Thus we must pray first of all that God may impart more and more strength to us and our friends and let his dear child Jesus grow in our hearts from day to day that we may praise, glorify, and confess him with a zealous and happy heart before the hardened and blind shepherds of this coarse and stilt-necked sect of papists. And then we must help to bear the common guilt of the German nation, asking God not to regard the vices of the base multitude; nor to make the poor souls suffer for their wickedness; not to withdraw the saving word, so long suppressed, again; nor to permit the reinstatement of the Antichrist;19 but, in accord with the prayer of King Hezekiah, that there be peace and truth in our time. Indeed, such a prayer and such concern are necessary. (Luther’s Works, v.43, p.68)
Art. XIII Das die Sacramëta zeugnus seyë durch welche der Glaub in unß erwecket und gestarckt wirt.
That the Sacraments are testimony through which faith is awakened and strengthened.
Marc 16, v. 16 ; “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
1st Cor. 11, v. 28 ; “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”
[All of the pictures for this year’s posts are from an etching entitled “Augsburg Confession” by Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-1677) and found in the Royal Collection Trust.]