Our adversaries consider only the commandments of the second table of Moses which treats of external honesty, a virtue which human reason more readily comprehends; and they imagine, that by these external good works they keep God’s law. But they do not consider the first table which requires us to love God with our whole heart, firmly to believe that God is wroth on account of sin, sincerely to fear God, and to be fully assured that God is near us and hears our prayer, &c.

Now we are all so constituted from Adam, previous to our being born again through the Holy Ghost, that our hearts, in their security, despise God’s wrath, judgment, and threats, and hate and oppose his judgments and penalties. Now if all the children of Adam are born so deeply in sin, that we naturally despise God, and doubt his Word, his promises, and his threats; then indeed must the best of our good works, performed previous to our being born anew through the Holy Ghost, be sinful and condemned in God’s sight, although to the world they may appear lovely; for they proceed out of a bad, ungodly, and impure heart; as Paul says, Rom 14:23; “Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin.” For all such self-righteous men perform works without faith, despise God in their hearts, and believe as little as Epicurus, that God takes care of them. Their contempt of God within, must necessarily make their works impure and sinful, although they may appear beautiful before men; for God searches the heart. (Henkel Translation, p. 163).

Now if it be necessary to be born again of the Holy Ghost, our good works or our own merit will not justify us before God; nor can we keep or fulfil the law. Again, Rom. 3:53: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” that is, they are wanting in the wisdom and righteousness which avail in the sight of God, and through which they rightly know, honor, and praise him. Again, Rom. 8:7–8: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

These passages of Scripture are so exceedingly clear and plain, that they require no very keen intellect to understand them; we need only to read them and properly examine the plain words. As Augustine says on this subject: “If human reason and being carnal minded constitute enmity against God, then, without the Holy Ghost, no man can love God with his whole heart. Again, if to be carnal minded is enmity against God, then indeed are even the best works of the children of Adam impure and sinful; for if the flesh cannot be obedient to the law of God, then in truth does a man commit sin, even when performing noble, lovely, and excellent works, which the world highly esteems.” (Henkel Translation, p. 162-163).

It is likewise false and untrue, that a man can become righteous and pious before God by his own works and by external piety.

It is unfounded and false, that human reason is able of itself to love God above all things, to keep his commandments, to fear him, to be assured that he hears our prayers, to thank and obey him in afflictions, and in other things enjoined in his law, such as, not to covet the goods of others, &c. For all this, human reason is not able to accomplish, although it can in some degree produce an honorable life externally, and perform good works.

To say that those are without sin, who keep God’s commandments externally only, without the Spirit and grace in their hearts, is also untrue and deceptive, and a blasphemy against Christ.

This conclusion is attested, not only by the holy Scriptures, but also by the ancient Fathers. Augustine treats of this subject largely, in contending against the Pelagians, that grace is not given on account of our own merits. And in his book on Nature and Grace, (de Natura et Gratia,) he says: “If our natural strength is sufficient, by freewill, both to teach us how to live, and how to live aright, then Christ died in vain.”

Why should I not here exclaim with Paul, Gal. 5:4, Rom. 10:3–4? yea, I may justly exclaim with him: “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law: ye are fallen from grace.” “For they, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” For as Christ is the end of the law, so also is Christ the saviour of corrupted nature. Again, John 8:36: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

Therefore we cannot become free from our sins, or merit their remission, through reason or good works. Again, it is written, John 3:5: “Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (Henkel Translation, p. 162).

Thus our adversaries teach nothing but the external piety of external good works, which Paul calls the piety of the law; and thus, like the Jews, they see the veiled face of Moses, only strengthening security and hardness of heart in some hypocrites; they lead men upon a sandy foundation, upon their own works, by which means Christ and the Gospel are despised, and give many miserable consciences cause for despair; for they do good works relying upon false conceits, and, never experiencing the great power of faith, they at last sink into despair.

We, however, hold and assert of external piety, that God requires and demands such an external correct life; and that on account of God’s commandment, we must perform the good works prescribed in the Ten Commandments. For the law is our schoolmaster, Gal. 3:24, and is given for the unrighteous. It is the will of the Lord, our God, that gross sins should be restrained by external discipline; and for this purpose, he has given laws, established governments, provided men of learning and wisdom, who are fitted to govern. Human reason can, to some extent, by its own powers, produce an honorable external deportment like this; although it is often hindered in doing so, by innate weakness and the arts of the devil.

Now, although I am willing to allow to this external life and such good works, all the praise that is properly due them;—for in this life and in worldly matters, there is nothing better than honesty and virtue, as Aristotle says: “Neither the morning nor the evening star is more lovely and beautiful than honesty and righteousness,” God himself rewarding such virtues with temporal gifts;—yet, we should not extol good works and such a deportment so as to bring contumely on Christ. The opinion that we must merit the remission of our sins by our works, is certainly a fiction and an error. (Henkel Translation, p. 161-162).

Again, in his work concerning Councils and the Church,* Dr. Luther says: “We Christians must know that if God is not also in the scales, and does not add his weight, we shall be found wanting. By this I mean, that if it could not be said that God died for us, but if this was only a man, we are lost; but if the death of God, and the fact that God died for us lie in the scale, it will descend, and we shall rise like a light weight; he can indeed also rise up again, or vacate this scale; but he could not be placed in this scale, unless he had become man like unto us; so that we may use the expressions: ‘God died,’ ‘the passion of God,’ ‘the blood of God,’ ‘the death of God.’ For God in his nature cannot die; but now, since God and man are united in one person, we may rightly say: ‘the death of God,’ namely, when the man dies, who is one with God, or one person with God.” Thus far Luther. From these words it is evident that it is an erroneous assertion, when it is said or written, that the aforenamed expressions, “God suffered,” “God died,” are only verbal predications, or mere words without any reality. For our simple Christian faith teaches that the Son of God, who became man, suffered and died for us, and redeemed us with his blood.

Secondly, with respect to the execution of the office of Christ, the person acts and operates, not in, with, through, or according to one nature alone, but in, with, according to, and through both natures; or, as the Council of Chalcedon says, one nature worketh in communication with the other, that which is appropriate to each one. Thus Christ is our Mediator, our Redeemer, our King, our High-Priest, our Head, our Shepherd, &c., not according to one nature alone, whether it be the divine or the human, but according to both natures, as this doctrine has been elsewhere more fully treated. (Page 693).

In devising a distinction however between merito congrui* and merito condigni,† they are playing with and contending about words only, in order that they may not appear openly as Pelagians. For if God must of necessity confer his grace as a reward for congruity, then it is not really congruity, but an actual duty, it is justice or condignity. They themselves do not know, however, what they say; for they invent and dream, that when the “habitus” of the love of God (of which mention is made above) is present, a man merit the grace of God de congruo; and yet they admit that no one can be certain of the presence of this habitus.

Pray, how then, or when, do they know, to what extent they earn the Lord’s grace; whether by congruity or by condignity, in part or in whole? But, alas, merciful God! These are all the cold thoughts and dreams of idle, wicked, and inexperienced men, who do not often make use of the Bible; who do not know nor experience, what a sinner feels, what the attacks of death and the devil are; who do not know at all, how entirely we forget all our merit and works, when the heart feels the wrath of God, or when the conscience is filled with terror. Secure, inexperienced men constantly pass on in the delusion, that they merit grace by their works de congruo.

For it is implanted in us by nature, highly to esteem ourselves and our works. But when the heart truly feels its sins and wretchedness, then all levity and frivolous thoughts give way to real and great seriousness; then the heart and conscience will not be quieted or satisfied, but will seek works upon works, and desires to have certainty, a foundation on which to stand and rest firmly. But these alarmed consciences deeply feel, that they can merit nothing either de condigno or de congruo, and soon sink into hopelessness and despair, unless a doctrine different from the law be preached to them; namely, the Gospel of Christ, proclaiming that he was given for us.

Thus it is related of the Barefoot monks, that they, after vainly praising, for a long time, their order and good works to St several pious persons in the hour of death, were at last obliged to be silent about their order and. Franciscus, and to say, “Dear friend, Christ hath died for thee.” This afforded relief in trouble; this alone bought peace and consolation. (Henkel Translation, p. 160-161).

*Congruity, in school divinity.—The good actions which are supposed to render it meet and equitable that God should confer grace on those who perform them. The merit of congruity is a sort of imperfect qualification for the gift and reception of God’s grace.—MILNER.
†Condignity, in school divinity.—The merit of human actions which claims reward, on the score of justice.—MILNER.

Paul, (Rom. 4:9–11,) denies that Abraham was justified through circumcision, and asserts that it was a sign appointed to exercise and strengthen faith. We therefore say, that the proper use of the Sacraments requires faith, to believe the divine promises, and receive the promised grace, which is offered through the Sacraments and the Word. Now this is the obvious and proper use of the holy Sacraments, upon which our hearts and our minds can firmly rely. For the divine promises can be accepted through faith alone. Now, as the Sacraments are external signs and seals of the promises, their proper use requires faith ; for when we receive the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, Christ clearly says: “This cup is the new testament,” Luke 22:20. We should firmly believe then, that the grace and remission of sins, promised in the New Testament, are imparted to us. Now we should receive this in faith, and thereby console our alarmed, timid hearts, and rest assured, that the Word and promises of God cannot fail, but are as sure, nay, more so, than a new divine voice, or a new miracle from heaven, promising grace to us. But what would miracles benefit us, if they were not believed ? Here we are speaking of special faith, namely, the belief that our own sins are surely forgiven, and not of general faith, believing that there is a God. This proper use of the Sacraments really consoles and refreshes the heart. (pages 266-267)

Now although our adversaries, in order not to pass by the name of Christ in total silence, as barbarous, impious heathens, speak of faith as being a knowledge of the history of Christ; and although they do tell us something of Christ—namely, that he has gained for us a habitum, or, as they term it, primam gratiam, the first or original grace, which they regard as an inclination, or a desire, by which we are enabled to love God more easily, than we could otherwise; yet a very weak and insignificant influence would thus be exerted by Christ, or by this habitus.

Nevertheless they say, that the operation of our reason and will, before this habitus exists, as well as afterwards, when the habitus is present, are ejusdem speciei, that is, one and the same thing, before as well as after.

For they maintain that our reason and human will are of themselves able to love God; but that the habitus creates a desire, which enables reason to accomplish, with greater ease and pleasure, what it before had the power to do.

Hence they also teach, that this habitus must be merited or earned by our previous works, and that, through the works of the law, we merit an increase of this good inclination and eternal life.

Thus these men conceal Christ from us, and bury him anew, so that it is impossible for us to recognise him as a Mediator; for they bury in silence the doctrine, that we obtain remission of our sins through him, by grace alone, without any merit of our own; and even set up their dreams, that we can merit forgiveness of our sins by good works and the works of the law; although the whole Bible teaches, that we are unable to keep or fulfil the law. And as human reason performs no part of the law, except external works, and does not really fear God, so it neither believes, that it is observed of God. Although they speak thus concerning the habitus, it is certain, that, without faith in Christ, real love to God cannot exist in the heart; nor can anyone comprehend, what love to God is, without faith. (Henkel Translation, p. 159-160).

Since, however, as we have stated above, it is the obedience of the whole person, it is also a perfect satisfaction and expiation for the human race, by which satisfaction was made unto the eternal, immutable justice of God, which is revealed in the law. And this obedience is our righteousness which avails in the sight of God, which is revealed unto us in the Gospel, upon which our faith rests before God, and which he imputes to faith, as it is written, Rom. 5:19: “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners; so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” And 1 John 1:7: “The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” Again, Rom. 1:17; Habak. 2:4: “The just shall live by faith.”

In this manner neither the divine nor the human nature of Christ by itself is imputed unto us for righteousness, but the obedience of the person alone, who is at the same time God and man. And thus, faith looks upon the person of Christ, as the same was made under the law for us, bore our sins, and when proceeding to the Father, rendered entire and prefect obedience to the heavenly Father, for us poor sinners, from his holy birth unto his death; and thereby covered all our disobedience, which inheres in our nature, in its thoughts, words, and deeds; so that it is no more imputed to us unto condemnation, but is pardoned and remitted through pure grace, for the sake of Christ alone. (Pages 640-641)

Therefore the sum of this article is, that the word Lord signifies, in its most simple meaning, as much as Redeemer, that is, the one who has brought us from Satan to God—from death to life—from sin to righteousness, and thus preserves us. The parts, however, which succeed each other in this article, chiefly serve to illustrate and explain this redemption—how and through what means it came to pass; that is, how dear and precious a price it cost Christ, what he bestowed upon it, what he hazarded to gain us and to bring us into his kingdom; namely, he became man, was begotten by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary, free from all sins, in order that he might be the lord of sin; moreover, he suffered, died, and was buried, that he might make expiation for me, and make compensation for my transgressions, not with gold or silver, but with his own precious blood. And all this he did, that he might be my Lord; he performed nothing for himself, nor had he need of any thing. Afterwards he arose from the dead, and overcame death; and finally, he ascended to heaven, and received dominion at the right hand of the Father, that the devil and all powers might be subject to him, and lie beneath his feet until he, ultimately on the last day, shall separate and remove us from this wicked world, from Satan, death, and sin.

But to treat each of these particulars separately, does not comport with a brief lecture for children; it rather belongs to the more lengthy sermons throughout the year, especially at the times set apart for the purpose of treating each article at proper length, concerning the nativity, passion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. Moreover, the entire Gospel which we preach, depends also on this, that we properly embrace this article, since our whole redemption and salvation are based upon it, and since it is so abundant and copious, that we always have enough to learn in it. (Page 494-495).