To the Most Mighty and Noble Prince Francis, the Most Christian King of France, His Sovereign Lord, John Calvin Wishes Peace and Salvation in Christ

When I did first set my hand to this work, I thought nothing less (most noble King) than to write anything that afterward should be presented to your majesty. Only my mind was to teach certain introductions whereby they that are touched with some zeal of religion might be instructed to true godliness. And this labor I took principally for my countrymen the Frenchmen, of whom I understood very many to hunger and thirst for Christ, but I saw very few that had rightly received so much as any little knowledge of him. And that this was my meaning, the book itself declares, being framed after a simple and plain manner of teaching. But when I perceived that the furious rage of some wicked men has so far prevailed in your realm, that in it there is no room for sound doctrine: I thought I should do a thing worth my labor, all in one work both to give an instruction for them, and to declare a confession to you: whereby you may learn what manner of doctrine that is, against which those furious men burn in so great rage, who at this day trouble your realm with sword and fire. For I will not fear to confess that I have in this work comprehended in manner the sum of that selfsame doctrine, against which they cry out, that it ought to be punished with imprisonment, banishment, condemnation without judgment, and with fire, that it ought to be chased away by land and sea. I know indeed with how heinous accusations they have filled your mind and ears, to make our cause most hateful to you: but this of your clemency ought you to weigh, that there shall be no innocence, neither in words nor deeds, if it may be enough to accuse. Truly if any, to bring the same into hatred, shall allege that this doctrine whereof I now go about to yield account to you, has been long ago condemned by consent of all degrees, and attainted by many judgments already given in judicial courts: all that he says shall amount to no more but that it has partly been violently thrown down by the [reconstructed: standing] and power of the adversaries thereof, and partly been traitorously and fraudulently oppressed with their lies and subtle practices and slanders. Herein is violence shown, that without hearing the cause, bloody sentences are pronounced against it: herein is fraud, that it is without deserving accused of sedition and evil doing. And that none may think that we wrongfully complain of these things, you yourself can bear us witness, most noble King, with how lying slanders it is daily accused to you: as, that it tends to no other end but to wrest from Kings their scepters out of their hands, to throw down all judges' seats and judgments, to subvert all orders and civil governments, to trouble the peace and quiet of the people, to abolish all laws, to undo all properties and possessions, finally to turn all things upside down. And yet you hear the smallest portion. For horrible things they spread abroad among the people: which if they were true, the whole world might worthily judge it with the maintainers thereof, worthy of a thousand fires and gallows. Who can now marvel that a common hatred is kindled against it, where such most wrongful accusations are believed? Lo, this is the cause that all degrees agree and conspire to the condemning of us and our doctrine. They that sit to judge, being ravished with this affection, pronounce for sentences their preconceived determinations which they brought from home with them: and think that they have well enough discharged their duties if they command no man to be drawn to execution, but such as are found guilty either by their own confession or by sufficient witness. But of what fault? Of that condemned doctrine, say they. But by what law condemned? Herein should have stood the succor of defense for them, not to deny the doctrine itself, but to maintain it for true. But here all liberty even to mutter is utterly cut off from us.

Therefore I do not unjustly require, most victorious king, that it may please you to take into your own hand the whole hearing of the cause which hitherto has been troublesomely handled, or rather carelessly tossed without all order of law, more by outrageous heat than judicial gravity. Neither yet think that I here go about to make my own private defense, whereby I may procure to myself a safe return into my native country, to which although I bear such affection of natural love as becomes me: yet as the case now is, I not discontentedly want it. But I take upon me the common cause of all the godly, indeed and the cause of Christ himself, which at this day having been by all means torn and trodden down in your kingdom, lies as it were in desperate case, and that indeed rather by the tyranny of certain Pharisees, than by your own knowledge. But how that comes to pass, it is not here needful to tell: truly it lies in great distress. For this far have the ungodly prevailed, that the truth of Christ, be not destroyed being chased away and scattered abroad, yet it lies hidden as buried and unregarded: as for the poor Church it is either wasted with cruel slaughters, and so driven away with banishments or dismayed with threats and terrors that it dare not once open her mouth. And yet still they continue with such rage and fierceness as they are wont, thrusting strongly against the wall already bending and the ruin which themselves have made. In the meantime no man steps forth, to set himself in defense against such furies. And they, if there be any such, that will most of all seem to favor the truth, say no more but that it were good to pardon the error and unskilfulness of ignorant men. For thus the good-natured men forsooth do speak, calling that error and unskilfulness which they know to be the most certain truth of God: calling them ignorant men, whose wit they see that Christ has not so despised but that he has vouchsafed to communicate to them the mysteries of his heavenly wisdom. So much are all ashamed of the Gospel. It shall be your office (most noble King) not to turn away your ears nor your mind from so just a defense: specially when so great a matter is in question: namely how the glory of God may be maintained safe on earth, how the truth of God may keep her honor, how Christ may have his kingdom preserved whole among us. This is a matter worthy for your ears, worthy for your judgment, worthy for your royal throne. For, even this thought makes a true King: to acknowledge himself in the governance of his kingdom to be the minister of God. Neither does he now use a kingdom but a robbery, who reigns not to this end that he may serve the glory of God. And he is deceived that looks for a long prosperity of that kingdom, which is not ruled by the scepter of God, that is, by his holy word: forasmuch as the heavenly oracle cannot prove vain whereby it is proclaimed, that the people shall be scattered abroad where prophecy fails. Neither ought the contempt of our baseness to withdraw you from this purpose. We verily know right well, how poor and abject we be, namely in the sight of God miserable sinners, in the sight of men most despised persons, indeed and (if you will) certain excrement and outcasts of the world, or whatever viler thing may be named: so that there remains nothing for us to glory upon before God, but his only mercy whereby we are without any our deserving received into the hope of eternal salvation: and before men, nothing but our weakness, which among them it is taken for a most great shame to confess so much as in countenance. But our doctrine must be advanced high above all glory of the world, must stand unvanquishable above all power: because it is not ours, but the doctrine of the living God and of his Christ, whom the Father has appointed King to bear rule even from sea to sea, and from the rivers even to the ends of the earth: and so to bear rule, that striking the whole earth with the only rod of his mouth, he may break it with all the iron and brazen strength, with all the golden and silver glittering thereof, as it were potters' vessels: as the prophets prophesy of the royalty of his kingdom. Our adversaries indeed do cry out to the contrary, and say that we falsely pretend the word of God, whereof we be most wicked corrupters. But how this is not only a malicious slander, but also a notable shamelessness, you yourself by reading our confession, may according to your wisdom judge. Yet here it is also good to say somewhat, either to move you to willingness and heedfulness, or at the least to prepare you a way to the reading of it. Paul, when he willed all prophecy to be framed to the agreeableness of faith, has set a most sure rule whereby the expounding of Scripture ought to be tried. Now if our doctrine be examined by this rule of faith, the victory is already in our hands. For, what does better or more fittly agree with faith, than to acknowledge ourselves naked of all virtue, that of God we may be clothed? Empty of all good, that of him we may be filled? The bond servants of sin, that of him we may be made free? Blind, that of him we may be enlightened? Lame, that of him we may be made straight? Feeble, that of him we may be upheld? To take from ourselves all matter of glorying, that he alone may be glorious on high, and in him we may glory? When we say these and such like things, they interrupt us and cry out, that by this means is overthrown I know not what blind light of nature, feigned preparations, free will, works meritorious of eternal salvation, together with their supererogations: because they cannot abide that the whole praise and glory of all goodness, virtue, righteousness, and wisdom should remain in God. But we read not that they were blamed that have drawn too much out of that fountain of living water: on the contrary side they are sharply rebuked which have dug to themselves pits, broken pits, which are not able to hold water. Again what is more agreeable with faith, than to promise to themselves that God will be to them a favorable Father, where Christ is acknowledged to be a brother and procurer of favor? Than assuredly to look for all things joyful and prosperous at his hand, whose unspeakable love toward us has proceeded so far, that he has not spared his only begotten son, but that he gave him for us? Than to rest in sure looking for salvation and eternal life, when we think upon Christ given of the Father, in whom such treasures are hidden? Here they step in against us, and cry out that this certainty of trust is not without arrogance and presumption. But as nothing of ourselves, so all things ought we to presume of God: and we are for no other reason spoiled of vain glory, but that we should learn to glory in the Lord. What is there more? Consider (most mighty Prince) all the parts of our cause, and think that we are worse than any kind of wicked men, unless you plainly find that we are in trouble and railed at because we put our trust in the living God: because we believe that this is the eternal life, to know one true God, and him whom he has sent Jesus Christ. For this hope some of us are bound in irons, some are whipped, some are carried about in mockery, some are condemned without judgment, some are most cruelly tormented, some escape away by flight: but all are distressed with trouble, all are most terribly cursed, torn with slanders, and handled in most heinous wise. Now look upon our adversaries (I speak of the degree of priests, at whose beck and will the other exercise enmities against us) and consider with me a little while, with what zeal they are carried. As for the true religion, which is taught in the Scriptures, and which ought to be held certain among all men, they easily give leave both to themselves and others to be ignorant of it, to neglect and despise it: and they think that it makes small matter what every man believes or does not believe concerning God and Christ, so that he does with an unexpressed faith (as they call it) submit his mind to the judgment of the Church: neither are they much moved if it happen that the glory of God be defiled with manifest blasphemies, so that no man lift up his finger against the supremacy of the Apostolic see, and authority of our holy mother the Church. Why therefore do they with so great cruelty and fierceness fight for the Mass, Purgatory, Pilgrimages, and such trifles, so far forth that they say that without most expressed faith (as I may so call it) of these things, godliness cannot stand, whereas yet they prove not that any of these things come out of the word of God: Why so, but because their belly is their God, their kitchen is their religion: which being taken away, they think that they shall not only be no Christians, but also no men? For though some of them do plentifully glut themselves, and others live with gnawing of poor crusts: yet they live all of one pot, which without these warming helps should not only wax cold, but also thoroughly freeze. Therefore how much more every one of them is careful for his belly, so much more earnest a warrior he is for their faith. Finally they all endeavor themselves to this, to keep still either both kingdom safe, and their belly full: but of pure zeal none of them shows any token be it never so little. Neither yet so do they cease to slander our doctrine, and by all the colors that they can to accuse and defame it, whereby they may bring it into hatred or suspicion. They call it new, and lately forged: they cavil that it is doubtful, and uncertain: they demand by what miracles it is confirmed: they ask whether it be fitting that it should prevail against the consent of so many holy Fathers, and the most ancient custom: they press upon us to confess it to be schismatical, which moves war against the Church, or that the Church has lain dead in many ages in which no such thing has been heard of. Last of all they say that there need no arguments, for (say they) it may by the fruits be judged of what sort it is, namely which has bred so huge a heap of sects, so many turmoils of seditions, so great licentiousness of vices. Truly full easy it is for them to triumph upon a forsaken cause before the light-believing and ignorant multitude. But if we might also have our turn likewise allowed us to speak, verily this sharp heat would soon be cooled wherewith they do so with full mouth and as licentiously as unpunishedly some against us.

First, whereas they call it new, they do great wrong to God, whose holy word deserved not to be accused of newness. To them indeed I have no doubt that it is new, to whom Christ is new, and his Gospel is new. But they which knew that preaching of Paul to be old — that Jesus Christ died for our sins, and rose again for our justification — shall find nothing new among us. Whereas it has long lain hidden, unknown, and buried: that is the fault of the ungodliness of men. Now since it is by the bountifulness of God restored to us, it ought at least by right of full restitution to receive again the title of antiquity.

Out of the same fountain of ignorance springs this, that they take it for doubtful and uncertain. This verily is it which the Lord by his prophet complains, that the ox knew his owner, and the donkey his master's stall, but his people knew not him. But however they mock at the uncertainty of it: if they were driven to seal their own doctrine with their own blood and with loss of their life, men might see how much they set by it. But far other is our confidence, which dreads neither the terrors of death, nor yet the very judgment seat of God.

Whereas they require miracles of us, they deal unreasonably with us. For we coin no new Gospel, but hold fast the self-same Gospel, for confirming of the truth of which all the miracles that ever Christ and his Apostles have done do serve. But this thing they have special above us, that they can even to this day confirm their faith with continual miracles. Yes, but rather they allege miracles which may weaken a mind otherwise well established: they are so either trifling and worthy to be laughed at, or vain and lying. And yet, although they were never so monstrous, they ought not to have been of any value against the word of God: since the name of God ought both in every place and every time to be hallowed, whether it be by miracles or by the natural order of things. This false color perhaps might have made the better show, if the Scripture did not inform us of the lawful end and use of miracles. For Mark teaches that the signs which followed the preaching of the Apostles were set forth for the confirming of it. Likewise Luke also says that the Lord did bear witness to the word of his grace, when signs and wonders were shown by the hands of the Apostles. With which wholly agrees that saying of the Apostle, that when the Gospel was preached, salvation was confirmed by this: that the Lord did bear witness to it with signs, and wonders, and diverse powers. But those things which we hear to be the sealings of the Gospel — shall we turn them to the destroying of the credit of the Gospel? Those things which are appointed only to establish the truth — shall we apply them to confirming of lies? Therefore it is fitting that the doctrine, which (as the Evangelist says) goes before miracles, be first examined and tried. If that be allowed, then it may lawfully take confirmation of miracles. But of a true doctrine (as Christ teaches) this is the mark: if it tends not to the seeking of the glory of men, but of God. Since Christ affirms this to be the proof of doctrine, miracles are wrongfully esteemed which are drawn to any other end than to glorify the name of God alone. And we ought to remember that Satan has his miracles, which, although they be juggling deceits rather than true powers, yet are such as may deceive the ignorant and unskillful. Magicians and enchanters have always been famous in miracles; wonderful miracles have nourished idolatry — which you do not thereby prove to us that the superstition of magicians and idolaters is lawful. And with this battering ram in old times the Donatists did shake the simplicity of the common people, for that they excelled in miracles. Therefore we now make the same answer to our adversaries which Augustine then made to the Donatists: that the Lord has made us aware against such miracle workers, when he foretold that there should come false prophets, which with lying signs and diverse wonders should, if it were possible, bring the elect into error. And Paul has given warning that the kingdom of Antichrist should be with all power, and signs, and lying wonders. But these miracles (say they) are done not by idols, not by sorcerers, not by false prophets, but by the saints. As though we knew not that this is the craft of Satan, to transfigure himself into an angel of light. In old times the Egyptians worshipped Jeremiah, who was buried among them, with sacrifices and other divine honors. Did they not thereby abuse the holy prophet of God to idolatry? And yet by such worshipping of his tomb they believed that they obtained the healing of the stinging of serpents as a just reward. What shall we say but that this has been and ever shall be the most just vengeance of God, to send strength of illusion to them that have not received the love of truth, that they may believe lying? Therefore we do not lack miracles — and those certain and not subject to objections. As for miracles which they bring forth for themselves, they are mere illusions of Satan, since they lead away the people from the true worshipping of their God to vanity.

Moreover they do slanderously set the Fathers against us (I mean the ancient Fathers and the writers of the age as yet more uncorrupted) as though they had them for maintainers of their ungodliness: by whose authority if the debate were to be ended, the better part of the victory (to speak even most modestly) would bend to our side. But whereas many things have been excellently well and wisely written of those Fathers, and in some things, that has happened to them which is used to happen to men: these good natural children forsooth, according to the rightness that they have both of wit, judgment and mind, do worship only their faults and errors: and those things which are well spoken, they either mark not, or feign as if they knew them not, or do corrupt them: so as a man may say that their care was altogether to gather dung out of the gold of the Fathers. Then they oppress us with importunate crying out against us, as despisers and enemies of the Fathers. But we do not so despise them, that if it were the matter of my present purpose, I could very easily prove by their consenting voices the greater part of these things that we say at this day. But we so read their writings, that we always remember, that all things are ours, to serve us, not to have dominion over us: and that we are Christ's alone, whom we must obey in all things without exception. Whoever keeps not this choice, shall have nothing certain in religion: forasmuch as those holy men were ignorant of many things, do oftentimes strive one with another, indeed and sometimes fight with themselves. Not without cause (say they) we are warned of Solomon, that we pass not the old bounds which our Fathers have set. But there is not all one rule in the bounding of fields, and the obedience of Faith, which ought to be so framed that it forget her people and the house of her Father. If they have so great delight to use allegories, why do they not rather expound the Apostles, than any other, to be their Fathers, whose appointed bounds it is not lawful to pluck up? For so did Jerome expound it, whose words they have registered among their canons. But if they will have the bounds of the same Fathers, whom they mean, to be steadfastly kept: why do they, so often as they please, so licentiously pass them? Of the number of the Fathers were they, of whom the one said, that our God eats not, nor drinks, and that therefore he needs neither cups nor dishes: the other said, that the holy things require not gold, and that those things please not with gold which are not bought with gold. Therefore they pass the bound, which are in the holy things so much delighted with gold, silver, ivory, marble, precious stones and silks, and think that God is not rightly worshipped, unless altogether be dissolutely set out with exquisite gorgeousness, or rather with outrageous excess. A Father was he which said, that he therefore did freely eat flesh on the day in which others abstained, because he was a Christian. Therefore they pass the bounds, when they accuse the soul that tastes flesh in Lent. Fathers were they, of whom the one said that a monk who labors not with his hands, is judged as evil as a violent taker or (if you will) a robber: the other said, that it is not lawful for monks to live of other men's goods, although they be continually busied in contemplations, in prayers, in study. This bound also they have passed, when they placed the idol and harlot bellies of monks in stewhouses and brothelhouses to be fattened with other men's substance. A Father was he, which said that it is a horrible abomination to see any image painted either of Christ or of any Saint in the temples of Christians. Neither was this pronounced by the mouth of one man alone, abstained from the other: and the other Father stoutly maintains, that to the Christian people the blood of the Lord ought not to be denied, for the confession whereof they are commanded to shed their own blood. These bounds also they have taken away, when they have by an inviolable law commanded the selfsame thing which the one of these Fathers punished with excommunication, and the other reproved with a strong reason. A Father was he, which affirmed it to be rashness to determine anything of a doubtful matter on the one side or the other without clear and evident witnesses of the Scripture. This bound they forgot, when they established so many constitutions, so many canons, so many masterly determinations without any word of God. A Father was he, which among other heresies reproached Montanus with this that he was the first that had charged men with laws of Fastings. This bound also they have far passed, when they commanded fasting with most strict laws. A Father was he who denied that marriage ought to be forbidden to ministers of the Church, and pronounced a man's lying with his own wife to be chastity: and Fathers were they, which agreed to his authority. Beyond these bounds have they gone: when they severely enjoined unmarried life to their priests. A Father was he which judged that only Christ ought to be heard, of whom it is said, Hear him: and that we ought not to have regard, what other men which were before us have said or done, but what Christ (who is first of all) has commanded. This bound neither do they appoint to themselves, nor do suffer others to have it appointed them, when they set both over themselves and others any masters whatever they be rather than Christ. A Father was he, which affirmed that the Church ought not to set itself before Christ: because he always judges truly: but the judges of the Church, as men, are commonly deceived. They breaking through this bound also, stick not to affirm that the whole authority of the Scripture hangs upon the award of the Church. All the Fathers have with one heart cursed, and with one mouth pronounced it abominable, that the holy word of God should be entangled with the subtleties of Sophisters, and brawlings of Logicians. Do they hold themselves within these bounds, when they go about nothing else in their whole life, but with endless strives and more than Sophistical brablings to wrap and encumber the simplicity of the Scripture: so that if the Fathers were now raised to life again, and should hear such an art of brawling which these men call Speculative Divinity, they would believe that nothing less is done than any disputation had of God. But my talk should spread itself beyond due bounds, if I would reckon up how boldly these men shake off the yoke of the Fathers, whose obedient children they would seem to be. Truly both months and years would be too little for me. And yet they are of so extreme and desperate shamelessness, that they dare blame us for that we stick not to pass the ancient bounds.

But now whereas they call us to custom, they nothing prevail. For we should be most unjustly dealt with, if we should be driven to yield to custom. Truly if the judgments of men were right, custom should be taken of the good. But it oftentimes happens that men do otherwise. For, that which is seen to be done of many, immediately obtains the right of a custom. But the state of men has scarcely at any time been in so good a case, that the better things pleased the greater number. Therefore for the most part of the private vices of many has been made a public error, or rather a common consent of vices, which now these good men would have to stand for a law. Whoever has eyes does see that not only one sea of evils has overflowed, many poisonous pestilences have invaded the world, that all things run headlong to ruin: so that either the matters of men must be utterly despaired, or we must lay hand to, or rather use violence upon so great evils. And remedy is by no other reason driven away, but because we have now long time accustomed ourselves to evils. But be it that public error have place in matters of common governance: yet in the kingdom of God his only truth is to be heard and regarded, to which by no succeeding course of years, by no custom, by no conspired agreement, may any prescription be limited. So in old time Isaiah taught the elect of God, that they should not say, "Conspiring," to all things in which the people said, "Conspiring": that is to say, that they should not conspire together to the wicked agreement of the people, nor should fear and dread the people's fear: but rather that they should sanctify the Lord of hosts, and he should be their fear and dread. Now therefore let them as much as they wish object against us both past and present ages, if we sanctify the Lord of hosts, we will not be much afraid. For whether it be that many ages have consented to like ungodliness, he is strong to take vengeance to the third and fourth generation: or if the whole world together conspire into one self-same wickedness, he has by experience taught what is the end of them that offend with the multitude, when he did with a general overflowing destroy the whole kind of men, preserving Noah with a small household, who by his faith being but one man should condemn the whole world. Finally an evil custom is none other than a common pestilence, in which they do nevertheless die that die with company of a multitude. Moreover they ought to have considered that which Cyprian says in certain places, that they which sin by ignorance, although they cannot clear themselves from all fault, yet may seem after some manner excusable: but whoever obstinately refuses the truth offered by the grace of God, they have nothing to pretend for their excuse.

As for their double-horned argument, they do not drive us to so hard a strait with it to compel us to confess, that either the Church has lain dead a certain time, or that we have controversy against the Church. Truly the Church of Christ has lived and shall live, so long as Christ shall reign at the right hand of the Father: by whose hand she is upheld, by whose succor she is defended, by whose power she keeps her safety. For he will undoubtedly perform that which he has once promised, that he will be present with his even until the ending of the world. Against it now we have no war at all. For we do with one consent together with all the people of the faithful honor and worship the one God and Christ the Lord, in like manner as he has always been worshipped of all the godly. But they themselves not a little way err from the truth, when they acknowledge no Church, but which they see with present eye, and go about to encompass it about with those bounds in which it is not enclosed. Upon these points hangs our controversy: First that they affirm that the form of the Church is always appearing and to be seen: then, that they set the same form in the see of the Church of Rome, and in the order of their prelates. We on the contrary side affirm, both that the Church may consist of no appearing form, and that the form itself is not contained in that outward shining show, which they foolishly have in admiration, but has a far other mark, namely the pure preaching of the word of God, and the right administration of Sacraments. They are in a rage, unless the Church may be always pointed out with a finger. But how often did it happen to the people of the Jews to be so deformed, that there appeared no form at all? What form do we think to have shone, when Elijah bewailed that he alone was left? How long since the coming of Christ has it lain hidden without form? How since that time has it been so oppressed with wars, seditions, and heresies, that it shone out on no side? If they had lived at that time, would they have believed that there was any Church? But it was said to Elijah, that there were preserved seven thousand men, which had not bowed their knee before Baal. Neither ought it to be doubtful to us but that Christ has always reigned in earth since he ascended into heaven. But if the godly had then sought any discernible form with their eyes, should they not by and by have been discouraged? And truly Hilary accounted it even already in his time for a most great fault, that being occupied with the foolish admiration of the dignity of Bishops, they marked not a deadly pestilence lurking under that visor. For thus he says: One thing I warn you, beware of Antichrist: for you are ill taken with the love of walls: you do ill worship the Church of God in houses and buildings: under them you do ill thrust in the name of Peace. Is it doubtful that in those Antichrist shall sit? Mountains and woods, and lakes, and prisons, and caves are safer for me. For in these the Prophets when they were either abiding or thrown into them, did prophesy. But what does the world at this day honor in his horned Bishops, but that it thinks them to be holy prelates of religion, whom it sees to be heads over great cities? Away therefore with such foolish esteeming. But rather let us leave this to the Lord, inasmuch as he alone knows who are his, and sometimes also takes away from the sight of men the outward knowledge of his Church. That is (I grant) a horrible vengeance of God upon the earth. But if the wickedness of men so deserves, why do we seek to withstand the just vengeance of God? In such wise the Lord has in times past taken vengeance of the unthankfulness of men. For because they would not receive his truth, and had quenched his light, he suffered them being blinded in sense, both to be mocked with lies full of absurdity, and to be drowned in deep darkness, so that there was no face of the true Church to be seen. Yet in the meantime he saved his both being scattered abroad and lying hidden, in the midst of errors and darkness, from destruction. And no marvel. For he can do it to save both in the very confusion of Babylon, and in the flame of the burning oven. But whereas they would have the form of the Church to be judged by I know not what vain pompous show: how perilous that is, I will rather point to than declare, lest I should draw out my tale into infinite length. The Pope (say they) which holds the Apostolic see, and the Bishops that are anointed and consecrated by him, so that they be trimmed with fillets and miters, do represent the Church, and ought to be taken for the Church: and therefore they cannot err. How so? Because they are pastors of the Church, and consecrated to the Lord. And were not Aaron and the other rulers of Israel also Pastors? But Aaron and his sons after that they were made priests, did yet err when they made the calf. After this reason, why should not the four hundred Prophets which lied to Ahab, have represented the Church? But the Church was on Micah's side, being indeed but one man alone, and unregarded, but out of whose mouth came truth. Did not the false prophets in resemblance bear both the name and face of the Church, when they did with one violent assault rise up against Jeremiah, and with threatening boasted that it was not possible that the law should perish from the priest, counsel from the wise man, the word from the Prophet? Jeremiah alone was sent against the whole company of the Prophets, to declare from the Lord, that it should come to pass, that the law should perish from the priest, counsel from the wise man, and the word from the Prophet. Did not such a glittering show shine in that Council which the Bishops, Scribes, and Pharisees assembled, to take advises together for the killing of Christ? Now let them go and stick fast in the outward visor, that they may make Christ and all the Prophets of God, schismatics: and on the other side make the ministers of Satan, the instruments of the Holy Spirit. If they speak as they think, let them faithfully answer me, in what nation and place they think that the Church remained since the time that by the decree of the Council at Basel, Eugenius was thrust down and deprived from the estate of Pope, and Amadeus set in his place. They cannot, though they would burst for it, deny that the Council, for so much as concerns outward solemnities, was lawful, and summoned not only of one Pope, but of two. Eugenius was there condemned of schism, rebellion, and obstinacy, with the whole flock of Cardinals and bishops, which had with him practiced the dissolution of the Council. Yet afterward being borne up by the favor of princes, he recovered his papacy safe again. That election of Amadeus, which had been orderly made by the authority of a general and holy Synod, vanished away in a smoke: except that he himself was appeased with a cardinal's hat, as it were a barking dog with a piece of bread cast to him. Out of the bosom of these heretics, rebels, and obstinate ones, are proceeded all the Popes, Cardinals, Bishops, abbots, and Priests that have been since. Here they are taken and can go no further. For, to whichever side will they give the name of the Church? Will they deny that the Council was general, which wanted nothing to the outward majesty: namely, which being solemnly summoned by two bulls, and well framed in the order of all things, continued in the same dignity to the last end? Will they confess Eugenius with all his company a schismatic, by whom they are all sanctified? Therefore either let them otherwise define the form of the Church, or they all as many as are of them shall be of us accounted schismatics which wittingly and willingly have been ordained of heretics. If it had never before been known, that the Church is not bound to outward pomp, they themselves may be to us a large proof, which under that glorious title of the Church have so long so proudly boasted themselves, whereas yet they were the deadly pestilences of the Church. I speak not of their manners, and those tragical doings wherewith their whole life swarms full: because they say that they are the Pharisees which are to be heard, not to be followed. But if you will spare some of your leisure to read our writings, you shall plainly know that the very doctrine, the doctrine itself, for which they say that they are the Church, is a deadly butchery of souls, the firebrand, ruin, and destruction of the Church.

Finally they do not uprightly enough, when they do spitefully rehearse how great troubles, uproars, and contentions the preaching of our doctrine has drawn with it, and what fruits it now bears in many. For the blame of these evils is unworthily laid upon it, which ought rather to have been imputed to the malice of Satan. This is as it were a certain natural property of the word of God, that whenever it rises up, Satan is never quiet or sleeping. This is the most sure and most trusty mark, by which it is discerned from lying doctrines, which do easily show forth themselves when they are received with favorable ears of all men, and are heard of the world rejoicing at them. So in certain ages past, when all things were drowned in deep darkness, the Lord of this world made a sport and a play in manner of all men, and lay idle and took his pleasure like a certain Sardanapalus in sound peace. For, what should he else do but laugh and play being in quiet and peaceable possession of his kingdom? But when the light shining from above somewhat scattered abroad his darkness, when that strong man troubled and assailed his kingdom, then he began to shake off his wonted drowsiness, and hastily to arm himself. And first he stirred up the force of men, by which he might violently oppress the truth beginning to shine. By which when he nothing prevailed, he turned to subtle entrappings. He stirred up dissensions and disagreements of doctrines by his Anabaptists, and other monstrous lewd men, by which he might darken it and at length utterly quench it. And now he continues to assail it with both engines. For he travails both by the force and power of men to pluck up that seed, and with his darnel (as much as in him lies) to choke it, that it may not grow and bear fruit. But all this he does in vain, if we hear the warning of God, which both has long before opened his crafts to us, that he should not take us unaware, and has armed us with sufficient defenses against all his engines. But how great maliciousness is it to lay upon the word of God the hatred either of the seditions, which wicked and rebellious men do stir up, or of the sects which deceivers do raise against it? Yet it is no new example. Elijah was asked whether it were not he that troubled Israel. Christ was esteemed of the Jews a seditious man. The Apostles were accused of making a commotion among the people. What other thing do they which at this day do father upon us all the troubles, uproars and contentions that boil up against us? But what is to be answered to such, Elijah has taught us: namely that it is not we that scatter errors or stir up uproars: but it is they themselves that wrestle against the power of God. But as that one thing alone is sufficient to beat back their rashness, so again we ought to meet with the weakness of others, who often times happen to be moved with such offenses, and in their dismaying to waver. But let them, to the end that they may not faint with this dismaying and be discouraged, know that the Apostles in their time felt by experience the same things that now happen to us. There were unlearned and unsteadfast men, which wrested to their own destruction, those things that Paul had written by the inspiration of God, as Peter says. There were despisers of God, which when they heard that sin abounded to the end that grace might more abound, by and by objected, We will then abide in sin, that grace may abound. When they heard that the faithful are not under the law, they by and by answered, We will then sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace. There were that accused him as an exhorter to evil. There entered privately many false Apostles to destroy the Churches which he had built. Some by envy and contention, and not purely, indeed and maliciously preached the gospel thinking to add more affliction to his bonds. Somewhere the Gospel not much profited. All sought their own, and not the things of Jesus Christ. Some went backward, dogs to their vomit, and swine to their wallowing in the mire. The most part did draw the liberty of the Spirit to the licentiousness of the flesh. Many brethren crept in, by whom there came afterward great dangers to the godly. Among the brethren themselves were many strifes raised up. What should the Apostles have done in this case? Should they not either have dissembled for a time, or rather altogether have given over and forsaken the Gospel which they saw to be the seedplot of so many contentions, the matter of so many dangers, the occasion of so many offenses? No. But for help in such distresses this came in their mind that Christ is the stone of stumbling and rock of offense, set to the ruin and rising again of many, and for a sign that should be spoken against. With which confidence they being armed went forward boldly through all dangers of uproars and offenses. With the same thought we also ought to be upholden, forasmuch as Paul testifies that this is the perpetual property of the Gospel, to be the savor of death to death to them that perish, although it was ordained to this use that it should be the savor of life to life, and the power of God to the salvation of the faithful: which truly we should also feel, if we did not with our unthankfulness corrupt this so singular a benefit of God, and turn that to our own destruction which ought to have been to us the only defense of our safety.

But now I return to you, my sovereign Lord. Let those false reports nothing move you, by which our adversaries labor to cast you in fear of us, with saying that by this new Gospel (for so they call it) nothing is hunted for and sought but fit occasion of seditions, and unpunished liberty of vices. For our God is not the author of division, but of peace: and the Son of God is not the minister of sin, who came to destroy all the works of the Devil. And we are undeservedly accused of such desires, of which we never gave any suspicion, were it never so small. It is likely that we forsooth do practice the overthrowing of kingdoms, of whom there has never been heard any one seditious word, whose life has ever been known quiet and simple, when we lived under you, and who now being chased from home yet [reconstructed: cease not] to pray for all things prosperous to you and your kingdom. It is likely forsooth that we hunt for licentiousness of vices, in whose behaviors although many things may be found faulty, yet there is nothing worthy of so great reproaching: neither have we with so ill success (by the grace of God) profited in the Gospel, but that our life may be to these backbiters an example of chastity, liberality, mercy, temperance, patience, modesty, and whatever other virtue. Verily it is by the proof itself evident that we do unfeignedly fear and worship God, for as much as we desire that his name be hallowed both by our life and our death, and envy itself is compelled to bear of some of us a witness of innocence and civil uprightness, in whom this only thing was punished with death which ought to have been accounted for a singular praise. But if any under pretense of the Gospel do stir up tumults (as until now it has not been found that there have been any such in your realm) if any pretend the liberty of the grace of God to defend the licentiousness of their vices (of which sort I have known many) there are laws and penalties of laws, by which they may according to their deservings be sharply punished: yet so that in the mean time the Gospel of God be not evil spoken of for the wickedness of naughty men. Thus have you (O King) the venomous injustice of the slanderers largely enough declared, that you may not with an ear of too easy belief bind to their reports. I fear me also lest it be too largely set out, for as much as this preface is in a manner come to the quantity of a whole book of defense, whereby I intended not to make a defense indeed, but only to mollify your mind beforehand to give audience to the disclosing of our cause: which your mind, though it be now turned away and estranged from us, yes and inflamed against us, yet we trust that we shall be able to recover the favor thereof, if you shall once have without displeasure and troubled affection read over this our confession, which we will to be in stead of a defense for us to your majesty. But if the whisperings of the malicious do so possess your ears, that there is no place for accused men to speak for themselves: and if those outrageous furies do still with your winking at them, exercise cruelty with imprisoning, tormenting, cutting, and burning: we shall indeed, as sheep appointed to the slaughter, be brought to all extremities, yet so that in our patience we shall possess our souls, and wait for the strong hand of the Lord: which shall without doubt be present in time, and stretch forth itself armed, both to deliver the poor out of affliction, and to take vengeance on the despisers, which now triumph with so great assuredness.

The Lord the King of Kings establish your throne with righteousness, and your seat with equity, most noble King. At [reconstructed: Basel] the first day of August, in the year 1516.

When I did first set my hand to this work, I had no thought, most noble King, of writing anything that would afterward be presented to your Majesty. My only aim was to teach certain foundational truths by which those touched with some zeal for religion might be instructed in true godliness. I undertook this labor primarily for my fellow Frenchmen, of whom I understood many were hungry and thirsty for Christ, yet I saw very few who had received even a small and right knowledge of Him. The book itself shows this was my intent, being written in a simple and plain manner of teaching. But when I saw that the furious rage of certain wicked men had so prevailed in your realm that there was no room left for sound doctrine, I thought it worth my effort to accomplish two things in one work: to give instruction to believers, and to offer a confession before you — so that you might learn the nature of that doctrine against which those furious men burn with such rage, troubling your realm today with sword and fire. For I will not fear to confess that this work contains essentially the sum of that very doctrine which they cry out should be punished with imprisonment, banishment, condemnation without trial, and fire — that it should be driven out by land and sea. I know well with what terrible accusations they have filled your mind and ears, to make our cause hateful to you. Yet this you ought in your clemency to consider: there can be no innocence in words or deeds if accusation alone is enough to condemn. If anyone, to bring our doctrine into hatred, claims that it has long been condemned by the consent of all ranks and has been found guilty in many court judgments already given — all he says amounts to no more than this: that it has partly been violently suppressed by the power and influence of its adversaries, and partly been treacherously and deceitfully overwhelmed by their lies, schemes, and slanders. Violence is shown here in that bloody sentences are pronounced against it without a hearing. Fraud is shown here in that it is falsely accused of sedition and wrongdoing. That no one may think we complain without cause, you yourself can bear witness, most noble King, with what lying slanders it is daily accused before you — that it aims at nothing less than wresting scepters from kings' hands, overthrowing all judges' seats and judgments, subverting all civil order and government, troubling the peace and quiet of the people, abolishing all laws, destroying all property and possessions, and finally turning everything upside down. And yet you hear only the smallest part. For they spread horrible stories among the people — which, if true, the whole world would rightly judge worthy of a thousand fires and gallows. Who can wonder that a common hatred is stirred against it when such deeply unjust accusations are believed? This is why all ranks agree and conspire in condemning us and our doctrine. Those who sit in judgment, seized by this passion, pronounce as verdicts the predetermined conclusions they brought from home, and think they have discharged their duty well enough if they send no one to execution except those found guilty by their own confession or by sufficient witnesses. But guilty of what charge? Of that condemned doctrine, they say. But condemned by what law? This is where the defense should have stood — not in denying the doctrine itself, but in maintaining it as true. But here all freedom even to whisper is utterly cut off from us.

Therefore I rightly ask, most victorious King, that you would be pleased to take the whole hearing of this cause into your own hand — a cause that has until now been handled in turmoil, or rather carelessly tossed about without any order of law, driven more by wild heat than by sober judgment. Do not think that I am here making a personal defense in order to secure a safe return to my native country. Though I bear for it the natural love it deserves, I am not unhappy to be without it under the present circumstances. Rather, I take up the common cause of all the godly — indeed, the cause of Christ himself — which has at this day been torn down and trampled in your kingdom, and lies as though in a desperate state. This has come about not through your own doing, but through the tyranny of certain Pharisees. But how this has come to pass need not be explained here. The distress is plain enough. The ungodly have prevailed to such a degree that the truth of Christ, though not destroyed, lies hidden and buried, while the poor Church is either wasted by cruel slaughters, driven out by exile, or so dismayed by threats and terrors that it dare not open its mouth. And still they continue with the same rage and fierceness as ever, pressing hard against a wall already bending under the ruin they themselves have caused. In the meantime no one steps forward to stand against such fury. Those who most want to appear as friends to the truth say no more than that it would be good to pardon the error and ignorance of uninformed men. These well-meaning people, as they fancy themselves, call it error and ignorance what they know to be the most certain truth of God, and call those men ignorant whose understanding Christ has not despised but has honored with the mysteries of His heavenly wisdom. So much are all ashamed of the Gospel. It is your duty, most noble King, not to close your ears or your mind to so just a defense — especially when the matter at stake is this: how the glory of God may be maintained on earth, how the truth of God may keep its honor, how Christ may have His kingdom preserved whole among us. This is a matter worthy of your ears, worthy of your judgment, worthy of your royal throne. For this very thought makes a true king: to acknowledge himself in the governing of his kingdom to be a minister of God. A king who does not reign for the glory of God is not exercising a kingdom but a robbery. He is deceived who looks for lasting prosperity in a kingdom that is not ruled by the scepter of God — that is, by His holy word. The heavenly oracle cannot prove false when it declares that where there is no vision, the people perish. The contempt in which we are held should not turn you away from this purpose. We know full well how poor and lowly we are — miserable sinners before God, despised persons before men, indeed the very outcasts and refuse of the world, or whatever viler name there may be. There remains nothing for us to glory in before God except His mercy alone, by which we have been received without any deserving of our own into the hope of eternal salvation. Before men there is nothing left but our weakness, which it is thought a great shame to confess. Yet our doctrine must be lifted high above all worldly glory, and must stand unconquered above all earthly power — because it is not ours, but the doctrine of the living God and of His Christ, whom the Father has appointed King to rule from sea to sea and from the rivers to the ends of the earth. He rules by striking the whole earth with only the rod of His mouth, breaking all iron and bronze strength, all golden and silver splendor, like a potter's vessel — as the prophets foretell of the majesty of His kingdom. Our adversaries cry out against this, claiming that we falsely pretend to the word of God, of which we are most wicked corrupters. But that this is not only a malicious slander but a remarkable shamelessness — this you yourself may judge by your wisdom, after reading our confession. Yet here it is also good to say something, either to stir in you a willingness to hear, or at least to prepare you for reading it. When Paul commanded all prophecy to be measured against faith, he set the surest rule by which the interpretation of Scripture ought to be tested. If our doctrine is examined by this rule of faith, the victory is already in our hands. For what agrees better with faith than to confess ourselves stripped of all virtue, so that God may clothe us? Empty of all good, so that He may fill us? Slaves to sin, so that He may free us? Blind, so that He may enlighten us? Lame, so that He may make us walk? Weak, so that He may uphold us? To take from ourselves all grounds for boasting, so that He alone may be glorified on high, and we may glory in Him? When we say these and similar things, they interrupt and cry out that by this reasoning we have overthrown I know not what — the blind light of nature, their so-called preparations of merit, free will, works meritorious of eternal salvation, and their works of supererogation — because they cannot bear for all praise and glory of goodness, virtue, righteousness, and wisdom to remain in God. But we do not read of those being rebuked who have drawn too freely from the fountain of living water. On the contrary, those who have dug broken cisterns for themselves that cannot hold water are the ones sharply rebuked. Again, what is more agreeable to faith than to be assured that God will be a favorable Father to those who acknowledge Christ as their brother and mediator? Than to look for all things joyful and prosperous at His hand, whose unspeakable love for us went so far that He did not spare His only Son but gave Him for us? Than to rest in a sure hope of salvation and eternal life when we consider Christ given by the Father, in whom all such treasures are hidden? At this point they step in against us and cry out that such certainty of trust is nothing but arrogance and presumption. But as we presume nothing of ourselves, so we ought to presume all things from God. We are stripped of vain glory for no other reason than that we should learn to glory in the Lord. What more is there to say? Consider, most mighty Prince, every part of our cause, and conclude that we are worse than any wicked men — unless you clearly find that we are in trouble and under attack simply because we trust in the living God and believe that eternal life is to know one true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. For this hope, some of us are bound in chains, some are whipped, some are paraded in mockery, some are condemned without trial, some are cruelly tortured, some escape by flight — but all are oppressed with trouble, all are met with terrible curses, torn with slanders, and treated in the most disgraceful ways. Now look at our adversaries — I speak of the priestly class, at whose command others exercise their hostility against us — and consider with me for a moment what zeal drives them. As for the true religion taught in the Scriptures, which ought to be held as certain by all men, they easily allow both themselves and others to be ignorant of it, to neglect and despise it. They think it matters little what a man believes or does not believe about God and Christ, so long as he submits his mind with an unspoken faith, as they call it, to the judgment of the Church. Nor are they much troubled if the glory of God is defiled with open blasphemies, as long as no one challenges the supremacy of the Apostolic see and the authority of their holy mother the Church. Why, then, do they fight with such cruelty and ferocity for the Mass, Purgatory, Pilgrimages, and such things — going so far as to say that without full expressed faith in these things godliness cannot stand, when they cannot prove that any of these things come from the word of God? Why? Because their belly is their god, their kitchen is their religion. Take that away and they think they will be not just non-Christians but nothing at all. Though some of them gorge themselves in plenty and others gnaw on poor scraps, they all feed from the same pot — which, without these props, would not merely grow cold but freeze solid. So the more any of them is devoted to his belly, the more zealous a fighter he becomes for their faith. In the end, they all work to preserve their kingdom and keep their stomachs full. Not one of them shows the slightest token of genuine zeal. And still they do not stop slandering our doctrine, using every means they can to accuse and defame it in order to bring it into hatred or suspicion. They call it new and recently invented. They complain that it is uncertain and unreliable. They demand to know what miracles confirm it. They ask whether it is fitting that it should prevail against the consent of so many holy Fathers and the most ancient custom. They press us to admit that it is schismatic — making war against the Church, or that the Church has been dead for many ages in which nothing of this sort was heard. Finally they say that no arguments are needed: the fruit tells you what kind of tree it is — a doctrine that has produced such a heap of sects, such a flood of seditions, and such a license for vice. It is very easy for them to triumph over an abandoned cause before a credulous and ignorant crowd. But if we also were allowed our turn to speak, this hot fervor with which they speak so freely and with such impunity against us would soon cool.

First, when they call our doctrine new, they do great wrong to God, whose holy word deserves no charge of newness. To them, no doubt, it is new — for to them Christ is new, and His Gospel is new. But those who know that Paul's preaching is ancient — that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again for our justification — will find nothing new among us. The fact that this truth has long lain hidden, unknown, and buried is the fault of human ungodliness. Now that it has been restored to us by God's goodness, it ought by every right of restoration to receive again the title of antiquity.

From that same fountain of ignorance springs their claim that our doctrine is uncertain and unreliable. This is precisely what the Lord complained of through His prophet — that the ox knew its owner and the donkey its master's stall, but His people did not know Him. But however much they mock the supposed uncertainty of our doctrine, if they were ever required to seal their own teaching with their blood and with their lives, the world would see how much they truly value it. Our confidence is far different — it does not shrink before the terrors of death or before the very judgment seat of God.

When they demand miracles from us, they deal with us unreasonably. For we introduce no new Gospel, but hold fast to the very same Gospel, for the confirmation of which all the miracles ever done by Christ and His apostles already serve. What they claim as their special advantage over us is that they can still to this day confirm their faith with continual miracles. But wait — the miracles they produce are of a kind that could unsettle a well-grounded mind. They are either trivial and laughable, or false and invented. And yet, even if those miracles were ever so extraordinary, they ought to carry no weight against the word of God — for the name of God must be kept holy at all times and in all places, whether through miracles or through the natural order of things. This false argument might have had more show of credibility, had Scripture not taught us the proper purpose and use of miracles. Mark tells us that the signs which followed the apostles' preaching were given to confirm that preaching. Likewise, Luke says that the Lord bore witness to the word of His grace when signs and wonders were performed through the hands of the apostles. This agrees entirely with what the apostle says — that when the Gospel was preached, salvation was confirmed by the Lord bearing witness to it with signs, wonders, and various acts of power. But shall we take the things appointed as seals of the Gospel and turn them against the credibility of the Gospel? Shall we take the things appointed only to establish truth and apply them to confirming lies? Therefore the doctrine must first be examined — the doctrine which, as the Evangelist says, comes before miracles. If the doctrine is approved, it may then lawfully receive the confirmation of miracles. And of true doctrine, as Christ teaches, this is the mark: that it tends not to the glory of men but to the glory of God. Since Christ gives this as the test of doctrine, miracles are wrongly valued when they are drawn toward any other end than glorifying the name of God alone. We must also remember that Satan has his own miracles — which, though they are conjuring tricks rather than true powers, are still such as may deceive the ignorant and unskillful. Magicians and sorcerers have always been famous for miracles. Wonderful miracles have nourished idolatry — yet you do not thereby prove that the practices of magicians and idolaters are lawful. In earlier times the Donatists used this very weapon to shake the simplicity of ordinary people, boasting that they excelled in miracles. We therefore now give the same answer to our adversaries that Augustine once gave to the Donatists: that the Lord has put us on guard against such miracle-workers when He foretold that false prophets would come who, with lying signs and various wonders, would lead astray the elect if possible. And Paul warned that the kingdom of Antichrist would come with all power and signs and lying wonders. But these miracles, they say, are not done by idols, not by sorcerers, not by false prophets, but by the saints. As if we did not know that this is precisely the craft of Satan — to disguise himself as an angel of light. In ancient times the Egyptians worshipped Jeremiah, who was buried among them, with sacrifices and divine honors. Were they not thereby abusing the holy prophet of God for the purposes of idolatry? And yet by this veneration of his tomb they believed they obtained healing from snakebite as a fitting reward. What can we say but that this has been and always will be the most just judgment of God — to send a powerful delusion to those who have not received the love of the truth, so that they believe lies? We therefore do not lack miracles — and miracles that are certain and above question. As for the miracles they produce for themselves, they are mere illusions of Satan, since they lead the people away from the true worship of God and into emptiness.

They also slanderously invoke the Fathers against us — I mean the ancient Fathers and writers of the Church from its less corrupted age — as though those men were defenders of their ungodliness. If the debate were to be settled by the authority of the Fathers, the better part of the victory, to speak most modestly, would fall to our side. Many excellent and wise things have been written by those Fathers, but what sometimes happens to men happened to them as well. These devoted sons of theirs, with all their supposed sharpness of wit, judgment, and mind, worship only the Fathers' faults and errors. The things that were well said they either ignore, pretend not to know, or distort. You could well say that their whole effort was to gather dung out of the gold of the Fathers. Then they press us hard with loud cries, calling us despisers and enemies of the Fathers. But we do not so despise them. If it were my purpose here, I could very easily prove from their own consenting voices the greater part of what we teach today. Yet we read their writings always remembering that all things are ours to serve us, not to rule over us, and that we belong to Christ alone, to whom we must submit in all things without exception. Whoever does not maintain this distinction will find no firm ground in religion — for those holy men were ignorant of many things, often disagreed with one another, and sometimes even contradicted themselves. They cite Solomon's warning that we should not move the ancient boundary markers our fathers set. But there is not the same rule for boundary lines in fields and for the obedience of faith, which must be shaped so that it forgets its own people and its father's house. If they find such pleasure in allegories, why do they not rather point to the apostles as their fathers, whose appointed boundaries no one may move? This is how Jerome interpreted that passage — and his words are recorded in their own canon law. But if they insist that the boundaries of these same Fathers be strictly kept — why do they themselves cross those boundaries so freely and so often whenever it suits them? Among those Fathers was one who said that our God neither eats nor drinks, and therefore needs neither cups nor plates. Another said that holy things require no gold, and that things not purchased with gold are not made more pleasing by it. Those who delight so greatly in gold, silver, ivory, marble, precious stones, and silk in holy things, and who think God is not rightly worshipped unless everything is lavishly adorned with exquisite splendor — or rather with outrageous excess — have gone beyond those boundaries. A Father said he freely ate meat on the days when others fasted, because he was a Christian. Those who accuse the soul that eats meat in Lent have gone beyond that boundary. Fathers said that a monk who does not labor with his hands is to be judged as bad as a violent thief, and that it is not lawful for monks to live off others' goods, even if they are continually occupied with contemplation, prayer, and study. Those who have placed the pampered, idle bellies of monks in houses to be fattened on other men's substance have gone beyond that boundary. A Father said it was a horrible abomination to see any image painted of Christ or any saint in the churches of Christians. That was not the voice of one man only. Another Father stoutly maintained that the blood of the Lord ought not to be denied to the Christian people, for whose confession they were commanded to shed their own blood. Those who by an inviolable law commanded the very thing that one of these Fathers punished with excommunication and another condemned with strong argument have gone beyond that boundary. A Father affirmed it was rash to make any determination on a doubtful matter on either side without clear and evident testimony of Scripture. Those who have established so many constitutions, canons, and authoritative decisions without any word of God have gone beyond that boundary. A Father, among other things, charged Montanus with the fault that he was the first to burden men with laws of fasting. Those who have commanded fasting with the strictest laws have gone far beyond that boundary. A Father denied that marriage should be forbidden to ministers of the Church, and declared that a man's living with his own wife was chastity. Other Fathers agreed with him. Those who strictly imposed celibacy on their priests have gone beyond those boundaries. A Father judged that only Christ should be heard — the Christ of whom it is written, Hear Him — and that we ought not to regard what other men before us have said or done, but what Christ, who is first of all, has commanded. Those who place over themselves and others any master whatever rather than Christ, and do not allow others to have Christ as their master, do not appoint this boundary for themselves. A Father declared that the Church ought not to place itself above Christ, for Christ always judges truly while the judges of the Church, as men, are commonly deceived. Those who break through this boundary do not hesitate to affirm that the entire authority of Scripture depends upon the verdict of the Church. All the Fathers with one heart cursed and with one mouth pronounced it abominable that the holy word of God should be entangled with the subtleties of sophists and the quarrels of logicians. Do they stay within these boundaries, when their whole life's work is nothing but endless disputes and more than sophistic wrangling to wrap and tangle the simplicity of Scripture — so that if the Fathers were raised to life again and heard such an art of brawling as these men call Speculative Theology, they would not believe any discussion of God was taking place at all? But my remarks would stretch beyond all proper limits if I were to count up all the ways these men shake off the yoke of the very Fathers whose obedient children they claim to be. Months and years would not be enough. And yet they have the extreme and shameless audacity to blame us for not staying within the ancient boundaries.

Now when they appeal to custom, they make no progress with us. It would be the greatest injustice if we were compelled to yield to custom. In human judgment, custom ought to be derived from what is good. But it often happens that men act otherwise. Whatever is seen to be done by many immediately acquires the standing of a custom. Yet the condition of humanity has rarely been good enough that the better things pleased the majority. So for the most part, the private vices of many have been transformed into a public error — or rather a common agreement in vice — which these good men now want treated as law. Anyone with eyes can see that not just one sea of evils has flooded in; many poisonous plagues have invaded the world, and all things are rushing headlong toward ruin. Either we must give up all hope for humanity, or we must lay hands on — indeed, use force against — such great evils. The only reason remedy has been driven away is that we have long accustomed ourselves to these evils. But even if public error may have a place in matters of civil governance, in the kingdom of God only His truth is to be heard and obeyed. No length of years, no custom, no agreed consensus can establish a prescription against it. So in earlier times Isaiah taught God's elect not to call 'conspiracy' everything the people called 'conspiracy' — that is, not to join the wicked agreements of the people, nor to fear what the people fear, but to sanctify the Lord of hosts and make Him their fear and dread. Therefore, however much they object to us using past or present ages as evidence, if we sanctify the Lord of hosts, we will not be greatly afraid. For whether many ages have agreed together in ungodliness, He is powerful to take vengeance to the third and fourth generation. Or if the entire world conspires together in wickedness, He has shown by experience what becomes of those who sin along with the majority — when He destroyed the whole human race with a universal flood, preserving only Noah with a small household, that one man who by his faith condemned the whole world. In the end, an evil custom is nothing but a common plague — and people still die from it even when they die in the company of a multitude. Moreover, they should have considered what Cyprian says in certain places: that those who sin through ignorance, though they cannot be entirely cleared of fault, may in some sense be excused. But those who obstinately reject the truth offered to them by the grace of God have nothing to offer as an excuse.

As for their two-pronged argument, it does not drive us into a corner where we must admit either that the Church has been dead for a time or that we are at war with the Church. The Church of Christ has lived and will live as long as Christ reigns at the right hand of the Father — upheld by His hand, defended by His help, kept safe by His power. He will without doubt fulfill what He once promised: that He will be with His people even to the end of the world. We have no war against the Church. Together with all the faithful we worship the one God and Christ the Lord in the same way He has always been worshipped by the godly. But our adversaries go far astray when they acknowledge no Church except what they can see with their own eyes, and try to confine it within boundaries that cannot contain it. The points of our controversy are these: First, they claim that the form of the Church is always visible and apparent. Second, they locate that form in the see of the Church of Rome and in the order of their prelates. We, on the contrary, affirm both that the Church may exist without any visible form, and that the form itself is not found in the outward show they so foolishly admire. Rather, the true mark of the Church is quite different: the pure preaching of the word of God and the right administration of the sacraments. They are enraged unless the Church can always be pointed to with a finger. But how often was the people of Israel so deformed that no form of the Church appeared at all? What form do we imagine shone forth when Elijah lamented that he alone was left? How long after Christ's coming did the Church lie hidden, without visible form? How often since then has it been so oppressed by wars, seditions, and heresies that it shone out nowhere? If our adversaries had lived in such times, would they have believed any Church existed? Yet God said to Elijah that seven thousand men had been preserved who had not bowed the knee to Baal. We should not doubt that Christ has always reigned on earth since His ascension into heaven. But if the godly of those days had looked for a visible, discernible form, would they not immediately have been discouraged? Hilary already in his own time counted it a very great fault that people, captivated by the foolish admiration of the dignity of bishops, failed to see the deadly plague lurking beneath that outward show. For he wrote: One thing I warn you — beware of Antichrist. You are wrongly taken with the love of walls. You wrongly worship the Church of God in houses and buildings. Under them you wrongly thrust in the name of Peace. Is it doubtful that Antichrist will sit in these? Mountains, woods, lakes, prisons, and caves are safer for me. For it was in these that the prophets, whether dwelling in them or cast into them, prophesied. But what does the world today honor in its mitred bishops, except that it thinks them holy rulers of religion because they head great cities? Away with such foolish esteem. Rather, let us leave this to the Lord, who alone knows who are His, and who sometimes hides from human sight the outward marks of His Church. That, I grant, is a dreadful judgment of God upon the earth. But if the wickedness of men so deserves it, why do we seek to resist God's just judgment? So has the Lord in times past taken vengeance on human ingratitude. Because men would not receive His truth and had quenched His light, He allowed them, darkened in understanding, both to be mocked by absurd lies and to be drowned in deep darkness, so that no face of the true Church could be seen. Yet all the while He preserved His own — scattered and hidden in the midst of errors and darkness — from destruction. This is no wonder. He is able to save even in the very confusion of Babylon and in the flame of the furnace. But whereas they want the form of the Church to be judged by some vain and pompous outward show — how dangerous that is, I will merely point to rather than fully explain, lest I extend this address to an infinite length. The Pope, who holds the Apostolic see, they say, and the bishops anointed and consecrated by him, adorned with their tassels and miters, represent the Church and must be taken as the Church. Therefore they cannot err. Why not? Because they are pastors of the Church and consecrated to the Lord. But were not Aaron and the other rulers of Israel also pastors? And yet Aaron and his sons, even after being made priests, went astray when they made the golden calf. By this logic, why should the four hundred prophets who lied to Ahab not have represented the Church? But the Church was on Micah's side — just one man, ignored and disregarded — from whose mouth came the truth. Did not the false prophets bear both the name and appearance of the Church when with one violent assault they rose up against Jeremiah, boasting that the law would never depart from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet? Jeremiah alone was sent against the entire company of the prophets to declare from the Lord that the law would indeed depart from the priest, counsel from the wise, and the word from the prophet. Did not a glittering show of authority shine in that council assembled by the bishops, scribes, and Pharisees to plan the death of Christ? Let them go on clinging to outward appearances, and they will make Christ and all God's prophets into schismatics, while making the ministers of Satan into instruments of the Holy Spirit. If they speak what they truly believe, let them honestly answer me: in what nation and place did they think the Church remained after the Council of Basel deposed Eugenius from the papacy and installed Amadeus in his place? They cannot deny — however much they might strain against it — that this council, as far as outward solemnities go, was lawful, summoned not by just one pope but by two. Eugenius was there condemned for schism, rebellion, and obstinacy, along with the whole company of cardinals and bishops who had worked with him to dissolve the council. Yet afterward, carried by the favor of princes, he recovered his papacy. The election of Amadeus, which had been duly made by authority of a general and holy Synod, vanished into smoke — except that he was pacified with a cardinal's hat, like a barking dog silenced with a piece of bread. Out of the ranks of these heretics, rebels, and obstinate ones have come all the popes, cardinals, bishops, abbots, and priests that have followed. Here they are trapped and cannot move. For to which side will they give the name of the Church? Will they deny that the council was a general one — a council that lacked nothing of outward majesty, that was duly summoned by two bulls, properly organized in all things, and continued in the same dignity to the very end? Will they confess that Eugenius and all his company were schismatics — the very men by whom all of them have been consecrated? Therefore, either let them define the form of the Church differently, or all of them, without exception, must be accounted by us as schismatics who have knowingly and willingly been ordained by heretics. Even if it had never been known before, they themselves are sufficient proof that the Church is not bound to outward pomp — they who for so long have proudly boasted under the glorious title of the Church, while all the time being its most deadly pestilence. I say nothing here of their conduct and the tragic deeds that fill their entire lives, since they claim to be like the Pharisees who are to be heard but not followed. But if you will give some of your time to reading our writings, you will clearly see that the very doctrine itself — the doctrine by which they claim to be the Church — is a deadly slaughter of souls, a firebrand, the ruin and destruction of the Church.

Finally they also act dishonestly when they spitefully rehearse the great troubles, uproars, and contentions that the preaching of our doctrine has brought with it, and the fruits it is now bearing in many places. The blame for these evils is being unfairly laid on our doctrine, when it ought rather to be placed on the malice of Satan. It is, so to speak, a natural property of the word of God that whenever it rises up, Satan is never quiet or sleeping. This is the surest and most reliable mark by which the word of God is distinguished from lying doctrines, which easily make a show of themselves when they are received with approval by all and heard with the world rejoicing. So in certain earlier ages, when all things were drowned in deep darkness, the lord of this world played and sported with nearly all people, lying idle and taking his ease like some Sardanapalus in undisturbed peace. For what else should he do but laugh and play when sitting in quiet and peaceable possession of his kingdom? But when the light shining from above began to scatter his darkness, and when that strong man began to trouble and assault his kingdom, Satan then shook off his usual drowsiness and hurried to arm himself. First he stirred up men by force to violently suppress the truth as it was beginning to shine. When that failed to work, he turned to subtle traps. He stirred up divisions and doctrinal conflicts through his Anabaptists and other wicked troublemakers, hoping to cloud the truth and at last utterly extinguish it. And now he continues to assail it with both weapons. He is working both through human force to uproot that seed, and through his weeds — as much as he can — to choke it so it cannot grow and bear fruit. But all of this is in vain if we heed God's warning, which has long revealed Satan's schemes so that we are not caught off guard, and has equipped us with sufficient defenses against all his attacks. How great a wickedness it is, then, to lay upon the word of God the blame for either the seditions stirred up by wicked and rebellious men, or the sects raised against it by deceivers? Yet this is nothing new. Elijah was asked whether he was the one troubling Israel. Christ was considered by the Jews to be a dangerous agitator. The apostles were accused of inciting a commotion among the people. What else are those doing today who blame us for all the troubles, uproars, and contentions that arise against us? But what we should answer to such people, Elijah has already taught us: it is not we who scatter errors or stir up uproars — it is they themselves who wrestle against the power of God. While that answer alone is enough to rebuke their rashness, we must also address the weakness of others who are often disturbed by such offenses and begin to waver in their dismay. Let such people, so that they do not faint and lose heart, know that the apostles in their own time experienced the very same things we experience now. There were unlearned and unstable men who twisted the things Paul had written by the inspiration of God to their own destruction, as Peter says. There were despisers of God who, when they heard that sin abounded so that grace might abound all the more, immediately objected: 'Then let us remain in sin, so that grace may abound.' When they heard that the faithful are not under the law, they immediately replied: 'Then we will sin, since we are not under the law but under grace.' There were those who accused Paul as an encourager of evil. Many false apostles secretly entered to destroy the churches he had built. Some preached the Gospel out of envy and rivalry, not sincerely — indeed maliciously — hoping to add to his afflictions while he was imprisoned. In some places the Gospel did not take much root. All sought their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. Some went back like dogs returning to their vomit and pigs to wallowing in the mud. Most twisted the liberty of the Spirit into license for the flesh. Many false brothers crept in, from whom great dangers to the godly followed. Among the brothers themselves many quarrels arose. What should the apostles have done in all this? Should they not have either hushed things up for a time, or simply given up and abandoned the Gospel altogether, when they saw it was the seedbed of so many contentions, the source of so many dangers, the occasion of so many offenses? No. What sustained them in such distress was this: that Christ is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, appointed for the fall and rising of many, and for a sign that is spoken against. Armed with this truth, they went forward boldly through all the dangers of uproars and offenses. We too must be upheld by the same understanding, for Paul declares it to be the permanent character of the Gospel that it is the aroma of death leading to death for those who are perishing — even though it was appointed to be the aroma of life leading to life, and the power of God for the salvation of the faithful. We too would experience this saving power if we did not, through our own ingratitude, corrupt so remarkable a gift of God and turn to our own destruction the very thing that was meant to be our only defense and safety.

But now I return to you, my sovereign Lord. Do not let those false reports move you — the reports by which our adversaries try to make you afraid of us by claiming that this new Gospel, as they call it, is being used only to seek occasions for sedition and unpunished license for vice. For our God is not the author of division but of peace, and the Son of God is not the servant of sin — He who came to destroy all the works of the Devil. We are unjustly accused of such desires, of which we have never given even the smallest hint of suspicion. As if we were plotting to overthrow kingdoms — we, from whom no seditious word has ever been heard, whose lives have always been known to be quiet and simple when we lived under your rule, and who, even now driven from our homes, do not cease to pray for all things prosperous for you and your kingdom. As if we were chasing after license for vice — we in whose conduct, though many faults may be found, there is nothing worthy of such enormous reproach. By the grace of God we have not profited so poorly from the Gospel that our lives cannot stand as an example to our detractors of chastity, generosity, mercy, temperance, patience, modesty, and every other virtue. It is proved by fact that we truly fear and worship God, since we desire that His name be glorified both in our life and in our death. Even envy itself is compelled to bear witness to the innocence and upright conduct of some among us — men who were put to death for nothing other than what should have been counted a singular honor. But if anyone under the pretense of the Gospel stirs up tumults — though until now no such person has been found in your realm — or if anyone uses the liberty of God's grace as a cover for the license of vices, as I have known many to do, there are laws and legal penalties by which such people may be properly and severely punished. But let it be done in such a way that the Gospel of God is not blamed for the wickedness of evil men. Thus, O King, the poisonous injustice of these slanderers has been plainly enough set before you, so that you will not too easily lend your ear to their reports. I fear that I have drawn this preface out too long — it has grown almost to the size of a full defense, when my intent was not to offer a formal defense at all, but only to soften your mind beforehand so that you would be willing to give our cause a hearing. That mind of yours, though it is now turned away and estranged from us, even inflamed against us, we trust we can recover, if you will once read through our confession calmly and without prejudice — the confession that we offer as our defense before your Majesty. But if the whisperings of the malicious have so filled your ears that there is no room for accused men to speak for themselves, and if those raging furies continue with your approval to exercise their cruelty with imprisonment, torture, mutilation, and burning — we will indeed be brought to every extremity, like sheep appointed for slaughter. Yet in our patience we will possess our souls and wait for the strong hand of the Lord, which will without doubt arrive in its time, stretch out its arm, and both deliver the poor from affliction and take vengeance on the despisers who now triumph with such assured confidence.

May the Lord the King of Kings establish your throne with righteousness and your seat with equity, most noble King. At Basel, the first day of August, in the year 1536.