other has not the name, but is nevertheless the true Church. It is difficult to distinguish these two churches; for we must admit that the false one also possesses the rightful office of the ministry. Therefore, although we hold and openly declare that the Pope and his followers are not the true Church, we must nevertheless admit that when they baptize, or ordain ministers, or perform the marriage ceremony, the office and Word of God are right and valid. Accordingly we do not re-baptize those baptized by them. Cyprian erroneously held that the baptism of heretics was no true baptism, and therefore he re-baptized those whom they had baptized. He contended that the heretics were without the pale of the Christian Church, and therefore had no right to the functions of her office. But in this he was mistaken.

We must distinguish between the office itself and the person executing it. The man may be guilty of sins and unconscientious dealings, which show that he is not in full communion with the Church of Christ; yet this fact does not justify us in regarding the office which he happens to have in the Church as of no account. We must remember that

the office is Christ's, and not that person's who performs its functions. If any one disregards the command of Christ, so that he preaches and administers the Sacraments otherwise than the Lord has ordained it, then of course we deny the validity of such administrations. But as long as the order of Christ's institution is observed in the administration of the office, its efficacy is not destroyed by the imperfections and sins of the person entrusted with it. If we would, therefore, correctly distinguish and

judge these two churches, we must not confine our investigation to the office of preaching and administering the Sacraments; for the false church may also have and execute this office correctly and still be no Church. We all know how the false church with much external splendor parades the name of God and prides itself on this account. Let us not be deceived thereby. The second commandment tells us plainly how the name of God may be taken in vain; and in the first petition of the Lord's Prayer we ask that the name of God may be hallowed, which is an indication that His name is often desecrated. Be we therefore not affrighted when the false church proceeds to condemn and excommunicate us in the name of God and of the Church, since we know that the name of God is often abused and taken in vain. And when they thus would threaten and overawe us with the use of the name of God and the power of the Church, we will remember that the greatest unbelievers can make the same attempt, or there would have been no occasion for the caution not to take the name of God in vain. Our judgment in regard to the true Church must therefore be based principally upon the fact that she is there where God's name is honored and where her glorious privileges are not abused.

That this judgment is correct we learn from the declaration which the Lord makes in our text concerning the false church; for it is evident that the true Church will not have recourse to the sword or worldly authority. The false church, however, continually takes the sword in hand and persecutes the true Church, as Christ here predicts: "They shall put you out of the synagogues, and whosoever

killeth you," &c. From this we learn what the false church is, and still more plainly from the following verse: "And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father nor me." This is a most excellent description of the false church. It may have the office of the ministry and may boast of the name of God, but it is after all accursed, because it knows neither Christ nor the Father.

When do we "know Christ and the Father?" Not when we read mass, or put on a cowl, or fast, or give alms, nor when we perform any other similar work; but only then do we know Him, when we believe that He is the Lamb of God which bore the sin of the world, and that He in our behalf became man, was crucified, dead and buried, and that He arose again on the third day and ascended into heaven. This knowledge and belief gives consolation, and a sure confidence in God that He will be gracious unto us for the sake of His Son. Thus will we "know also the Father," when we are assured that He is merciful unto us and prepared to forgive our sins for the sake of His Son, Jesus Christ. Where there is this knowledge and belief, there is the true Church, and wherever it is wanting, there is the false church, even if the office of the keys and the name of God are there. If we consider these criterions well we can make no mistake in judging where the true Church is.

The division which in our day prevails in the Church perplexes many, so that they are in doubt to which part they should adhere. Their great mistake is that they do not apply the rule just now stated. We preach that man has no redemption

from sin and death except in the death and resurrection of Christ, and that whosoever has this faith shall be saved. But he who does not believe this cannot enter heaven, though he do ever so many good works. This doctrine is taught plainly and powerfully both in the Old and in the New Testament, as we shall show to you more fully on another occasion. But what is the consequence of this our preaching? The Pope and his multitude persecute us on account of this doctrine; they excommunicate us and call us heretics, and desire to kill us, because we hold this faith. They teach that man must work out his own salvation, or he cannot enter heaven. They hold that Christ merely made satisfaction for our original sin, but that we must with good works satisfy the wrath of God for every actual sin which we have committed after our baptism. How does such teaching correspond with a knowledge of Christ? Surely, if Christ made satisfaction for our sins, we need not do it. Good works ought indeed to be done by us, but not for the purpose of thereby atoning for our sins, or of purchasing an entrance into heaven.

By this rule we can easily judge which is the true Church. We are excommunicated because we know no other righteousness and grace but that which Christ gained for us by His death and resurrection. The Pope and his church, on the other hand, seek their salvation in their own works, merits and satisfaction, which surely indicates that they know neither Christ nor the Father. Since we then have this great treasure, to know Christ aright, while they are ignorant of Him, let us be undismayed and undisturbed if they who know not

Christ nor the Father anathematize us and call us the devil's church. We will rather concern ourselves with the knowledge of the Son and of the Father, because if we know God aright we are secure, and will not heed the senseless squealing of the Pope, who boasts so haughtily of his church, and hands us over to the devil.

We comfort ourselves with the knowledge that the day will come when a far different judgment will be passed upon us, when God Himself, with His unerring sentence, will declare us free from the false judgment and ban of men, and will own us as His Church before His holy angels. On earth it will ever be as Christ says in our text; there will be two churches, the one ever at war with the other. The false .church has the sword in hand, and with it defends itself against all public rebuke and punishment; wherefore it is evident that the Pope and his crowd cannot be the true Church, for of her it is said in our Gospel that she will be persecuted and put under ban: "They shall put you out of the synagogues." Whom does Christ mean by the little word "you?" Does He not therewith designate His own beloved disciples and apostles? These shall be "put out" and killed. By whom? By those who call themselves the synagogue, the

Church.

The same holds true in our day. Therefore we fear not their proscription and persecution, but patiently submit to it, knowing that true Christians and the true Church are thus proved and made manifest. We of course speak here only of those who are thus hated and persecuted because they know the Son and His Father. The Anabaptists