (the magistracy) haveno power to step into God's ordinances and to make laws againstfaith. But of this we have said enough. It follows now, further, inthe Epistle:

V. 18-20. _Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, notonly to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this isthankworthy, when any one, for conscience toward God, endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what praise is it, if ye endure buffetingfor your faults? But if ye for well-doing suffer and endure, this iswell-pleasing with God. _

St. Peter has thus far taught us how we should be subject to thecivil power, and give it honor. Wherefore we have stated how far itsauthority extends, that it may not arrogate to itself in matterswhich pertain to faith. This is said of magistracy in general, and isa doctrine for every one (to receive). But now he proceeds, andspeaks of such power as does not extend itself over a community, butonly over individuals. Here he first teaches how domestic servantsshould conduct themselves toward their masters, and this is thesubstance of it:

Household servants are just as really Christians as any other class, if, like others, they have the word, faith, baptism, and all suchblessings; so that, before God, they are just as great and high asothers. But, as to their outward state and before the world, there isa difference, since they occupy a lower station, and must serveothers. Wherefore, since they are called into this state by God, theyshould let it be their business to be subject to their masters, andhave respect and esteem for them. Of this the prophet David gives afine illustration, and shows how they are to serve, Ps. Cxxiii. : "Asthe eyes of the servant to the hand of his master, and as the maidenlooks to the hand of her mistress, so are our eyes directed toThee. "--That is, servants and maidens should perform with humilityand care what the master or the mistress requires. This is the willof God, and therefore it should cheerfully be done. Of this you maybe certain and assured, that it pleases God and is acceptable to Him, when you do this in faith. Wherefore, since these are the best workswhich you can do, you are not to run far after others. What yourmaster or mistress commands you, that God Himself has commanded you. It is not a human command, although it is made by man. So that youare not to scruple as to the master you have, be he good or bad, kind, or irritable and froward; but think thus, let the master be ashe will, I will serve him, and do it to honor God, since He requiresit of me, and since my Master, Christ, became a servant for my sake. 

This is the true doctrine which is ever to be urged, which now, alas!is buried in silence and is lost. But no one regards it except thosewho are Christians, for the Gospel preaches only to those who receiveit. Wherefore, if you will be a child of God, purpose in your heartto render such service as Christ Himself bids you. As also St. Paulteaches, in Eph. Vi. , "Ye servants, be obedient to your masters thatare upon earth, as to the Lord Christ; not with eye-service only, asmen-pleasers, but as servants of Christ; that ye obey from the heart, for God's sake, with cheerfulness. " Consider that ye serve the Lord, and not man. So, also, he says, in Col. Iii. , "For ye serve the LordChrist. " Ah! if the popes, monks and nuns were in such a state asthis, how would they thank God and rejoice! For none of them can say, God has commanded me to celebrate mass, sing matins, pray the seventimes, and the like, --for Scripture does not contain a word on thesubject; so that if they are asked whether they are confident andassured that their state pleases God, then they say, No! But if youask a little maid-servant why she scours the key or milks the cow, she can say, I know that the thing I do pleases God, for I have God'sword and commandment. This is a great blessing, and a precioustreasure of which no one is worthy. A prince should thank God for it, if he might do the same. It is true, he can do in his state what Godrequires, --namely, punish the wicked. But when, and how rarely, doesit happen that he can discharge such a duty aright! But in this stateit is all so ordered, that you may know that when you do what you arebidden, it pleases God. 

God does not look to the work, how small it is; but to the heart thatserves him in such little things. But in this it happens as in othermatters: what God has commanded, no one performs; what men enact andGod does not ordain, every one complies with. 

But, say you, "Ah! how is this? What if I have such a strange andirritable master as no one can thankfully serve, for many such may befound?" To this St. Peter answers, "Are you a Christian and desirousto please God, you are not to inquire as to that matter how strangeand froward your master is, but ever direct your eyes to this, andobserve what God bids you. " So that you are to reason after thismanner: "I will in this way serve my Master, Christ, who requires itof me that I be subject to this froward master. " If God shouldcommand you to wash the devil's feet, or those of the merest wretch, you are to do it; and this work would be just as much a good work asthe highest of all, when God calls you to it. Therefore you are tohave no regard to the person, but only to what God requires; and inthis case the least work is more to be preferred in God's sight, whenrightly performed, than all the popes' and monks' works in one heap. But whomsoever this does not incite, that it is God's will, and isacceptable to Him, the work will be of no avail to him. Better thanit is you cannot make it, worse than it is you cannot leave it. Andtherefore this is to be done _with all fear_, (as St. Peter says, )that it may be rightly proceeded with, since it is not the command ofmen, but of God. 

And here St. Peter speaks particularly of servants according to thecircumstances of those times, when they were held as property, suchas are to be found still in some places, and are exchanged likecattle, who are ill-treated and beaten of their masters; and themasters had such license that they were not punished although theyput their servants to death. Wherefore it became necessary that theApostles should carefully admonish and comfort such servants, thatthey might serve their hard masters, and endure it, though sufferingand injustice were imposed upon them. Whoever is a Christian mustalso bear a cross; and the more you suffer wrongfully, the better itis for you; wherefore you should receive such a cross from Godcheerfully, and thank Him for it. This is the right kind ofsuffering, that is well-pleasing to God. For what a thing would itbe, that you should be cruelly beaten and had well deserved it, yetwould glory in your cross? Therefore St. Peter says: When ye sufferand are patient for well-doing, this is well-pleasing with God, --thatis to say, acceptable and exceedingly grateful in the sight of God, and a real service of God. Observe, here are those truly preciousgood works described, which we are to do; and we like fools havetrodden this doctrine under foot, and have invented and devised otherworks; so that we should lift up our hands, thank God, and rejoicethat we at length have such knowledge. --Now it follows, further:

V. 21-25. _For thereunto are ye called, since Christ also hathsuffered for us, and left us an example, that ye should follow in Hissteps; who did no sin, and in His mouth was found no guile; who, whenHe was reviled reviled not again, when He suffered He threatened not, but committed it to Him that judgeth righteously; who Himself hathborne our sins in His own body on the tree, that we might be withoutsin and live to righteousness; by whose stripes ye are healed. For yewere as sheep going astray, but ye are now returned to the Shepherdand Bishop of your souls. _

Thus it is, as we have said, that the servant should resolve in hisheart and be induced cheerfully to do and suffer what is required ofhim, since his Master, Christ, has done so much for him. Hence theyare to reason thus: since my Master has thus become my servant, --athing to which He was not obliged, --and has given up body and lifefor me, why should not I serve Him in return? He was perfectly holyand without sin, yet has He so greatly humbled Himself, and has shedHis blood for me, and has died that He might take away my sin. Howthen shall not I also endure somewhat if it pleases Him? Whoeverreflects on this must be a stone if it does not move him; for whenthe Master goes forward and steps in the mire, the servant shouldcheerfully follow Him. 

Therefore St. Peter says, _Hereunto are ye called. _ Whereto? That yeshould suffer wrongfully like Christ. As though he would say, If youwill follow after Christ you must not dispute and complain greatly, though you are unjustly treated, but endure the same and count it forthe best, since Christ has suffered all without guilt of His own. Hedid not even defend His integrity when He stood before the judges. Sothat you are to neglect this right, and only say, _Deo gratias_, forthis am I called that I should endure injustice; for what should Icomplain of when my master did not complain?

And here St. Peter has quoted some words from the prophetIsaiah, --namely, these, Chap. Liii. : "Who did no sin, neither wasdeceit found in His mouth, " also, "by whose stripes ye are healed. "Christ was so pure that not an evil word was ever on His tongue. Hedeserved that all should fall at His feet, and bear Him in theirhands. Although He had power and the right to avenge Himself, he yetpermitted Himself to be derided, insulted, reviled, and besides all, put to death, and never opened His mouth. Why then should you notendure it also, when you are nothing but sin? You ought to praise andthank God that you are counted worthy of this, --that you should belike Christ; and not murmur nor be impatient though you be made tosuffer, since the Master did not revile nor threaten in return, buteven prayed for his enemies. 

But perhaps you say, "How? Am I then to give that which is due tothose who treat me unjustly, and say of them, they have done well?"Answer. No! but this is what you are to say: I will from my heartcheerfully suffer it, although I have not deserved it, and you do meinjustice for my Master's sake, who also has endured injustice forme. You are to commit it to God, who is a righteous judge, and willrichly reward it, just as Christ committed it to His Heavenly Father. _He who has borne our sins in His own body_ (says St. Peter); thatis, he has not suffered for himself, but for our welfare. We who havecrucified him by our sins, are far from that condition ourselves. Wherefore, if you are a pious Christian, you are to follow after yourMaster, and mourn for those who make you suffer, and even pray forthem, that God will not punish them; for they do far more injury totheir own souls than to your body. If you lay this to heart, youshall easily forget your suffering, and suffer cheerfully. For we areto consider that we were once in such a Christless state as those, but have now, through Christ, been converted, as St. Peter concludesand says:

V. 25. _Ye were like sheep going astray, but ye are now returned tothe Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls. _ This, however, is a passagefrom the prophet Isaiah, who speaks after this manner: "We have allgone astray like sheep, and every one has gone in his own way. " Butnow have we obtained a Shepherd, says St. Peter. The Son of God hascome for our sake, that He might be our Shepherd and Bishop; He givesus His Spirit, feeds us, and leads us by His word, so that we nowknow how we are helped. Therefore, when you confess that through Himyour sins have been taken away, then you become His sheep, and Hebecomes your herdsman. Just as He is thy Bishop, so art thou HisSoul. This is, then, the comfort which all Christians have. Thus wehave two chapters in this Epistle, wherein St. Peter has in the firstplace taught the true faith, then the true works of love, and hasspoken of two kinds of works. First, what we all generally shouldpractice toward civil government, then how domestics should conductthemselves toward their masters. And what St. Peter says here ofservants, extends, also, to some other persons, --namely, artizans, day-laborers, and all kinds of hired servants. Now he goes on toteach us further, how husband and wife should conduct themselvestoward one another in a christian manner. 

CHAPTER III. 

V. 1-6. _Likewise ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands, sothat they who do not obey the word may be won without the word, through the conduct of their wives, when they see your chasteconversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning is not outward, in thebraiding of the hair, and the wearing of gold, or the putting on ofapparel, but the hidden man of the heart, in that which isincorruptible, a meek and quiet spirit, which is, in the sight ofGod, of great price. For thus also did the holy women of old adornthemselves, who hoped in God and were subject to their husbands. AsSarah was obedient to Abraham and called him master, whose daughtersye are, if ye do well, and fear not of any terror. _

Here St. Peter speaks especially of wives, who at that time hadheathen and unbelieving husbands. And on the other hand, he speaks ofbelieving husbands who had heathen wives; for it often occurred whilethe Apostles preached the Gospel among the heathen, that one was aChristian and the other not. If it _then_ was commanded that the wifeshould be subject to the husband, how much more must it be so orderednow. Therefore it is the woman's duty, St. Peter would say, to besubject to her husband, although he is a heathen and unbeliever; andhe gives the reason why this should be so. 

V. 1, 2. _So that even they who believe not on the word, may be wonwithout the word, through their wives' conduct, when they see yourchaste conversation coupled with fear. _ That is, when a man sees thathis wife proceeds and conducts herself with such propriety, then heis drawn toward obedience, and holds the state of a Christian to beone that is truly blessed. And although it is not directed to womento preach, yet should they so conduct themselves in their demeanorand conversation that they may thereby attract their husbands towardobedience:--as we read of the mother of St. Augustine, who convertedher husband, who had been a heathen, before his death, and soafterward her son Augustine. Still it is an external thing, which, asit is not to be performed in order to our justification forobedience, does not save you, for you may perhaps find an obedientwife who is yet unbelieving, but you should do it for this reason, that you may thereby benefit your husband. For thus has God ordained(Gen. Iii. ) when He says to the woman, "thou shalt submit thyself tothy husband, and he shall be thy master, " which is also thepunishment which he has imposed on the woman. But such is (I say) theoutward conduct--that which belongs to the body, not to the spirit. 

But this is a great thing, to know what works we should do to pleaseGod. By this rule are we to run, just as we see that the world runs, by the rule that it has falsely devised. It is a high, noble blessingwhich a wife may have when she so conducts herself as to be subjectto her husband, inasmuch as she is saved, and her works please God;what can be a happier experience? Therefore whoever wishes to be achristian wife is to reason after this manner: I will not pay regardas to what sort of a husband I have, whether he be a heathen or aJew, righteous or wicked; but to this I will pay regard, to the factthat God has placed me in the marriage state, and I will be subjectand obedient to my husband. Then all her works are precious if shestands in such obedience. 

But where the influence of attraction is not employed, nothing elsewill avail:--for you never will succeed by blows in making a wifepious and submissive. If you strike one devil out you will strike twodevils in, as they say. Oh! if people who are in the marriage stateknew this, how uprightly would they walk; but no one does cheerfullywhat God has commanded, but all run after that which men haveinvented. This command God has wished to be so carefully observed, that he authorized husbands to make void the vows which their wivesmade if they were displeasing to them, as we read in Num. Xxx. , sothat all might go on peacefully and quietly at home. This is onepoint. Now the Apostle directs further how a woman should conductherself toward other people. 

V. 3, 4. _Whose adorning, let it not be outward, in braiding of thehair, and wearing of gold, and putting on of apparel, but of thehidden man of the heart, in that which is incorruptible, a meek andquiet spirit, which in God's sight is precious. _ This treasure, whichis internal, should be possessed not only by the wife, but by thehusband. But here possibly some one might ask whether that which St. Peter here says of ornament is commanded or not. We read of Esther, that she wore a golden crown and precious ornaments, decking herselfas a queen. So also of Judith. But near by it is recorded, that shedespised the ornament and wore it from necessity. So that we say thismuch, that a woman should be so disposed as not to care for thisadorning; yet, inasmuch as people convinced on the subject ofornament, cease not from the use of it, such is their habit andnature, --a christian wife should despise it. But if the husbandrequires it, or there is a reasonable cause for her adorning herself, it may well be done. But in such a way should she be adorned, as St. Peter here says, as to be inwardly attired in a meek and quietspirit. You are vainly enough adorned when you are adorned for yourhusband; Christ will not suffer it that you should be adorned toplease others, and that you should be called a vain harlot. Thereforeyou are to see to it, that you wear about in your heart the hiddentreasure and precious adorning, in that which is incorruptible, asSt. Peter says, and lead a pure, merciful, temperate life. [1]

[Footnote 1: "Here the Apostle pulls off from christian women theirvain outside ornaments; but is not this a wrong to spoil all theirdressing and fineness? No; he doth this only to send them to a betterwardrobe: there is much profit in the change. "--_Leighton on I. Peter. _]

It is good evidence that there is not much of the spirit there, whereso much is expended on ornaments, but this will be trodden under footwhere faith and the spirit are present, and these will say, likeQueen Esther, "Lord, thou knowest that I regard with aversion thecrown which I wear on my head, and that I am compelled thus to adornmyself. If this was not required to be done of me out of love to myking, I would much rather trample it under foot. " Where the wife isof such a disposition, she will so much the more please her husband. Therefore they are to take this into consideration (says St. Peter), that they adorn the inward man, where there is to be a quiet spirit, one that cannot be ruffled; not only that they do not run intoexcess, so that they may be kept from confusion and shame, but, hismeaning is, that they should beware that the soul remain unruffled, and in the true faith, and that this be not forsaken. Thus is deriveda heart such as does not break forth and busy itself as to how itshall appear before the world. Such a heart is a precious thing inthe sight of God. If a woman were to adorn herself with pure gold, precious stones and pearls, even to her feet, it would be exceedinglysplendid. But you cannot attach so much to a woman that it shall bepreferable to that superior ornament of the soul which is precious inGod's sight. Gold and fine stones are precious in the world's esteem, but before God they are an ill-savor. But she is truly and noblyadorned in the sight of God, who goes forth with a meek and quietspirit; and since God himself accounts it precious, it must be anoble thing. A christian soul has all that Christ has, for faith, aswe have said, brings us all the blessings of Christ in common. Thisis a great and precious treasure, and such an ornament as none cansufficiently prize. God himself makes much account of it. Thus thehusband should withdraw and dissuade the wife from ornament, so longas she is inclined to it. When a christian wife gives ear andreflects, and determines thus, "I will not care for ornament, sinceGod does not regard it, --but if I must wear it, I will do it toplease my husband, " then is she truly adorned and attired in spirit. Hereupon St. Peter now gives us an example of holy women, that he maydraw wives to a christian conduct, and says:

V. 5. _For after this manner did holy women of old time adornthemselves, who set their hope on God and were subject to theirhusbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. _ As thesewomen adorned themselves, he would say, so do ye also, as Sarah wasobedient to her husband Abraham, and called him her lord. SoScripture speaks, Gen. Xviii. , where the Angel came to Abraham andsaid, Within a year shall Sarah have a son; then she laughed andspoke thus: "Now that I am old, and my Lord is old also, shall I yethave pleasure?" This passage St. Peter has justly noticed and adducedin this place; for she would not have called Abraham thus her lord ifshe had not been subject to him and had him before her eyes. Therefore, he says, further:

V. 6. _Whose daughters ye are, if ye do well and stand in fear of noterror. _ What does he mean by that? This is what he means. It isusually the nature of women to be troubled and frightened abouteverything, since they are so much occupied with charms andsuperstition, while one teaches the other, that it is not to be toldwhat illusions they have. This should not be the case with achristian woman, but she should go forward securely, yet not be sosuperstitious, and run about here and there--pronounce here ablessing, there a blessing--inasmuch as it concerns her to let Goddirect; and she is to remember it cannot go ill with her, for as longas she knows her condition, that her state is pleasing to God, whatwill she then have to fear? Though your child die, though you aresick, it is well if it pleases God; if you are in a state whichpleases God, what better can you desire? This, then, is what ispreached to wives. Now follows the duty of husbands:

V. 7. _Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to reason, giving honor to the wife as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirstogether of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered. _

The woman is also God's instrument or vessel, he says, for God usesher to this end, that she may bear children, give them birth andnourishment, and watch over them, and rule the household. Such workis the wife to do. So that she is God's instrument and vessel, whichHe has created and instructed to this end. For this reason is thehusband to respect his wife. Therefore, St. Peter says, Ye husbands, dwell with your wives according to reason, not that ye are to ruleover them with a headstrong will. They are, indeed, to obey the lawof the husband; what he bids and commands, that is to be done; but heis also to see to it that he walks soberly and according to reasonwith his wife, so as to give her that respect and honor which belongsto her as God's weaker vessel. 

The husband is also God's instrument, but he is stronger, while thewife is weaker bodily, as well as timid and more easily dispirited;therefore, you are so to conduct and walk in respect to her, that shemay be able to bear it. You must proceed in this case just as withother instruments wherewith you labor; just as when you would have agood sickle, you must not hack upon the stone with it. On thissubject no rule can be laid down. God leaves the matter to eachindividually, that he shall treat his wife in accordance with reason, according to the circumstances of each woman: for you are not to usethe authority which you have, according to your own will, for you areher husband for this very purpose, that you may help to guide andsupport her, --not that you should destroy her. Hence none can lay youdown a rule with exact limitations; you must understand yourself howyou are to proceed in accordance with reason. 

Thus we have now heard in regard to husbands, also, what good worksthose who please God are to perform, --namely, that they dwell withtheir wives, endear themselves to them, and walk soberly with them. Things cannot always go on as you would be glad to have them. Therefore do you see to it that you act like a husband, and have somuch the more discretion, when it is lacking in the wife, while youare to connive at some matters, tolerate and pardon some things, [2]and give to the wife, also, her honor. 

[Footnote 2: "Not disclosing the weaknesses of the wife to others, nor observing them too narrowly himself, but hiding them both fromothers, and his own eyes, by love: not seeing them further than loveitself requires. "--_Leighton_. ]

This _honor_ has been explained, I hardly know how. Some haveinterpreted it thus: that the husband should procure food, drink, andclothing for the wife, and should nourish her. Some have referred itto marriage duties. I hold this to be the meaning, as I have said, that the husband should treat the wife as consists with her being aChristian, and a vessel or instrument of God. And thus they are bothto conduct: the wife is to hold the husband in honor, and on theother hand also the husband is to give to the wife her honor. Ifmatters were thus directed, they would go on harmoniously, in peaceand love. Yet where this course is wanting, there will be moredisgust in the marriage state. Hence it comes to pass, when man andwife take one another from nothing but lust, and imagine they willhave happiness and the gratification of appetite, that theyexperience mere heart-anguish. But if you have a regard to God's workand will, then may you live christianly in marriage, --not like theheathen, who know not what God requires. 

_As heirs together of the grace of life. _ The husband is not to dwellon this, that the wife is weak and fragile, but on this, that shealso is baptized, and has the same that he has, --all blessings inChrist. For inwardly we are all alike, and there is no differencebetween man and woman, but as to the outward condition, it is God'spleasure that the husband rule, and the wife be subject to him. 

_That your prayers be not hindered. _ What does St. Peter mean bythat? This is his meaning; if you do not act in accordance withreason, but will find fault, and murmur, and proceed arbitrarily, andin this give occasion for error, so that neither can overlookanother's fault, and take all for the best, then will you be unableto pray, and say, "Father, forgive us our sins as we forgive. " Byprayer we are to strive against the devil, therefore we must besubject one to another. These are the truly precious good works whichwe are to do. If this is preached and understood, we shall all haveour homes full of good deeds. --Thus we have heard how a Christianshould conduct himself in all varieties of condition, but especiallyin his relations to others. It follows now, further, how we all, incommon one with another, should lead, as to our outward condition, achristian life. 

V. 8-12. _Finally, be ye all like-minded, have compassion one ofanother, be compassionate, affectionate as brethren, heartily kind, courteous. Render not evil for evil, or railing for railing, but onthe contrary, blessing; and know, that ye are hereunto called, thatye should inherit the blessing. For whoso loveth life and would seeprosperity, let him refrain his tongue, that it speak not evil, andhis lips that they bear no guile. Turn thyself from evil and do good, seek out peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord behold therighteous, and His ears are open to their prayer, but the face of theLord is against them that do evil. _

All this is said only to this end, that we should have mutual loveone to another. For here that which the Scripture sometimes expressesin few words, is much enlarged upon. St. Peter would say, the _summasummarum_ as to how you are to treat one another in your outwardconduct is, that ye be like-minded. This matter the Apostles Peterand Paul often bring forward, and this much is said, that we allshould have one mind, one spirit, one thought; what seems to oneright and good, let this also seem to another right and good. It isan important, note-worthy matter, that should be well understood; St. Paul has spoken much particularly upon it. 

We cannot all of us do the same kind of work, but every one mustlabor each for himself, --a husband in a different sphere from thewife, a servant in a different sphere from the master, and sothroughout. And it is a foolish thing to preach that we should all doone work, as those senseless preachers have done who preach thelegends of the saints, --that _these_ saints have done _that_ work, _those_, another, and then insist and say we should do the same. 

It is doubtless true that Abraham did a good work, highly to beesteemed, when he offered up his son, since this was particularlycommanded him of God. When the heathen did the same and wouldsacrifice their children likewise, this was an act of cruelty in thesight of God. So, also, King Solomon did well in building the temple, and God justly rewarded him for it. And our blind fools, now, wouldalso do the same, [3] and preach that we must build churches andtemples for God, while God has given us no command on the subject. Soit now comes to pass, that men busy themselves with a single kind ofemployment, and have many views in it directly in opposition to theGospel. 

[Footnote 3: Luther here doubtless refers to what he regarded as thefoolish project of the Pope in attempting to build the church of St. Peter, at Rome, --the project which sent Tetzel into Germany, and madethe sale of indulgences so common and obnoxious. --[_Trans. _]]

But this is what should be taught, that there should be a single aimand many employments, one heart and many hands: all should not followone business, but every one should attend to his own; otherwise therewill not remain unity of aim and heart. As to what is external, itmust be permitted to remain of a manifold character, so that everyone abide in that which has been committed to him, and the work thathe has in hand. This is a true doctrine, and it is exceedinglynecessary that it should be well understood; for the devil expendshis care particularly on this, and has brought things into such astate, that judgment is passed on the employment, and every onethinks that his own should be counted better than another's; hence ithas come to pass, that men are so disunited one with another, monksagainst priests, one Order against another, for every one has wishedto do the best work: thus they must satisfy themselves, and they havegiven themselves up to the Order, and think this Order is better thanthat. There is that of the Augustines against that of the PreachingMonks, that of the Carthusians against the Barefooted Friars, andnowhere is there greater want of unanimity than among the Orders. 

But if it has been taught that, in the sight of God, no employment isbetter than another, but that through faith all are alike, --then willall hearts remain united, and we are all alike mutually disposed, andshall also say, --the Order, or the mode of life which the bishopleads, is in God's sight no more accounted of than that which a poorman leads; the mode of life which the nun leads is no better thanthat which a married woman leads; and the same in respect to allvarieties of condition. 

But this they will not hear to, but every one maintains his own forthe best, and says, Ah! how much better and more important is mystate, in the Order, than the state of a common man. 

Thus to have one aim is, that every one should regard his ownemployment like the others, and that the condition of the marriedwoman is just as good as that of the virgin, as all are indeed alikein the sight of God, who judges according to the heart and faith, notby the person or according to the works; so that we, also, are tojudge as God judges, and then are we of one mind, and unanimityremains in the world, and hearts remain unestranged, so that there isno deriding on account of the external condition; all this I hold tobe excellent, and am well satisfied with every man's employment, whatever it be, if it only be not sinful in itself. 

Of this St. Paul also speaks, 2 Cor. Xi. , "I fear lest as the serpentbeguiled Eve, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicitythat is in Christ Jesus, "--that is, lest the devil so beguile you, and pervert and divide that simplicity of aim which you have. So, Phil. Iv. , "The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keepyour hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. " Why does the Apostle layso much stress on the aim of the mind? Because it all consists inthis, that when I am brought to cherish a false aim, everything isalready lost; as in case I am a monk, and have adopted such a view asthat my works are of more worth in the sight of God than others, andsay, "God be thanked that I have become a monk; my state is now farpreferable to the common one of marriage:" in which case, from such aview there must spring a proud spirit, and it cannot fail that Ishould count myself more righteous than another, and should despiseother people while I deceive myself. For a married woman, if sheabides in faith, is better in the sight of God than I am with theOrder I belong to. So that when this is understood, that faith bringswith it all that a Christian ought to have, we all of us have one aimand view, and there is no difference among works. 

Wherefore we are thus to understand this passage of St. Peter, thathe means the aim of the soul, --not that which refers to outwardmatters, --and an internal view or plan which aspires to those thingsthat are esteemed with God; so that both the doctrine and the life beone, and I hold that for excellent which you hold as excellent, --andagain, that is well-pleasing to you which is well-pleasing to me, asI have said. This sense of things is possessed by Christians, and tothis view we should hold fast, that it may not be perverted, as St. Paul says; for when the devil has corrupted it, he has forced thecastle of true purity, and all then is lost. 

V. 8. _Be ye compassionate, affectionate as brethren, heartily kind, courteous. _ To be compassionate is, that one should make himself asharer with another, and have a heart to feel his neighbor'snecessity. When misfortune overtakes him you are not to think, --Ah!it is right, it is no more than he should have, he has well deservedit. Where there is love, it identifies itself with its neighbor; andwhen it goes ill with him, the heart feels it as though it were itsown experience. But to be brotherly (affectionate as brethren) isthis much, that one should regard another as his own brother. Thiscertainly may be easily understood, for nature itself teaches it; bywhich you see what those that are truly brothers are, that they areunited more heartily together than any friends even. So ought we, asChristians, to act; for we are all brethren by baptism, --so thatafter baptism even father and mother are brother and sister, for Ihave the same blessing and inheritance that they have from Christ, through faith. 

_Heartily kind, --Viscerosi. _ This word I cannot explain except bygiving an illustration. Observe how a mother or a father act towardtheir child, --as when a mother sees her child enduring anguish, herwhole inward being is moved, and her heart within her body; whence isderived that mode of speech that occurs in many places in Scripture. Of this we have an example in I. Kings iii. , where two womencontended before King Solomon for a child, and each claimed thechild. And when the king would discover which was the real mother ofthe child, he must appeal to nature, whereby he detects it; and hesaid to the two women, You say that the child is yours, while you sayalso that it is yours: well, then, bring hither a sword and dividethe child into two parts, and give one part to this woman, andanother to that. Thus he attained knowledge as to which was the realmother; and the text tells us that she was inwardly affected withanxiety for the child, and said, No! no! rather give the child wholeto this woman, and let it live. Then the king pronounced his decisionand said, That is the true mother; take the child and give it to her. Hence you may understand what this word _heartily_ means. 

This is what St. Peter would say: that we should conduct ourselvestoward one another like those that are truly friends by blood, aswith them the whole heart is moved, the life, the pulse, and all thepowers; so here, also, the course should be heartily kind, andmotherly, and the heart should be thoroughly penetrated. Such adisposition should one christian man bear towards another. But thestandard is indeed set high; few will be found who bear such a heartylove to their neighbor, --as when it is seen that a necessity isimposed that they should have an affection like that which a motherhas for a child, --such that it presses through the heart and throughevery vein. Hence you see what the monks' and nuns' state of life is;how far it is removed from such hearty love: if all they have were tobe smelted together in one man, not one drop of such christian loveas this would be found in it. Wherefore let us look to ourselves andbe jealous over ourselves, whether we can find in ourselves such akind of love. This is a short lesson and quick spoken, but it goesdeep and spreads itself wide. 

_Courteous_, is, that we lead outwardly a gentle, pleasing, lovelybehaviour, --not merely that we should sympathize one with another, asa father and mother for their child, but also that we should walk inlove and gentleness one with another. [4] There are some men rough andknotty, like a tree full of knots, --so uncivil, that no one willreadily have anything to do with them. Hence it happens that they areusually full of suspicion, and become soon angry; with whom none oftheir own choice are familiar. But there are gentle people, whointerpret all for the best, and are not suspicious; do not permitthemselves to be soon irritated; can at least understand something aswell meant; such persons as are called _Candidos_. This virtue St. Paul names [Greek: chrêstotês], as it is often praised by him. 

[Footnote 4: "The least difficulties and scruples in a tenderconscience should not be roughly encountered; they are as a knot in asilken thread, and require a gentle and wary hand to loosethem. "--_Leighton_. ]

Now consider the Gospel, which portrays the Lord Christ sodistinctly, that we may trace this virtue especially in Him: now thePharisees assault Him, and now again, others, that they might takeHim, --yet He does not suffer Himself to become enraged. And althoughthe Apostles often stumble, and act a foolish part here and there, Henowhere assails them with angry words, but is ever courteous, andattracts them toward Himself, so that they remained with Himcheerfully and heartily, and walked with Him. This likewise we seeamong kind friends and societies on earth, wherever there are two orthree good friends, who have a good understanding one with another:though one acts a foolish part, the other can readily pardon him. There is represented in some measure that which St. Peter hereintends, although it is not perfectly set forth, for thiscourteousness is to be considered obligatory upon every oneindividually. Hence you see the true nature of love, and howexcellent a people Christians should be. The angels in heaven livewith one another thus, and so should it also, in justice, be onearth; but rarely does it take place. 

As St. Peter has already said, that the man servant and the maidservant, the husband and wife, should so conduct themselves that eachshould attend to that business of his own which he is to discharge, so would He have us all do generally, one with another. Therefore, ifyou would be certain and assured that you are doing an excellentdeed, that is pleasing to God, set yourself in God's name inopposition to whatever has been preached in the devil's name, wherebythe world walks and seeks to merit heaven. For how can you be betterassured that you are acceptable with God, than when you observe, ashe here says, the works which a man should do, the conduct whichevery one should lead, that he be compassionate, brotherlyaffectionate, heartily kind, courteous? In this he says nothing ofthose fool-works whereof we have been taught; says not, "buildchurches, found masses, be a priest, wear a cowl, vow chastity, &c. ;"but this is his language: See to it that you be courteous. These aretruly precious, golden deeds, precious stones and pearls, which arewell pleasing to God. 

But with this the devil cannot rest content, for he knows thatthereby his interests are thrown to the ground; therefore he deviseswhat he can to suppress such doctrine, incites monks and priests tocry out, "Do you say that our matters are nothing at all? that is foryou to talk like the devil. " But reply to them then, Do you not knowthat there must be good works, whereof St. Peter here speaks, --towit, that we be brotherly affectionate, heartily kind, and courteous?if these are the best, as must be confessed, you must be false inregard to your works, if you think they are better. I am reallyastonished that such blindness could come upon us; for Thomas, thepreaching monk, has written, and says, shamelessly, that monks andpriests are in a better state than ordinary Christians. This the highschools have confirmed, and men have been Doctorated for it. Afterthem the Pope and his multitude have gone, and have exalted those tobe saints, who teach such doctrine. 

Therefore understand this, as I have said, --for Christ Himself andall His Apostles have so taught, --if you would do the most excellentgood works, and be in the best condition of life, you will find themnowhere else but in faith and love; that is the highest state of all. So that it must be an error, when they choose to say, their state isbetter than faith and love; for if it be better than faith, it isbetter than God's word, but if it be better than God's word, it isbetter than God Himself. Therefore Paul has truly said, thatAnti-Christ should exalt himself before God. Be informed in this wayso as to judge of these things; where love and friendship arewanting, there, certainly, all works are condemned and trodden underfoot. Thus we see why St. Peter has so confidently expatiated on theexternal character of a truly christian life, as he taught us above, in a masterly manner, how the inward (spiritual) life should beordered toward God. Wherefore this epistle is to be regarded as atruly golden epistle. Whereupon it follows, further:

V. 9. _Render not evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but on theother hand blessing, and know that ye are called thereunto, that yeshould inherit the blessing. _ But this is a still furtherillustration of love, showing how we should act toward those thatinjure and persecute us. If any one does you evil--this is hismeaning--do him good; if any one rails at and curses you, then youare to bless and wish him well; for this is an important part oflove. O Lord God! what a rarity such Christians are! But why shouldwe return good for evil? Because, says he, ye are called thereuntothat ye should inherit the blessing, so that ye should sufferyourselves to be attracted towards it. 

In the Scriptures we Christians are called a people of blessing, or ablessed people. For thus said God to Abraham, Gen. Xii. : "In thy seedshall all nations of the earth be blessed. " Since God has so richlyshed down this blessing upon us, in that He takes away from us allthe malediction and the curse which we have derived to ourselves fromour first parents, as well as that which Moses suffered to go forthupon the disobedient, so that we are now filled with blessing, weought so to conduct ourselves that it shall be said of us, That is ablessed people. So that this is what the Apostle here means: See, Godhas shown you His favor, and has taken away from you the curse, andthe reviling wherewith you have dishonored Him; He neither imputesnor punishes, but has bestowed upon you such rich grace and blessing, while ye were only worthy of all malediction, inasmuch as ye reviledGod without intermission (for where there is unbelief the heart mustever curse God): do ye also as has been done toward you; curse not, rail not, do well, speak well, even though you are treated ill, andendure it where you are unrighteously used. Hereupon he quotes apassage out of the xxxiii. Ps. , where the prophet David speaks thus:

V. 10. _Whoso will love life and see good days, let him keep histongue from evil, and his lips that they do not deceive. _ That is, whoever would have a pleasure and a joy in life, and would not diethe death, but see good days, so that it shall go well with him, lethim keep his tongue that it speak not evil, not only in respect tohis friends, for that is a small virtue and a thing which even thewickedest of all may do, even snakes and vipers, --but also, he says, maintain a kind spirit, and keep your tongue silent even against yourenemies, though you are even incited thereto--though you have causeto rail and speak evil. 

Besides, keep your lips, he says, that they do not deceive. There areprobably many who give good words, and say _good morning_ to theirneighbor, but they think in their heart, The devil take you. Theseare people who have not inherited the blessing; they are the evilfruit of an evil tree. Therefore St. Peter has introduced a passagewhich refers to works, even to their root, --that is, what springsfrom within out of the heart. [5] Furthermore, the passage in theprophet says:

[Footnote 5: "A guileful heart makes guileful tongue and lips. It isthe workhouse where is the forge of deceits and slanders, and otherevil speakings; and the tongue is only the outer shop where they arevended, and the lips the door of it. So then such ware as is madewithin, such and no other can be set out. That which the heart isfull of, runs over by the tongue. "--_Leighton_. ]

V. 11. _Let him turn away from evil and do good, let him seek peaceand pursue after it, for the eyes of the Lord behold the righteous. _The world considers this as satisfaction when one man does injusticeto another, that his head should be cut off. But this brings one nonethe nearer to peace. For no king, even, ever attained to be in peacebefore his enemies. The Roman empire was so powerful that it struckdown all that set itself against it; still for all this it could notbe preserved. Therefore this method is of no avail toward reachingpeace, for though a man should prostrate and silence his foe, ten andtwenty rise up again after it, till at length he is compelled toyield. But he who seeks after the true peace, and moreover would findit, let him restrain his tongue; let him turn away from evil and dogood: this is a course different from that which the world pursues. To turn from evil and to do good is, that when a man hears evilwords, he be able to overlook the wickedness and injustice. Seek thusafter peace, so shall you find it; when your enemy has wasted hisbreath and done all that he can, if you hear him, but rail and rantnot back, he must subdue himself by his own violence. For thus Christalso on the cross subdued his enemies, not by the sword or byviolence. Therefore is it a saying, which should be written withgold, where it says, "Striking back again makes hatred, and whoeverstrikes back again is unjust. " Thence it must follow that not tostrike back again makes peace. But how can this be? Is it then athing not human? Certainly it does not accord with human nature; butif you in this manner suffer unjustly and do not strike back again, but let the matter go, it shall come to pass as hereafter follows:

V. 12. _The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears areopen to their cry, but the face of the Lord is against those that doevil. _ If you do not revenge yourself and do not repay evil withevil, there is the Lord in heaven above who cannot tolerate wrong, wherefore he that does not strike back must have his right. These Hebeholds; their prayer reaches His ear; He is our protector and willnot forget us, while if we cannot escape from His eyes, we shouldcomfort ourselves with the thought:--that is, this should induce achristian man to endure all injustice with patience, and not returnevil. If I properly reflect, I see that the soul which does me wrongmust burn forever in hell-fire. Therefore a christian heart shouldspeak on this wise: Dear Father, since this man falls so sadly underThy wrath and so miserably throws himself into hell-fire, I pray thatThou wouldest forgive him, and do to him even as Thou hast donetoward me since Thou hast rescued me from condemnation. But how comesthis? Thus: while He graciously looks down upon the righteous, Healso looks angrily at the wicked, wrinkles His brow and turns it inindignation upon them; when we know then that He looks upon usgraciously and upon them with disfavor, we ought to suffer ourselvesto pity and mourn for them, and pray for them. Furthermore, St. Petersays:

V. 13-16. _And who is he that will harm you, if ye follow after thatwhich is good. Blessed are ye if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, and be not afraid for their terror, neither be troubled, but sanctifythe Lord God in your hearts. But be ready always to give an answer toevery man who asks the reason of the hope that is in you, withmeekness and fear, and have a good conscience, so that they who speakof you as evil-doers may be put to shame, that they have falselyaccused your good conduct in Christ. _

If we follow after that which is good, --that is, do not reward evilwith evil, but are heartily kind and courteous, etc. , then there isnone that can injure us. For though our honor, life and propertyshould be taken away, we are still uninjured. Hence we have ablessing that is incomparable, --one that none can take from us. Thosewho persecute us have nothing but prosperity on earth, butthereafter, eternal condemnation, while we have an eternal, incorruptible good, although we lose a small temporal blessing. 

V. 14. _Blessed are ye if ye suffer for righteousness' sake. _ Notonly, he says, can no one injure you if ye suffer for God's sake, butblessed are ye also, and ye should rejoice that ye are to suffer, asChrist also says in the sixth of Matthew: "Happy are ye when menderide and persecute you for my sake, and speak every kind of evilagainst you, falsely; rejoice, and be exceeding glad. " Whoever thenapprehends this, that it is the Lord speaks such things, and sotenderly speaks comfort to his heart, he stands well; but to whomthis does not bring strength, it makes him sad and complaining, --hemay well remain unstrengthened. 

_But be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled, but sanctifyGod in your hearts. _ Here St. Peter quotes a passage from Isaiahviii. , where he says: "Be not afraid of their terror, nor befrightened, but sanctify the Lord in your hearts, and let Him be yourfear and your dread. " There we have a great support and reliance, whereon we may trust, assured that no one can injure us. Let theworld terrify, defy and threaten as long as it will, it must have anend, but our confidence and joy shall have no end; thus we shall haveno fear on account of the world, but shall be courageous, whilebefore God we shall humble ourselves and be afraid. 

But how does St. Peter mean that we should sanctify God; how can wesanctify Him; must He not sanctify us? Answer. So it is that we pray, even in the _Our Father, hallowed be Thy name_, that we may sanctifyHis name, as He Himself also sanctifies His name. Therefore it comesto this: _in your hearts_, says St. Peter, ye are to sanctify Him;that is, if the Lord our God appoints anything for us, be it good orevil, bring it weal or woe, be it shame or honor, prosperity oradversity, I am not only to consider it as good, but even as holy, and say, this is nothing but a precious blessing that I am unworthyof, that comes to me. So the prophet says, Ps. Cxliv. , "The Lord isrighteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works. " If I give Godpraise in regard to such matters, and consider such doings good, holy, and excellent, then I sanctify Him in my heart. But they whoscruple accounts, and complain that they are treated unjustly, andsay God sleeps, and will not help the just and restrain the unjust, these dishonor Him, and account Him neither just nor holy. Butwhoever is a Christian, should attribute righteousness to God andunrighteousness to himself--should account God holy and himselfunholy, and say that He in all His deeds and works is holy and just;this is what he requires. So also speaks the prophet Daniel, iii. : "OLord, in all that Thou hast done towards us, hast Thou done inaccordance with right and true judgment. For we have sinned;therefore be the shame ours, but the honor and the praise Thine. " Ifwe sing, _Deo gratias_, and _Te Deum laudamus_, and say, God bepraised and blessed, when misfortune overtakes us, that is called byPeter and Isaiah a true hallowing of the Lord. But He does not bythis require that you should say that he has done right and well whohas injured you, for it is an entirely different judgment between Godand me, and between me and thee. I may have within me anger, hatred, and wicked lusts, whereby I intend your damage, while you are yetstill uninjured, and have nothing against me; but in God's sight I amunjust, --therefore He does right if He punishes me; I have welldeserved it. If he does not punish me in that case, He shows mefavor, and thus is right in every way. But it does not thereforefollow, that he does right who persecutes me, for I have not doneinjustice to him as I have done in the sight of God. If God sends thedevil or wicked people upon you to punish you, He uses them to thisend, that they may execute His righteousness; so wicked wretches andinjustice itself become a blessing. 

So we read in Ezekiel, xxix. , of King Nebuchadnezzar, where God saysby the prophet, "Knowest thou not that he is My servant, and hasserved Me?" Now, says he, "I must give him his hire, I have not paidhim as yet; well, then, I will give him Egypt, and that shall be hishire. " The king had no right to the land, but God had a right to it, so that He might punish it through him; for, in order that evenwicked wretches might serve Him, and eat not their bread in vain, Hegives them enough, lets them serve Him even to this end, that theypersecute His saints. Here reason is at fault, and thinks He doeswell and right when He remunerates them only here; gives them muchland, and does it simply for this, to make them His executioners, andpersecutors of pious Christians. 

But when you endure and sanctify God, and say, _Just Lord_, then youdo well, while He casts them into hell and punishes them because theyhave done wickedly, but takes you into His favor and givesyou--Eternal Salvation. Therefore let Him manage them; He will give ajust reward. 

Of this we have an example in holy Job, when all his cattle and allhis sons were slain, and his property was taken away; when he said, "The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; as it was well pleasingto God, so has it been ordered, therefore praised be His name. " Andwhen his wife came, deriding him, and railed at him, and said: "See!what hast thou now, abiding in thine integrity? Curse God and die:"then he answered her--"Thou hast spoken like a foolish woman: are weto receive good at God's hands, --why should we not also receive evilfrom Him, for He hath done as it hath pleased Him? God hath given, and God hath taken away, " he says; not God has given it, the devilhath taken it away, while yet it was the devil that did it. This mantruly sanctified the Lord; therefore is he so highly praised andexalted of God. It follows, further:

V. 15. _But be always ready to give an answer to every man thatasketh you, the reason of the hope that is in you. _ We must hereacknowledge that St. Peter addressed these words to all Christians, clergy and laity, male and female, young and old, of whatever stateor condition they may be. From thence it will follow that everyChristian should know the ground and reason of his faith, and be ableto maintain and defend it where it is necessary. But up to this time, the idea that the laity should read the Scriptures has been treatedwith derision. For in this matter the devil has hit on a finemeasure, in tearing the Bible out of the hands of the laity, --andthis is what he has thought: "If I can keep the laity from readingthe Scripture, I will then bring the priests over from the Bible toAristotle, so that gossip they what they will, the laity must hearjust what they set forth; while if the laity should read theScripture, the priests must study it too, in order that they may notbe detected and overcome. " But look you now at what St. Peter tellsus all, that we should give answer and show reason for our faith. When you come to die I shall not be with you, neither will the Pope;and if you know but this one reason of your hope, and say, "I willbelieve as the Councils, the Pope and the Fathers believed, " then thedevil will answer, "Yes! but how if they were in error?" Then will hehave won, and will drag you down to hell. Therefore must we know whatwe believed, --namely, what God's word is, not what the Pope and holyFathers believe or say. For you must not put your faith at all inpersons--but on the word of God. 

So when any one assaults you, and like a heretic asks why you believethat you shall be saved through faith--here is your answer: "BecauseI have God's word and the clear declarations of Scripture. " As St. Paul says, "The just shall live by faith, " and St. Peter, where hespeaks of Christ, the living stone, quoting from the prophet Isaiah, "Whosoever believeth on him shall not be confounded; thereon do Ibuild, and know that the word will not deceive me. " But if you willspeak like other fools, "Yes, we will hear how the council decides, and with that we will abide, " then are you lost. Wherefore you shouldsay, "Why do I then ask what this one or that believes or decides; ifthey speak not the word of God, I will hear nothing of it. "

Do you say, then, it is so confusedly difficult a thing, that no oneknows what he should believe, and so one must wait till it isdetermined what one shall hold? Answer. Then will you go to the devilthe while; for if it comes to the pinch, and you should die and notknow what you should believe, neither I nor any one else could helpyou. Therefore you must know for yourself, and turn to no one else, and cling fast to the word of God, if you would escape hell. And forsuch as cannot read, it is necessary that they should learn andretain some clear texts out of the Scriptures--one or two at least, and on this ground abide firmly. As for instance that of Gen. Xii. , where God says to Abraham, "In thy seed shall all the nations of theearth be blessed. " If you have learned that, you may stand thereonand say, "Though Pope, bishop, and all the councils stood yonder andsaid otherwise, yet do I declare this is God's word, that I can relyon, and that does not deceive me. " Whoever will be blessed, must beblessed through "the seed, " and whoever is blessed is ransomed fromthe curse--that is, from sin, death and hell. Therefore it follows, from the text--whoever will not be blessed through "the seed, " hemust be lost. So that my works or good deeds can help nothing to mysalvation. 

To the same end also is the passage out of Peter, --"Whoever believethon this stone shall not be ashamed. " If any one now come upon you anddemand a reason of your faith, reply--"There stands the foundationwhich cannot fail me, and so I ask nothing beside, what Pope orbishop teach or decide. " Were they true bishops, then would theyteach the ground of faith that they knew was common to allChristians. Yet they rush on and cry out, "The laity must not besuffered to read the Scriptures. "

So if any one asks you whether you will have the Pope for a head, sayat once, "I will hold him for a head--a head of wickedness andprofligacy. " And for this I have a passage of St. Paul, I. Tim. Iv. :"There shall come the devil's teachers forbidding to marry, andcommanding to abstain from meats which God has created. " That too hasthe Pope forbidden, as is the case now. Therefore is he Antichrist. For what Christ commands and teaches, that _he_ transgresses. WhatChrist makes free, that the Pope binds--Christ says, it is not sin, while the Pope rejoins, it is sin. 

Thus should one now learn to give a reason and answer for his faith. For though not now, yet at death will it come to pass, that the devilwill come forward and say, "Why have you charged the Pope asAntichrist?" If you are not prepared and ready to show reason, thenhas he won. It is as much as though St. Peter had said, If ye willnow be faithful, ye must henceforth endure much persecution. But inthis persecution must you have a hope, and must look for Eternallife. If one asks you why you hope for it, then you must have theword of God, on which you can build. 

But the sophists also have perverted the text, as though one was toconvince heretics with reason, and out of the natural light ofAristotle; therefore (say they) it is here rendered in the Latin, _Rationem reddere_, as if St. Peter had thought it should be donewith human reason. Because, say they, the Scriptures are far tooinconclusive that from them we should silence heretics. The method bywhich (according to them) it must be shown that the faith is a rightone, must agree with reason, and come forth from the brain; whereas, our faith is above reason, and subject to God alone. Therefore, ifthe people will not believe, then should you be silent; for you arenot responsible for compelling them to hold the Scriptures as theword or book of God. It is enough that you give your reasontherefrom. But if they take exceptions, and say, "You preach that oneshould not hold to man's doctrine, while Peter and Paul, and Christeven, were men:" when you hear people of this stamp, who are so blindand obtuse that they deny that this is God's word, or doubt of it, then be silent--speak no more with them, and let them go--only say, "I will give you my reasons out of Scripture. If you will believethat, it is well; if not, I will give you no others. " But do you say, "Must God's word be treated with such shame?" Leave that to God. Soyou see that this matter should be well apprehended, and we shouldknow how to meet those who now rise up and present suchobjections. --It follows:

_With meekness and fear. _ That is, if you are examined and questionedof your faith, you should not answer with haughty words, and proceedin the matter with contempt and violence, as if you would tear up atree by the roots, but with such fear and humility as if you stoodbefore God's tribunal, and were there to give answer; for if it werenow to happen that you should be examined before king and princes, and had well prepared yourself a long time therefor with replies, andthus thinking with yourself, "Deliberate, I will answer himcorrectly, " then shall it be a happy experience for you, --though thedevil take the sword out of your hands, and give you a blow, so thatyou stand in shame, and have put on your armor in vain, and he canfairly take out of your hands the reply you have carefully composed, so that it fails you even though you have it fairly in your mind, because he has beforehand tracked out your thoughts. Even this Godsuffers to take place, that he may subdue your pride and make youhumble. 

So, if you would avoid such an experience, you must stand in fear, and not rely on your own strength, but on the word and promise ofChrist, Matt. X. 19--"But when they deliver you up, take no thoughthow or what ye shall speak, for it shall be given you in that samehour what ye shall speak; for it is not ye that speak, but the Spiritof your Father which speaketh in you. " It is right, when you are toanswer, that you should prepare yourself well with passages out ofScripture; but beware that you do not insist thereon with a proudspirit, since God will even take the most forcible reply out of yourmouth and memory, though you were previously prepared with all yourreplies. Therefore, fear is proper. And so, if you are summoned, thenmay you answer for yourself before princes and lords, and even thedevil himself. Only beware that it be not the vanity of men, but theword of God. 

V. 16. _Having a good conscience, that whereas they speak evil of youas of evil-doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your goodconversation in Christ. _ Of this St. Paul has already spoken above. We cannot disregard it. If we will follow the Gospel, then must we bedespised and condemned by the world, so that men shall hold us ascontemptible rabble. But let the devil and all the world rave andrage--let them abuse as they will, yet they shall at last be made tounderstand, with shame, that they have injured and defamed us, when_that day_ shall arrive, --as St. Peter has said above, --in which weshall be secure, and stand up with a good conscience. These are, inevery respect, suitable and forcible replies, which can comfort usand make us courageous, and yet go on circumspectly, with fear. 

V. 17, 18. _For it is better, if the will of God be so, that yesuffer for well-doing than for evil-doing. For Christ also hath oncesuffered for our sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bringus to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by theSpirit. _

It will not, then, be the case that they who shall reach heaven shallhave prosperity on earth, while even those who do not arrive atheaven may not have prosperity. For that which God said to Adam isimposed on all men--"In the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat thybread;" and to the woman: "In sorrow shalt thou bring forthchildren. " Since, now, adversity is imposed in common upon us all, how much more must _we_ bear the cross if we would attain to eternallife. Therefore, he says, since God will have it so, it is betterthat ye suffer for well-doing. They who suffer for evil-doing have anevil conscience, and have double punishment. But Christians have onlythe half of it. Outwardly, they have suffering; but inwardly, comfort. 

Yet has he here set a limit, --as he also has said above, --if a caseshould occur of such severity as the Donatists experienced, of whomAugustine writes, who took such a resolution that, stung by theirsufferings, they committed suicide, and threw themselves into thesea. 

It is not the will of God that we seek out, and even invite, calamity. Go thou on in faith and love. If the cross comes, take itup; if it comes not, seek not for it. 

Therefore these modern spirits commit sin, in that they lash and beatthemselves, or subject themselves to torture, and so would stormheaven. 

This has Paul also forbidden, in Col. Iii. , where he speaks of suchsaints as walk in a self-chosen spirituality and humility, and sparenot their body. We should also restrain the body that it do notbecome too wanton, yet not so as to destroy it; and we should submitto suffer if another sends suffering upon us, but not of our ownchoice fall therein. That will be the question: if it is God'swill--if he has appointed it--for then it is better; while you arealso more happy and fortunate that you suffer for well-doing. 

V. 18. _Since also Christ has once suffered for us--the just for theunjust. _ There St. Peter presents us, once for all, the example ofour Lord, and points us evermore to Christ's sufferings, that we allof us alike should follow his example, so that he need not present aparticular exemplar for the estate of every individual. For just asChrist is held forth as an example to all in the whole Church, so itis the duty of every individual in the Church, --each for himself, ofwhatever state he is, --to copy thereafter, in his whole life, as itis set before him; and he will speak after this manner: "Christ wasrighteous; yet, for well-doing, has suffered on our account, who wereunjust; yet he sought not the cross, but waited till it was God'swill that he should drink the cup; and it is He that is our pattern, whom we are to imitate. " Thus St. Peter here adduces this oneexample, to this end especially, that he may thus designate that bywhich every estate is to be instructed; and now he goes on to declaremore fully the suffering of Christ. 

But, more particularly, he says here, Christ has suffered _once_ forus; that is, Christ has borne many sins upon himself, but he has notdone it in such a way as to die for every individual sin; but atonce, for all together, has done enough to remove the sins of all whocome to Him and believe on Him--who are now freed from death, even asHe is free. 

_The righteous for the unrighteous_, he says. As though he had said, much rather should we suffer, since we die for the righteous who hadno sin. But He has died for the unrighteous, and for the sake of oursins. 

_That He might present us to God. _ This is all said to teach thepeculiar end of Christ's sufferings; namely, that He died, --not forHis own sake, --but that He might present us to God. How is thatconsistent: has He not offered up Himself? Answer: It is true that Hehas offered up Himself upon the Cross for us all who believe on Him, but at the same time He offers up us with Himself, since all they whobelieve on Him must suffer also with Him, and be put to death afterthe flesh as He was. Yet God has taught us, that they are alive inthe spirit and yet dead in the flesh, as He afterwards says. But arewe a sacrifice with Him? Then, as He dies, so we are to die accordingto the flesh; as He lives spiritually, so do we also live in thespirit. 

_Being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit. _ Theword _flesh_ is common in Scripture, as is also the word spirit, andthe Apostles usually present the two in contrast. The sense is this:that Christ, through His sufferings, is taken out of this life thatconsists in flesh and blood, as a man on earth who lives by flesh andblood, --walks and stands, eats, drinks, sleeps, wakes, sees, hears, grasps, and feels, --and, in brief, whatever the body does while it issensible; to all this Christ has died. This is what St. Paul calls anatural body, --that is, the animal life. _In the flesh_, not _after_the flesh, --that is, in the natural functions which the bodyexercises, to such life is He dead: so that this life has now ceasedwith Him, and He is now removed to another life and quickened afterthe spirit, passed into a spiritual and supernatural life, thatcomprises in itself the whole life that Christ now has in soul andbody. So that he has no more a fleshy body, but a spiritual body. 

Thus shall it be with us at the last day, when spiritual life shallsucceed to flesh and blood; for my body and yours will live withoutfood and drink, --will not procreate, nor digest, nor grow wanton, andthe like, but we shall inwardly live after the spirit, --and the bodyshall be purified even as the sun, and yet far brighter, while thereprobably will be no natural flesh and blood, no natural or corporeallabor. 

This is the language of St. Paul thereon, I. Cor. Xv. : "The first manAdam was made in natural life, and the last in spiritual life. " Andit follows, "As we have the image of the natural man, so shall wealso bear the image of the spiritual man. " From Adam we derive allour natural functions, so far as concerns our unreasoning animalnature as to the fine senses. But Christ is spiritual, --flesh andblood not according to the outward sense; He neither sleeps norwakes, and yet knows all things, and is present in the ends of theearth. Like Him shall we be also, for He is the first fruits, theearnest and first born (as Paul says) of the spiritual life; that is, He is the first who has risen again and entered upon a spirituallife. Thus Christ lives now after the spirit; that is, He is reallyman, but has a spiritual body. Therefore we should not here questionhow we may distinguish flesh and spirit from one another, butunderstand that the body and flesh are spiritual, and the spirit isin the body and with the body. For St. Peter does not say here thatthe Holy Spirit has raised Christ up, but he speaks more generally;as when I say the spirit, the flesh, I do not mean the Holy Spirit, but that which is within us, that which the spirit impels, and thatwhich proceeds from the spirit. It follows, now:

V. 19-21. _By which same He also went and preached to the spirits inprison, who aforetime were disobedient, when the long-suffering ofGod waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, in whicha few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. Which now alsosaves you through baptism, which is typical by it; not the puttingaway of the filth of the flesh, but the union of a good consciencewith God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has ascendedto heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, --and angels, andprincipalities, and powers, are subject to Him. _

This is a strange text, and a more obscure passage, perhaps, than anyother in the New Testament, for I do not certainly know what St. Peter means. At first sight, the words import as though Christ hadpreached to the spirits, --that is, the souls which were formerlyunbelieving at the time Noah was building the ark; but that I cannotunderstand, I cannot even explain it. There has been no one hithertowho has explained it. Yet if any one is disposed to maintain thatChrist, after that He had suffered on the Cross, descended to thesesouls and preached to them, I will not dispute it. It might bear sucha rendering. But I am not confident that St. Peter would say this. Yet the words may well be understood in this sense, --that our Lord, after His ascension into heaven, came and preached in spirit, yet sothat His preaching was not in the body. For He speaks not with bodilyvoice; He does no more what pertains to the natural functions of thebody. Whence it must also follow, as it seems, that inasmuch as Hepreached to the spirits in that same spiritual body, such preachingmust also be a spiritual preaching, so that He did not go there inbody and with oral preaching. The text does not require us tounderstand that He went down to the spirits and preached to them atthe time of His death. For this is his language, _by which same_, --namely, when He had been put to death in the flesh and made aliveafter the spirit, --that is, when He had unclothed Himself of Hisfleshly existence and had passed into a spiritual being and life, just as He now is in heaven, --_thus_ He went and preached. Now Hecertainly could not have gone to hell, after He had taken to Himselfsuch a new existence; wherefore we must understand that He has doneit after His resurrection. 

While the words only require that he be considered as speaking hereof spiritual preaching, we may rest in this view, that St. Peterspeaks of the office that Christ performs by means of externalpreaching. For He commanded the Apostles personally to preach theGospel. But with the word preached He comes Himself, and isspiritually present there, and speaks and preaches to the people intheir hearts; just as the Apostles speak the word orally and in bodyto the ears, so He preaches to the spirits that lie captive in theprison-house of the devil. So that this also should be understoodspiritually, like the preaching. 

But here the expression follows, _to the spirits which aforetime wereunbelieving_, &c. We should observe, in accordance with the divineaccount, that in that state of existence in which Christ is atpresent, those who have lived aforetime and those that are livingnow, are alike to Him, for His control extends itself alike over deadand living: and in that life, the beginning, middle and end of theworld are all in one. But here on earth it has properly a measure, sothat one age passes on after another, the son succeeds the father, and so it continues. But to give an illustration: If a high wood liesbefore you, or you look upon it as it stretches along in lengthbefore you, you cannot well overlook it; but if it lies near beforeyou, and you stand above it and can look down directly upon it, thenyou have it in full view. So it is, that here on earth we can form noconception of this life (I speak of), for it passes on (piecemeal asit were) foot by foot, to the last day. But as to God, it all standsin a moment. For with Him a thousand years are as one day, as St. Peter says, in the next Epistle. Thus the first man is just as nearto Him as the last that shall be born, and He sees all at once, justas the human eye can bring together two things widely separated at asingle glance. So the sense here is this, that Christ preaches nomore in person, but is present with the word and preaches to spirits, spiritually, in the heart. Yet you are not to understand that Hepreaches in this manner to all spirits. 

But to what spirits has he preached? To those who aforetime wereunbelieving. This is the figure of speech which is called Synecdoche. That is, "from a part the whole" (_ex parte totum_), --that is to say, not to these very spirits, but to those who are like them, and arejust as unbelieving as they. Thus must we look away from thisoutward, to that inward life. 

That is the best rendering, as I think, of those words of St. Peter;[6] still I will not too strenuously insist upon it. This atleast I can scarcely believe, that Christ descended to those soulsand preached to them; while the Scripture is against it, and declaresthat every one, when he arrives there, must receive according as hehas believed and lived. Besides, while it is uncertain what is thestate of the dead, we cannot easily explain this passage as one thatrefers to it. But this is certain, that Christ is present andpreaches in the heart, wherever a preacher of God's word speaks tothe ear. Therefore may we safely draw to this conclusion: let him towhom a better understanding is manifest, follow the same. 

[Footnote 6: The view generally taken by Protestant expositors ofthis passage is, that the preaching here referred to took place inthe days of Noah, by means of himself or others who were inspired byGod to teach and warn. Their interpretation would be in effect, --"ForChrist also suffered for our sins, the just for the unjust (that hemight bring us to God), being put to death in the flesh, butquickened by the Spirit (of God). By which Spirit also he went(formerly) and preached to the spirits (now) in prison; which weredisobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited, in the daysof Noah, (120 years, ) while the ark was preparing, wherein few, --thatis, eight souls, --were saved _by_ or _through_ water. "]

This is the summary of the sense which I have exhibited: Christ hasascended to heaven and preached to the spirits, --that is, to humansouls; among which human souls have been the unbelieving, as in thetimes of Noah. 

V. 20. It continues, --_when once the long-suffering of God waited inthe days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. _ Thus does St. Peter bring us intothe Scriptures, that we may study therein; and gives us anillustration out of them, from the ark of Noah, and interprets thissame figure. For it is pleasant to have one bring forwardillustrations from such figures, as St. Paul also does when he isspeaking, Gal. Iv. , of the two sons of Abraham, and the two women;and Christ, in John v. , of the serpent which Moses had erected in thewilderness. Such comparisons, when well drawn, are delightful;wherefore St. Peter introduces this here, that we may be able tocomprehend faith under a pleasing image. 

But he would also tell us, that as it happened when Noah waspreparing the ark, so it takes place now. As he took refuge in theark which swam upon the waters, so, it is to be observed, must youalso be saved in baptism. Just as that water swallowed up all thatwas then living, of man and beast, --so baptism also swallows up allthat is of the flesh and corrupt nature, and makes spiritual men. Butwe rest in the ark, which means the Lord Christ, or the christianChurch, or the Gospel that Christ preached, or the body of Christ, onwhich we rest by faith, and are saved as Noah in the ark. You alsoperceive how the image comprises in brief what belongs to faith andto the cross, to life and death. Where there are only those thatfollow Christ, there is surely a christian Church, where all thatsprings from Adam, and whatever is evil, is removed. 

V. 21. _The like figure whereunto, even baptism, doth now save us;not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of agood conscience toward God. _ But you are not kept and saved by merelywashing away the filth of the flesh, that the body be clean, as wasthe practice of the Jews; such purification has no further value. Butthe answer of a good conscience toward God, --that is, that you feelyour conscience to be rightfully at peace within you, that it standsin harmony with God, and can say, "He has promised to me that whichHe will fulfil, for He cannot lie. " If you shall rely upon and cleaveto His word, then shall you be preserved. Faith, alone, is the bandwhereby we shall be held; no outward work which you can do willsuffice. 

_Through the resurrection of Christ Jesus. _ This St. Peter adjoins, in order to explain that faith which rests on the fact that Christdied, descended to hell, and has risen again from the dead. Had Hecontinued subject to death, it would not have advantaged us; butsince He has risen and sits at the right hand of God, and suffersthis to be proclaimed to us so that we may believe on Him, we have aunion with God, and a sure promise, whereby we shall be saved as Noahin the ark. Thus has St. Peter given to the ark a spiritualsignificance throughout, within which is not flesh and blood, but agood conscience toward God, --and that is faith. 

V. 22. _Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God;angels, and authorities, and powers, being made subject unto Him. _This he says for the enlightening and strengthening of our faith. Forit was necessary that Christ should ascend to heaven and become Lordover all creatures and powers universally, that He may bring usthither, and make us conquerors. This is said for our consolation, that we may know that all powers, whether they be in heaven or earth, must serve and aid us, even death and the devil, --since all mustbecome subservient, and lie at the feet of the Lord Christ. Thiscloses the third chapter. The fourth follows. 

CHAPTER IV. 

V. 1. _Forasmuch, then, as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind; for he that hath sufferedin the flesh hath ceased from sin. _

St. Peter continues still in the same strain. Just as he hitherto hasadmonished us generally that we should suffer, if it be the will ofGod, and has set Christ before us as an example, --so he now confirmsit more broadly, and repeats it again, saying, While Christ, who isour captain and head, has suffered in the flesh and presented us anexample, (besides that He has ransomed us from our sins, ) we alsoshould imitate Him, and prepare ourselves, and put on the same armor. For in the Scriptures the life of the Lord Christ, and especially hissuffering, is presented before us in a twofold manner. 

Sometimes as a gift, as St. Peter has already exhibited it in thethird chapter; and to those first, who are built up and instructed inthe faith that we are ransomed, and our sins taken away by the bloodof Christ; and so he is a gift and bestowment upon us, which none canreceive except by faith. Whereof he speaks where he says, "Christ hasonce suffered for our sins. " That is certainly the grand doctrine, and the most precious one of the Gospel. 

Again, Christ is set before us and offered to us as an example andpattern for us to follow. For if we only receive Christ, throughfaith, as a free gift, we shall go farther and do ourselves as He hasdone for us, and imitate Him in His whole life and sufferings. Inthis manner St. Peter presents it here. But he does not speak hereparticularly of those marks of the love which leads us to befriendour neighbor, and do good, which are called, specifically, good works(for he had said enough of this above), but of such evidences asconcern our personal experience, and are of service in strengtheningour faith, that sin may be put to death in the flesh, and we therebybecome of so much better service to our neighbor. For if I control mybody so that it be not lustful, then can I leave my neighbor, hiswife or child, at peace; while if I subdue hate and envy, I shallbecome so much better prepared to be kind and friendly toward myneighbor. 

We have repeated often enough already that we are justified throughfaith, and thus have the Lord Christ as ours; still we must also dogood works and show kindness to our neighbor. For we are neverentirely purified while we live on earth, and every one still findsin his body evil lusts. The believer indeed prays for the death ofsin and the gift of heaven, but is not yet become entirely andcompletely strong; but as Christ described the Samaritan, who was notyet healed, but was laid under restrictions and directions that hemight become sound, so it is also with us. If we believe, then is oursin restrained, --that is, the disease which we have derived fromAdam, and we begin to recover. But it is the case, in one more, inanother less, that in proportion as one mortifies and subdues theflesh, so much does his faith increase. So that if we have these twothings, faith and love, our future experience will be, that we shallcontinue to drive sin before us till we die. 

Therefore St. Peter says, _arm yourselves with the same mind_; thatis, take up a firm purpose, and strengthen yourselves with the mindwhich you receive from Christ; for, if we are Christians, then mustwe also say, My Master has suffered and spilt His blood for me, andhas died for my sake. Should I then be so base as not to love Him?While the Master runs upon the spears' points in the conflict, howmuch more should the servant advance with joy? Thus do we awaken acourage such that we press onward, and arm ourselves in our own mindsso as joyfully to persevere. 

The word _flesh_ refers in Scripture not only outwardly to the body, but includes all that is derived from Adam. As when God says, in Gen. Vi. : "My Spirit shall not always strive with men, for they also areflesh;" and Isaiah, chap. Xl. , "All flesh shall see the Salvation ofGod, "--that is, it shall be revealed for all men. So we also makeconfession in our own form of faith, "I believe in the resurrectionof the flesh, " that is, that men shall rise again. So man uniformlythroughout is called flesh, as he lives here in this state of being. 

The marks of the flesh are carefully recounted, one after another, inPaul's Epistle to the Galatians v. , not only the gross carnal works, as lasciviousness, but also the highest and most recklessblasphemies, as idolatry and heresy, which belong not only to theflesh, but to the reason. We must understand, therefore, that man, with his intellectual nature, --and with respect both to that which isinward and that which is outward--that is, the body and spirit, --hasthe appellation of flesh; and this, because with all his faculties, internal and external, he seeks only that which is carnal, and canserve to gratify the flesh. St. Peter says here, too, that Christsuffered in the _flesh_, while it is certain that His sufferingextended further than to the body merely, for His soul suffered thegreatest anguish, as is said by the prophet Isaiah. 

In the same way, also, you are to understand that which follows, inthe passage before us: "_Whoever hath suffered in the flesh hathceased from sin. _" For this implies not only such things as the deathand the torture of the body, but whatever can work misery toman--whatever he endures through calamity and necessity. For thereare many people who are sound in body, and yet inwardly experiencemuch heart-sorrow and anguish. If it comes upon us for Christ's sake, it is serviceable and profitable. For whoever suffers in the flesh(says he) ceases from sin, and therefore the Holy Cross isprofitable, that sin may thereby be subdued; since it requires you tomortify lust, envy and hate, and other wickedness. Therefore God hasimposed the Holy Cross upon us that He might urge and constrain us tobelieve, and extend the hand of kindness one to the other. Hereuponit follows:

V. 2. _That he henceforth, in the time that still remains for him inthe flesh, should live not according to the lusts of men, but thewill of God. _

We should henceforth, as long as we live, hold the flesh captivethrough the Cross, and by mortifications, so as to do that whichpleases God, and not with the idea that we should or can deserveanything by it. _Not according to the lusts of men_ (says he), --thatis, that we should not do that to which we might yet be tempted byothers; for we are not to be conformed to this world, as Paul says, Rom. Xii. What the world demands of us we must refuse. 

V. 3. _For the time past of our life is enough to have wrought thewill of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excessof wine, revellings, banquetings and abominable idolatries. _

We have already gone altogether too far, that before our believing wehave so shamefully spent our life in accordance with the will of theGentiles, which is the same with lusts of men. Therefore as long aslife continues we should see to it that we do that which iswell-pleasing to God; for we have our enemy in our flesh, the onethat is the real knave--not gross matter merely, but moreparticularly blindness of mind, which Paul calls carnal wisdom, --thatis, the policy of the flesh. If we have subdued this depravity, thatother is carefully to be constrained, which does our neighbor injuryin so secret a manner as not to be observed. 

St. Peter calls that lasciviousness that is accompanied with outwardgestures or words by which evil intentions are expressed, though thedeed itself be not performed, and it is that which is unchaste to thesight and hearing, upon which afterward the lust and the act alsofollow. Thereupon there succeeds such idolatry as is abominable. Andwe may easily bring all this upon us, for when we have lost faith wehave certainly lost God, also, and may fall into more abominableidolatries than the heathen, if we view the matter aright. 

V. 4-5. _And it surprises them that ye run not with them to the sameexcess of disorderly life, and they calumniate you, who must giveaccount to Him that is ready to judge the living and the dead. _

That is, ye have hitherto lived after the manner of the heathen, butsince you have now forsaken it, it appears strange to men, and seemsshameful and foolish, and they say, "What great fools they are towithdraw themselves from all worldly good and gratification. " But letit seem strange to them; let them libel you; they shall yet becompelled to give in their account; wherefore leave it to Him thatwill judge righteously. 

V. 6. _For to this end also was the Gospel preached to the dead, thatthey should be judged according to men in the flesh, but live to Godin the spirit. _

Here we have, however, a strange and remarkable text. The wordsclearly declare that the Gospel is preached not only to the living, but also to the dead, and adds besides, "in order that they may bejudged according to men in the flesh. " Now they certainly have notflesh, which can be understood only of the living. It is a wonderfulpassage, however understood: whether it should be made to refer tous, or to concern something foreign, I do not know, yet this is myunderstanding of it. We are not to be anxious how God will condemnthe heathen who died many centuries ago, but only how He will judgethose that are now living; so that the passage should be consideredas spoken of men on earth. 

But as to the word _flesh_, you are to understand, as I said above, that the entire man is called flesh, according as he lives, just ashe also is called in respect to his whole nature, spiritual, while hefollows after that which is spiritual. Still there is also acommingling of the two things with one another, just as I say of aman who is wounded, that he is whole and yet is wounded; and so, too, though the sound part is greater than the wounded part, still he isspoken of only with reference to the injured part as wounded; andsuch, too, is the method of the Spirit here: therefore he says, thatthey as to their outward being are condemned, but inwardly, asrespects the spirit, are preserved in life. 

But how does that, where He says that they live, agree with thatwhich he subjoins, that they are dead? I will explain it according tomy understanding, yet not so as to limit the Holy Ghost in that hecalls the unbelieving dead. For I cannot accept the sense that tothose that are dead and perished, the Gospel has been preached. This, then, would be what St. Peter means, that the Gospel has been freelypublished and universally spread abroad, concealed neither from deadnor living--neither from angels nor yet from devils, and preached notsecretly in a corner, but so publicly that all creatures might hearit that have ears to hear, as Christ gave command in the last ofMark: "Go ye forth and preach the Gospel to all creatures. " If, therefore, it is preached in such a manner, there will those be foundwho are condemned after the flesh, but live after the spirit. 

V. 7. _But the end of all things is at hand. _ This is also aremarkable passage, for already nearly 1500 years are passed sincethen. St. Peter preached that the time is neither near nor brief, yethe says, _that the end of all things is at hand_; as John alsodeclares in his first epistle, chap, ii. , "It is the last hour. " Ifit were not the Apostle's language, we might say it wascontradictory: but by this we must firmly abide, that the Apostle hastruth with him. Yet what he means here he shall explain himself inthe second epistle, where he tells us why the time is said to benear, and says: "One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and athousand years as one day;" of which I have spoken above. So that wemust explain it in this manner, that it shall not be as longhereafter to the end of the world as it has been from the beginningto the present time. And it is not to be expected that one shouldlive two or three thousand years after the birth of Christ, so thatthe end shall come before we look for it. Wherefore he further adds:

V. 7, 8. _Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above allthings have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall coverthe multitude of sins. _

Here you perceive the reason why we are to watch and be sober;namely, that we may be prepared to pray for ourselves and ourneighbors. Since charity cannot be fervent unless you keep the bodyin subjection, that charity may have place within you. Here St. Peterhas quoted a passage from the book of Proverbs, ch. X. 12. _Hatestirreth up strife, but love covereth the multitude of sins. _ Andthis is what St. Peter means: Subdue your flesh and lusts: unless youdo it, you will easily offend one another, and yet not easily be ableto forgive one another. Take care, therefore, that you subdue thewicked lusts, so you shall be able to show charity one to another, and to forgive, for charity covereth sins. 

This passage has been explained to the prejudice of faith, inasmuchas they tell us: "You say that faith alone makes us righteous, andthat no one through works may be free from sin. Why then do Solomonand Peter, as in this passage, say, _love covers sins_?" Answer. Whoever has hatred toward another, says Solomon, ceases not to stirup strife and bitterness. But where there is love, it covers sins andcheerfully forgives. Where there is wrath, or in other words, wherethere is an intractable man, reconciliation is not permitted; heremains full of wrath and hate. On the other hand, a man who is fullof love is he whom one cannot enrage, however much injury may be donehim; he perceives it all, but does as though he saw it not. So thatthe _covering_ is spoken of as regards our neighbor, and not as itrespects God. Nothing shall cover up sin before God for you, exceptfaith. But my love covers the sin of my neighbor; and just as Godwith His love covers my sins, if I believe, so too should I cover myneighbor's sins. Therefore He says, Ye should have charity one toanother, that one may cover the other's sins. And love covers notonly one, two, or three sins, but the multitude of sins; cannotsuffer and do too much; covers up all. So St. Paul also speaks andteaches in accordance with this passage, I. Cor. Xiii. 7. _Charitybeareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endurethall things. _ It has respect to the best good of all, can suffer all, and take for the best whatever shall be imposed upon it. Therefollows, further:

V. 9. _Be hospitable one to another without grudging, and ministerone to another, as every one has received the gift. _ He is said to behospitable who cheerfully acts the host. When the Apostles wentabroad one with another and preached, and sent their younger brethrenhere and there, it was necessary that one should lodge the other. Howwell would it be, even now, that men should preach from one place toanother, from city to city, from house to house, --and withoutremaining too long in one place, might see to it that where one wasweak he should be helped, and where one had fallen down he should belifted up, and things of that sort. St. Peter directs that thisshould take place without murmuring; that no one should suffer it toseem too much for him. This is also a work of love, as it followsimmediately afterward, that we should minister to one another!Wherewith? With the gifts of God which every one has received. Thegospel directs that every one be the servant of the other, andbeside, see to it that he abide in the gift which he has received, which God has bestowed upon him; that is, the state, whatever it be, whereunto he has been called. 

God's will is not that a lord should serve his servant, that the maidbe as the mistress, and a prince serve the beggar;--for he will notbreak down magistracy. But his meaning is, that men should serve oneanother spiritually, with their hearts: although you are a high andgreat lord, yet should you employ your power to this end, that youmay therewith serve your neighbor. Thus should every one hold himselffor a servant; the lord may still remain a lord, and yet holdhimself, in his own esteem, no better than the servant: so that heeven cheerfully would become a servant if it were God's ordering; andthe same is applicable to other conditions. 

V. 10. _As good stewards of the manifold grace of God. _ God has notbestowed upon us all like grace; therefore should every one inquireto what he has been appointed, and what kind of gift has beenbestowed upon him. When he discovers this, let him use it for theservice of his neighbor, as St. Peter further explains, and says:

V. 11. _If any man speak, let him speak as the word of God. _ That is, if any one has the grace that enables him to preach and teach, lethim teach and preach. As St. Paul says, also, Rom. Xii. 3: "That noone think more of himself than he ought to think, but every manaccording as God has dealt to him the measure of faith. For as wehave many members in one body and all members have not the sameoffice, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every onemembers one of another; and have many gifts, differing according tothe grace that has been given unto us. " And then follows, "Has anyone a prophecy, let it be in accordance with faith; Has any one aministry, let him wait on his ministering: Does any one teach, lethim wait on his teaching. " He teaches the same doctrine alsoelsewhere, in his Epistles to the Corinthians and Ephesians. 

For this reason has God distributed various gifts among men whichshould be employed to this intent alone, that one should ministertherewith to another, especially those who are in authority, be it inpreaching, or some other ministry. 

Now St. Peter says, here, _If any one speak, let him speak as theword of God. _ This point is worthy of special remark, that no one isto preach anything but what he is sure is the word of God. There St. Peter has shut up the Pope's mouth, and lo! he will be St. Peter'ssuccessor, so cunningly has he managed it. Further:

V. 11. _If any one ministers, let him do it as of the ability whichGod giveth. _ That is, whoever rules in the christian church and hasan office or ministry for the care of souls, he is not to proceed ashe may choose, and say, "I am sovereign lord, I must be obeyed; whatI do shall remain established. " God requires that we should do nootherwise than as he directs. So that since it is God's work andordinance, let a bishop do nothing except he be sure that Godsanctions it, that it is either God's word or work. 

And besides, inasmuch as God will not permit that we should regard asa matter of sport what we do with the christian church, we must standin such an assurance as this, that God speaks and works through us, and that our faith may also say, "That which I have spoken and done, God also has spoken and done; on this I will even die. "

And yet if I am not certain of the matter, then my faith will restupon the sand when the devil assaults me. Thus here it isemphatically forbidden us to receive the command of any bishop, unless it is also the case, that he is certain that he does what Goddoes, and can say, "I have God's word and command for it. " Where thatis wanting, we must hold him for a liar. 

For God has prescribed that our conscience must rest on the barerock. This is said also of government in general, that no one mightfollow his own darkness, and that nothing might be done of which hewas not sure that God would sanction it. Whence you perceive how St. Peter so long ago thrust down to the ground the government of Popesand bishops, as we have it at the present day. Now follows:

V. 11. _That God in all things may be glorified through our LordJesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever;Amen. _ For this reason it is, you are to be so confident, (he means), that God speaks and does all that you speak and do. For if youperform a work of which you are not sure that God has done it, youcannot praise and give thanks. But where a man is certain of it, inthat case he may praise and thank Him for His word and works' sake, though he should be belied and held up for derision. Therefore it isa shameful and ruinous thing that in Christendom any one shouldgovern in opposition to the word and works of God. Therefore, fromnecessity, has St. Peter subjoined that in which he instructs howgovernment should be ordered among christian people. Then follows, further:

V. 12. _Beloved, be not surprised at the fiery trial which is to tryyou, as though some strange thing happened unto you. _ That is a modeof speech not common in our language. But St. Peter uses this veryphraseology, in order to remind us of that concerning which the HolyScripture speaks. For the Scripture is accustomed to speak ofsuffering as though it were a furnace full of fire and heat. St. Peter has spoken in the same manner, above, in the first chapter:"That the trial of your faith be found far more precious than theperishing gold that is tried by fire. " We may also read in theprophet Isaiah, chap. Xlviii. , God says: "I have tried thee in thefurnace of affliction;" and Ps. Xvi. , "With fire hast thou tried me;"and Ps. Xxv. , "Lord, thou wilt consume and destroy my nerves and myheart;" also, Ps. Lxv. , "We have passed through fire and water. " Thusthe Scriptures are accustomed to illustrate what we call suffering, by burning or trial by fire. This is St. Peter's conclusion, that weshould not suffer ourselves to be surprised, or to think it strangeand wonderful that the heat or fire should meet us, whereby we aretried, just as gold is when it is melted in the fire. 

When faith begins, God does not neglect it; He lays the cross uponour back in order to strengthen us and make our faith mighty. TheGospel is a powerful word, but it cannot enter upon its work withoutopposition, and no one can be sure that it possesses such power, buthe who has experienced it. Where there is suffering and the cross, there its power may be shown and exercised. It is a _living_ word, and therefore it must exercise all its energy upon the dead. But ifthere is no such thing as death and corruption, there is nothing forit to do, and none can be certain that it possesses such virtue, andis stronger than sin and death. Therefore, he says, _are you tried_;that is, God appoints for you no flame or heat (in other words, crossand suffering, which make you glow as in a furnace), except to tryyou, whether you rely upon His word. Thus it is written, Wisdom x. , of Jacob, "God appointed for him a severe conflict, that he mightlearn by experience that divine wisdom is the strongest of allthings. " That is the reason why God imposes the cross on allbelievers, that they may taste and prove the power of God whichthrough faith they have possessed. 

V. 13. _But be ye partakers of the sufferings of Christ. _ St. Peterdoes not say that we should feel the sufferings of Christ, thatthereby we should be partakers with Him through faith, but would saythis: just as Christ has suffered, so are you to expect to suffer andbe tried. If you do thus suffer, then do you therein have fellowshipwith the Lord Christ. If we would live with Him, we must also diewith Him. If I wish to sit with Him in His kingdom, I must alsosuffer with Him, as Paul also says, repeatedly. 

V. 13. _Rejoice, that in the time of the revelation of His glory, yemay be glad with exceeding joy. _ Though you should be brought totorture and the flames, you would still be happy. For though there bepain as to the body, there shall yet be a spiritual joy, inasmuch asyou are to be happy forever. For this joy springs here fromsuffering, and is everlasting. Yet whoever cannot bear his sufferingscheerfully, and is dissatisfied, and chooses to contend with God, heshall endure, both here and hereafter, eternal torment and suffering. Thus we read of holy martyrs, that they have submitted cheerfully totorture, thus opening the way to eternal enjoyment; as for instance, of St. Agatha, that she went as joyfully to prison as though it hadbeen to a dance. And the Apostles went also with joy, and thanked God"that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ's sake. "

_In the time of the revelation of His glory. _ Christ does not permitHimself as yet to be seen as a Lord, but is still a sharer with us inour labors. So far as He is Himself concerned, He is truly such, butwe who are His members, are not Lords as yet. Still we shall yet beLords, when His glory at the last day shall be revealed before allmen, brighter than the sun. 

V. 14. _If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you. _Christ is a hateful name with the world; whoever preaches of Him mustendure to have the most esteemed on earth slander and revile hisname. But this in our times is more strange and unseemly, that theywho persecute us bear also the name of Christ; they say they areChristians and baptized, yet in fact renounce and persecute Christ. This is indeed a sad strife. They hold the same name as tenaciouslyas we do, against us. For this reason we greatly needconsolation, --although the most discreet and pious follow afterus, --that we may abide firmly and remain cheerful. But how?

V. 14. _For the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you. On theirpart He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified. _ Ye (hesays) have within you a Spirit, that is, the Spirit of God and ofglory, such as makes you glorious. But this does not take place onearth, but it shall take place when the glory of Christ shall berevealed at the last day. Besides, He is not only a Spirit that makesus glorious, but one which we also regard as glorious in Himself. Forit belongs peculiarly to the Holy Spirit to purify and glorify, evenas He has made Christ pure and glorious. Now the same Spirit (hesays) rests upon you; and forasmuch as ye bear the name of Christ, itis slandered by them. For He must endure to be reviled and slandered, to the highest degree. Therefore it is not you who receive thereviling; it belongs to the Spirit, which is a Spirit of glory: benot anxious; He will regard it and raise you to honor. This is theconsolation which we as Christians have, that we may say, That wordis not mine, this faith is not mine, they are all the work of God:whoever reviles me reviles God, as Christ says in Matthew x. , "Whoever receiveth you receiveth me;" and on the other hand, "Whoeverreviles you reviles me. " St. Peter, therefore, would say, Know thatthe Spirit which you have is strong enough easily to punish Hisenemies; as God says also in Ex. Xxiii. , If thou wilt hearken to mycommandments, I will be the enemy of thine enemies. And the Scriptureoften repeats it, that the enemies of the saints are the enemies ofGod. If we only have experience that we are Christians, and believe, we shall not be ashamed, but the reviling is directed more especiallyagainst God Himself. Therefore, he says, be ye cheerful and happy, for that opposition is to the Spirit, which is not yours, but God's. Now he adds an admonition:

V. 15, 16. _But let no one suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or anevil-doer, or a busy-body in other men's matters; but if any mansuffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorifyGod on this behalf. _ He would say, now, You have heard how you are tosuffer, and conduct yourselves under it, but beware that it do notcome upon you because you have deserved it on account of your evildeeds, but for Christ's sake. Yet this is not now the case with us, for we must suffer, notwithstanding the fact that those who persecuteus bear also the name of Christ, so that no one can die because he isa Christian, but only as an enemy of Christ, and even they whopersecute him say they are real Christians, and say, too, that he isblessed who dies for Christ's sake. Here the Spirit alone mustdetermine, since you must know that you are a Christian in the sightof God. God's tribunal is a secret one, and when He has uncovered thematter, He will judge no more according to the name, since at thattime the name of the most exalted must vanish away. 

Now, St. Peter says, If ye suffer in this manner, _be ye not ashamed, but glorify God. _ Here he makes the suffering and anguish the morewelcome, because it is great, insomuch that we praise God through it, and because we are not worthy of it. Yet now all will shrinktherefrom. Of what advantage is it to embrace the cross inmonasteries? The cross of Christ does not save me. I must, indeed, believe in His cross, but I must myself bear my own cross. Hissuffering must I experience inwardly, if I would possess the truetreasure. Let St. Peter's bones be holy, yet how does it help you?You and your bones should be holy, too, which can take place onlywhen you suffer for Christ's sake. 

V. 17. _For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house ofGod; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them thatobey not the Gospel of God?_ He here brings two passages from theprophets together in one. As to the first, Jeremiah says, xxv. :"Behold, I send my judgments upon the city which is called by myname; and if first of all I afflict my dearly beloved children whobelieve on me, who first of all must suffer and past through thefire, do ye who are my enemies, ye who do not believe, suppose thatye shall escape punishment?" So in chap. Xlix. He says: "They whosejudgment was not to drink the cup, have assuredly drunken, andthinkest thou that thou art he that shall not drink?" That is, Istrike my beloved, that you may see how I shall treat my enemies. Observe here the force of the words: if God holds his saints in suchesteem, yet has been willing to have them judged and exposed withsuch severity, what will then be done with the others?

So also Ezekiel, chap. Ix. , saw armed men with their swords, who wereto slay all, to whom God said, begin at my sanctuary. That is whatSt. Peter means in this place. Therefore he says, the time is come, as the prophets have foretold, when judgment must begin with us. Whenthe Gospel is preached, God arrests and punishes sin, since it is Hethat kills and makes alive. The pious he gently strokes, and first ofall is the rod of kind correction: but what then will be done withthose that do not believe? As though he had said, if He proceeds withsuch severity toward His own children, you may infer what must be thepunishment of those who do not believe. 

V. 18. _And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall theungodly and the sinner appear?_ This passage is also taken from thebook of Proverbs, chap. Ii. 31. : "If the righteous be recompensed inthe earth, where shall the godless abide?" The same thing also issaid here by St. Peter. The righteous can hardly be saved and onlyjust escapes. The righteous is he who believes, yet in his faith, even, _he_ has trouble and labor in order to persevere and be saved, for he must pass through the fire. Where then will _he_ be found whohas not faith? If God gives thus to faith a shock that makes ittremble, how can _he_ abide steadfast who is without faith? whence heconcludes:

V. 19. _Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit their souls to Him as a faithful creator, in well-doing. _ Thatis, they to whom God appoints suffering, that they have notthemselves sought out and invited, should commit their souls to hischarge. These are they that do good, abide in good works, fall notaway because of suffering, commit themselves to their Creator, who isfaithful. This is to us a great consolation. God created thy soulwithout thy care or coöperation, while as yet thou wast not; so is healso able to preserve it. Therefore commit thyself to Him, yet insuch a way that it be joined with good works. Not that you are tothink, --now I will not be afraid to die; you must see to it that youare a true Christian and prove your faith by your works. But if yougo on so venturously, it will be wise to examine how it will go withyou. This is the last admonition which St. Peter gives to those thatsuffer for Christ's sake. We pass now to

CHAPTER V. 

V. 1-4. _The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also anelder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and partaker of theglory which shall be revealed. Feed the flock of Christ which isamong you, and take the oversight of it, not by constraint, butwillingly, not for the love of vile gain, but of a ready mind, not asLords over the heritage, but be ye examples for the flock. Thus whenthe Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive the enduringcrown. _

There St. Peter gives a direction for the behaviour of such as are topreside over the people in the spiritual government. He has alreadysaid in the last chapter, that no one should teach or preachanything, unless he be sure that it is the word of God, so that ourconscience may stand on the firm rock. For this is imperative on usas Christians, that we must be assured what is well-pleasing to God, or not. Where this is wanting none can be a Christian. Afterward hetaught us, that whatever work or office any one might have, he shoulddischarge it as though God wrought in it. But the present passagerefers particularly to the bishops or pastors as to what theirfitness and conduct should be. But here you must pause and learn themeaning of the words. The expression presbyter or priest is a Greekword, rendered in Dutch an elder, just as in Latin these were calledsenators; that is, a number of aged, careful men of much experience. So Christ also has called his officers and his council, who bearspiritual rule; that is, who are to preach and provide for somechristian church. Therefore you must not mistake, though they arecalled at the present day by a different title, priests. For of thosewho are now called priests, Scripture knows nothing. Put the realstate of things as it now comes to pass out of sight, and apprehendthe matter thus: that St. Peter and the other Apostles, when theyarrived at a city where there were faithful people or Christians, have selected there some few aged men of honorable standing, havingwife and children, and being well-grounded in the Scriptures. Thesewere called presbyters. After this Peter and Paul call them_Episcopos_, that is, bishop. So that priest and bishop are one andthe same thing. Of this we have a fine example in the legend of St. Martyn, where an individual, with several companions, arrives inAfrica at a certain place, and perceives a man lying there in ahovel, whom they took for a husbandman, though they knew not who hewas. Afterwards, when the people had come together at that place, this very man arose and preached, when they perceived that it wastheir pastor or bishop; for at that time they were not distinguishedfrom other people by their peculiar kind of clothing and attendance. 

Those elders, says St. Peter, who are to care for and to oversee thepeople, do I admonish, who am also one. Hence you clearly perceivethat they whom he calls _elders_, have been in the ministry and havepreached, since he speaks of himself also as an elder. And here St. Peter humbles himself--does not say that he was a Lord, although hemight have had authority for it since he was an Apostle of Christ, and speaks of himself not only as a fellow-elder, but also as awitness of the sufferings that were in Christ. As though he had said, I do not merely preach, but am a partaker with Christians, evensuffering Christians. Thereby he shows that wherever Christians arethey must suffer and be persecuted. Such is a genuine Apostle. Ifsuch a Pope or a bishop were to be found among these men that bearthe title at the present day, we would gladly kiss his feet. 

_And partaker of the glory which shall be revealed. _ This issomething still more exalted, and evidently a bishop must not lightlysay it. For here St. Peter claims to be a saint. He was certain thathe should be saved, for he had strong assurance, as when Christ said, "I have chosen you"--yet it had cost much pains ere the Apostlesattained it. They must first be humbled and wickedly derided. Now, although he knew that he was a partaker of salvation, still he is notproud, neither does he exalt himself, although he is a saint. Butwhat were the elders therefore to do? It follows:

V. 2. _Feed the flock of Christ which is among you. _ Christ is thechief Shepherd, and has many shepherds under Him, --as also many herdsof sheep which He has committed to His shepherds, here and there, asSt. Peter writes in this place, in many lands. What are theseshepherds to do? They are to feed the flock of Christ. This the Popehas arrogated to himself, and thus claims that he is sovereign lord, and will dispose of the sheep as he chooses. We know very well whatfeeding is, --namely, that the shepherd should distribute provisionand set food before the sheep, that they may thrive. Besides, theyare to guard lest the wolves come and rend the sheep, --that is, thatthey may not assault and worry them. 

Now St. Peter says, particularly, the _flock of Christ_, as though heshould say: Do not imagine that the flock is yours, ye are onlyservants. But our bishops speak with all confidence the reverse ofthis. They say, you are _my_ sheep. But we are Christ's sheep; for sohe said above, "Ye are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop ofyour souls. " The bishops are Christ's servants, and their business isto guard Christ's sheep, and feed them. Therefore to feed them isnothing else but to preach the Gospel, whereby souls are nourished, made fat and fruitful, --since the sheep thrive upon the Gospel andthe word of God. This is alone the office of a bishop. So Christ saysalso to Peter, "Feed my sheep, "--that is, the sheep which you are tofeed, are not yours, but mine. Yet from this they have inferred thedoctrine that the Pope has external power over all Christendom, andyet none of them preaches to you one word out of the Gospel; and Ifear that since St. Peter's times there has been no Pope that haspreached the Gospel. There has certainly been none who has writtenand left anything behind him in which the Gospel was contained. SaintGregory, the Pope, was certainly a holy man, but his sermons are notworth a farthing; so that it would seem that the See of Rome has beenunder the special curse of God. It is very possible that some Popesmay have endured martyrdom for the Gospel's sake; but nothing hasbeen written of them to show that it was the Gospel. And yet they goon and preach that they must feed the flock; and yet they do nothingbut bind and destroy the conscience, by laws of their own, while theypreach not a word of Christ. 

It is probable, indeed, that among all Christians many might befound, both men and women, as able to preach as those who are thusemployed. But certainly among all these multitudes there are manypeople who have not this ability. And therefore some one must beselected to strengthen them, so that the wolves shall not come andtear the sheep. For a preacher must not only feed the sheep, so as toinstruct them how they are to be good Christians, but, besides this, must guard against the wolves, lest they attack the sheep and leadthem astray with false doctrine, and introduce error such as thedevil would not find fault with. But there are many people to befound at the present day, quite ready to tolerate our preaching ofthe Gospel, if we would not cry out against the wolves and preachagainst the prelates. 

But though I were to preach the simple truth, and feed the sheep andgive them good instruction, still it is not enough unless the sheepbe guarded and protected, so that the wolves do not come and carrythem off. For what is it that is built, if I throw out one stone andsee another thrown into its place? The wolf can very readily endureto have the sheep well fed; he had rather have it so, that they maybe fat. But this he cannot endure, the hostile bark of the dogs. Therefore is it a most important matter, if well considered, that weshould truly feed the flock, as God has commanded it. 

_The flock_, he says, _which is among you_, --that is, which is withyou, not that they are to lie at your feet. And _oversee them not byconstraint, but willingly, not out of love for vile gain. _ There hehas expressed, in a single word, what the prophet Ezekiel writes, chap. Xxxiv. , of shepherds or bishops. And this is the meaning: youare not only to feed them, but also pay attention and be carefullyfaithful where it is called for and there is need. And here he uses aGreek word, _Episcopountes_, --that is, _being bishops_, and it comesfrom the word _Episcopos_, --that is, rendered in Dutch, _anoverseer_, _a guardian_, who is on the watch or look-out, and takesnotice of what every one around him wants. Observe, then, how abishop and an elder are one and the same thing. So that _that_ isfalse which they now say, that the bishop's office is a dignity, andthat _he_ is a bishop who wears a pointed hat on his head. It is nota dignity, but a ministry; so that he who has it should oversee andprovide for us, and be our guardian, so as to know what is generallyneeded; that when one is weak and has a troubled conscience, heshould then give help and comfort; when one falls, that he shouldraise him up, and things of this sort; so that the people of Christmay sufficiently be cared for, both in soul and body. For thisreason, I have often said, that if a proper form of government was tobe now established, there must in such a case be in one city as manyas three or four bishops, who should have the oversight and care ofthe Church, providing for the general wants. 

And here St. Peter touches on two points which might well appall anyone from taking the charge over a people. In the first place, thereare some to be found who are truly devoted, yet yield reluctantly tobecoming preachers; for it is a wearisome office for any one to havethe general oversight, --how the sheep live, so as to direct and helpthem, --since there must be oversight and watchfulness night and day, that the wolf do not break in; so that body and life must be devotedto it. Therefore he says, _you are not to do it of constraint_. Trueit is, that no one should force himself uncalled into the ministry;but if he is called and required for it, he should enter itwillingly, and discharge what his office demands. For they who do itfrom constraint, and who have no appetite and love for it, will notproperly discharge it. 

But there are others, worse than these, who stand up before thepeople and thereby seek their own gain, so as to feed their ownbelly. These men are anxious for the wool and milk of the sheep; theyask no questions about the food, --just the course of our bishopsnow, --a thing that has become almost everywhere a scandal and ashame, for in a bishop it is especially scandalous. For this reasonboth the apostles Peter and Paul, as well as the prophets also, haverepeatedly spoken of it. So Moses says, "You know that I have covetedno man's cattle. " The prophet Samuel, also, "You know that I havetaken of you no man's ass or ox. " For if he whose duty it is to feedthe flock is anxious merely for wealth and gain, he will in a shorttime become a wolf himself. 

V. 2. _But of a ready mind. _ That is, that a bishop have an appetiteand inclination thereto. This is the character of those who willinglyminister, and do not seek the wool of the sheep. Thus we have twokinds of false shepherds: the one, those who serve unwillingly; theother, those who do it gladly, but for the sake of avarice. --Further, he says:

V. 3. _Not as lords over the heritage. _ This is the character ofthose who rule willingly enough for honor's sake, in order that theymay rise high, and become powerful tyrants. Therefore he admonishesthem that they should not act as though the people was subject tothem, so that they might be gentlemen, and might do as they chose. For we have a Master, who is Christ, who rules over our spirits. Thebishops are to do no more than feed the sheep. Here St. Peter hasbroken down and condemned all that rule which the Pope now maintains, and clearly determines that they have not power to give one word ofadditional command, but that they are to be only servants, and say, "Thus saith Christ thy Master, therefore you are to do it. " So Christalso speaks: "The kings of this world have dominion, and men callthem who are in authority their gracious lords; but you are not to belike them. " Now the Pope speaks the reverse, --"Ye shall rule and haveauthority. "

V. 3-4. _But be ye an example for the flock; so shall ye, when theChief Shepherd shall appear, receive the enduring crown. _ That is, see to it that you go before them at their head, and exhibit such aconduct that your life may be an example to the people, and they mayfollow after you. But our bishops say to the people, "Go there and doso and so;" and they sit on cushions and play the gentleman, imposingburdens on us which they will not bear themselves, while they willnot preach a word, and call others to account if they have not doneit for them. But if it should be required of them, they would soon beweary of their dignity. 

Therefore St. Peter does not appoint any temporal reward for bishops. As though he would say, "Your office is so great that it never can berewarded here, but ye shall receive an eternal crown, which shallfollow it, if ye truly feed the sheep of Christ. " This is theadmonition which St. Peter gives to those who are to care for souls, from whence you may confidently infer and clearly prove, that thePope, along with his bishops, is Antichrist, or an enemy of Christ, since he does nothing of that which St. Peter here requires, andneither teaches nor practices it himself, but even acts thecounterpart, and will not only not feed the sheep or let them be fed, but is himself a wolf and tears them, and yet makes it his boast thathe is the vicar of the Lord Christ. He certainly is that, for sinceChrist is not there, he, like the devil, sits and rules in Christ'splace. 

Whence it is necessary carefully to remember these plain texts andothers like them, and to hold them up against the Pope's government, so that when any one asks or questions you, you may be able to answerand say, "Christ said and practised so and so; the Pope teaches andpractices directly the opposite. Since they are opposed to oneanother one of them must be false; but certainly Christ is not. Whence I conclude that the Pope is a liar and the real Antichrist. "

In this way must you be prepared with Scripture, so that you can notonly challenge the Pope as Antichrist, but know how to prove itclearly, so that you could die secure of it, and withstand the devileven in death. --It follows, further:

V. 5. _Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elders. _ Wehave now the last admonition in this chapter. St. Peter would havesuch order in the christian church, that the young should follow theold, so that all may go on harmoniously; those beneath submissive tothose above them. If this were now to be enforced, we should not needmany laws. He would strictly have it so that the younger shall bedirected according to the understanding of the older, as these shallbest judge that it shall be for the praise of God. But St. Peterpresumes that such elders are to be instructed and established in theHoly Ghost. For should it happen that they are themselves fools, andwithout understanding, no good government could originate with them;but if they are persons of good understanding, then it is well thatthey should rule the youth. But St. Peter is not speaking here ofcivil, but of church government, that the elders should rule thosethat are spiritually younger, whether they be priests or even oldmen. 

_Be ye all of you subject one to another, and therein manifesthumility. _ Here he turns and modifies his command, directing each tobe subject one to another. But how is that consistent, that theelders should rule, and yet all should be subject one to the other?Are we then to overturn what has been said? Some one perhaps wouldgive such a gloss as this, that St. Peter spoke above of theelders, --here he speaks of the younger. But we shall let the wordsstand, granting that they are spoken generally; as Paul also says inRom. Xii. , "That each in honor prefer one another. " The youngershould be subject to the old, yet in such a manner that the lattershall not regard themselves as masters, but even should submit andfollow, where a younger is more judicious and learned; just as God inthe Old Testament often selected young men, provided they were morewise than the old. 

So Christ also teaches, in Luke xiv. : "When thou art bidden, sit notdown in the highest place, lest a more honorable than thou be bidden, and then he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, give thisman place; and thou begin with shame to take the lower place; butwhen thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place, that whenhe that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee: Friend, go uphigher;" and then he introduces the passage as it is found in manyplaces: "He who exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he thathumbleth himself shall be exalted. "

Therefore should the younger be subject to the elder, and yet theelder on the other hand should be so disposed that each one in hisheart shall hold himself as the least. Were this done we should havedelightful peace, and all would go well on earth. This, therefore, says he, should we do, _exhibit humility_. 

_For God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble. _ Thatis, those who will not give place God casts down; and on the otherhand, he exalts those who humble themselves. It is a commonexpression--would to God he lived like common folks. 

V. 6. _Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God. _Since God requires that each should be subject to the other; if it isdone willingly and cheerfully, he will exalt you. But if you will notdo it willingly, you shall do it from constraint. He will cast youdown. 

_That He may exalt you in his own time. _ It seems, when God suffershis own children to be cast down, as though he would at length desertthem. Therefore he says: Do not mistake on this account, and sufferyourself to be blinded, but be confident, since you have a surepromise that it is God's hand and will. Therefore should you notregard the time, however long it be, that you are brought low; forthough He has cast you down, He will yet lift you up. Hence itfollows:

V. 7. _Cast all your cares upon Him, for He careth for you. _ You havesuch a promise as this, whereby you may rest secure that God doth notforsake you, _but careth for you_. Therefore let all your cares go, and cast your burden on Him. These words are exceedingly precious;how could He have made them more sweet or tender? Why does He employso great allurement? It is in order that no one might easily despondand give up his purpose. Therefore He gives us such consolation asthis: that God not only looks upon us, but cares also for us, and hasa heartfelt regard for our lot. He further says:

V. 8. _Be sober, be vigilant, for your adversary the devil goethabout as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. _ Here he givesus a warning, and would open our eyes, and it would be well worthythat the text should be written in golden letters. Here you perceivewhat this life is, and how it is described, so that we might well beever wishing that we were dead. We are here in the devil's kingdom, just as in case a pilgrim should arrive at an inn, where he knew thatall in the house were robbers; if he must enter there he will yet armhimself in the best way he can devise, and will sleep but little: soare we now on earth, where the prince is an evil spirit, and has thehearts of men in his power, doing by them as he will. It is a fearfulthought if we properly regard it. Therefore St. Peter would warn usto take heed to ourselves, and act the part of a faithful servant, who knows the state of things here. For this reason he says: besober, for they who indulge themselves here in eating and drinking, and are like fat swine, are such as can be fitted for nothing useful. Therefore must we have ever by us such a talisman as this. 

And be vigilant (he says), not only as to the spirit but also as tothe body. For a vitiated body, prone to sleep when it eats and drinksitself full, will give the devil no opposition, though it belong evento those swine who have a faith and spirit. 

Wherefore should we then be sober and vigilant? _Because your enemythe devil goeth about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. _The evil spirit, sleeps not--is cunning and wicked. He has purposedwith himself that he will assault us, and he knows the right tricktherefor; goes about like a lion that is hungry, and roars as thoughhe would gladly devour all. Here St. Peter gives us an importantadmonition, and forewarns us of our enemy, that we may protectourselves against him; as Paul also says, "we are not ignorant of thedevices of the wicked spirit. " That "going about" tends to make usheedless, and thereupon follow wrath, hatred, pride, lust, contemptof God. 

And here observe especially, that he says _the devil goeth about_. Hedoes not pass before your eyes, when you are armed against him, butlooks out before and behind you, within and without, where he mayattack you. If he now meets you here, he will quickly return there, and attack you in another place; he changes from one side to theother, and employs every kind of cunning and art that he may bringyou to fall; and if you are well prepared in one place, he willquickly fall in upon another; and if he cannot overthrow you there, then he assaults you somewhere else, and so never gives it up, butgoes round and round, and leaves no rest to any one. If we then arefools and do not regard it, but go on and take no heed, then has heas good as seized upon us. 

Let every one now look to this; surely each shall trace something ofthis in his own experience. He that has examined knows it well. Therefore it is so sad for us that we go about so heedlessly. If werightly regard it, we should cry out, _death rather than life_. Jobhas spoken thus: "Man's life on earth is nothing but an encampment, amere conflict and strife. " Why then does God thus leave us in lifeand misery? In order that faith may be exercised and grow, and thathastening out of this life, we may have a desire of death, and ananxiety to depart. 

V. 9. _Whom withstand, firm in the faith. _ Sober you should be, andvigilant, but to this end, --the body must be in a proper frame. Yetwith all this, the devil is not routed; this only suffices to affordthe body less occasion for sin. The true sword is this, that ye bestrong and firm in the faith. If you in heart grasp hold of the wordof God and maintain your hold by faith, then the devil cannot gainthe advantage, but will be compelled to fly. If you can say, "Thishas my God said--on this I stand, " then shall ye see that he willquickly depart, and ill-humor, evil lusts, wrath, avarice, melancholyand doubt, will all vanish. But the devil is artful, and does notreadily permit you to come to this, and so assaults you in order totake the sword out of your hand; if he can make you full, so thatyour body is unguarded and inclined to wantonness, then will hequickly wrench the sword from your grasp. Thus He served Eve: she hadGod's word; if she had continued to depend on it she would not havefallen, but when the devil saw that she held the word so loosely, hetore it from her heart, so that she let it go and he triumphed. 

Thus St. Peter has sufficiently instructed us how to contend with thedevil. It requires not much running hither and thither; is besides awork that you can do, yet no longer than you depend through faith onthe word of God. If he comes and would drive you into despondencybecause of sin, only seize hold of the word of God that speaks of theforgiveness of sin, and venture yourself thereon; then will he becompelled quickly to let you alone. St. Peter says, moreover:

_Knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethrenthat are in the world. _ That is, be not surprised that you must meetopposition from the devil; but comfort yourselves, inasmuch as ye arenot alone, but there are others besides you who must endure suchsuffering, and reflect that you have your brethren to share with youin the strife. 

There now you have the Epistle in which you have sufficiently heard atruly christian doctrine; in what a masterly manner he has describedfaith, love, and the Holy Cross; and how he instructs and warns us asto how we should contend with the devil. Whoever comprehends thisEpistle, has doubtless enough, so that he needs nothing more but thatGod teach him richly from that which likewise overflows in the otherbooks. But that is besides nothing different from this; for here theApostle has forgotten nothing which it is necessary for a Christianto know. 

Finally, he does what every faithful preacher should do, in that henot only takes care to feed the sheep, but also cares and prays forthem; and concludes with a prayer that God may give them grace andstrength, that they may understand and retain the word. 

V. 10. _But the God of all grace who hath called us unto His Eternalglory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make youperfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. _ That is the wishwherewith he commits them to God--God, who alone bestows grace, andnot a single grace, but all grace richly in one, who has called youthrough Christ that ye might have Eternal glory, not through anydesert of your own, but for Christ's sake; if ye have Him, ye havethrough faith, without merit of yours, Eternal glory and salvation, which will prepare you, that you may be strong, grow, and stand, andthat ye may be able to accomplish much; and to this end He willstrengthen and establish you, that ye may be able to bear and sufferall. 

V. 11. _To him be praise and power for ever and ever, Amen. _ Praiseis the sacrifice that we as Christians should offer up to God. Heonly adds, in conclusion:

V. 12. _By your faithful brother Silvanus, (as I suppose), have Iwritten briefly, to admonish and manifest that this is the true graceof God wherein ye stand. _ Although I well know (he would say) thatyou have heard this before and know it well, so that you do not needthat I should teach it unto you, yet have I written this to you (asthose that are truly Apostles should do), that I might also admonishyou that you abide therein, since you are tried and exercised; andyou are not to imagine that I preach any otherwise than as you havealready heard. 

V. 13. _The Church that is at Babylon greets you. _ Such was thepractice of writing in the Epistles the farewell. _The Church atBabylon_, says he, _greets you_. I suppose, but am not fullyconfident, that he here meant Rome, for it has been generallysupposed that the Epistle was written from Rome. Still, there weretwo Babylons, --one in Chaldea, the other in Egypt, which is now AlCair. But Rome is not called Babylon, except figuratively, in thesense, as was said above, of thronging corruption. Thus, Babel means, in the Hebrew, a confusion. So, perhaps, he has called Rome aconfusion, or Babel, since _there_ was also such disorderly conduct, and a confused multitude of all kinds of shameful practices andvices; and whatever in the whole world was scandalous had flowntogether there. In this same, he says, is a church gathered of suchas are Christians, who greet you. But I will readily leave every oneto hold it as he will, for no importance attaches to it. 

_My son, Marcus, also. _ Some say that he here means Mark, theEvangelist, and calls him his son, not literally, butspiritually, --as Paul calls Timothy and Titus his sons, and says tothe Corinthians that he has begotten them in Christ. 

V. 14. _Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. _ This custom hasnow passed away. In the Gospel we read distinctly that Christreceived his disciples with a kiss, and such was then a practice inthose lands. Of this kiss, St. Paul often speaks, also. 

_Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen. _ That is, whobelieve in Christ. This is the adieu wherewith he commits them toGod. --Thus we have concluded this first Epistle. God grant His grace, that we may hold and keep it. Amen. 

THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 

PREFACE. 

St. Peter wrote this Epistle because he saw how the true, puredoctrine of faith had become falsified, darkened and suppressed. Andhe has wished to meet a two-fold error, springing from a wrongunderstanding of the doctrine of faith, and guard against it in bothdirections; namely, that we should not ascribe to works the power ofmaking us righteous and acceptable before God, though these worksbelong to faith; and, on the other hand, that no one should thinkthat there may be faith without good works. For if any one preachesconcerning faith, that it justifies us without any addition of works, the people say, "One need do no works, " as we see it in our dailyexperience; and, on the other hand, when they fall on works and exaltthem, faith must be prostrated, so that the middle way is one to beretained with difficulty, where there are not preachers of the rightkind. 

Now, we have ever taught this doctrine, that to faith we are toascribe all things, one as well as another; that it alone makes usjust and holy in the sight of God. Moreover, that if faith ispresent, out of it good works must and should proceed, since it iseven impossible that we should pass this our life quite indolent, anddo no works. Thus St. Peter in this Epistle would also teach us, andthus meet those who perhaps out of the former Epistle might havereceived the wrong apprehension that it sufficed for faith, though weshould at the same time do no work. And against this the firstchapter especially aims, wherein he teaches that believers should trythemselves by good works, and become assured of their faith. 

The second chapter is against those who exalt works merely, anddepreciate faith. Therefore he admonishes them against the falseteachers who should come, who, through the teachings of men, shoulddestroy faith entirely. For he clearly saw what a cruel trial therewould yet be in the world, as had even then already begun; as St. Paul says, II. Thes. Ii. , "The mystery of iniquity already works. "

Thus is this Epistle written as a warning for us, that we prove ourfaith by our good works, and yet that we trust not to our works. 

CHAPTER I. 

V. 1. _Simon Peter, a servant and Apostle of Jesus Christ, to thosewho have attained like faith with us, in the righteousness which ourGod gives, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. _ Such is the subscriptionand the superscription of this Epistle, that we may know who writesit, and to whom he writes it, even to those who have heard the wordof God and abide in the faith. But what sort of a faith is this? Inthe righteousness (says he) which God gives. Thus he grantsjustification to faith alone, --as St. Paul, also, in Rom. I. In theGospel is that righteousness revealed which avails with God, whichcomes from faith; as it stands written: "The just shall live byfaith. " Thus St. Peter would admonish them that they should be armed, and not let the doctrine of faith be torn away, which they have nowapprehended and thoroughly known. 

And to this end he adjoins, _in the righteousness which God gives_, that he may separate from it all human righteousness. For by faithalone are we righteous before God; wherefore faith is called arighteousness of God, for with the world it is of no account; yea, itis even condemned. 

V. 2. _Grace and peace be multiplied among you, through the knowledgeof God and Jesus Christ our Lord. _ This is the greeting usuallyprefixed to the Epistles; and it amounts to this: I wish you, inplace of my service for you, to increase in grace and peace, and growever richer and richer in the grace which comes from the knowledge ofGod and the Lord Christ, --that is, which none can have but he who hasthe knowledge of God and Jesus Christ. 

The Apostles, and the prophets also, in the Scripture, are eversetting forth the knowledge of God. As Isaiah, xi: "They shall notinjure or destroy in my whole mountain, for the land is filled withthe knowledge of God, as the land is covered with the water. " Thatis, so overflowingly shall the knowledge of God break forth, as whena mass of water gushes up and rushes forth and swallows up a wholeland. 

Thence shall such peace then follow, that no one shall wrong another, or make him suffer. 

But this is not to know God, that you should believe as the Turks, Jews, and devils believe, that God has created all things, or eventhat Christ was born of a virgin, suffered, died, and rose again; butthis is the true knowledge, whereby you hold and know that God is thyGod and Christ is thy Christ, which the devil and the falsechristians could not believe. So that this knowledge is nothing elsebut a true christian faith; for if you thus know God and Christ, youwill then confide in them with your whole heart, and trust them ingood and ill, in life and death. Such trust evil consciences cannotpossess. For they know no more of God, except that He is a God of St. Peter and all the saints in heaven. But as their own God they knowHim not, but hold Him as their task-master and angry judge. To haveGod, is to have all grace, all mercy, and all that man can wellreceive; to have Christ, is to have the Saviour and Mediator, who hasbrought us to say that God is ours, and has obtained all grace for uswith Him. This also must be implied, that Christ is yours and you areHis, then have you a true knowledge. A woman that lives unmarried canwell say that a man is a husband, but this can she not say, that heis her husband. So may we all well say, this is _a_ God, but this wecannot say all of us, that He is _our_ God, for we cannot all trustupon Him nor comfort ourselves as His. To this knowledge belongs alsothat which the Scripture calls _faciem et vultum domini_, the face ofthe Lord, whereof the prophets speak much; who ever sees not the faceof the Lord knows Him not, but sees only His back, --that is, an angryand ungracious God. 

And here you perceive, that St. Peter does not set himselfparticularly to write of faith, since he had already done thatsufficiently in the First Epistle, but would admonish believers thatthey should prove their faith by good works; for he would not have afaith without good works, nor works without faith, but faith firstand good works on and from faith. Therefore, he says, now, also:

V. 3. _According as His divine power (whatever serves for life andgodliness) is abundantly given us. _ This is the first point, wherePeter essays to describe what sort of blessings we have receivedthrough faith from God, even that to us (since we have known God byfaith) there is given every kind of divine power. But what sort ofpower is it? It is such power as serves us toward life and godliness;that is, when we believe, then we attain this much, that God gives usthe fullness of His power, which is so with and in us, that what wespeak and work, it is not we that do it, but God Himself does it. Heis strong, powerful, and almighty in us, though we even suffer anddie, and are weak in the eyes of the world. So that there is no powernor ability in us if we have not this power of God. 

But this power of God which is in us, St. Peter would not have soexplained, as that we might make heaven and earth, and should worksuch miracles as God does; for how would we be advantaged by it? Butwe have the power of God within us so far as it is useful andnecessary to us. Therefore, the Apostle adjoins, and says, _whateverserves for life and godliness_; that is, we have such power of Godthat by it we are eminently favored with grace to do good and to liveforever. 

_Through the knowledge of Him who hath called us. _ Such power of God, and such rich grace, come from no other source but from thisknowledge of God; for if you count Him for a God, He will deal alsowith you in all things as a God. So Paul also says, I. Cor. I. , "Yeare in all points enriched in every kind of word and knowledge, evenas the preaching of Christ is made powerful in you, so that ye havehenceforth no want. " This is now the greatest thing of all, thenoblest and most needful that God can give us, --so that we are not toreceive all that is in heaven and on earth; for what would it helpyou, though you were able to go through fire and water, and do allkinds of wonderful works, and had not this? Many people who performsuch miracles shall be condemned. But this is wonderful above allthings else, that God gives us such power, that thereby all our sinsare forgiven and blotted out, death, the devil and hell, subdued andvanquished; so that we have an unharassed conscience and a happyheart, and fear for nothing. 

_Through His glory and virtue. _ How does that call come, whereby weare called of God? Thus: God has permitted the holy Gospel to goforth into the world and be made known, though no man had ever beforestriven for it, or sought or prayed for it, of Him. But ere man hadever thought of it, He has offered, bestowed, and beyond all measurerichly shed forth such grace, so that He alone has the glory and thepraise; and we ascribe to Him alone the virtue and the power, for itis not our work, but His only. Wherefore, since the calling is not ofus, we should not exalt ourselves as though we had done it, butrender to Him praise and thanksgiving, because He has given us theGospel, and thereby granted us power and might against the devil, death, and all evil. 

V. 4. _Whereby are given unto us exceeding precious and greatpromises. _ St. Peter adjoins this, that he may explain the nature andmethod of faith. If we know Him as God, then do we have through faiththat eternal life and divine power wherewith we subdue death and thedevil. Though we see and grasp it not, yet is it promised to us. Wereally have it all, though it does not yet appear, but at the lastday we shall see it present before us. Here it begins in faith;though we have it not in its fullness, we have yet the assurance thatwe live here in the power of God, and shall afterward be savedforever. 

Whoever has this faith has the promise; whoever does not believepossesses it not, and must be lost forever. How great and precious athing this is, Peter explains further, and says:

_So that ye by the same might become partakers of the divine nature, while ye flee from the corrupting lusts of the world. _ This we have, he says, through the power of faith, that we should be partakers andhave association or communion with the divine nature. This is such apassage that the like of it does not stand in the New or OldTestament, although it is a small matter with the unbelieving that weshould have communion with the divine nature itself. But what is thedivine nature? It is eternal truth, righteousness, wisdom; eternallife, peace, joy, happiness, and whatever good one can name. Whoeverthen becomes partaker of the divine nature, attains all this, --thathe is to live forever, and have eternal peace, delight and joy, andis to be perfectly pure, just, and triumphant over the devil, sin anddeath. Therefore St. Peter would say this much: As little as any onecan take away from God, that He should not be eternal life andeternal truth, just as little shall any one take it away from you. Whatever one does to you he must do to Him, for whoever would crush aChristian must crush God. 

All this, that word, the divine nature, implies, and he also used itto this end, that he might include it all; and it is truly a greatthing where it is believed. But, as I said above, this is merelyinstruction, in which he does not lay down a ground of faith, butsets forth what great, rich blessings we receive through faith;wherefore he says, that ye shall have all if ye so live as to proveyour faith, whereby ye flee worldly lusts. So he speaks, now, further:

V. 5. _Give then all your diligence, and add to your faith, virtue. _Here St. Peter takes up the admonition, that they should prove theirfaith by good works. Since such great blessing is bestowed upon youthrough faith (he would say), that ye really have all that God is, dothis besides: be diligent, and not sluggish; add to your faith, virtue; that is, let your faith break out before the world, so as tobe zealous, busy, powerful, and active, and to do many works; let itnot remain idle and unfruitful. Ye have a good inheritance and a goodfield, but see to it that ye do not let thistles and weeds grow uponit. 

_And to virtue, discrimination. _ Discrimination or knowledge is, inthe first place, that one should manifest an outward conduct, and thevirtue of faith, in accordance with reason. For we should so farbridle and check the body, that we may be sober, vigorous, and fittedfor good works; not that we should torture and mortify ourselves assome famous saints have done. For though God is likewise opposed tothe sins that remain in the flesh, yet does He not require that forthis reason you should destroy the body. Its viciousness and capriceyou should guard against, but yet you are not to ruin or injure it, but give it its food and refreshment that it may remain sound and inliving vigor. 

In the second place, discrimination means that one should lead a lifecarefully exact, and act with discretion in regard to outward things, as food and things of that sort, --that one should not act in thesethings unreasonably, and that he should give his neighbor noprovocation. 

V. 6. _And to discrimination, temperance. _ Temperance is not only ineating and drinking, but it is regularity in the whole life andconduct, words, works, manners; that we should not live tooexpensively, and should avoid excess in ornament and clothing; thatnone come out too proudly, and make too lofty a show. But in regardto this St. Peter will not fix any rule, measure, or limit, as theOrders have prescribed for themselves, who have wished to do all byrule, and have framed statutes which must be exactly observed. It isa thing not to be tolerated in Christendom, that men should requireby laws that there be a common rule on _temperance_; for people areunlike one to another; one is of a strong, another is of a weakernature; and no one in all things is at all times situated as another. Therefore every one should see to himself how he is situated, andwhat he can bear. 

_And to temperance, patience. _ Thus would St. Peter say: though yelead a temperate and discreet life, ye are not to think that ye shalllive without conflict and persecution. For if ye believe, and lead afair christian life, the world will not let it alone; it mustpersecute and hate you, in which you must show patience, which is afruit of faith. 

_And to patience, godliness. _ That is, that we in all our outwardlife, whatever we do or suffer, should so conduct ourselves that wemay serve God therein, not seeking our own honor and gain, but thatGod alone may be glorified thereby; and that we should so demeanourselves that men may take knowledge that we do all for God's sake. 

V. 7. _And to godliness, brotherly love. _ In this St. Peter obligesus all to extend a helping hand one to another, like brethren, sothat one should protect another, and none hate nor despise nor injureanother. This is also an evident proof of faith, whereby we show thatwe have the godliness of which he has spoken. 

_And to brotherly love (charity), common love. _ Common love extendsto both friend and enemy, even to those who do not show themselvesfriendly and brotherly towards us. Thus St. Peter has herecomprehended in few words whatever pertains to the christian life, and whatever are the works and fruits of faith, discretion, temperance, patience, a God-fearing life, brotherly love, andkindness to every one. 

V. 8. _For if such dwell richly in you, it will not permit you to beidle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. _ Thatis, if ye do such works, then are ye on the right path, then do yehave a real faith, and the knowledge of Christ becomes active andfruitful in you. Therefore see to it that ye be not such as beat theair. Restrain your body, and act toward your neighbor even in such amanner as ye know that Christ has done toward you. 

V. 9. _But to whomsoever such is wanting, he is blind, gropes withthe hand, and has forgotten the purifying of his former sins. _Whoever has not such a preparation of the fruits of faith, gropeslike a blind man here and there, rests in such a life that he knowsnot what his state is, has not real faith, and has of the knowledgeof Christ nothing more than that he can say he has heard it. Therefore he goes along and gropes like a blind man on the way, in anunconscious life, and has forgotten that he was baptized and his sinswere forgiven him, and is unthankful, and is an idle, negligent man, who suffers nothing to go to his heart, and neither feels nor tastessuch great grace and blessing. 

This is the admonition which St. Peter gives to us who believe, tourge and enforce those works by which we shall evidence that the truefaith is in us. And, besides, this ever remains true, that faithalone justifies; where this then is present, there works mustfollow. --What follows further, now, is meant to strengthen us. 

V. 10. _Wherefore, dear brethren, give so much the more diligence tomake your calling and election sure. _ The election and eternalforeknowledge of God is indeed in itself sure enough, so that mandoes not need to make that sure. The calling is also effectual andsure. For whoever hears the Gospel, and believes thereon, and isbaptized, he is called and saved. Since we then are also thereuntocalled, we should apply so much diligence (says Peter), that ourcalling and election may be assured with us also, and not only withGod. This is now such a mode of scriptural expression as St. Pauluses, Eph. Ii. , "Ye were strangers to the covenant of promise, sothat ye had no hope and were without God in the world. " For althoughthere is no man, neither bad nor good, over whom God does not reign, since all creatures are His, yet Paul says he has no God who does notknow, love, and trust Him, although he had his being in God Himself. So here, also; although the calling and election are effectual enoughin themselves, yet with you it is not yet effectual and assured, since you are not yet certain that it includes you. Therefore St. Peter would have us make such calling and election sure, by goodworks. 

Thus you see what this Apostle attributes to the fruits of faith. Although they are due to our neighbor, that he may be benefited bythem, still the fruit is not to be wanting, that faith may therebybecome stronger, and do more and more of good works. Besides, this isquite another kind of power from that of the body, for that growsweary and wastes away if it is used and urged somewhat too far: butas to this spiritual power, the more it is used and urged, thestronger it becomes; and it suffers injury if it is not exercised. For this reason did God introduce Christianity at the first in such amanner as He did, driven and tried by the wrestling of faith, inshame, death, and bloodshed, that it might become truly strong andmighty, and that the more it was oppressed the more it might riseabove it. This is St. Peter's meaning in this place, that we shouldnot let faith rust and lie still, since it is so ordained that it isever made more and more strong by trial and exercise, until it isassured of its calling and election, and cannot fail. 

And here is also a bound set as to how we should proceed withreference to election. There are many light-minded persons who havenot felt much of the power of faith, who fall in this matter, stumbling upon it; and they trouble themselves at first with it, andby reason would satisfy themselves whether they are elected, so thatthey may be assured whereon they stand. But desist from this, atonce; it is a thing that cannot be apprehended (grasped). But if youwill be assured, you must reach it by the way which St. Peter herestrikes out for you. If you choose another for yourself, you havefailed already, and your own experience must teach you so. If faithis properly exercised and tried, then are you at last assured of thefact that you cannot fail, as now further follows:

_For if ye do these things ye shall never fall. _ That is, ye are tostand fast, not stumble nor sin, but go onward thoroughly upright andactive, and all shall go well with you. But if you would set it rightby your reasonings, the devil will soon throw you into despair andhatred of God. 

V. 11. _And so shall an entrance be ministered unto you abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. _This is the way by which we enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, no one should propose, by such dreams and reasonings concerning faithas he has invented in his heart, to enter therein. There must be aliving, active, tried faith. God help us! How have our deceiverswritten, taught and spoken against this text, yet whoever has eventhe least measure and only a spark of faith, shall be saved when hecomes to die. 

If you would pry into this matter, and in this way attain such faithquickly and suddenly, you will then have waited too long. Yet you areto understand well, that they who are strong have enough to do, although we are not to despair even of such as are weak, for it mayindeed well happen that they shall endure, though it will be sorelyand hardly, and will cost much striving; but whoever carefully seesto it in his life, that faith is invigorated and made strong by goodworks, he shall have an abundant entrance, and with calm spirit andconfidence go into that life to come, so that he shall diecomfortably, and despise this life, and even triumphantly go on, andwith gladness hasten to that. But those, who would come in otherwise, shall not enter thus with joy; the door shall not stand open to themso wide; they shall, moreover, not have such an abundant entrance, but it shall be, narrow and a hard one, so that they tremble, andwould rather their life-day should be in weakness, than that theyshould die. 

V. 12. _Wherefore I will not be negligent to remind you always ofsuch things, although ye know them, and are established in thispresent truth. _ That is the same that we also have often said, although God has now let such a great light go forth through therevelation of the Gospel, so that we know what true christian lifeand doctrine is, and see how all Scripture insists upon it, yet this(light) we are not to neglect but use daily, not for doctrine, butfor the sake of remembrance. For there is a twofold office in thechristian church, as St. Paul says, Rom. Xii. : "If any one teaches, let him wait on teaching; if any one admonishes, let him wait onadmonition. " To teach, is when any one lays down the ground of faith, and sets it forth to those who have no knowledge of it. But toadmonish, or as Peter here says, _to remind_, is to preach to thosewho know and have heard the matter already, so that they are seizedhold of and awakened, in order that they should not be heedless, butgo onward and prosper. We are all beladen with the old sluggard load, with our flesh and blood, that chooses for ever the byroad, and keepsus ever subject to its load, so that the soul easily falls asleep. Therefore we are ever to urge and shake it, as a master urges hisservants, lest they become sluggish, although they know very wellwhat they should do; for while we must pursue this course for ourtemporal support, far more must we do it in this case in spiritualmatters. 

V. 13. _For I count it proper, so long as I am in this tabernacle, toawaken and remind you. _ Here St. Peter calls his body a tabernaclewherein the soul dwells; and it is a phrase like that where in thefirst Epistle he speaks of the body as a vessel or an instrument. SoSt. Paul also speaks, II. Cor. V. : "We know that if our earthly houseof this tabernacle were broken down, that we have a house built byGod, a house not made with hands, eternal in heaven, and for the samewe long earnestly, for our dwelling which is from heaven. For as longas we are in this tabernacle we earnestly long, " &c. Also, "but yetwe are consoled and know that while we are at home in the body we areabsent from the Lord, but we have far greater desire to be out of thebody and to be at home with the Lord. " There the Apostle Paul speaksalso of the body as a house, and makes two homes, and twosojournings. So Peter speaks here of the body as a tabernacle whereinthe soul rests, and he makes it mean enough; he will not call it ahouse, but a hut or pent-house, such as shepherds have. Great is thetreasure, but small is the house in which it lies and dwells. 

V. 14, 15. _For I know that I must soon lay off my tabernacle, evenas the Lord Christ hath showed me. But I will take care that ye byall means, after my departure, may keep such things in yourremembrance. _ Here Peter testifies of himself that he has becomeassured of eternal life, and to him God had shown beforehand when heshould die; but this took place for our and our faith's sake, forthere must have been some such persons as knew assuredly that theywere elected, who should lay down and settle faith, that we mightknow that they preached not the doctrine of men, but the word of God. But ere they have come to such an assurance, God has thoroughlyproved them first, and purified them. Thus Peter now says, I will notonly remind you with the living voice, but set such things also inwriting, and charge you, through others, that ye ever hold them inremembrance, through my life and after my death, and not let them go. There see how great anxiety the Apostle had for souls; yet, alas! ithas helped nothing. 

V. 16-18. _For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when wehave made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord JesusChrist, for we have been witnesses of His majesty, when He receivedfrom God the Father honor and praise, by a voice which came to Himfrom the excellent glory, this is my well-beloved Son, in whom I amwell pleased; and this voice, which came from heaven, we heard, whenwe were with Him on the holy mount. _ There St. Peter touches upon thehistory written in the Gospel, Matt. Xvii. , how Jesus took to Himselfthree of his disciples, Peter, James and John, and led them aside upa high mountain, and was glorified before them, and His face shonelike the sun, and His clothing was white as the light, and thereappeared to Him Moses and Elias, who spoke with Him, while a lightcloud overshadowed them, and a voice out of the cloud said, This ismy beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him. When thedisciples heard that, they fell on their faces, and were very muchafraid. But Jesus went to them, roused them up, and said, stand up, be not afraid; then they lifted up their eyes, and saw no one butJesus only, and when they went down from the mountain He charged themthat they should tell no one of this sight till He arose from thedead. 

So St. Peter would now say, that which I preach to you of Christ andof His coming, this Gospel that we preach, we have not devised or yetimagined, nor taken it from cunning fabulists who know how to speakbrilliantly of all things (such as at that very time the Greekswere), for it is mere fable, and fancy, and idle babbling that theycunningly give forth, and wherein they would be wise, --such we havenot listened to, nor have we followed them; that is, we preach notwhat is from the hands of men, but are sure that it is of God, andhave become so through our eyes and ears;--that is to say, When wewere with Christ upon the mountain, and saw and heard His glory; forHis glory was this, that His face shone like the sun, and Hisclothing was as white as snow; besides, we heard a voice from thehighest Majesty, "This is my beloved Son; hear ye Him. "

So confident should every preacher be, and not be in doubt thereon, that he has God's word, that he could even die for it, since it isworth our life. Now there is no man so holy that he must needs diefor the doctrine which he has taught of himself; wherefore it isinferred here that the Apostles have had assurance from God thattheir Gospel was God's word. And here it is also shown that theGospel is nothing else than the preaching of Christ. Therefore weshould hear no other preaching, for the Father will have no other. "That is my dear Son, " He says; "hear Him. " He is your Teacher--asthough He had said, "When ye hear Him, then ye have heard me. "Wherefore Peter now says, we have preached Christ and made Him knownto you, that He is Lord, and rules over all things, and all power isHis; and that whosoever believes on Him has likewise such power. Suchthings we have not ourselves devised, but have seen and heard themthrough God's revelation, by which He has charged us that we shouldhear Christ. 

But why does Paul separate from one another the power and the comingof Christ? The power consists, as we have heard above, in that He ismighty over all things; that all must lie at His feet; and this shallcontinue as long as the world stands. While we are flesh and blood, and live upon the earth, so long shall Christ's kingdom flourish, even to the last day. Then shall come another period, when He shallgive up the kingdom to God the Father, whereof St. Paul speaks, I. Cor. Xv. : "Christ the first fruits; afterwards those that belong toChrist, who are His at His coming. Afterward is the end, when Heshall answer for the kingdom to God and the Father. " Also: "But whenall shall be subject to Him, then shall the Son also be subject toHim who subdued all for Him. "

How? Is then the kingdom not God the Father's now? Is not all subjectto Him? Answer:--St. Paul explains himself in the same place, andsays: "So that God may be all in all;" that is, whatsoever any oneshall need or should have, that God will be; as St. Peter has told usabove, that we should be partakers of the Divine nature. Wherefore weshall also have all that God has, and all that is needful for us weshall have in Him, --wisdom, righteousness, strength and life, --atruth which we now believe, hearing it merely, and having it in theword of God. But then shall the word cease, when our souls shall beenlarged and see and feel it all as a present thing. This is what St. Paul means, and St. Peter also: that the power of Christ's kingdomnow proceeds; now He gives the word, and thereby, through Hishumanity, reigns over the devil, sin, death, and all things. But atthe last day this shall be made clear. Therefore, although God everrules, still it is not yet manifest to us. He clearly beholds us, butwe behold Him not. Therefore must Christ surrender up to Him thekingdom, so that we also shall see it, while we then shall beChrist's brethren and God's children. Thus Christ received from Godhonor and glory (St. Peter here says) when the Father made all thingssubject to Him, and made Him Lord, and glorified Him by this voice, in which He says, "This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am wellpleased. "

By this St. Peter would confirm his doctrine and preaching, that itmight be known whence it came. But this experience was no more thanthat he had heard this, and was able to preach of it. But the HolySpirit must also come and strengthen him, that he may believe in it, and preach and confess it cheerfully. The former thing belongs onlyto the office of the preacher, not to the soul; but this belongs tothe Spirit. 

V. 19. _We have also a sure word of Prophecy, and ye do well in thatye give heed to it, as to a light that shines in a dark place, tillthe day break and the morning star rise in your hearts. _ There St. Peter grasps right hold upon the matter, and would say this much: allthat I preach is to subserve this end, that your conscience may beassured, and your heart may stand firm on this, and not let itself betorn therefrom, and that thus both I and you may be certain that wehave God's word. For it is an important matter as respects the Gospelthat we should receive and hold it clean and pure, without additionand false doctrine. Therefore Peter begins henceforth to writeagainst human doctrines. 

But why does he say we have a sure word of prophecy? Answer: I hold, indeed, that we shall have no more prophets, such as the Jews had informer times in the Old Testament. But a prophet eminently should hebe who preaches of Jesus Christ. Therefore, although many prophets inthe Old Testament have foretold concerning things to come, yet theycame and were sent by God, for this reason especially, that theyshould foretell Christ. Those, then, who believe on Christ are allprophets, for they have the true head-article that the prophetsshould have, although they have not the gift of making known thingsto come; for as we, through the faith of our Master, are Christ'sbrethren, are kings and priests, so are we prophets also, all of usthrough Christ. For we can all say what belongs to salvation andGod's honor and a christian life, besides of future things, so muchas this is necessarily known to us, viz. , that the Last Day shallcome, and that we shall rise from the dead; besides, we understandthe whole substance of Scripture. Whereof Paul also says, I. Cor. Xiv. : "Ye can all prophecy, one after another. "

This now, is, what Peter says: we have such a word of prophecy as issure in itself; see to it only that it be sure to you; and ye do wellin paying heed to it:--as though he should say: It will be a thing ofnecessity to you to hold firmly by it; for it is in regard to theGospel as though one were imprisoned in the house, in the midst ofthe night, when it was stock dark. Then it were a matter of necessitythat one should kindle a light, till the day came when he could see. Eminently such is the Gospel in the midst of the night and darkness, for all human reason is mere error and blindness, while the world iseven nothing else but a kingdom of darkness. In this darkness has Godnow kindled a light, even the Gospel, whereby we may see and walk, while we are on the earth, till the morning dawn comes and the daybreaks. 

Thus this text is also strongly against all human doctrine; for sincethe word of God is the light in a dark and gloomy place, it followsthat all besides is darkness. For if there were another light besidesthe word, St. Peter would not have spoken as he has. Therefore looknot to this, how gifted those men are with reason who teach any otherdoctrine, however grandly they put it forth; if you cannot traceGod's word in it, then be in no doubt as to its being mere darkness. And let it not disturb you at all that they say they have the HolySpirit. How can they have God's Spirit if they do not have His word?Wherefore they do nothing else but call darkness light and make thelight darkness, as Isaiah says, chap. V. 

This is God's word--even the Gospel--that we are ransomed by Christfrom death, sin and hell: whoever hears that, he has this light andhas kindled this lamp in his heart, even that by which we may see theone that enlightens us, and teaches us whatever we should know. Butwhere this is not, there we rush on, and by matters and works of ourown device would find out the way to heaven. Whereof, by your light, you can judge and see that it is darkness. Wherefore since they havenot the light, neither would receive it, they must remain in darknessand blindness. For the light teaches us all that which we ought toknow and what is necessary to salvation--a thing which the world bywisdom and reason knows not. And this light we must still have anddepend upon, even to the last day. Then shall we have no more need ofthe word, just as we put out the lamp when the day breaks. 

V. 20, 21. _And this ye should know first of all, that no prophecy ofthe Scripture is of any private interpretation; for prophecy came notaforetime by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they weremoved by the Holy Spirit. _ Here Peter falls upon the matter of falsedoctrine: since ye know this, he says, that we have the word of God, abide thereon, and suffer yourselves not to be drawn from it byothers that teach falsely, though they come and give forth that theyhave the Holy Spirit. For this ye should know first of all (thesecond matter he would speak of afterward), that no prophecy of theScripture is of any private interpretation; by this be directed, anddo not think that ye shall explain the Scripture by your own reasonand wisdom. 

In this the private interpretation of Scripture by all the fathers isthrown down and rejected, and it is forbidden to build on suchinterpretation. Though Jerome, or Augustine, or any one of thefathers have explained it of himself, yet would not we have it fromhim. Peter has forbidden you to explain it of yourself at all. TheHoly Spirit will explain it Himself, or it shall remain unexplained. If now any one of the holy fathers can prove that he has hisexplanation from the Scriptures, which give assurance that it shouldbe so explained, then it is right; where this is not the case, I forone shall not believe him. Thus Peter lays hold on the boldest andbest teachers; wherefore we should rest assured that none is to bebelieved who sets the Scripture forth where he of himself opens andexplains it. For there can be no true sense obtained by privateinterpretation. Here have all the teachers and fathers who haveexplained the Scripture stumbled, so far as they are extant to us. Aswhen they refer the passage of Christ, Matt. Xvi. : _Thou art Peter, and on this rock will I build my church_, to the Pope. That is ahuman, self-invented explanation; therefore, no one is to believethem, for they cannot prove out of the Scripture that Peter is everspoken of as Pope. But this we can prove, that the rock is Christ andfaith, as Paul says. This explanation is the right one; for of thiswe are sure, it has not been invented by men, but drawn from God'sword. Now what is found written and foretold in the prophets, saysPeter, that men have not searched out nor invented; but holy andpious men have spoken it from the Holy Spirit. 

Thus this is the first chapter, wherein St. Peter has first of alltaught us what those really good works are whereby we must give proofof our faith. In the second place, that no man in Christendom shouldpreach anything but God's word alone. The reason why it should be sois no other, as we have said, except that men should preach that wordwhich shall remain forever, whereby souls may be won, and eternallife. Now there follows a just admonition, which Christ and Paul andall the Apostles have also given, that each should look out forhimself and guard against false teachers. 

It is especially necessary for us to observe it carefully, so that weshall not suffer that right and authority which all Christians have, to be torn from us, to judge and decide on all doctrines; and shallnot let it come to this, that we first wait till the Councilsdetermine what we are to believe, and then follow that. This we arenow to look at. 

CHAPTER II. 

V. 1. _But there were false teachers also among the people, as alsoamong you there shall be false teachers. _ This is what St. Peterwould say: All prophecy must proceed from the Holy Spirit, even tothe end of the world, just as it has gone forth from the beginning ofthe world, so that nothing shall be preached but what is God's word. Yet it has ever so happened, that close upon the true prophets andword of God, there have been false teachers, and so also it shallcontinue. Therefore, since ye have God's word, ye should take heed toyourselves that ye do not have false teachers besides. This is asufficient admonition, and it cannot fail where the true word of Godis preached; that close upon it false teachers also should rise up. The reason is this, --not every one lays hold on the word, andbelieves thereon, although it is preached to all. They who believethereon, follow it, and hold it fast; but the greater part, they whodo not believe, receive a false sense therefrom, whence they becomefalse teachers. This matter we have not seriously considered, norhave we attended to this warning; but we have gone astray, andwhatever has been preached that we have done. Thereon we havestumbled and fallen, and been led away by delusion, as though thePope, with his priests and monks, could not err. Thus those thatshould have been on their guard against such things, have been thefirst that have urged them upon us. So that we are not free fromblame, though we have a wrong belief, and follow after falseteachers: it shall be of no help to us, that we have not known, sincewe were warned beforehand. Besides, God has bidden us that we shouldeach determine what this or that one preaches, and give accountthereof; if we do not, then are we lost; wherefore it concerns everyone's own soul's salvation to know what God's word is, and what falsedoctrines are. 

Such warnings against false teachers are, besides, very frequent, here and there, throughout the Scripture. St. Paul, Acts xx. , givesjust such an admonition in his preaching, when he blesses those ofEphesus and gives them his farewell; and he speaks in this manner: "Iknow that after my departure there shall come in among you grievouswolves, who shall not spare the flock; yea, there shall even of yourown selves arise men who shall teach corrupt doctrine, who shall drawdisciples after them. " Christ proclaims it also in Matt. Xx. : "Ifanyone shall say to you (he says), lo! here is Christ, or lo! there, then are ye not to believe it; for there shall arise false Christsand false prophets, and great signs and wonders shall they do, thatshall lead into error, if it were possible, even the elect. " Andagain, Paul, I. Tim. , iv. : "The Spirit speaks expressly that in thelast times some shall depart from the faith, and cleave to erringspirits and doctrines of the devil by which they speak lies inhypocrisy. " As forcefully as such admonition has gone forth, socareful should we have been; yet it has been of no avail. Theadmonition has been kept silent, and thus we have still wandered, andsuffered ourselves to be led astray. 

Now let us see who those false teachers may be, of whom Peter herespeaks. I think that God has ordained by special counsel that ourteachers should have been called doctors, that it might be seen whomPeter means. For he as much as uses the word here; falsedoctors, --that is, false teachers, he says, --not false prophets orfalse apostles. In this he fairly hits the high schools, where such aclass of men is made, and whence all the preachers have come forthinto the world; so that there is not even a city under the Popedom, which does not have such teachers made in the high schools. For allthe world thinks that they are the fountain, the streams of which areto teach the people. This is a desperate error, since no more cruelthing has ever come upon the earth than has come forth from the highschools. Therefore Peter says, that such vain, false teachers are tobe; but what shall they do? This follows further:

_Who shall privily introduce damnable heresies. _ He calls themdamnable heresies (sects), or states and orders, because whosoever ispersuaded into them is already lost. These shall they secretly bringin, he says, not that they shall preach that the Gospel and the HolyScriptures are false, for that would have worked quite againstthem, --but these names, God, Christ, faith, church, baptism, sacrament, they shall still hold, and suffer to continue. But underthese names they bring forward and set up something of another sort. For there is a great difference, whether I say this man preachesagainst this doctrine or in accordance with it. When I preach thus, that Christ is the Son of God and truly man, and whoever believes onHim shall be saved, --that is right preaching and the true Gospel. Butif one preaches that Christ is not the Son of God, nor truly man, moreover that faith does not save, it is said in plain contradictionto it. Whence St. Peter speaks not (for this is what our highschools, priests and monks do not attempt), except of those associatedoctrines which they introduce through the true doctrine. As whenthey speak after this manner, --it is true that Christ was God, and isman; that He died for our sins, and no one can be saved who does notbelieve upon Him. But that belongs only to the common estate (ofChristians); but we will set up a more complete one, in which menshall vow chastity, poverty, and obedience, as well as fast, endowinstitutions, &c. Whoever does this shall go full tide up to heaven. Where now men preach and hear such things as that there is nothingbetter and more saving than virginity and obedience, and that themonk and the priest are in a higher and more perfect estate thanmankind in general, there is nothing said against the pure christiandoctrine directly, nor are faith and baptism denied, nor that Christis the Saviour. But yet there is such doctrine brought in with them, leading men away from the right path, that they build upon their ownlife and works, and hold nothing more in regard to Christ, but justthese words: we believe that Christ is the Son of God, and man; thatHe died and rose again; that He is the Saviour of the world, &c. Butthey repose no faith in Him, for if they did that, they would notrest an hour upon their life. 

Thus they have also preached and said among the people: "Ye areChristians already, but that is not enough; ye must also do such andsuch works, build churches and cloisters, found masses and vigils, "&c. 

The great multitude has tumbled into this notion, and thought it wasright. Hereby Christendom is divided and separated into as manysects, almost, as there are states and people. 

But this is what men should have preached and taught: Ye areChristians indeed, and, just as well as those a hundred miles away, ye have all of you one Christ, one baptism, one faith, one spirit, one word, one God; so that no work that man can do helps to make aChristian. Thus, were men included in a common faith, there would beno difference before God, but one would be as another. This unityhave they rent asunder, in that they say, "You are a Christian, butyou must do works in order that you may be saved;" and thus they leadus away from faith to works. Therefore St. Peter says, if we willexplain it right, nothing but this: there shall come high schools, doctors, priests and monks, and all classes of men, who shall bringin ruinous sects and orders, and shall lead the world astray by falsedoctrines. Such are those whom he means here, for they all hold tothe notion that their state and Order saves them, and they cause mento build and trust thereon; for where men do not hold to this view, they carefully keep clear of entering them. 

_And shall deny the Lord who bought them. _ "Oh, " say they, "we do notdeny the Lord at all!" But if any one says, "Since you are ransomedby Christ, and His blood blots out your sin, what will you blot outby your mode of life?" Then they say, "Ah! faith does not do italone, works must also aid towards it. " Thus they confess the LordChrist indeed with their mouth, but with their hearts they quite denyhim. See how admirably St. Peter expresses it. They deny the Master, he says, who has bought them: they should be under Him as under amaster whose own they were. But now, though they believe indeed thatHe is their master and has purchased the whole world by His blood, yet they do not believe that they are bought, and that He is theirmaster; and they say "He has indeed bought and ransomed them, butthen this is not enough, --we must first by our works expiate the sinand make satisfaction for it. " But we say, if you yourself take awayand blot out your sin, what has Christ then done? You certainlycannot make two Christs who take away sin. He should and must be theonly one that puts away sin. If that be true, then I cannotunderstand how I am myself to cancel my own sin. If I do it, I canneither say nor believe that He takes it away. And it is the samething with denying Christ; for although they hold Christ to be theirmaster, they deny that He has bought them. They believe, indeed, thatHe sits above in heaven and is Lord; but that which is His peculiaroffice, to take away sin, this they take from Him, and ascribe it totheir own works. Thus they leave to Him nothing more than the nameand title; but His work, His power, and His office, they will havethemselves. So that Christ has truly said, "Many shall come in myname, and say, I am Christ, and shall seduce many. " For they are thispreëminently, not who say, "I am called Christ, " but "I am He;" forthey seize to themselves the office that belongs to Christ, thrustHim from His throne, and seat themselves thereon. This we see beforeour eyes, insomuch that no one can deny it. Therefore St. Peter callsthem damnable or ruinous heresies, for they run all of them straightto hell; so that I suppose that among a thousand, hardly one issaved. For whoever shall be saved therein must say this much: "Myobedience, my chastity, &c. , do not save me; my works do not takeaway any sin from me. " But how many there are who have these views, and remain in such a damnable state!

_And shall bring upon themselves quick damnation. _ That is, theircondemnation shall quickly overtake them; although it is plain thatGod forbears long, yet He will come soon enough. But it is not athing that respects the body, that we should be able to see it withour eyes, but just as the fifty-fourth Psalm says, "They shall notlive out half their day;" that is, death shall seize upon them erethey themselves suspect, so that they shall say, like Hezekiah, Is. Xxxviii. , "I have said in the midst of my life, I must go down intothe grave;" as though they should say, "O Lord God, is death alreadyhere?" For those men who do not live by faith, who are never more andmore weary of life, the longer they live the longer they would live, and the holier they seem the more terrible will death be to them, especially to those who have scrupulous consciences and cruelly urgeand vex themselves by works, for it is not possible to vanquish deathby human powers. Where faith is wanting, the conscience must trembleand despair. Where faith is strong, death comes too slow; while, onthe other hand, he comes to the unbelieving always too soon, forthere is no end to the thirst and love of life. 

This is what Peter means here: these people who set up such sects, and so deny Christ, must come to die with the greatest unwillingness, trembling and desponding; for they can have no other thought butthis, "Who knows whether God will be gracious to me and will forgivemy sins?" and they remain forever in such doubt, "who knows it, --whoknows it?" and their conscience is never at peace. The longer theythus continue, the more terrible is death to them; for death cannotfirst be subdued, till sin and an evil conscience have been takenaway. So will their condemnation come upon them hastily, so that theymust abide in eternal death. 

V. 2. _And many shall follow their destruction. _ It may be seenbefore our eyes, that it has come to pass just as St. Peter firstdeclared. There has been not a father or mother who has not wished tohave a priest, monk, or nun, from among their children. Thus one foolhas made another; for when people have seen the misfortune and miserythat are found in the marriage state, and have not known that it is asafe estate, they have wished to do the best for their children, tohelp them to a happy life and freedom from wretchedness. So that St. Peter has foretold here nothing else but just that the world shouldbecome full of priests, monks, and nuns. Thus youth, and the bestthat are in the world, have run with the multitude to the devil. St. Peter says it, alas! only too truly, that many should follow them tothis destruction. 

_By whom the way of truth shall be blasphemed. _ This, too, is a thingthat may be seen before our eyes. To blaspheme is to libel, damn, andcurse; as when one condemns the christian estate as error and heresy. If one now should preach and say that their course is against theGospel, because they lead men away from faith to works, then they goabout and cry, "Thou art cursed, thou leadest the world astray. " Andthey blaspheme even yet more, in perverting what Christ has said, andsaying no! to it. As when they, out of that which Christ has bidden, make nothing but a story, so that they forbid what Christ would haveleft free, and make that sin which He makes none, besides condemningand burning whoever preaches against it. The way of truth is awell-ordered life and walk, in which there is no fraud nor hypocrisy, such as that faith is in which all Christians walk. This they cannotbear; they blaspheme and condemn it, so as to praise and sustaintheir Order and sect. 

V. 3. _And through avarice, with feigned words shall they makemerchandise of you. _ This is specially the way of all false teachers, that they preach from avarice, that they may fill their belly, justas we see that not one of them has held a mass or vigil _gratis_. So, too, there is never a cloister or monastery built, whereto there mustnot fall a full measure of tribute. So, too, there is not a cloisterin the world that serves the world for God's sake. It is all of itdone merely for gold. But if any one really preaches faith, _that_does not bring in much gold; for then, all pilgrimages, indulgences, cloisters, and monasteries, to which more than half the wealth of theworld has been devoted and given, must cease; whereof none has anyuse but the priests and monks only. 

But how do they act to get the gold into their own hands? _Withfeigned words_, says Peter, _shall they make merchandise of you_. Forthey have selected the word by which they make money of the people, for this very purpose, as when they say, "If you give the dearVirgin, or this or that saint so many hundred florins, you do a mostexcellent good work, and merit so much indulgence and forgiving ofsin, and ransom as many souls from purgatory. "

This and the like are just carefully feigned words, to the end thatthey may shave us of our gold; for in all this there is really nodesert, nor grace, nor blotting out of sin. Still they explain thenoble words of Scripture all of them in such a way, that they maytraffic with them for gold. So, also, there has come of the holy, gracious Sacrament, nothing else but a traffic, for they do nothingwith it but smear the people's mouth, and scrape their gold fromthem. Observe, then, whether St. Peter has not drawn and painted ourclergy to the life. 

_Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnationslumbereth not. _ They shall not drive this on at length, nor carry itout, (he would say); for when they urge it most strongly, theirsentence and condemnation shall fall upon them. Even now it goesforth; they shall not escape it, --as St. Paul also says, II. Tim. Iii. : "Their folly shall be revealed to all, so that they shall beput to shame;" God grant that they may be converted and come out fromtheir dangerous state, when they hear and understand it, for thoughthere are some who have not been seduced into this state, yet is itin itself nothing but a mere pernicious sect. 

Thus St. Peter has attempted to describe the shameful, godless lifethat should succeed to the genuine doctrines of the Gospel, which theApostles preached. Now he goes further, and sets before us threeterrible examples--of the angels, of the whole world, and of Sodom, how God condemned them, --and speaks thus:

V. 4. _For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but has thrustthem down to hell in chains of darkness, and given them over to bereserved for judgment. _ By these words St. Peter terrifies those wholive so gay and secure as we see those do who cleave to that whichthe Pope has enacted, in that they are so confident and shamelessthat they would tread every one under foot. Therefore he would saythis much: Is it not great presumption on their part that they go onso eagerly, and would bring every thing to pass by their own head, asthough God should yield to them, and spare them, who yet spared notthe angels? As though he had said, these examples should justlyterrify even the saints, when they see such a severe sentence in thatGod has not spared those high spirits and noble beings who are farmore learned and wise than we, but has thrust them into chains ofdarkness;--such is the severe sentence and condemnation whereto Hehas ordained them, in which they are held bound and imprisoned, sothat they cannot flee away out of the hands of God, since they havebeen cast into outer darkness, as Christ says in the Gospel. 

And here St. Peter shows that the devils have not yet their finalpunishment, but still go about in a hardened, desperate state, andlook every moment for their judgment, just as a man that is condemnedto death is perfectly desperate, hardened, and more and more wicked. But their punishment has not yet overtaken them, but they are nowonly bound and reserved for it. This is the first example. --Nowfollows the second:

V. 5. _And spared not the old world, but saved Noah, the eighthperson, a preacher of righteousness, and brought the flood upon theworld of the ungodly. _ This is, moreover, a fearful example, suchindeed that there is not a more bitter one in the Scripture. Onemight almost despair in view of it, who was even strong in faith. Forwhen such language and such a sentence go to a man's heart, and hethinks of it, that so he too ought to die, he must tremble anddespond, if he is not well prepared, since among so many in the wholeworld, no one but these eight only were saved. But how have theydeserved it, that God by such a severe sentence should have drownedall, one with another, in one mass, husband and wife, master andservant, young and old, beast and bird? Because they led such awicked life. Noah was a pious man and a preacher of righteousness, and had already lived five hundred years, before the flood, when Godcommanded him to build an ark, --on which he wrought a hundred yearsthereafter; and he led throughout a uniformly godly life. Whence youmay judge what a cross he had to bear, and in what care and anxietythe pious man stood, when he must needs show, by words and works, that he was a Christian. For it cannot be allowed that faith shouldconceal itself, and not break out before men by words and well-doing. So this man, alone, perhaps, long before God bade him build the ark, exercised the preacher's office, and spread the word of God not inone place, but, beyond doubt, through many lands. So that he mustthus have suffered much and great persecution even, inasmuch as he isspecially (as Peter says) sustained and kept by God, or he would soonhave been overwhelmed and slain; for he must thus needs bear uponhimself much envy and hate, and make even many high, wise and holypeople his enemies. Had the matter not been helped, then the worldwould have despised the word of God, and been ever growing morewicked. When they had now driven on their wickedness to great length, God said, "My Spirit shall not always strive with men, since they areflesh; yet will I give them the term of an hundred and twenty years. "Besides, "I will destroy from the earth the men whom I have created, from man even to the reptile, (I will destroy them). " These words hepreached and enforced daily, and began to build the ark as had beencommanded him; and he labors on it a hundred years. But the peoplelaughed at him, and were only so much the more obstinate and foolish. But what the sin was for which God destroyed the world, the text ofGen. Vi. Tells us, that the children of God, --that is, those who cameof holy parents, and were instructed and brought up in the faith andin the knowledge of God, sought after the daughters of men, sincethey were fair, and took for their wives whom they would. Thereafterthey came from this to be powerful tyrants, who did everything thatthey chose after their own caprice; wherefore God punished the worldand destroyed it by the flood. 

V. 6. _And reduced the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes, overthrowing and condemning them. _ This is the third example drawnfrom the destruction of those five cities, Gen. Xix. Whereof also theprophet Ezekiel speaks, in chap. Xvi. , addressing the city ofJerusalem: "this was the sin of Sodom thy sister, --pride, fullness ofbread, luxury and idleness, and that to the poor they did not reachout the hand, and have lifted themselves up, and have wrought suchshameful cruelty before me that I have even destroyed them. " ForSodom was a land, like the garden of the Lord, as Moses says, and arich mine of costly oil and wine and all things, so that every onewould think, here dwells God. For this they were secure, and led sucha shameful life as Moses has written of. Such sin breaks out onlywhere there is an assurance that they have enough to eat and drinkand to spare, and idleness is joined therewith; just as we still see, the richer cities are the more shamefully do men live in them; butwhere there is hunger and cumber there the sins are so much thefewer. Therefore God permits, in regard to those that are His, thattheir education should be severe, that they may remain pure. 

These are the three fearful examples whereby St. Peter threatensthose that are godless. And as he insists upon it so, we must holdthat this is its import. And it is spoken especially of the spiritualorder--pope, cardinals, bishops, priests, monks and nuns, and all whohang upon them. These are, as it were, angels in the Apostles' stead, appointed to this very end, that they should preach and make knownGod's word; for an angel is a messenger, or one sent, who dischargeshis message by word of mouth, for which reason preachers are calledin Scripture angels, --that is, messengers of God. Such angels shouldour clergy be. But as these angels of old fell off from God, and setthemselves above God, and wished to be their own masters, so these doalso, and have nothing but just the name of messengers, as those havethe name alone of angels. So these also, as they have gone off fromGod, shall be held in chains of darkness and reserved tocondemnation; as he has said above, that their sentence does notlinger, nor their damnation slumber, although punishment has not asyet overtaken them. 

Beside, they are like that former world, who, although they heard theprophets and the word of God, yet blasphemed and reviled them; and asMoses writes, took to themselves wives according to their pleasure, whomsoever they would, and became great and powerful tyrants. Observe, then, whether all that which Moses wrote of those is not nowtaking place. These are the great scamps that live in revelry, oppress the world by their tyranny, and no one must ask of them whythey play the fool. Whomsoever they will they take for wife ordaughter, in spite of any one's complaining; for if any one findsfault with it they are themselves judges, and there is no one who canwin their cause of them. Therefore whatever they can devise to bringinto their hands by oppression or fines, that also they execute. Andif any one should seize upon it, they then say, "it is the spiritualpossession of the churches; it is exempt, and no one must lay handson it. " And as to those who preach God's word, they punish them tothe taking away their life, and declare God's sentence on those thatlaugh at them; they will not hear the word, and they persecute thevery preachers of righteousness, and, remaining great and mightylords, would retain their title, so that they may be calledspiritual, like those that are God's children, yet rule with fullpower in all obstinacy; but they must at last be subdued anddestroyed. But the others who preach God's word shall be kept andsustained. 

Thirdly: as the land where the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were wasa mine of fat, and all had enough of what the earth could bear, thereby the people became indolent, glutted themselves with food anddrink, and to none of the poor did they reach out the hand. Such isthe case also with our Spiritual Estate, who possess generally thebest land, the best castles and cities, and the greatest rents andtribute, while they have enough also to eat and drink. Besides, thereis not a more indolent class of people on earth, that lives withoutanything of care or labor, and is fed by the sweat of the poor. Butwhat indolence brings along we may see before our eyes. The Popeforbids them to take a married wife, so that if they then keep theirconcubines and have children they must give gold to the bishop forevery child, whereby they will smooth the thing over and cancel thesin. I will not here speak of other secret sins which one dare notlightly stir up. 

Finally, you here see that St. Peter accounts of the Spiritual Estateno otherwise than as of Sodom and Gomorrah, for they are all suchpeople as no one can be benefited by who lend none a helping hand, but seize to themselves all they can, under the pretence, which theyput forth, that what is given to them is given to God, and they letno one be helped though he suffer want. Wherefore just as those wereoverthrown and turned to ashes, so shall these also be destroyed atthe last day. 

V. 7. _And rescued righteous Lot who was troubled greatly by thelibertine course of the wicked. _ Was it not a great aggravation thatthey not only rushed publicly and shamelessly into whoredom andadultery, but into such sins as may not be mentioned, --insomuch thatthey did not even spare the angels who came to Lot, and they rushedon thus in their course, both young and old, in all the corners ofthe city! Against this, righteous Lot had daily preached and warnedthem, but all in vain, except that he is vexed by them, since he muststand still yet cannot smooth over the evil, just as is the case withus now, for there is no more hope to reform or help this grievouscourse of life that the world leads. 

V. 8. _For while that righteous man dwelt among them, since he mustsee and hear it all, they vexed his righteous soul from day to day, by their ungodly deeds. _ Here Peter describes the cross which thisholy man must have borne, while he preached to the people and broughtup his daughters in faith; and so it is accounted toward him by God. Now St. Peter decides how the godless shall be kept for punishment atthe last day. 

V. 9, 10. _The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out oftemptation, but to reserve the unjust to the day of judgment to bepunished, but especially those that walk after the flesh in the lustof uncleanness. _ This is certainly deep passion and earnestness inthe Apostle. If God spared not (says he) the young new world, howmuch more severely and fearfully will he now punish those to whom theGospel has been revealed and preached, and before which no such greatlight has arisen; as Christ also declares, Matt. Xi. , "Woe to thee, Capernaum, who art exalted even to heaven! thou shalt be thrust downto hell; for if the deeds that have been done in thee had been donein Sodom, it had been standing at this day; for I say unto you, itshall be more tolerable for Sodom in that day than for you. " But suchthreatening is in vain. The godless do not turn themselves for it. 

To live in the lust of uncleanness is to live just like anunreasoning beast--according to mere sense and every kind of lust. Soeverything is ordered by the Pope, ordered as it has pleased him, andall must subserve their wilfulness and tyranny; and they have warpedand explained all just as it has pleased them, and thereupon said, "the holy See at Rome cannot err, " while there is not one who haspreached anything of faith or love; but they have taught nothingexcept what they have themselves imagined. 

V. 10, 11. _And those who despise governments, presumptuous, self-conceited, tremble not to revile dignities, whereas the angels, who are greater in power and might, bring not a railing accusationagainst them before the Lord. _ He calls kings, princes and lords, andall civil magistracy, governments; and not the Pope and bishops, forthese are not to be lords at all; since Christ, in the New Testament, is represented only as a servant--so that one Christian is to serveanother, and hold him in honor. Wherefore _this_ is St. Peter'smeaning: that they should be subject and obedient to civilmagistracy; as the sword is introduced by God's ordinance, stand thouin fear. Yet they do the very reverse of this. They have exceptedthemselves, and say they are not subject to the civil magistracy;yea, they have not only excepted themselves, but have even subjectedthose to themselves, and trampled on them with their feet, and permitthemselves shamelessly to be called lords, even by kings and princes, just as the Pope writes of himself that he is a lord of heaven andearth, and has in his hand both the civil and spiritual sword, andthat every one must fall at his feet. 

Besides, St. Peter says that they do not tremble to blasphemedignities; for it has become to the Pope a small and slight thing toput kings and princes under ban, to curse them, and depose them, andmoreover excite mischief among them, and stir them up one againstanother. And as to those who have opposed themselves, these he hasquickly overthrown and trodden on, not because they have doneanything against faith or love, but only because they have not beenwilling to be subject to the Romish See, or kiss the Pope's foot, because, forsooth, his power was as much greater than that of secularprinces as the sun is than the moon, or as the heaven is high abovethe earth; so they lyingly blasphemed, while yet they are bound to besubject and obedient to them, and should bless them and pray forthem, as Christ our Lord subjected Himself to Pilate, and gave to theEmperor the penny tribute. They ought, therefore, to tremble atreviling against dignities; yet are they unaffrighted andpresumptuous in regard to it, and they revile with all zeal andrecklessness, while yet if even the strongest angels cannot endurejudgment against themselves from the Lord, and besides are struckdumb from cursing and reviling the very One from whom they cannotescape, how then will these wretched people endure it?

V. 12, 13. _But these are like unreasoning brutes, that are born, inaccordance with their nature, to be taken and destroyed; they speakevil of that which they do not know, and in their own ruin shall theyperish, and receive therefrom the reward of their unrighteousness. __Unreasonable brutes_, Peter calls them, as though they had withinthem not a spark of anything that smacked of spirit, performed nospiritual duty that they should do, but lived like the fool, andbecame effeminate through a carnal life. But in that he says they arenaturally born to be taken and destroyed, it may be understood in atwo-fold manner: first, as of those that take and destroy, such asthe wolf, lion, bear, the sparrow-hawk and eagle, --so these grasp tothemselves, and tear away from others all they can, goods and honor. Secondly, of those that shall be taken, crushed and destroyed at thejudgment of the last day. 

_They count temporal enjoyment as the fullness of pleasure. _ See howindignant St. Peter is! I must not chide the young gentlemen sogrievously. They think if they only live well, and have good times, then they have enough of all things, and are right well off; this onecan easily trace in their spiritual claim, when they say that whoevertouches them as to their property or their belly, is of the devil. They themselves cannot deny this, that their whole system is framedto this end, that they may have lazy and idle times, and all that cansuffice them. They will lade themselves with no trouble or labor, butevery one must make and devote enough for them. They must go to thechoir and pray. God has commanded all men that they should eat theirbread by the sweat of their brow, and He has imposed trial andanxiety upon all. Meanwhile, these young masters would slip theirheads out of this noose, and busy themselves with kisses. But this isthe greatest blindness, that they are so dumb, and therefore holdthat such a shameful life is right and lovely. 

_Spots are they, and blemishes. _ They know not but that they adornChristianity, as the sun and moon do heaven, and are the noblest andmost precious jewels, like gold and precious stones; yet St. Petercalls them spots of shame and blemishes. The true christian lifedevelops from faith, serves every one in love, bears the holy cross, which is the true badge, ornament, jewel and honor of the ChristianChurch;--but these have, in place of the cross, lust and luxury;instead of love to their neighbor, they seek their own interest, snatch all to themselves, and let nothing go from themselves toanother for his advantage. Thus they know of faith just nothing atall. For they are nothing but the spots and stains which Christianitymust have as its shame and derision. That is chiding enough, certainly, for our spiritual lords. 

_They lead an effeminate life through your charity, feast richly onyour goods. _ What was given at first out of christian love, toprocure a common fund for widows and worthy persons, and also for thepoor, so that no one among the Christians need suffer want orbeg, --property of this kind is now all devoted to monasteries andcloisters, from which our ecclesiastics fill their bellies, livingupon it most luxuriously, and revelling in it; and to this end theysay it belongs to them, and no one shall restrain them for it. TheHoly Spirit will not permit that the servants of the church shouldlead an effeminate life from other people's labor; but to thelaboring class, and to man, woman and child generally, was itproperly devoted of old. 

V. 14. _They have eyes full of adultery. _ Such must always followwhen the body is crammed with food and drink, and loiters indolent, as was said above. Wherefore does St. Peter say, --not, they areadulterers, --but, _they have eyes full of adultery_? It is as much asthough he should say, They think ever on nothing but fornication, andcan never restrain their roguery, nor be satisfied and quiet. This isthe cause of their continual gluttony and revel, so far as they canpush it, and thus they are suffered to live at large and unpunished, just as they like, --as follows:

_Their sin is not to be interfered with. _ The Pope has forbidden anyprince or secular magistrate to punish ecclesiastics, and where theymaintain their own authority he puts them under bann. But this matteris committed to the bishops; yet, since they are knaves themselves, they look through their fingers. Thus they have excepted themselvesfrom subjection to civil government and the sword, so that no oneshall dare to restrain them in their caprice, and they all liveaccording to their own lusts, like those of old before the deluge. 

_They allure to themselves light-minded souls. _ With such great showas they exhibit in their knavish life, as going through with mass, begging, singing, &c. , do they allure and draw light-minded andunstable souls, who are without faith, to imagine that everything isspiritual; and all is shaped to this end, that men may think that inthat estate every one shall have enough, and good times besides, and, moreover, that he shall reach heaven; and yet it is all done only tothis end, that they may fill their bellies and their dirt-bag. 

_They have a heart penetrated with covetousness. _ This vice is sogross and open among the ecclesiastics, that even the common peoplehave complained of it. Yet he says not, they are covetous, but, theyhave a heart penetrated with covetousness, and especially exercisedtherein. This may be seen in the fact that they have invented so manyswindling and cunning stories that it is impossible to count them, bywhich they bring all the world's wealth to themselves. 

All that this class practices and pursues is simple, purecovetousness, and must all be worth money enough. They show it alsomost plainly of all, as they are equipped and prepared on all sidesto call on men for their gold; so that St. Peter was certainly not aliar. 

_They are children of cursing. _ That is, in the Hebrew, as much as tosay, they are cursed children, subject to the curse of God, so thatbefore God they have no favor or salvation, and only become morewicked from day to day, and continually, also, greater blasphemers ofGod; so that they surely lade themselves full enough with the wrathand terrible judgment of God. That is surely spoken severely andfearfully enough; while it is high time that whoever can flee andrun, should flee and run forth from this cursed state. Should we bearsuch a _title_, _that_ is certainly pitiful; but if the High Majestyalso arraigns, curses, and condemns, --who will endure it?

V. 15. _They have forsaken the right way, and gone in error. _ Theyshould have taught the right way, --how we must cleave to Christ, andcome to God by faith, and through love to our neighbor; andthereafter bear the holy cross, and endure whatever meets ustherefor. But they preach no more than this, "go hither andthither, --be monk and priest, --found churches, masses, &c. , &c. ;" andthey lead away the people from faith to their own works, which yetare such as are of no use to their neighbor. 

V. 15, 16. _And have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the reward of unrighteousness, but had a rebuke for histransgression, the dumb beast of burden speaking with man's voice andreproving the folly of the prophet. _ Here he brings in anillustration from the fourth book of Moses, xxii. -xxiv. When thechildren of Israel had journeyed out of Egypt and had come into theland of the Moabites, king Balak sent to a prophet in Syria, by thename of Balaam, and besought him that he would come and curse theJewish people, that they might become weak and that he might slaythem. Then God appeared to Balaam, and forbade him to curse thepeople; therefore the prophet declines to comply with Balak. Thereupon the king sent to him once more, and promised to give himlarge wealth. Then God permits him to go to him, yet he shall saynothing but what He shall direct him to say. 

Upon this, he rose up and mounted upon an ass. The angel of God cameand walked in the way, and stood before him with a drawn sword. Theass saw it, and turned aside out of the way, at which the prophetstruck her, that she should go in the way. Then the angel went to anarrow place where the ass could not turn aside, and when she pressesherself against the wall and bruises the prophet's foot, she isforced to fall under him upon her knee, while he is angered so as inhis rage to strike the ass with his staff. Then God opens the mouthof the beast to speak with the voice of a man, and she said, "Whathave I done to you that you should strike me so?" And he said, "Ah!if I had now a sword in my hand, I would slay you. " Then the assanswered and said, "Am I yet the ass upon which thou hast riddencontinually even to this day, and have I done it for no more thanthis?" Then were the eyes of the prophet opened, so that he saw theangel with the drawn sword, at which he was affrighted and would haveturned back; but the angel of the Lord bade him go on, but thereuponforbade him to speak anything else than what He should say to him. 

When now the prophet was come to the king, he takes him up to aheight from which he could see the whole people of Israel. Then theprophet bade him erect seven altars, and on each offer a sacrifice;and then went aside and asked the Lord what he should say. And Godgave him his word in his mouth. And he rose up to bless and glorifythe people of Israel with fair words; and this he did three times, one after another. Then was the king filled with wrath, and said, "Did I not call thee that thou shouldst curse mine enemies? and yetthou hast blest them now these three times. I had thought that Ishould have honored thee, but the Lord hath turned thee away fromhonor. " Balaam answered and said, "Yet I told thee at first, thatthough thou shouldst give me thine house full of silver and gold, still I could speak nothing else but what God should say to me. "

Yet did the prophet afterward give the king counsel how he shouldmanage with the people, although he might not curse them and overcomethem by power, --so that they sinned against God. Then the king setsup an idol, by name Baal-Peor, and causes that the Moabite women, daughters of lords and princes, should ensnare the people tothemselves to sacrifice to their gods; and when they had brought themto themselves, they made supplication to the idol with meats anddrinks, and committed sin with the women. Then was God angry, andcommanded the chief of the people to be hung upon the gallows, andpermitted four and twenty thousand men to be overcome in one day. Such was this prophet Balaam's advice, for the sake of gold. 

Of this St. Peter here speaks, and would say that our ecclesiasticsare specially Balaam's children and scholars; for just as he gaveevil counsel to set up an idol so that the children of Israel shouldbe brought to sin and provoke God that they should be slain, so haveour bishops also set up an idol, in God's name, --to wit, their humandoctrine of their own works; and they let faith go, and they lure tothemselves christian souls whom they injure, and thereby provoke Godto anger, so that he has punished the world with blindness andstupidity. For all this we may thank our spiritual masters. 

Thus Peter compares especially these false teachers to the prophetBalaam, since they even, like Balaam, purely for the sake of gold, set up such idolatry and ruin souls. 

Besides, he mentions his right name, for Bileaam or Balaam is hecalled in Hebrew, a swallower or swiller, like one who gapes histhroat open, and swallows and devours all. This shameful name must hebear, because he has brought so many people into sin, insomuch thatthey are destroyed and overcome. 

Such Balaamites are our bishops and ecclesiastics, who are the throatof the devil, by which he draws so many souls to himself, andswallows them down. But the surname of this prophet is, the son ofBosor, --that is to say, flesh, --or, as Moses says, son of Beor, thatis, of a fool. A fool is his father. So are these, also, blind, dulland foolish people, who must yet needs rule; such a people as theflesh bears, for the spirit makes men of another stamp. So God hasgiven these in the Scripture their own name, and therein they are sopainted to the life, that we may know in what account they are to beheld. 

Now the dumb beast of burden, the ass, signifies the people that letsitself be bridled and ridden, and goes as it is led, like the ass, who was forced and beaten cruelly when he went out of the way intothe ditch, and must neither give place before the angel in the way solong as it could help, nor turn aside, and so must fall down. For inthe same way have these seducers also urged on the people, untilthese last have become sensible that it is a thing not to be endured, and that they deal unfairly with them, and have wished to turn themaside from the way. But the harshness has been so gross whereby theyhave troubled the people, that at length God has opened our lips andgiven words into our mouths, so that even the children speak of it;whereby their folly is made plain, so that they must be ashamed. Inthis way we ought to meet them when they go about, and give out thatit belongs not to the laity to read the Scripture, and therefore say, we must hear what the Councils determine. For then you may answer, Has not God spoken even by an ass? Be content with our knowing thatye, in times past, preached the word of God; but now ye have becomefools, and are possessed by avarice, what wonder is it that now thecommon people have been roused and impelled by God to speak thetruth, though it has been so burdened and oppressed like a dumb beastof burden. This is their likeness, taken from the prophet Balaam. NowSt. Peter says further of these false teachers:

V. 17. _They are wells without water, and clouds driven about by thewhirlwind. _ In like manner Solomon presents us a comparison, in Prov. Xxv. , and says, "As when a great cloud and strong wind go forth, andyet no rain follows, so is a man who makes high boastings of himself, and does not make good his words. " So Peter says here, also, _theyare wells without water, and clouds driven about by the whirlwind_;that is, they make great show, and have nothing beside. They are likethe dry, false and exhausted wells, although they have the fame andtitle of being true wells. For Scripture calls those who teach, wells, as the ones from whom should flow that wholesome doctrine bywhich souls are to be quickened. To this office are they anointed andset apart. But what do they do? Nothing, as a general thing; for theyhave nothing else but just the bare name, just as they are calledshepherds, and yet are wolves. 

Besides, they are the clouds which the wind drives about--not likethe thick, black and lowering clouds which are wont to give us rain, but like those fleecy ones which move about and fly in the air, andare very light, which the wind drives wherever it will, after whichno rain can follow. So our teachers also sweep about and move high inChristendom, like the clouds in heaven, but let themselves be drivenabout wherever the devil chooses, to whom they are ready to yield inall kinds of lusts. But yet they preach not a word of God, like trueteachers and preachers, who are called clouds in Scripture (as Is. V. ), --as also by all that gives forth water, preachers are typifiedin Scripture. 

_For whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. _ They livenow at their ease, and things go with them just as they themselveswould have them. But there shall come an eternal darkness upon them, although they do not believe nor apprehend it. 

V. 18. _For they speak in swelling words, which have nothing back ofthem. _ If you ask how they may be called wells without water, andclouds without rain, while they yet preach throughout the wholeworld, St. Peter answers: they rain and preach, alas! altogether toomuch; but they are only vain, swollen and puffed-up words, by whichthey blow the poor people's ears full, so that men think it issomething fine; and yet it is nothing but show. Just as the monks, with high, bold words, set forth their obedience, poverty andchastity, so that men think they are a holy people, while yet it isnothing but mere trickery, and certainly no faith nor love can befound among it. Like this, also, is their pretence that the estate ofbishops is a more perfect estate, while these yet do nothing else butride about pompously on their fine horses, and now and thenconsecrate churches and altars, and baptise bells. Such puffed-up andswollen words are the whole spiritual law of the Pope, throughout. 

_And they allure, through guile, to the lust of the flesh, those whohad well-nigh escaped, and now they walk in error. _ This is whatthese wells and teachers do, so that they who were almost escapedmust fall into the snare of wickedness, and for the first time betruly captured. A child that has been baptised, rescued from allsins, snatched from the devil and set out from Adam into Christ, whenhe comes to reason is soon entangled and led away into error. Menshould be taught of faith, and love, and the holy cross, while ourclergy go their own way, throw up their work whereby these personsfall back again into error, even though they had escaped it. But howdoes this come to pass? Thus: in that by guile they allure the peopleto the lust of the flesh. Their strongest persuasion is in theirsaying that priests, monks and nuns should not be married, and shouldbind themselves to maintain chastity, by which they do no more thanallure to unchastity, forasmuch as the wretched people must perish intheir wicked lusts, and there is nothing to help them. 

But here you clearly see that Peter speaks of none other thanteachers who bear rule in Christendom, where men are baptised andbelievers, --for among the Turks and heathen, no one has so escaped;it is only among Christians, where they have the chance to lead soulsastray, and bring them into the snare of the devil. 

V. 19. _And they promise them freedom, while they themselves are theservants of corruption, for of whom any one is overcome, his servanthas he become. _ They set up Orders by which a man is to be saved, --asThomas, the monk preacher, has shamelessly written, that when a manshall enter into one of these Orders, be it as vile as it may, it isas though he had but just come forth from his baptism; and then theypromise him freedom and forgiving of sins by works of his own. Suchblasphemy must we hear, while they set their human fancies andludicrous conceits, destitute of faith, on a level with faith andbaptism which God has established, and which are peculiarly his work. Who is to endure this and still keep silent? Such stories have themonks gotten up, and they cram them into the young; and such teachersas these men have set up for saints. But the other saints, trulysuch, they have burnt to ashes. 

V. 20. _For if they have escaped the pollution of the world throughthe knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, but shall beagain entangled and overcome in the same, their last end is worse forthem than the first. _ There Peter shows why they are the servant ofcorruption. To confess Christ is to know what he is, even ourSaviour, who forgives us our sins from pure grace. By this confessionwe escape the vice and come out from the pollution of the world. Butthough they should already have been delivered from sin in baptism, they shall afterwards be plunged therein, for that they have againgone from faith to their own works. For where there is no faith, theSpirit is absent; but where the Spirit is absent, there is nothingbut flesh, so that there can be nothing at all that is pure. So hasit come to pass hitherto in regard to Christianity. Rome first heardthe pure Gospel, but afterward went back and fell away to humandoctrines, until even upon herself all abominations have come up; sothat her last end has become worse than her first, in that she is nowfar more hopeless in her heathenism than she ever was before sheheard the word of God. 

V. 21. _For it had been far better for them that they had never knownthe way of righteousness, than that they should know it, and turnthemselves away from the holy command that has been given them. Forit has happened to them according to the proverb, The dog turns tohis own vomit again, and the sow after her washing wallows in themire. _ This proverb St. Peter has taken out of the book of Prov. Xxvi. , where Solomon says, "A man who repeats his folly is like thedog who turns again to his vomit. " By baptism they have thrown offunbelief, and have been washed from their polluted life, and haveentered upon a pure life of faith and love, while they fall off fromit again to unbelief and their own works, and defile themselves againin the dirt. So that we are not to make this proverb bear on works;for little is accomplished by one's saying and directing atconfession, "Thou shalt henceforth be chaste, meek, and patient, " &c. But if you will be pious, pray God that he will give you a realfaith, and see to it that you forsake your unbelief. When you shallthen have attained faith, good works shall afterwards take care ofthemselves, so that you will live purely and chastely, even thoughyou should secure yourself by no other means; and though, again, youmight awhile conceal the mischief in your heart, yet at last it comesout. 

This is the second chapter of this Epistle, wherein Peter speaksspecially of our teachers, how shamefully we have been treated bythem. We have indeed had warning enough, but we have not minded it, so that the fault is ours that we have not laid hold on the Gospel, and that we have by our lives deserved such anger of God. We hear itgenerally, all of us, with gladness, when some one assaults andupbraids the Pope along with his priests and monks; but yet, no onewill draw advantage to himself from it. It is not such a triflingmatter of sport that one must laugh at it, but of such seriousnessthat the heart should fear and tremble on account of it. Thereforeshould we lay hold upon it with seriousness, and pray that God wouldturn away from us his anger and such plagues. For this calamity hasnot come upon us unforeseen, but it is sent upon us by God as apunishment, --as Paul says, II. Thes. Ii. : "Since they have notreceived the love of the truth, that they might be saved, thereforeshall God send upon them strong delusion so that they shall believe alie, " &c. , &c. For had the punishment gone but so far that the falseteachers only were lost, it would have been yet a little thingagainst the fact that they have had the rule, and carried all theworld with them to hell. Therefore, in regard to the evil, we are totake no counsel except to apprehend the matter in Godly fear andhumility, confess our guilt, and pray God to turn away the punishmentfrom us. By prayer must one contend against the false teachers, although the devil do not let him win. --Now follows, next:

CHAPTER III. 

V. 1, 2. _This is the second Epistle which I write to you, beloved, in which I stir up your pure minds to remembrance, that ye may thinkupon the word which was said to you before by the holy prophets, andupon our command, who are Apostles of the Lord and Saviour. _ Here St. Peter comes to us again, and warns us in this chapter to be prepared, and look every moment for the last day. And so he says in the firstof it, that he has written this Epistle, not in order to lay down aground of faith, which he had done before, but to awaken, remind, arrest, and urge them not to forget the same, and to abide in theclear view and understanding which they have of a true christianlife. For it is the preacher's office, as we have said often, notonly to teach, but also continually to admonish and restrain. Forsince our flesh and blood ever clings to us, God's word must bestronger in us, that we may not give room to the flesh, but striveagainst it, and gain the upper hand of it. 

V. 3, 4. _And know, first of all, that in the last days there shallcome scoffers who walk after their own lusts, and say, Where is thepromise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all thingsremain as from the beginning of creation. _ Yet are men swayed hitherand thither by a book concerning Antichrist, wherein it is writtenthat the people before the last day shall fall into such error thatthey shall say, there is no God, and shall scoff at all that ispreached of Christ and the last day. That is true, whencesoever ithas been taken. But we are not so to understand it as that the wholeworld shall say and hold such things, but the greater part. For thattime is even now at hand, and shall prevail yet more when the Gospelshall come down among the people, when the proud ones shall liftthemselves up, and the secrets of many hearts break forth, which arenow hidden and unknown. There have even already been many who havealtogether rejected the idea of the coming of the last day. 

Of such scoffers St. Peter here warns us, and tells us of thembeforehand, that they must come, and rush into this hazard and liveas they list. At Rome and in Italy this word is now at lengthfulfilled, and they who come thence, bring such errors also forthwith them; for just as they have a long time perplexed themselvestherein, so, also, must they perplex the people by the same means. And even though the last day were now before the door, such peoplemust come abroad. So shall be fulfilled that which Christ says, Mat. Xxiv. : "Just as it was in the time of Noah, so shall it also be atthe coming of the Son of Man; for as they were in the days before thedeluge, they ate, they drank, they married and were given inmarriage, even to the day when Noah entered into the ark, and theyknew it not till the flood came and swallowed them all; so, also, shall the coming of the Son of Man be. " Also, "The Son of Man shallcome at an hour when ye think not. " Also, Luke xxi. : "This day shallcome as a snare, upon all that dwell upon the earth. " And once more, Luke xvii. : "As the lightning lightens over us from heaven, andshines upon all that is under the heaven, so shall the Son of Man bein His day, "--that is, so quick and unforeseen and sudden shall Hebreak in upon it, while the world shall be living above all, foritself first, and shall throw God's word to the winds. 

Therefore this shall be a sign of the last day that it is near, whenthe people shall live as they list, according to all their lusts, andsuch talk goes about among them as this: "Where is the promise of hiscoming? the world has stood so long and continued to abide, is it nowfor the first time to be otherwise?" Thus Peter warns us that weshould not be surprised, and that we have a sure sign that the daywill soon come. --It follows, further:

V. 5, 6. _But this in their obstinacy they will not know, that theheavens of old, besides the earth standing out of the water and inthe water, were (made) by God's word, yet through the same, was theworld in its time destroyed by the flood. _ Such people they are, hesays, as show not so much diligence as to read the Scripture, butobstinately refuse to think and be aware that so also it was of old, when Noah built the ark; the world which stood and was made throughthe water and in the water, was destroyed by water, and the peoplewere yet so safe and secure that they thought, surely there is nodanger, --yet they were all alike destroyed by water. As though heshould say, --if God has for once destroyed the world by water, andshown by an example that he can sink it, how much more will he do itnow that he has promised to do it. 

But here St. Peter speaks somewhat particularly of the creation. Theheaven and the earth stood fast aforetime; they were made of waterand stood in the water, by the word of God. Heaven and earth have abeginning; they have not been forever; the heaven was made from thewater, and there was water above and beneath, --but the earth is madeand stands in the water, as Moses writes, whom St. Peter here quotes. All is sustained by God's word, as it also was made by the same, forit is not their nature so to stand. Therefore if God did not sustainit, it must all soon fall down and sink into the water. For God spokea word of power when he said, "let the waters under the heavensgather themselves into a separate place, that the dry land may beseen;" that is, let the water put itself aside and give room for theearth to come forth, whereon man might dwell, --yet naturally thewaters should spread themselves over the earth. Therefore this is, atthe present day, one of the greatest miracles that God works. 

Now St. Peter would say this: so obstinate and stupid are thesescoffers, that they will not do honor to the Holy Spirit, though theyread how God holds up the earth in the water, whence they should beconvinced that all stands in the hands of God. Therefore, since Godat that time drowned the earth, so he will deal with us even yetagain. For that example should certainly convince us that, as in thatvery case he has not lied, so again he will not lie. 

V. 7. _But the heaven which yet is, and the earth, are by his wordsustained, that they be reserved for fire in the day of Judgment andcondemnation of ungodly men. _ At that time, when God destroyed theworld by a flood, the water pressed down from above, up from beneathand from all sides, so that nothing could be seen but water only;because the earth, as its nature was, must be swallowed up in thewater. But now he has promised, and given the rainbow for a sign inheaven, that he will no more destroy the world by water. Therefore hewill destroy it and let it perish by fire, so that here it shall befire only, as there it was water only. Of which St. Paul, II. Thes. I. , says: "When now the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, together with the angels of his power, and with flaming fire, " etc. So I. Cor. Iii. : "Every one's work shall be revealed; the day of theLord shall make it clear, which shall be revealed with fire. " So whenthe last day breaks and bursts in on the world, it will in a momentbe fire only; what is in heaven and in earth shall be turned to dustand ashes, and all things must be changed by fire, as that changetook place by water. This shall be a sign that God will not lie solong as He has left that for a sign. 

V. 8-10. _But of this one thing, beloved, be ye not ignorant; thatone day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years asone day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some mencount slackness, but he is long-suffering toward you, and wills notthat any one should perish, but that all should come to repentance;but the Day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night, in whichthe heavens shall pass away with a great noise, but the elementsshall be melted with fervent heat, and the earth and the works thatare therein shall be burned up. _ With these words St. Peter meetsthose of whom he has just spoken, who say: "The Apostles have saidmuch about the Last Day coming quickly, --and yet so long a time ispast, and still all continues as heretofore. " And he has quoted thispassage from Moses, in the lxxxix. Ps. , where he says: "A thousandyears are in thine eyes as yesterday, when it is past. " This is thescope of it. 

There are two ways of viewing things, --one for God, the other for theworld. So also this present life and that to come, are twofold. Thislife cannot be that, since none can reach that but by death, --thatis, by ceasing from _this_ life. This life is just to eat, drink, sleep, endure, bring up children, etc. , in which all moves onsuccessively, hours, day, year, one after another: if you wish now toapprehend that life, you must banish out of your mind the course ofthis present life; you must not think that you can so apprehend it, where it will all be one day, one hour, one moment. 

Since then in God's sight there is no reckoning of time, a thousandyears must be before him, as it were, a day. Therefore the first man, Adam, is just as near to him as he who shall be last born before thelast day. For God sees not time lengthwise but obliquely, just aswhen you look at right-angles to a long tree which lies before you, you can fix in your view both place and parts at once, --a thing youcannot do if you only look at it lengthwise. We can, by our reason, look at time only according to its duration; we must begin to countfrom Adam, one year after another, even to the last day. But beforeGod it is all in one heap; what is long with us is short withhim, --and again, here there is neither measure nor number. So whenman dies, the body is buried and wastes away, lies in the earth andknows nothing; but when the first man rises up at the last day, hewill think he has lain there scarcely an hour, while he will lookabout himself and become assured that so many people were born of himand have come after him, of whom he had no knowledge at all. 

This, then, is St. Peter's meaning: the Lord does not delay hispromise as some scoffers let themselves imagine, but islong-suffering; therefore should ye be prepared for the lastday, --for it will come soon enough to every one after his death, inthat he will say, "lo! I have but just now died!" But it comes uponthe world all too soon: when the people shall say, "there is peace, no danger threatens, " it shall break forth and come upon them, as St. Paul says, I. Thess. V. And with so great a noise shall the day tearits way and burst forth like a great storm, that in a moment must allbe wasted. 

V. 11, 12. _Since then all this must pass away, how careful should yebe in all holy conduct and a Godly life, that ye wait for and hastento the coming of the day of the Lord. _ Since ye know this, that allmust pass away, both heaven and earth, --think how ye shall beprepared to meet this day, by a holy and godly life and conversation. For Peter describes this day as one that is to come even now, so thatmen should be prepared for it, to hope for it with joy, and evenhasten to run to meet it, as that which sets us free from death, sinand hell. 

V. 12, 13. _In which the heavens shall pass away by fire, and theelements shall be melted with fervent heat; but we look for a newheaven and a new earth, according to his promise, in which dwellethrighteousness. _ God has promised by the prophets, here and there, that he would create a new heaven and a new earth, --as in Is. Lxv. , "Behold, I will create a new heaven and a new earth, wherein ye shallbe happy, and shout and leap for joy. " So in xxx. "The appearance ofthe moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the splendor of thesun shall be seven times as bright, as though seven days were joinedone into another;" and Christ says, Matt. Xiii. , "The righteous shallshine like the sun, in their Father's kingdom. " How that is to passaway we cannot know, except that the promise is, that such a heavenand earth are to be, wherein no sin, but righteousness only, and thechildren of God shall dwell; as also St. Paul says, Rom. Viii. , thereshall be pure love, pure joy, and nothing but God's kingdom. 

Here some may disquiet themselves as to whether the saints shall havetheir station in heaven or on earth. The text seems to imply that manshall dwell upon the earth, --yet so that all heaven and earth shallbe a paradise wherein God dwells, for God dwells not alone in heaven, but in all places, wherefore the elect shall be also even where Heis. 

V. 14. _Therefore, my beloved, since ye look for such things, bediligent, that ye may be found of him without spot, and blameless, inpeace. _ Since ye have escaped, he says, such misery, and come to sogreat joy, ye should suffer yourselves to be persuaded to despisewillingly all that is upon the earth, and suffer cheerfully whateverduty requires. Therefore should ye be diligent, that ye may live apeaceful and blameless life. 

V. 15. _And the long-suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ account foryour salvation. _ In that He so spares, and delays, and does not cometo speedy judgment, take account of this as designed for yourbenefit. He had good reason to be angry and to punish, yet out of Hisgrace He does it not. 

V. 15, 16. _As also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdomthat has been given unto him has written, as he also in all hisletters speaks thereof, in which are some things hard to beunderstood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they also doother Scriptures, to their own destruction. _ There St. Peter bearstestimony for the Apostle Paul in respect to his doctrine, whichshows plainly enough that this Epistle was written long after St. Paul's Epistles. And this is one of the passages which might beadduced to maintain that this Epistle is not St. Peter's, as alsothere was one before this in this chapter--namely, where he says, "the Lord wills not that any should be lost, but that every oneshould give himself to repentance. " For it falls some little belowthe Apostolic spirit; still it is credible that it is none the lessthe Apostle's, for since herein, he is writing not of faith but oflove, he lets himself down somewhat, as the manner of love is, inasmuch as it humbles itself toward its neighbor, just as faithrises above itself. 

But he has yet seen that many unstable spirits wrested and pervertedSt. Paul in his words and doctrines, inasmuch as some things in hisEpistles are hard to be understood, --as when he speaks in this way, "that no one is justified by works, but by faith alone;" so, too, "the law is given to make sin more gross;" so, too, "where sinabounded, there grace much more abounds, " and more passages of thesame sort. For when men hear such, then they say, if that is true, wewill go on indolently, and do no good work, and so be righteous, asmen even now say, that we forbid good works; for if one so pervertsSt. Paul's own words, what wonder is it that they should, in likemanner, pervert ours?

V. 17, 18. _But ye, my beloved, since ye know this beforehand, bewarefor yourselves that ye be not led away by the error of the wickedlikewise, and fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom bepraise, now and forever. Amen. _ Since ye know, he says, all that hasbeen said above, and see that many false teachers must come, who leadthe world astray, and such scoffers as pervert the Scripture and willnot understand it, take care of yourselves; guard against them withdiligence, that ye fall not from the faith by doctrines of error; andgrow, so as to become stronger from day to day by the steadfastpractice and preaching of the word of God. Here observe how greatcare the Apostle shows for those who have come to believe, whichurged him even to write these two Epistles, wherein is richlycomprehended what a Christian should know, besides also that which isyet to come. May God give his grace, that we also may seize hold uponand retain it. Amen. 

THE EPISTLE OF SAINT JUDE. 

V. 1, 2. _Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, but a brother of James, tothose that are called to be holy in God the Father, and preserved inJesus Christ, mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied. _ ThisEpistle is ascribed to the holy Apostle, St. Jude, brother of the twoApostles, James the Less and Simon, by the sister of the mother ofChrist, who is called Mary (wife) of James or Cleopas, as we read inMark vi. But this Epistle cannot be looked upon as being that of onewho was truly an Apostle, for the author speaks in it of theApostles, as being much their junior. It has even nothing peculiarabout it, except that it refers to the second Epistle of St. Peter, from which it has taken nearly all its words, and is scarcelyanything else than an Epistle against our clergy, bishops, priestsand monks. [1]

[Footnote 1: It is well known that at an early period the book ofJude was reckoned among the _antilegomena_. This was mainly inconsequence of its references to the Apocryphal books of Enoch and ofthe Ascension of Christ. Yet De Wette, than whom none would be moredisposed to sift it thoroughly, says, "no important objection to thegenuineness of the Epistle can be made good; neither the use of theApocryphal book of Enoch, nor the resemblance of v. 24 to Rom. Xvi. 25, nor a style of writing which betrays a certain familiarity withthe Greek tongue. The Epistle is less open to suspicion, as theauthor does not distinctly claim to be an Apostle, nor can a pretextfor forgery be discovered. " Again, he says: "they who regard the Sonof Alpheus and the brother of the Lord as one and the same person, are quite consistent in regarding our Jude likewise as an Apostle. "To this view De Wette himself does not accede, and thus agreessubstantially with Luther. ]

V. 3. _Beloved, since I gave all diligence to write unto you of thecommon salvation, I am necessitated to write to you, and admonishyou, that ye should contend earnestly for the faith which was oncedelivered to the saints. _ That is as much as to say, --I amnecessitated to write to you, so that I may remind and admonish youhow ye should go forward and persevere in the faith which hasalready, before this, been once preached to you; or as though heshould say, It is necessary that I should admonish you that ye be onyour guard and remain in the right way; but as to why this is needed, he gives the reason, and says:

V. 4. _For there are some men who have secretly come in, who wereordained of old to this condemnation. _ For this cause will I remindyou that ye should abide in the faith which ye have heard, becausethere is even now a wavering, and already there have come preachers, who set up other doctrines besides faith, by which people are ledaway gently and unsuspectingly from the true way. So St. Peter alsosaid, in his Epistle, "there shall be false teachers among you, whoshall secretly bring in destructive heresies, &c. " These, he says, "are long ago appointed to such a sentence of condemnation. " This wenow well understand, since we know that no one is righteous andjustified by works of his own, but only through faith in Christ, insomuch that he must rely on the work of Christ as his chief good. Then where there is faith, whatever is done as works is all done forthe good of our neighbor, and thus we guard ourselves against allworks which are not performed with the intent that they shall be ofservice to our neighbor, as is now the estate of priests and monks. Therefore wherever any one now secretly introduces anything else thanthis doctrine of faith, in regard to such orders and works, he leadsthe people astray, so that they shall be condemned along with him. 

_Who are godless, and turn the grace of God into wantonness. _ ThatGospel which is given us concerning the grace of God, and which setsChrist before us, as he is offered to and bestowed upon us, with allthat he has, that we may be freed from sin, death and all evil, suchgrace and blessing offered to us by the Gospel, they use merely toindulge their wantonness, --that is, they call themselves Christians, indeed, and praise the Gospel, but they bring in such an order, astherein to work their own caprice, in eating and drinking and wantonlife, while they make their boast and say we are not in a secular buta spiritual estate, and under such names and pretence they havegrasped all enjoyment, honor and pleasure. This, already, says Jude, begins. For we read that it had already begun a thousand years ago;that the bishops then wished to be Lords and to be more highlyexalted than common christians, as we also see in St. Jerome'sEpistles. 

_And they deny God, that he alone is Lord, and our Lord JesusChrist. _ This is what St. Peter said also in his Epistle; but thisthey deny (as we have heard). It is not done by their _mouth_, forwith this they confess that God is one Lord, but they deny thatChrist is Lord in fact, and by their works; they hold, not Him, butthemselves as their Lord, --for while they preach that fasts, pilgrimages, church ordinances, chastity, obedience, poverty, etc. , are the way to salvation, they lead the people astray to their ownworks, and yet are silent about Christ; and it is just as much as ifthey said, Christ is of no avail to you, His works noway help you, but you must by your own works merit salvation. Thus they deny theLord who has bought us with his blood, as Peter says. 

V. 5, 6, 7. _I will therefore remind you that ye once knew this, thatthe Lord, when he saved the people out of Egypt, afterward destroyedthose that believed not. Also, the angels, who kept not their firstestate, but left their own habitation, he has reserved to thejudgment of the great day, in everlasting chains, under darkness. Asalso Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities lying about them, which inlike manner as these, rioted in fornication, and went after strangeflesh, are set forth for an example, and bear the pain of eternalfire. _ Here he adduces, also, three examples, as St. Peter does inhis Epistle; but the first which he presents is to this effect: thatGod permitted the children of Israel whom he had brought out of Egyptby many wonderful works, when they did not believe, to be overthrownand defeated, so that of them all not more than two survived, whenthere were numbered, of all that went forth from twenty years of ageand above, more than six hundred thousand men. This example he setsforth as a warning and a terror; as though he should say, those whoare now called Christians, and under this name turn the grace of Godinto wantonness, are to beware to themselves that it do not come topass with them as it came to pass with those. And true enough, theseare the times when the Popedom is exalted and the Gospel kept secretthrough the whole world; when, too, there comes continually oneplague after another, by which God has punished the unbelieving andthrown them into the throat of the Devil. 

V. 8. _Like them also are these dreamers, who defile the flesh. _These teachers he calls dreamers; for just as when a man lies in adream he deals with images, and thinks he has something real, butwhen he wakes up it is nothing at all, --but he sees then that it wasa dream, and counts it of no importance, --so, too, what these say isnothing else than a mere dream; for when once their eyes shall beopened, they shall see that it is nothing at all. As when they goabout pretending that their tonsure and cowl, obedience, poverty andchastity are well-pleasing to God, they have this before their eyes;yet, in God's sight it is nothing but a mere dream. So he has giventhem a truly fitting name, inasmuch as they deal with dreams, bywhich they cheat themselves and the world. 

But especially do the Apostles ascribe to the clerical order the viceof leading an unchaste life; and God long ago foretold that theyshould have no wives. Now it is scarcely possible that God shouldwork as many miracles as there are persons in the order, so that itcannot be that they are chaste. So, likewise, has the prophet Danielspoken, chap. Xi. , of the Pope's rule: "He shall not regard women (inmarriage). " This is the external characteristic, as the inward isthat they are dreamers. 

_Who despise government, and speak evil of dignities. _ Their thirdcharacteristic is, that they will not be subject to civil authority. Yet we have been taught, while we live on earth, that we are allunder obligation; that we are to be subject and obedient to thesovereignty; for the Christian faith does not do away with civilrule, --therefore no one can except himself from it, because thePope's decree concerning the Church's freedom is a mere devil's law. 

V. 9. _But Michael the archangel, when he contended with the devil, and disputed about the body of Moses, durst not let drop against hima railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. _ This is one ofthe reasons why this Epistle was formerly rejected, because here anexample is adduced which is not found in Scripture, to the effectthat the angel Michael and the devil contended with one another aboutthe body of Moses. But this should have been found there, since somuch is written about Moses in the last of Deuteronomy, of God'sburial of him, and yet no one knew his grave. Besides, Scripturetestifies in regard to him, that no other prophet has arisen inIsrael like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, &c. But it hasbeen said, in reference to the same text also, that his body was leftconcealed, so that the Jews might not regard it with idolatrousveneration, and for this reason the angel Michael must needs opposethe devil, who wished that the body should be discovered, that theJews might pray to it; and although Michael was an archangel (saysJude), yet was he not so bold as to curse even the devil, --and yetthese scoffers trample under foot the authority that has beenordained of God; they curse in seven, eight and nine ways, thoughthey are men merely; while this archangel dared not curse the worstdevil that was ever condemned, but said no more than, the Lordrestrain and punish thee. 

V. 10. _But these scoff at what they know nothing of, for what theyknow naturally as brute beasts, in those things they corruptthemselves. _ Such scoffers are they, that they can do nothing elsebut anathematize and curse, and give over to the devil for his ownnot only kings and dignities, but God also and the saints, as may beseen in the bull, _C[oe]na Domini_. They know not that our salvationstands on the foundation of faith and love; they cannot endure thattheir works should be rejected and condemned, and that it should bepreached that Christ alone must help us by His works. Therefore theycurse and scoff at all Christian doctrine which they are ignorant of. But what they know, through natural perception, --as the founding ofmasses and the like, --will bring in gold and treasures; to this theydevote themselves with energy, and thereby corrupt themselves andevery one else. 

V. 11. _Woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain. _ Cainstruck his brother dead, simply because he was more pious thanhimself. For his brother's offering was acceptable before God, buthis own was not. So now the way of Cain is, to rely on one's ownworks, and scoff at those works which are good and true, andcircumvent and slay those who go in the right way, just as these veryones also are doing. 

_And have hurried for reward into the error of Balaam. _ They shouldbe fixed inwardly in the hope of Divine grace; yet they go forth andput their trust in various outward works, of this kind and that, andthey do them only for the sake of gold, that they may fill theirbellies, like the prophet Balaam, as we have heard in Peter'sEpistle. 

_And perished in the rebellion of Korah. _ Of the rebellion of Korah, and how he was destroyed, with his house, we have an account in thefourth book of Moses, xvi. Moses was summoned and called for thispurpose, that he should lead the people out of Egypt; and his brotherAaron likewise was appointed of God as High Priest. Now Korah wasalso of the same tribe, and their friendship should have beenenduring, and something more than common: yet he attaches to himselftwo hundred and fifty men of the foremost and most distinguishedamong the people, and excites such a commotion and tumult, that Mosesand Aaron are forced to flee. And Moses fell upon his face, andprayed that God might not accept their sacrifice; and he bade thecongregation of the people draw back from them, and said to them:"Hereby shall ye surely know if the Lord hath sent me; if these mendie and disappear as all men disappear, then the Lord hath not sentme; but if the Lord shall do some new thing, so that the earth shallopen her mouth and swallow them up, and they go down alive into hell, then shall ye know that these men have reviled the Lord. " When he hadspoken these words, the earth quaked and opened, and swallowed upKorah, together with the other leaders of the rebellion, with allthat they had, so that they went down alive into hell; and the fireconsumed the other two hundred and fifty men who had joinedthemselves to him. 

This example Jude sets forth for these scoffers who blame us formaking a commotion, while we preach against them, for they are thereal ones who make all the trouble. For Christ is our Aaron andchief-priest, whom we should allow to rule alone; but this the Popeand bishops have been unwilling to endure. They have set themselvesup, and have wished to have the power to rule along with theauthority, and so have arrayed themselves against Christ; but God haspunished them, in that the earth has swallowed them up and coveredthem, since they are absorbed and swallowed up in an earthly life andpleasure, and are nothing but pure worldliness. 

V. 12, 13. _These live on your charities, and are vileness itself, while they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear; cloudsthey are without water, driven about by the wind; barren, fruitlesstrees, twice dead and plucked up by the roots; wild waves of the sea, which foam out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom is reservedthe blackness of darkness forever. _ Of this we have heard enough inSt. Peter's Epistle. All the world have brought up their children tobe ecclesiastics, and to have an easy life of it, and not to supportthemselves by their own hands and labor; nor must they even preach, but only live without care in their luxury, and keep up good spiritsby feeding on the wealth that poor people earn by their sweat. So menthink they must be the best part, and the jewel, as it were, ofChristendom, while they are merely shame-spots and an abomination, and live well, as we say, on the wealth that belongs to them aspriests. They are without care or fear; they think the devil may notoverthrow them; they feed not the sheep, but are themselves thewolves that devour the sheep; they are clouds that hang over us inthe air, sit up high in the churches, as those that should preach, and yet they do not preach at all, but let themselves be driven bythe devil this way and the other. 

So, too, he says, they are leafless, fruitless trees, like the treesof autumn; they have neither fruit nor leaf; they stand there onlylike other trees; let themselves be looked upon as Christian bishops, but there is with them neither word nor work, but all is dead to theroot. Moreover, they are like wild waves of the sea; that is, as thewind tosses and throws up waves and billows upon the water, so these, too, go just as the devil leads them. And they foam out their ownshame; like a heated pot, they are so full of pollution that they runover, and cannot retain command of themselves, but all must out. Theyare wandering stars, planets as they are called, that go backward, and not in a steady, straight course, so that they make no trueprogress; their life and doctrine is mere error, in which they leadthemselves astray, and all that follow after them. Therefore for themis reserved the blackness of darkness forever. 

Thus Jude has appraised and painted our spiritual masters, who, underthe name of Christ and Christianity, introduce all sorts ofprofligacy, and snatch to themselves all the wealth of the world, andauthoritatively subject all men to themselves. 

There follows now, further:

V. 14. _Enoch, also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of such, andsaid, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of His saints, toexecute judgment upon all. _ This language of Enoch is nowhere to befound in Scripture. For this reason some of the Fathers did notreceive this Epistle, although there is not a sufficient reason forrejecting a book on this account. For St. Paul, also, in II. Tim. Iii. , makes mention of two that opposed Moses, Jannes and Jambres, names that are not even to be found in the Scriptures. But be this asit will, we let it pass. Still this is true, that God, from thebeginning of the world, has left it to some to make His word known(the word that promises His favor and salvation to believers, butthreatens the unbelieving with judgment and condemnation), even tillChrist's coming down from heaven, when it is openly preached to thewhole world. But before the birth of Christ God took to Himself forthis purpose only a single line, from Adam to Abraham, and thence toDavid, down to Mary the mother of Christ, who possessed His word. Thus the Gospel has always been preached in the world, but never sogenerally as now in these last times. 

Thus, also, this father, Enoch, insisted on that word of God which hereceived from his father, Adam, and which he had of the Holy Spirit. For the Scripture says also of him, Gen. V. , that he led a godlylife, and therefore he was taken of God, so that he was seen no more. Hence, also, has been derived the notion that He will come againbefore the last day; but it is not to be supposed that men wouldunderstand it of a spiritual advent, as that his preaching was basedupon the last day, as this passage is, wherein that day is spoken ofwith as much assurance as though it were in full view. _The Lord iscoming already_, he says, _with many thousand saints_; that is, withsuch a multitude as cannot be numbered. For this can only be said ofthe last day, on which He will come with all His saints, to executejudgment. For before this, He has not come with many thousand saints, but alone, into the world; and this, not to judge, but to bestowgrace. 

V. 15. _And to punish all the ungodly among them, for all theirgodless life, wherein they have been ungodly. _ This passage Jude doesnot inappropriately quote, inasmuch as he is speaking of falseteachers, who are to come before the last day; and the conclusion isthence to be drawn, that the Lord by his coming will overthrow thePope and his government; since there is no other help for it; for aslong as the world stands, there will be no (voluntary) ending orreformation of it. The passage, moreover, cannot be understood of anyothers, but of our clergy, who have shamefully led all the worldastray. Their system cannot be worse, and even though it were worse, it must yet hold on to the name of Christ, and under the sameintroduce all kinds of mischiefs. Thus he refers this passage to thelast judgment, and names those who shall suffer judgment. Whence weinfer what our young clerical gentlemen shall expect at the last day, be the time long or short. 

_And for all the hard speeches which Godless sinners have utteredagainst Him. _ There he at once strikes upon their life and preaching, and would say this much:--They speak fiercely and harshly against theLord who is to come; they are shameless and proud; they deride andrevile him, as St. Peter has said. He speaks not of their sinful, shameful life, but of their godless state. But the godless is he wholives without faith, although he leads a passable life outwardly. Outwardly wicked works are indeed the fruits of unbelief, but wespeak more particularly of that as a godless state, where the heartis full of unbelief. These very godless ones the Lord will punish, hesays, because their preaching is shameless and presumptuous, for theystick ever to their own wilfulness; do not permit themselves to beswayed at all, and are as hard as an anvil, to condemn and revilecontinually. Thus has Enoch struck in this passage at the very estatewhich before the last day should be in the world, as we now see itbefore our eyes. Jude says, further:

V. 16. _There are murmurers and complainers who walk after their ownlusts, and their mouth speaketh swelling words. _ When men will notlet their own circumstances be fair and favorable, then there isnothing but murmuring and complaining. So when one does not give aBishop the title he claims, then they cry out against disobedience. Besides, they are such a class of people as we cannot guard against, for they give out that they have a right over soul and body; theyhave grasped in their own hands both the civil and spiritual sword, so that they cannot be controlled, since no one must preach againstthem; they have got rid of all tax, tribute, and rent, so that no onedares to touch their wealth, besides, none dares preach a wordwithout first asking them about it. And even though one should attackthem with Scripture, yet they say that none but they only must besuffered to explain Scripture. Thus they live in all respects as theywill, according to their lusts. For they cannot explain that to us, as they would be glad to, since we have subjected ourselves both tothe Gospel and to the civil sword, but they would be free anduncontrolled of both. And, moreover, their whole law and claim isnothing but the fullness of mere high, proud, puffed-up words, whichhave nothing to back them. 

_And they hold themselves up for respect, for advantage sake. _ Thisis their way of judging all, according to the person; in all thePope's laws, through and through, you do not once find that a bishopis to humble himself below a priest, or aim at anything, as the fruitof a christian walk, --but all is merely of this sort: the curate isto be subject to the priest, the priest subject to the bishop, thebishop to the archbishop, but he to the patriarch, the patriarch tothe Pope, and after this, how each is to wear the robe, the tonsureand the cowl, possess so many churches and benefices. 

Thus they have reduced it all to an outward matter, and such is thechild's play and fool's work, they are driving at; and they haveaccounted it gross sin, if any one does not hold to such views. Sothat Jude says well, that they put a mask upon everything, and havethis only before their eyes. Thus no one knows anything of faith, oflove, nor of the Cross; whence the people generally are content toeat and play the fool, and devote all their property in the mannerthey do, as if to the true service of God; it is thus that they holdthemselves up to respect for advantage sake. 

V. 17, 18. _But, my beloved, remember ye the words that were saidbefore by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, when they said toyou that in the last times there should come scoffers who should walkafter their own lusts, in a godless state. _ This passage shows alsoclearly, that this epistle is not by St. Jude the Apostle, for hedoes not count nor reckon himself among the other Apostles, butspeaks of them as of those who preached long before him; so that itis reasonable to suppose that another pious man wrote the epistle, one who had read St. Peter's epistles and had drawn this from thatsource. Who these scoffers are, we have said above: they walk, moreover, after their own lusts, --not merely their fleshly lusts, butthose of that godless life which they lead, and they shape all as itpleases them; they care neither for worldly authority, nor the wordof God; they are neither under external nor internal government, whether divine or human; they float about between heaven and earth intheir lust, just as the devil leads them. 

V. 19. _These are they who make sects, sensual, who have not theSpirit. _ There he has touched on what Peter speaks of, their secretlybringing in of pestilent sects, for these are they that haveseparated themselves; they divide the unity that is in faith, willnot let the ordinary estate of a Christian answer, --namely, thatwherein one serves another, --but they set up other estates, andpretend to serve God by these. Besides they are sensual or brutishmen, who have no more understanding and spirit than an ox or an ass;they walk according to their natural reason and fleshly mind. Theyhave no God's-word by which they judge themselves, or by which theycan live. 

V. 20, 21. _But, ye beloved, build yourselves up on your most holyfaith, through the Holy Spirit, and pray, and keep yourselves in thelove of God. _ There he defines, in few words, that in which athoroughly Christian life consists. Faith is laid for the foundationon which we are to build; but to build is to grow from day to day inthe knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ, and this takes placethrough the working of the Holy Spirit. When we are thus built up, weshall do no work to merit anything or to be saved by it, but all tothe service of our neighbor. Thus we are to watch, that we abide inlove, and not fall from it, like these fools who set up particularworks and a peculiar life, and so draw people away from love. 

_And look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. _That is the hope, toward which the Holy Cross moves. Therefore shouldour life be so shaped as to be nothing else than a steady longing andwaiting for that life to come; yet so that that waiting be groundedon the mercy of Christ, so that we shall call upon Him with such anunderstanding as that he is to help us from this to that life out ofpure mercy, and not for any work or merit of ours. 

V. 22, 23. _And of these take pity, and distinguish them; but as tothose, save them and draw them out of the fire. _ That is not wellexpressed in Dutch, but Jude would say this much: on some take pity, some save; that is, let your life be so shaped that it shall allowyou to have compassion on these who are wretched, blind and dumb;have no joy or pleasure over them, but let them go, keep from themand have nothing to do with them. But as to those others, whom ye candraw forth, save them by fear, --deal kindly and gently with them, asGod has dealt with you; treat them not harshly or rudely, but feeltoward them as toward those that lie in the fire, whom you are todraw forth and rescue with all care, consideration and diligence; ifthey will not suffer themselves to be drawn out, we should let themgo and weep over them, --but not like the Pope and his inquisitors, burn and destroy them by fire. 

_And hate the garment spotted by the flesh. _ We have indeed receivedthe Holy Spirit by faith, and have been made clean; but as long as welive here, the old garment of our flesh and blood clings to us stilland will not relax its hold. This is the spotted garment that weshould lay off and draw away from as long as we live. 

V. 24, 25. _Now unto Him that is able to keep you from stumbling, andpresent you faultless before the presence of His glory with joy; toGod who alone is wise, our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominionand power, now and forever. Amen. _ This is the close of this Epistle. Thus the Apostles do when they have written, taught, admonished andprophesied; thus they pray, express their wishes, and give thanks. Thus we have seen in the Epistles both what is true christian andfalse unchristian doctrine, as well as life. 

PRINTED AT WITTEMBERG BY HANS LUFFT, 1524.