dipping into water whence it takes its name. For, in Greek to baptize signifies to dip, and baptism
is a dipping." "Baptism signifies two things,—death and resurrection; that is, full and complete
justification. When the minister dips the child into the water, this signifies death; when he draws
him out again, this signifies life. Thus Paul explains the matter (Rom. 6:4) .... I could wish that the
baptized should be totally immersed, according to the meaning of the word and the signification
of the mystery; not that I think it necessary to do so, but that it would be well that so complete and
perfect a thing as baptism should also be completely and perfectly expressed in the sign."
Luther’s view of baptismal regeneration seems to be inconsistent with his chief doctrine of
justification by faith alone. He says, "It is not baptism which justifies any man, or is of any advantage;
but faith in that word of promise to which baptism is added: for this justifies and fulfills the meaning
of baptism. For faith is the submerging of the old man, and the emerging of the new man." But how
does this apply to baptized infants, who can not be said to have faith in any proper sense of the
term, though they have undoubtedly the capacity of faith? Luther here brings in the vicarious faith
of the parents or the Church. But he suggests also the idea that faith is produced in the children,
through baptism, on the ground of their religious receptivity.
- Lastly, Luther attacks the traditional number of the sacraments. He allows "only two
sacraments in the Church of God, Baptism and Bread; since it is in these alone that we see both a
sign divinely instituted, and a promise of remission of sins." In some sense he retains also the
sacrament of Penance, as a way and means of return to baptism.
The rest of the seven Roman sacraments—confirmation, marriage, ordination, and extreme
unction—he rejects because they can not be proved from Scripture, and are not commanded by
Christ.
Matrimony has existed from the beginning of the world, and belongs to all mankind. Why,
then, should it be called a sacrament? Paul calls it a "mystery," but not a sacrament, as translated
in the Vulgate (Ep. 5:32); or rather he speaks there of the union of Christ and the Church, which
is reflected in matrimony as in a sort of allegory. But the Pope has restricted this universal human
institution by rigorous impediments derived from spiritual affinity and legal relationship. He forbids
it to the clergy, and claims the power to annull rightful marriages, even against the will of one of
the parties. "Learn, then, in this one matter of matrimony, into what an unhappy and hopeless state
of confusion, hindrance, entanglement, and peril all things that are done in the Church have been
brought by the pestilent and impious traditions of men! There is no hope of a remedy, unless we
do away with all the laws of men, call back the gospel of liberty, and judge and rule all things
according to it alone."
Luther closes with these words: "I hear a report that fresh bulls and papal curses are being,
prepared against me, by which I am urged to recant, or else to be declared a heretic. If this is true,
I wish this little book to be a part of my future recantation, that they may not complain that their
tyranny has puffed itself up in vain. I shall also shortly publish, Christ being my helper, such a
recantation as the See of Rome has never yet seen or heard, thus abundantly testifying my obedience
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.^245 Amen.
" ’Hostis Herodes impie,
Christum venire quid times?
(^245) Perhaps he means the burning of the Pope’s bull, rather than, as O. v. Gerlach conjectures, the appendix to his later book against
Ambrosius Catharinus, in which he tries to prove that the Pope is the Antichrist predicted by Dan. viii. 23-25.