Clear, Incontrovertible Confession: Our Confession

The reason why we do not accept the foundation, doctrine and faith of the learned concerning the incarnation of the Lord, but refute it with the Scriptures and the truth, is this. We clearly see and plainly feel that they take Christ, the Son of God, from us entirely, and point us to an earthly, sinful creature, a man of the impure and sinful flesh of Adam. Their doctrine and claims are quite inconsistent with the ordinance of God, and also with nature, with the Scriptures, and with the properties of the names father, mother and son; and so many inconsistencies must necessarily be included in Christ, such as hereditary sin, condemnation, curse and death. He would be half a man, if the woman, according to their confession, contributed as much to the fruit as the man does. There would be two persons, one divine and one human, which they call two natures or two parts. There would be two sons: one the Son of God without a mother, and not subject to pain; the other Mary’s son without a father, and subject to suffering.

Again, if God is to be called a Father of the man Christ, he must be a creating and not a begetting Father of his Son, and Christ must be not a born but a created Son of his Father. He would be the offspring of Adam and his seed, not through the word by which all must stand, but through his own flesh, which was subject to condemnation and death, with which the word clothed him, and in which (while on earth) it lived; and there are other gross inconsistencies besides. Therefore I have thought it necessary, before I proceed to refute and dissect the controversy, to set before the reader our faith and confession of Christ the Son of God, according to the wholesome, genuine Scriptures, so that he may find and understand that the Lord Jesus Christ is not an unclean, divided Christ of two persons and sons, but an undivided, pure Christ, one only person, indeed, God’s first-begotten and only Son. Let him who has an understanding mind and who fears God read and judge.

In the first place I set forth the ordinance of God, Genesis 1, verse 28; Genesis 9, verse 1, to which John A’Lasco himself refers me, namely, “Be fruitful and multiply,” and I prove from this same ordinance that the bringing forth of man comes about from the seed of man, through the woman, First Corinthians 11, verse 11, as will be enlarged upon hereafter.

To establish this assertion I would first refer to the conception of Sarah, when the Lord spoke to Abraham, saying, I will bless your wife Sarah, and she shall bear you a son; and you shall call his name Isaac, Genesis 17, verse 19. To understand these words rightly, and also Genesis, chapter 1, the reader should observe that Sarah, as she herself said, was old, and it had ceased to be with her after the manner of women, Genesis 18, verse 11. Nevertheless, through faith, she conceived and bore Abraham a son in her old age.

This blessing of Sarah, according to my humble understanding, was that she was made fruitful by the power of God, according to the promise, through the faith of Abraham. See, so Isaac was conceived by Sarah of the seed of his father, and a son was born to Abraham, according to the ordinance of God, Genesis 1, verse 28; Genesis 21, verse 2.

Add to this the proverbs of Philon, or rather of the wise Solomon, which read thus: “I myself also am a mortal man, like all others, and the offspring of him who was first made of the earth,” and so on, Wisdom of Solomon 7, verse 1.

Again, the Lord said to Jacob, “Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of you; and kings shall come out of your loins,” Genesis 35, verse 11.

Again, Levi was still in the loins of his father when Melchisedec met Abraham, Hebrews 7, verse 10. Other clear proofs might also be added.

I now leave the philosophers to philosophize, and the students of nature to argue over this matter as much as they please. God’s ordinance, the example of Abraham and Sarah, and the abundant testimony of the Scriptures are sufficient proof for me on this point.

Again, I set forth the words of the holy angel Gabriel, when he told Mary that she would conceive and bear a son. “Then Mary said to the angel, How shall this be, since I do not know a man? And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God,” Luke 1, verses 34 and 35. See, here is the testimony of a true messenger that God the Father is a true Father of our Lord Christ. I think that God’s own angel has here rebuked the falsehood of those who say that the crucified Christ Jesus has had no father.

We find from God’s own ordinance and from so many sayings of the Scriptures that a true child takes its origin from the seed of the father according to God’s ordinance, as has been related; and we are so clearly taught all through the Scriptures that God the Father is the true Father of his Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore we say that we believe and confess that the eternal Word of God, which in the Scriptures is also called the seed, came down from heaven, through the overshadowing of the divine power, descended into Mary, and miraculously, above all human understanding, through the working of the Holy Spirit, became a true, palpable and mortal man, capable of suffering, but imperishable, according to the unchangeable will and gracious promise of the Almighty and heavenly Father, as John clearly testifies both in his gospel and in his epistles. A man, I say, like us in all things except sin. Not, my reader, that he came from the unclean seed and flesh of Adam and was preserved from sin through the power of God, as the learned assert without the word of God; for that which never knew sin is the seed and origin of his flesh, as John says, “The word was made flesh,” John 1, verse 14. Besides, examine the passages of the Scriptures which testify that Jesus Christ is God’s first-born and only begotten Son, and you will find how grossly they err who dare to say, as they do, that the man Christ has no father. [Note 1]

Again, of Mary, the Lord’s mother, we believe and confess that the Almighty, eternal God and Father graciously prepared her virgin body, as he also did that of the aged Sarah, by the power of his Holy Spirit, to receive his precious, eternal Word through faith, according to the promise of the angel; and that this same Word became man, and so, in human fashion, like Isaac, was nourished and fed on natural food as a natural fruit, as a sure testimony that he was a true man and no phantom. In due time he was born into the world, an undivided and true Son of God and of Mary, as a natural child of its father and mother, the carnalis intercursus alone excepted, as the Scriptures testify, Luke 8, verse 10; Luke 1, verse 27; John 1, verse 14; First John 1, verse 2; Hebrews 2, verse 14; Philippians 2, verse 7. [Note 2]

And see, with this understanding we believe and confess that he is the seed of the woman, of the seed of Abraham and David, who was given by God the Father to the whole world out of particular favor and grace, for salvation and deliverance, as the highest pledge and sure testimony of his divine love, through faith, according to the sure word of his promise; and that the virgin mentioned above, ordained by God, conceived the Savior of the whole world, as stated above, in Nazareth, according to the word of the angel, and was delivered of him at Bethlehem, according to the word of the prophets, Luke 1, verse 31; Micah 5, verse 2.

Faithful reader, observe that Matthew and Luke show that Mary was made fruitful through the Holy Spirit of God, yet they do not particularly point out his genealogy, Micah, chapter 5; Luke 1, verse 31. In the meantime some sectarians arose in the church, such as Cerinthus and Ebion, who, according to history, brought in gross deceptions.

Finally John, at the request of the bishops of Asia, wrote a clear account of the origin of Christ, the Son of God, and that not only of his eternal divinity, as the learned say, but also of his holy humanity, as may be clearly seen on all sides in his writings. In clear and pointed words he has written and incontrovertibly shown who and what he has been from eternity, saying, “The word was made flesh.” He does not say, The word was made a man of our flesh or of Mary’s flesh, and has installed itself in it, as our opponents say. Besides, he shows us where he came from, what he taught, and what example he left us; what we have received through him, and where he went again, and so on. Whoever now rightly believes the testimony of John concerning Christ, the Son of God, has everlasting life through his name, John 1, verse 14.

But he who does not believe it, and rejects it, is not of God, and has neither the Father nor the Son, but is an antichrist and a deceiver. And this is our humble and plain confession of Christ, God’s Son, as has been heard, Second John, verses 7, 8 and 9.

As I now enlarge upon our doctrine, faith and confession, the reader should know that the Scriptures show on every hand that God, the Almighty Father, created all things through his Word, John 1, verse 1; Psalm 33, verse 6, and that he rules all things, and upholds and maintains all things by it, Colossians 1, verse 16. It is manifest that Adam was created by this same Word, and that through his disobedience he was condemned by the justice of God to damnation and death, together with all his descendants; and that he could not be restored again of himself and through himself, since he, together with all his seed, was corrupted in nature and condemned by the justice of God. Therefore, if Adam and his seed were not to remain cursed forever, the eternal love of God had to restore Adam and his descendants from his deadly fall, condemnation and curse by the same Word through which he created him, so that to him alone be the honor, and that his inexpressibly great love and grace be praised forever through his Word and Son, Christ Jesus. For if the restoration had been brought about by any other means than the word, we might reasonably give thanks and praise to that means. See, the whole Scriptures agree with this, our confession, foundation and faith, as by the grace of God you will clearly see from the Scriptures quoted.

Thus John speaks: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth,” John 1, verses 1 and 14. We believe this testimony to be true; we therefore leave it unbroken, so that the whole Christ may remain the Son of God; for we see with open eyes that, as far as this subject is concerned, it accords and agrees with all the Scriptures.

We truly believe, and do not doubt in the least, that the Holy Spirit, who seeks to lead us into all truth, meant nothing other than what he here spoke through this faithful, plain fisherman, John. For if the beloved messenger of the holy peace had not meant it as he here writes, his writing would not have brought peace to the churches, which at that time were very much troubled about this matter; it would have estranged them still more than before, and would have pointed us, his poor descendants, to an obscure and uncertain foundation. Oh no! His testimony is true and plain, and will remain so in eternity. The word has become flesh.

This, our confession, is also confirmed by the Lord himself, saying, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world,” John 6, verse 51.

Faithful reader, mark the word of your Lord. Christ says that his flesh came from heaven, and the learned say that it descended from Adam’s flesh. Here they are directly opposed. What now will the God-fearing mind do? If he holds to the testimony and word of Christ, then he must be counted a deceiver and heretic by the learned. But if he holds to their testimony and word, then he makes Christ a liar. Since we surely know that Christ and the learned are so opposed, and since we know with certainty that Christ is the truth that does not deceive and that all men are liars, we must not turn from truth to falsehood, but from falsehood to truth. Whatever the judgment of man may be, God’s word will remain forever, Psalm 116, verse 11; Romans 3, verse 4; Isaiah 40, verse 8; First Peter 1, verse 25.

Perhaps our opponents will seek an excuse here and say, Christ speaks of his more honorable part, for his divinity is from heaven and has taken Adam’s flesh. I answer: Let them read and believe the word and testimony of Christ, and they will find that they explain it according to their own inclination, and not according to the sense and truth of Christ; for this is how he speaks: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven.” Note, he says, “Came down from heaven,” “and the bread that I will give is my flesh.” Mark again, he does not say, It is my divinity, but “my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

I think that Christ himself has sufficiently explained his words here, and therefore we do not need the explanation and garbling of the learned. For Christ and John could not have expressed themselves more plainly about the descending of his holy flesh than they did in the two Scriptures mentioned. Therefore let everyone beware how he garbles them. For whoever falsifies these clear, fundamental evidences does not falsify the word of a human being but the word of God. Nor does he reject us, but the Son of God, together with his Holy Spirit, and the exalted apostle John, who have left them behind and taught them in such clear and plain words.

Christ declares this, our confession, still further, saying, “And now, O Father, glorify me with your own self, with the glory which I had with you before the world was,” John 17, verse 5.

I think this also is clear evidence that Christ humbled himself, and that for our sake he gave up for a time his divine dominion, right and glory. For although he was Justice and eternal Blessedness, he did not refuse to become a sacrifice for sin and a curse for us, Philippians 2, verse 7; First Corinthians 1, verse 29; Galatians 3, verse 13; Second Corinthians 5, verse 19.

Indeed, kind reader, if he had remained in his first state, incapable of suffering and unchanged, as John A’Lasco and his followers assert, and had only surrounded himself with a strange tabernacle of Mary’s flesh, then he would not have lost that which he desired again from his Father, since he would have remained, not humbled, but unchanged in his first state.

But now it is manifest that the eternal, indescribable and inexpressibly glorious Word, which from eternity has been with and in the Father in eternal glory and brightness, but in an inexpressible manner, in due time left his glory for a season, for our service, and became a poor, despised, mortal man, and died a bitter death for us. And so he desired again his first glory, which he had with his Father before the world began, and which he had left for a time for our sakes. This Scripture is too clear to be obscured by cleverness. Therefore believe the word of your Lord, trust in the truth, and you will not be deceived. [Note 3]

This, our confession, also agrees with holy Paul, for he says, “Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things,” Ephesians 4, verses 9 and 10.

Beside this plain saying of Paul, place also the word and testimony of Christ, which he himself gives concerning his descent. For he says, “No man has ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man who is in heaven,” John 3, verse 13.

Ponder these words of Paul diligently. For if he spoke these words only of his divinity, and not of his humanity, how would they then agree with the testimony of Christ just mentioned, who says, “No man has ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man who is in heaven”?

My reader, remember that Christ here calls himself the son of man, and says “that he came down from heaven.” The son of Mary, who the learned say is of her flesh, did not come down from heaven, but must be of the flesh of Adam, if the foundation of the learned were right. Oh no. But the word came down from heaven, became flesh or man in the lower parts of the earth, and afterward ascended up far above all heavens, where he first was.

Since Christ in this passage of Scripture speaks not only of his divinity but also of his humanity (for he says, The son of man), it is manifest that the man Christ is not originally from the earth, but from heaven. For according to his eternal divinity, if it had remained unchanged, as the learned say, he cannot be called the son of man. Again, according to his humanity he could not have been in heaven at the time he spoke these words, if he was of Mary’s flesh and not of heaven. Therefore we must take these Scriptures as concerning the whole Christ, that is, both his divinity and his humanity. From this it necessarily follows that the whole Christ Jesus, God and man, man and God, is from heaven and not of the earth, as John also testifies in another place, saying, “He that comes from above is above all; he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaks of the earth; he that comes from heaven is above all,” John 3, verse 31. Again, Christ says, “I came forth from the Father, and have come into the world; again, I leave the world and go to the Father,” John 16, verse 28.

From these it follows (if we will accept the testimony of Christ, of John the Baptist and of Paul as true) that the Word came down from heaven, became flesh in Mary, dwelt among men, fulfilled the Scriptures, ascended again and sat down at the right hand of his Father, and is worshiped by all the angels of God. Note, reader, how exactly the one Scripture fits the other, and how exactly Christ, John and Paul agree. Sure and unchangeable stands the testimony that the Word has become flesh.

Paul explains our confession still further, saying, “The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly,” First Corinthians 15, verse 47. Reader, observe. Although Paul is properly speaking of the resurrection of the dead and of its future brightness, yet by this same Scripture he testifies to the coming again, and to the difference between the first and the second Adam, when he says, “The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.” For as the first man, Adam, is called earthy because he is of the earth, so also the second man, Christ, is called heavenly because he is from heaven.

If anyone should contradict this and say that Christ is called heavenly here on account of his divinity, you should know that Paul rebukes them with these significant words: The second man, he says, “The second man is the Lord from heaven.” I cannot see how the great witness could express himself more plainly. And since he is such a heavenly Being, and since, besides, he is glorified again by God his heavenly Father with his eternal glory, which he had with God before the beginning of the world, therefore the holy apostle also calls all his true members heavenly after the resurrection. Not that they are from heaven, as Christ is from heaven, but because by grace, through the power of God, in the resurrection, they will share in the heavenly glory and in the nature of the angels, as Christ says, “The glory which you gave me, I have given them” (his disciples), John 17, verse 22.

Again, Paul says, “Our conversation is in heaven, from where also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like his glorious body, according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things to himself,” Philippians 3, verses 20 and 21. Read also what Christ says of such people, Luke, chapter 20; First John, chapter 3.

For this reason Paul calls them heavenly, and says, “As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father,” and as the stars of heaven in brightness forever; indeed, when we shall be like the Lord, and shall see him face to face, as he is, First Corinthians 15, verse 49; Matthew 13, verse 43; First Corinthians 13, verse 12.

Again, in another place the Scriptures say of Christ, I am the First and the Last, and the living One, and I was dead, and behold, I live from eternity to eternity, Revelation 1, verse 8; Isaiah 41, verse 4; Isaiah 44, verse 6. Here the Holy Spirit brings forward another testimony that cannot be broken, at which all sharp disputers and famous masters of this world are put to shame. If they want to pervert this clear and plain Scripture according to their own notion by their deceitful reasoning, as they do the Scripture of John 1, verse 14, and all the Scriptures, then they should know that we do not follow and believe the sophistry of man, but the word of the Lord. If they leave it undisturbed, then their cause is already lost, for the Holy Spirit testifies that the First and the Last, and the living One, died.

All intelligent persons must admit that Mary’s flesh was not the First and the Last. If, then, the man Christ had been of Mary’s flesh, as the learned say he is, which neither is nor can be the First and the Last, and if it had died in this way, then the Spirit of God, which is the Spirit of truth, would not have spoken rightly. Indeed, neither would Christ himself, who says, “I am the First and the Last,” “I was dead, and behold, I am alive.”

I would say further that if the man Christ Jesus was a natural offspring of Mary, and if the eternal Word only lived in it, as our opponents say it did, and if this same man died and the Word remained unchanged, then Mary’s flesh must be the First and the Last; this is too plain to be denied.

It is evident that Mary’s flesh neither is nor can be the First and the Last, as has been heard, and it is true, according to the testimony of the Holy Spirit, that the First and the Last has died. Therefore I conclude from this that the explanation of our opponents, by which they point us to Mary’s flesh, is deceitful and false, and that the learned are badly mistaken when they say that the Son of God remained unchanged and that the son of Mary died. I say again, the word stands unchangeable: “The Word has become flesh.”

Again, all the prophets who have spoken of Christ, the Son of God, through the Holy Spirit agree with this, our confession, foundation and belief. Micah says, “But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall he come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting,” Micah 5, verse 2. Observe, Isaiah says, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel,” which means God with us, Isaiah 7, verse 14; Matthew 1, verse 23.

He says further, “To us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace,” Isaiah 9, verse 6.

In another place he says, “Say to the cities of Judah, Behold your God.” Again, Jeremiah says, “Behold, the days come, says the Lord, that I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name by which he shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness,” Jeremiah 23, verses 5 and 6.

My reader, observe. The descent of this Prince has been from eternity, as has been related, and his name is called by the Spirit of the Lord Immanuel, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, Our Righteousness, and so on; and the prophets, as also the apostles, describe with such significant words where he is from, who he is and what he is. Therefore I conclude from this that the man Christ Jesus is not of unclean, sinful flesh, but of the unspotted, pure seed and word of God his Father, as John says, “The word has become flesh.” This, then, is our proper faith and confession of Christ, the Son of God, namely: that we are all created in Adam our father through the ineffable word, and that in the same Adam we have become of a sinful nature and subject to death; that we also, by means of this eternal, ineffable word, and not by means of the sinful flesh of Adam, are graciously accepted by God and mercifully called to everlasting life, as Christ says, “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” Psalm 33, verse 6; Romans 5, verse 12; First Corinthians 15, verse 3; John 3, verse 16.

All the Scriptures compel us not to dare to divide Christ, the Son of God, according to the claims of the learned, but to confess him as being entirely the true Son of the true and living God. The angel testified of Christ, the Son of Mary, saying, “That holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God,” Luke 1, verse 35.

Again, the Father testified, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” Matthew 17, verse 5; Luke 9, verse 35.

Again, John the Baptist says, “He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said to me, Upon whom you shall see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, the same is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit; and I saw it and bore record that this is the Son of God,” John 1, verse 33.

Again, “Nathaniel says to him, Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel,” John 1, verse 49.

Again, when Jesus asked his disciples, “Whom do you say that I am? Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Matthew 16, verses 15 and 16.

Again, Martha said, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who should come into the world,” John 11, verse 27.

Again, the disciples, together with the others, said, Truly, you are the Son of God.

Again, Christ said to the blind man, “Do you believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said to him, You have both seen him, and it is he who talks with you,” John 9, verse 37.

Again, when the centurion saw that he cried out so and gave up the ghost, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God,” Mark 15, verse 39.

Again, Saul was with the disciples at Damascus, and preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God, Acts 9, verse 20.

Again, John says, “We have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him, and he in God,” First John 4, verse 9. Besides many other clear passages.

Since the Scriptures so abundantly testify that the man Christ also is the Son of God, it is manifest that M. M. and those of his mind err fearfully when they say, “The man Christ was not the Son of God; he had no Father; but there are two sons in Christ, the one the Son of God, without a mother, and incapable of suffering, and the other the son of mankind, or the son of Mary, without a father, and he capable of suffering,” and so on. I think this may be called rejecting the Son of God in the face of all these plain Scriptures, and pointing us to a divided Christ, indeed, to an unclean, sinful flesh and creature, guilty of death, which the Scriptures never knew and still less taught. O detestabilem blasphemiam (O detestable blasphemy). [Note 4]

All who can be convinced to believe rightly that the word did not take to itself a man of Mary’s flesh, but that, according to the testimony of John, it has become flesh, have a true understanding of Christ. They will not argue per Synecdochen, de parte ad totum, neque de toto ad partem. They will not point to the worthiest part in Christ, nor to the communication or communion of the names; nor will they unite two persons and sons in one person and son, as our opponents do. But they will leave the Scriptures ungarbled in their place, and acknowledge with John the Baptist, John 1, verse 15; with Matthew 16, verse 16; with Martha, John 11, verse 27; and with the whole Scriptures, that Christ Jesus is God’s first-begotten and only Son; one only and undivided Christ, God and man, man and God, one only person and Son, who in his flesh fulfilled the handwriting of the law for us, as we could not in our flesh because of our weakness; and who at last was judged and condemned as an innocent, spotless Lamb to die on the cross for our sins and guilt. [Note 5]

See, this is our foundation, faith and confession of the most holy incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God and of Mary, on account of which, alas, we are so much reproached by our opponents and have to pass for deceivers and heretics; and that, I say, because we teach and testify with the Scriptures that the Lord Christ Jesus is God’s own and true Son, as has been heard.

Well, since that is how it is with them, they must run their course; we cannot prevent it until they are met by the angel of the Lord and rebuked by the ass, Numbers, chapter 22; Second Peter, chapter 2. They had better beware, however, lest they stumble too hard on the Rock of offense, Isaiah 8, verse 14; Romans 9, verse 33. The time to give an account will soon come. As for me, I do not care how they judge me.

I trust to find my consolation in the Lord, who has taken me by the right hand, and who knows all my desires, intentions and doings. He will carry out our cause to his honor; for he knows that we do not desire to seek our own praise, but his. Therefore he will protect his own honor. It may well happen that through their writing and slandering against us, and through their manifestly erring doctrine concerning Christ the Son of God, it will become plain to some that they are doubly what they would like to make us out to be. May the great God grant them grace. Amen.