Fifth, nobody can deny that we, like it, do indeed hold, believe, sing, and confess the Apostles’ Creed, the ancient creed of the ancient church, and neither make nor add anything new to it. Hence we belong to the ancient church and are one with it. There is, therefore, in this matter also, no reason the papists should really call us heretics or a new church, for whoever believes as the ancient church did and holds things in common with it belongs to the ancient church.

Sixth, nobody can deny that we have the same prayer as the ancient church, the same Lord’s Prayer. We have not invented a new or different one; we sing the same psalms and praise and thank God with united heart and voice according to the teaching of Christ, the practice of the apostles and the ancient church, and their command to us to follow their example. And so again the papists cannot call us heretics or a new church, unless they first call Christ himself such, together with his beloved ancient church, etc. (Luther’s Works, v.41, p.196)

Picture: The Veronica Window at History Trinity Lutheran Church, Souland Market, St. Louis MO

Fourth, nobody can deny that we have in fulness and purity the preaching office and the word of God, that we teach and preach diligently, without adding any new, sectarian, or human doctrine, and in this we do just as Christ commanded [Matt. 28:19–20] and as the apostles and all of Christendom have done. We invent nothing new, but hold and remain true to the ancient word of God, as the ancient church had it. Therefore we are, together with the ancient church, the one true church, which teaches and believes the one word of God. So the papists once more slander Christ himself, the apostles, and all of Christendom when they call us innovators and heretics. For they find nothing in us but what belongs to the ancient church—that we are like it, and are one church with it. (Luther’s Works, v.41, p.196)

Picture: The nave at History Trinity Lutheran Church, Souland Market, St. Louis MO

Third, nobody can deny that we have the true and ancient keys, and do not use them in any other way than to bind and loose sins, committed against the command of God. This we do in accordance with Christ’s institution [Matt. 16:19; John 20:23] and the practice of the apostles and the whole of Christendom until the present day. We have therefore one kind of keys and one common practice with the ancient church. Hence we are this same ancient church, or are, in any event, in it; for we make no new keys, we make no new laws, nor do we exclude kings and lords from, or admit them to, temporal power, but it is only sinners that we exclude from, or admit to, the kingdom of heaven. This we do just as the ancient church did at the Lord’s command, so that the papists libel us once more, indeed, slander us and in us make the ancient church, the apostles, and Christ himself heretical. (Luther’s Works, v.41, p.195-196)

Picture: Baptismal font at History Trinity Lutheran Church, Souland Market, St. Louis MO