' In the first place, (says Luther,) it must, above all things, be well known what the words are on which baptism is founded, whereupon all depends that may be said with respect to it, viz : Our Lord Christ saith, in the last chapter of Matthew's gospel, ' Go into all the world, teach all the nations ; baptise them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.' And again ; Mark, the last chapter, ' He that believeth, and is baptised, shall be saved ; but he that believeth not, shall be damned.' In these words you must first notice, that there are God's command and institution ; so that it is not to be doubted but what baptism is a divine thing, and not man's invention : for, with the same propriety that I can say that no man out of his own head invented the ten commandments, the creed, and the Lord's prayer, but they are all revealed by God himself, even so I may equally extol baptism, not as a human tradition, but as an institution of God ; who also zealously and strictly commanded us that we should receive baptism, else not be saved. Lest any should think it to be as light a thing as to put on a new red coat, it must be observed, that the greatest virtue in it is, that we esteem baptism precious, glorious and high, for which we contend the most, because the world now is so full of heretics, who cry out, baptism is an outward thing, and therefore unprofitable. But let an outward thing be what it may, here is God's word and command, which institute and confirm baptism. Now whatever God institutes and commands cannot be vain, but must be a purely precious thing, even if it was apparently less than a straw. Could it hitherto be esteemed a great thing, when the pope and his letters and bulls distributed indulgences, confirmed altars or churches, only for the sake of the letters and the seals, how much higher and more precious ought we to regard baptism, because God commanded it to be performed in his name. Thus the words are expressed–' Go ye and baptise ; but not in your, but in God's name.' To be baptised in God's name, is not to be baptised of men, but of God himself ; although it be performed by men, yet it is truly God's own work : hence it may be concluded that it is much higher than any works of men or saints, for what greater works can be done than God's works ? But here the devil is busy to blind one with a false appearance, in leading us away from God's work to our own ; for this has a much more plausible appearance when a self-righteous anchorite* performs many arduous and great works, and all regard more what we do and merit ourselves. But the scriptures teach thus : if we heaped all the works of the monks together, no matter how precious they appear, yet they would not be as noble and good as if God lifted up a straw. Why so ? Because the person is nobler and better. Now the person is not to be estimated according to the works, but the works according to the person from whom they inherit their nobility. But this dull reason will not regard ; and because it flows not like the works we do, therefore it is not to be valued.

* I have translated the German word Cartheuser, self-righteous anchorite. I confess that I have guessed at its meaning only, as I at present have not a German-English, and English-German dictionary in my possession, to which I may have access. Luther's style is so very blunt and antiquated, that it is very difficult to make a polished English translation of it ; yet its nervous arguments supply every defect.

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