Foundation and Plain Instruction: Counter Arguments with Their Replications

We have briefly considered the Lord’s command, and the apostolic doctrine, practice and meaning of baptism, and shown that it is and will remain the true baptism to the end of time. Now, through the grace of God, we will also, as a duty, take up and answer some passages of Scripture which the learned wrongfully use to make void the ordinance of the Lord and to put their own in its place.

In the first place, they teach that we are all children of wrath and sinful, born of the sinful seed of Adam; and therefore, they say, children are to be baptized, in order to be purified and washed from original sin, and so on.

To this we reply as follows. With the word of the Lord, we believe and confess that we all come from and are born of unclean seed; that through the first Adam, who was of the earth, we became wholly depraved, children of death and of hell, Romans 5, verse 12. Nevertheless, just as we fell and became sinners in Adam, so we also believe and confess that through Christ, the second and heavenly Adam, we were restored to grace and justified. For he appeared on earth so that in him and through him we might have life. Through him alone we boast that we have obtained grace, favor and the forgiveness of our sins with God our Father, and not through baptism, whether we are children or believers. For if redemption and the washing away of original sin came through baptism, and not by the blood of Christ alone, then the sweet-smelling sacrifice, which is of eternal worth, would have been in vain and without effect, or else there would be two remedies for our sins. Alas, no! The Scriptures speak of only one, which is Christ with his merits, death and blood, First Peter 1, verse 19. Therefore, whoever seeks the remission of his sins through baptism rejects the blood of the Lord and makes water his idol. So let everyone be careful not to ascribe the honor and glory due to Christ to outward ceremonies and created elements.

It is true that Peter says, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” But this is not to be understood as if we receive the remission of our sins through baptism. O no! For if that were so, then Christ and his merits must fall. Rather, we receive the remission of our sins in baptism in this way. The Lord commanded his gospel to be preached to every creature, so that all who believe and are baptized may be saved. Where there is faith, which Paul calls the gift of God, there also are the power and the fruits of faith. Where there is an active, fruitful faith, there also is the promise; but where no such faith exists (we are speaking of adults), there is no promise either. For whoever hears the word of the Lord and believes it with the heart shows his fruit and faithfully keeps all things the Lord has commanded him; for the Scriptures teach that the just shall live by faith, Hebrews 10, verse 38. Then the remission of his sins is preached to him, as Peter teaches and instructs.

If Noah and Lot had not believed the word of the Lord, they would have fared badly. If Abraham had not believed, he would not have obtained such glorious promises. But they believed and did right, and became heirs of righteousness, Hebrews 11, verse 8.

If Moses and Israel had not believed the word of the Lord and had been disobedient, how could they have been rescued in the sea and in the wilderness? But they believed, and according to his promise they were protected by the mighty hand of the Lord. But those who provoked him and did not believe his gracious word and his great miracles fell in the wilderness and did not enter the promised land.

There was also reconciliation connected with the sacrifices of the Old Testament, though not on account of the worth of the smoking offerings on the altars; for it was not possible, says Paul, that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin, Hebrews 10, verse 4. Before it was offered it was all the Lord’s already; the cattle on a thousand hills were his, says David, Psalm 50, verse 10. But it was because the righteous believed the word of divine promise to be true and walked in obedience to his command. So now also the remission of sins is preached through baptism, not on account of the water or the ceremonies performed, for Christ, I repeat, is the only source of grace, but because the righteous receive the promises of the Lord by faith and obediently follow his word and will.

This instruction does not extend to infants. For in all the Scriptures there is not a single command to baptize them. Therefore it is not required of them as a sign of obedience. Since, then, infant baptism is performed without the command of God, it cannot be a ceremony of God, but is a harmful superstition of men and plainly idolatry; therefore the promise of God cannot rest on such abominations. It seems to me it is high time to wake up and pay attention to the Scriptures. For Jesus’ sake, sin is not counted against infants, who are innocent and incapable of understanding. Life is promised to them, not through any ceremony, but out of pure grace, through the blood of the Lord, as he himself says, “Suffer the little children to come to me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God,” Mark 10, verse 14. But concerning baptism he commanded them nothing.

In my opinion it is a great error, which some hold, that the children of the Jews were acceptable to Christ on account of circumcision, and that ours are acceptable to him on account of baptism. O blasphemy and infamy! In every case Christ, the only means of divine grace, must be set aside, and grace must be credited to lifeless rites and elements. Here I would ask all pedobaptists how they are going to prove that these blessed children were all circumcised, and that there were no girls among them? If they were acceptable on account of their circumcision, as they claim, then why were adults who were circumcised not acceptable?

Although the adults were circumcised, he commanded that they should be baptized upon their faith; but concerning infants he gave no such command. He took them in his arms, laid his hands on them and blessed them, promised them the kingdom, and sent them away; but he did not baptize them.

That is what the wisdom of God himself did; but the world wants to be his teacher. Christ does not command that infants should be baptized, but believers; but the world commands that we baptize children and not believers.* Indeed, more than that: if anyone is baptized upon his faith because the Lord has so commanded, and for conscience’ sake does not have his children baptized because God does not command it, his name, alas, is reviled by all, and he is subjected to torture, misery and death. And this is not to be blamed so much on the rulers as on those who are regarded as teachers and preachers, for what the rulers do, they generally do on the counsel and urging of the learned. By their fruits they show who their father is, for they do his works. It seems to me that they always have been, and always will be, the ones who with their false doctrines, vengeful spirits and hard hearts shed the blood of the righteous, Revelation 17, verse 6; Revelation 18, verse 24. Alas, such persecution is so disgraceful that it is almost a shame to mention it. For as clearly as the sun shines on this world and is seen by everyone, so plain to see is the inhuman, raging tyranny of the learned against the Lamb and his chosen. God grant that the eyes of these blind, perverted, bloodthirsty teachers, with all their tyranny, may be opened, so that they may become sated and weary of their false doctrine and of shedding innocent blood. Amen. [* p. 33]

In the second place, they teach that the children of Israel under the Old Testament were admitted into God’s covenant and church through circumcision, but that now our children are admitted through baptism. To this, in accordance with Scripture, we reply: No. Whoever reads the Scriptures with understanding will clearly see that Abraham was in covenant with the Lord many years before he was circumcised, and that the children were circumcised on the eighth day although they had been in the covenant before. For it is evident that we do not become children of God through any outward rite, but through the fatherly and gracious choice, through Christ Jesus. But an outward sign was required of Abraham as a seal of obedience and faith; and likewise of his seed, that they should circumcise the male children on the eighth day, no sooner and no later, and not the female children. If the covenant had depended on the sign, and not on the assurance of grace, what would have become of the female children, and of the males who died uncircumcised before the eighth day?

Beloved reader, pay attention to the word of God. Although the women and the female children were not circumcised, they shared the promise in common: the promised seed, the holy land, the kingdom and the glory. They were no less the seed of Abraham, and no less subject to the covenant of God and to the things signified by its sign, than the circumcised men and male children. From this it is evident that the children of Israel were not in the Lord’s covenant on account of circumcision, as the pedobaptists assert, but through the divine choice of grace.

And just as Abraham and the children of Israel, the female as well as the male children, were in the covenant not through the sign but through the divine choice, so also our children are in the covenant of God, although they are not baptized. The word of Paul cannot be contradicted: He (God) has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, and has ordained us to be his children through Jesus Christ, Ephesians 1, verse 4.

Again, children are entitled to the kingdom of heaven and are under the promise of the grace of God through Christ, as has been said. Therefore we truly believe that they are blessed, holy and pure, acceptable to God, under the covenant and in his church, but by no means through any outward sign; for there is not a word in all the Scriptures by which to maintain that children should be admitted into the covenant and the church by such a sign. Besides, it is very evident that they cannot be taught or admonished by word or sacrament as long as they lack the ability to hear and understand.

Therefore the signs are not to be used for any purpose other than the one for which the Lord instituted and commanded them. Since Christ has ordained and commanded that believers be baptized, and has not said a word about infant baptism, we believe and teach that the baptism of believers is of God and his word, and infant baptism of the dragon and the beast.

All the rites God ordained, in both the Old and the New Testament, are ordained to exercise our faith and to show our obedience. Therefore we should not use and change them as we please; we must use them as the Lord himself ordained and commanded, if we would escape being punished by the fierce wrath of God, as Nadab and Abihu were, Leviticus 10, verse 2.

Christ has commanded that believers should be baptized, and not infants, and the holy apostles taught and practiced it this way, according to the instructions and commands of Christ, as may be seen in many places of the New Testament. So all reasonable people must admit that infant baptism, although, alas, it is practiced by nearly the whole world and upheld by tyranny, is nothing less than a ceremony of antichrist, open blasphemy, a bewitching sin, a molten calf; indeed, abomination and idolatry.

We also know well how they use circumcision as a figure of baptism, and bring forward the saying of Paul to prove it, namely, “In whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, and so on,” Colossians 2, verse 11. Whoever tries to prove by this passage that infant baptism is right does violence to holy Paul and falsely twists his testimony. For he does not teach that outward circumcision is a figure of baptism; he is speaking of inward circumcision. For just as actual circumcision of the foreskin was performed with a knife of stone, so also our inborn and carnal nature must be cut off with that spiritual knife of stone, and circumcised with a circumcision made without hands. The stone is Christ. The knife is the word of God, First Corinthians 10, verse 4; Hebrews 4, verse 12. It is with this circumcision that believers, not children, are circumcised, as Paul clearly means to teach by this scripture: “You are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in baptism, in which also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God,” Colossians 2, verse 11. It seems to me that these words plainly show that Paul was not speaking of the baptism of infants, but of the inner circumcision of believers. Read also what we said above concerning Romans, chapter 6.

In the third place, they say that children are regenerated, put on Christ, and receive the Holy Spirit in baptism.

To this we reply: To be regenerated, to put on Christ, and to receive the Holy Spirit are one and the same thing, and in their power they cannot be separated. If you have the one, you have the other also. But this does not concern infants at all; for regeneration takes place through faith, through the word of God, and is a change of heart, or of the inward man, as was said above. To put on Christ is to be transplanted into Christ and to be of one mind with him. To receive the Holy Spirit is to share in his gifts and power, to be taught, assured and moved by him, as the Scriptures teach. This cannot happen with infants, for they have no ears to hear the word of the Lord and no understanding to grasp it; and it is through the word and the hearing of the word that all this is accomplished.

Here it may be asked whether God is not powerful enough to work faith in children, since John the Baptist, not yet born, leaped for joy in his mother’s womb.

We reply to this that we are not speaking of the power of God. He made old and barren Sarah fruitful, and caused Balaam’s donkey to speak. But it does not follow that all old, barren women will become fruitful, or that all donkeys are to speak. He does not at all times do all that he can, or has power to do. We are speaking only of the precepts of the Scriptures, what they teach and command us concerning this matter.

Because infants do not understand, they cannot believe; and because they do not believe, they cannot be born again. Reason teaches us that they cannot understand the word of God. That they do not believe and are not regenerated is evident from their actions. Whether they are baptized or not, their inborn nature is inclined to evil from their youth. They know no difference between Christ and Satan, between good and evil, between life and death. How then shall we know their faith, their regeneration, or that they possess Christ and his Spirit? The regenerating word must first be heard and believed with a sincere heart before regeneration, the putting on of Christ and the working of the Holy Spirit follow.

See, this is how the word of the Lord teaches us. So if anyone does not desire the palatable bread of the divine word, on which our souls must live, he may fill himself with the husks the pigs eat, Luke 15, verse 16; we cannot stop him. I trust that the gracious Father will protect and preserve us forever, through his great mercy, from their antichristian doctrines and Pharisaical leaven.

In the fourth place, they say that although infants are not so washed from original sin in baptism that no trace of it remains, still, for the sake of baptism, it shall not be counted against them as sin.

To this we reply: To teach and believe this is open blasphemy against Christ and his blood. I have proved more than once by the word of the Lord that Christ is the only remedy for our sins, and that there is never any other, Isaiah 43, verse 25; Matthew 1, verse 21; Acts 4, verse 12. If people will not believe the word of God, there is no human help for them. But the way in which believers receive the remission of sins in baptism has been fully explained above, and whoever reads it with understanding will give the Lord Jesus the praise due to him, and not ascribe the remission of his sins to rites and elements.

In the fifth place, they say that Christ has cleansed and sanctified his church with the washing of water by the word. Children, they say, belong to the church; therefore they must be cleansed with the washing of water by the word, Ephesians 5, verse 26.

To this we reply: Paul is not speaking of infants, but of those who hear and believe the word of the Lord and so are sanctified and cleansed in their hearts by faith; for such people are cleansed by the washing of water, as the mouth of the Lord has commanded.

Infants do not have this pure, sanctifying faith, nor the means to it (that is, understanding), and Scripture does not command that they be baptized. How then can they be cleansed with the washing of water by the word, when they have no faith in the word and no washing of water by the word? Therefore all pedobaptists should know that their infant baptism neither cleanses nor sanctifies, but is idolatry in toto, without promise, harmful, and contrary to the word of the Lord.

We have shown before that the remission of sins, or reconciliation, was connected with and followed from the Jewish offerings, if they were performed according to the instructions of Moses. But when they were not performed that way, people did not obtain reconciliation but made themselves all the more guilty, as Saul, Uzziah, Nadab, Abihu and others did. In the same way the church is sanctified and cleansed with the washing of water by the word, if it is done in every respect according to the instruction of the word. But if it is not done that way, we are not cleansed but sin all the more.

And although infants have neither faith nor baptism, do not think that they are therefore damned. Oh no! They are blessed; for they have the Lord’s own promise of the kingdom of God, not through any elements, ceremonies and outward rites, but only by grace, through Jesus Christ, Matthew 19, verses 13 to 15. And therefore we truly believe that they are under grace, acceptable to God, pure, holy, heirs of God and of eternal life; and on account of this promise all sincere Christian believers may confidently rejoice and comfort themselves in the salvation of their children.

In the sixth place, they say that infants are to be baptized on account of the promise made to them, as stated above, although Christ did not baptize the children brought to him, nor have them baptized; but they say that he had infant baptism taught and practiced after his death.

To this we reply: This is a false doctrine, and it does not have the word of God to back it; indeed, it cannot be supported by a single word in the Scriptures. We rejoice with all our heart that they have this promise; the Scriptures, however, do not teach that they should therefore be baptized. And the fact that they were not baptized before Christ’s death gives us even greater assurance of this, for this reason: we know for certain that he taught no other word, no other doctrine, no other baptism, nor gave another Spirit or another promise, nor instructed others to teach differently after his death, than he did before it. That he commanded his holy apostles, after his death and ascension, to teach and practice infant baptism can never be proved by the word of the Lord.

O human nature! You are not ashamed to charge lies against Jesus Christ and his apostles, and to practice infant baptism under the appearance of the divine word, as if the Lord had taught it, although he never did. How much you are like those who say, “The Lord says it, although I have not spoken,” Ezekiel 13, verse 7. Thus says the Lord.

As often as the question is put to us, Why shall infants not be baptized, since they are in the church of God and share in his grace, covenant and promise? we answer: Because the Lord neither taught nor commanded it.

In the seventh place they say: The Scriptures tell us that the apostles baptized whole families, from which we may readily conclude that there were infants among them.

To this, in the first place, we reply: Since they try to maintain their position with uncertain guesses, they admit by their own arguments that they have no scriptural authority for this doctrine.

In the second place, we answer: In things of such importance we dare not build on uncertain suppositions, but on the sure word, which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, Psalm 119, verse 105.

In the third place, we answer: Four families are mentioned in the Scriptures as having been baptized, namely, those of Cornelius, of the jailer, of Lydia and of Stephanas, Acts 10, verse 48; Acts 16, verses 15 and 33; First Corinthians 1, verse 16. And the Scriptures plainly show that three of these were all believers, namely, the family of Cornelius, of the jailer, and of Stephanas. As for the family of Lydia, although the Scriptures say nothing definite about it, the reader should know that it is not usual in Scripture, nor the common custom of the world, to call a family by the woman’s name as long as the husband is living. Since Luke names the family by the woman’s name, then, reason tells us that Lydia was at that time either a widow or unmarried. As to how likely it is that there were infants in her house or not, we will let the pious reader judge.

In the fourth place, we answer: The word household, or houses, as used in the Scripture, does not include young children; for Paul speaks of vain talkers who subvert whole houses. Now it cannot be disputed that an infant cannot be subverted by any false doctrine. Therefore by the word house or houses no others can be meant than those who have ears to hear and hearts to understand.

In the last place, they appeal to Origen and Augustine, and say that these men assert that they received infant baptism from the apostles.

To this we answer by asking: Can Origen and Augustine prove this by the Scriptures? Have they done so? We want to know. If not, then we must hear and believe Christ and his apostles, and not Augustine and Origen.

That this is not the case may readily be seen from Cyprian, because he neither enjoined nor condemned infant baptism, if those who for many years past have been preachers at Norlingen have informed me correctly from their church records, and have not misled me about the meaning of the word Liberum. [Note 1]

Cyprian, too, was a Greek, as Origen was, and lived twenty-five years after him. If, then, infant baptism was the doctrine of the apostles and practiced by them, as Origen and Augustine assert, it must first be proved by the Scriptures; and in that case Cyprian must have committed a great sin in leaving the observance of the doctrines and practices of the apostles open to choice. For nothing that is apostolic may be changed by any man. The word of Paul cannot be disputed: “Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed,” Galatians 1, verse 8. Otherwise we would be forced to admit that the twelve apostles with their doctrine were not the twelve foundations and twelve gates of the new Jerusalem, Revelation 21, verse 12.

If infant baptism is apostolic, why does Tertullian write, “Those who are to be baptized confess for a considerable time in the church, before the bishop, that they renounce the devil, his pomp and his angels. After that they are,” and so on?

Revanus comments on this passage and says that it was the custom of old that adults (grown persons) were baptized by the washing of regeneration.

That infant baptism was not apostolic may be clearly seen from the insipid remarks of Athanasius, as Rufinus plainly shows; see Eusebius, 10 Libro Ecc. His., chapter 14.

Remember also how the early writers argued about infant baptism. If it had been apostolic and found in the gospel, why would they have quarreled so?

Read also Erasmus Rotterod, in sua concion, that is, in his public orations; Sebastus Frank’s Chronicle; Ulrich Zuingli, in his book of Articles; Martin Cellarius, de immensis operi, Dei, that is, Concerning the immense works of God; and you will find that infant baptism is not the doctrine and practice of the apostles.

See, beloved reader, I admonish and advise you: if you seek God with all your heart and do not want to be deceived, do not depend on men and their doctrine, no matter how old, holy and excellent they may be thought to be; for the theologians, ancient and modern alike, contradict one another. Put your trust in Christ and his word alone, and in the sure instruction and practice of his holy apostles, and through the grace of God you will be perfectly safe from all false doctrines and from the power of the devil, and may walk before God with a free and pious mind.

We know well, beloved reader, that there are many unprofitable talkers who teach from the letter of the Scriptures that infants should not be baptized, but only Christian believers; and yet they say: Why, my dear friend, what can water do for us? We have been baptized once in the name of God. If only we had the new life, that would be enough for us. O dear Lord! This is how your precious word is everywhere regarded by this wicked world, like the fables of Aesop, as if the Omnipotent Majesty, the Eternal Wisdom and Truth, had taught and commanded some things to no purpose. No, my good reader, no. His name is the Sovereign Lord; his word is his will; his command is eternal life. All the things he has taught and commanded us he will certainly have us keep; if we do not, woe to us. Christ says, “You are my friends if you do whatever I command you,” John 15, verse 14. “My counsel,” says the prophet, “shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure,” Isaiah 46, verse 10. Therefore, O creature, stop fighting against God. Listen to him and obey his voice, for it is his divine counsel, word and will. Who are you, to contend with God? Christ’s sheep hear his voice. True Christians believe and obey. Are you a sincere Christian, born of God? Then why do you dread baptism, which is among the least of the things God has commanded you? It has always been a hard and weighty command to love your enemy; to do good to those who hate you; to pray in spirit and in truth for those who persecute you; to crucify your wicked and ungodly flesh with its impure lusts and desires; to subdue your arrogant pride, your greed, your offensive unchastity, your bloody hatred, your eating and drinking to excess; to renounce your accursed idolatry; to give up your envious reviling; to curb your slanderous tongue; to govern your heart and flesh; to love and fear your Lord and God, your Creator and Redeemer, with all your heart; and in all things to submit to his holy word and serve your neighbor in sincere and unfeigned love, with all your powers, with all your possessions, with your counsel, with your labor, indeed, if required, with your death and blood; to suffer with a sincere heart misery, contempt, and the oppressive cross of Christ for the Lord’s word; and to confess Christ Jesus before lords and princes, in prison and in chains, by words and deeds, unto death.

We think that these commands, and others like them, are more painful and difficult for perverse flesh, which by nature is so inclined to go its own way, than having a handful of water applied; and a sincere Christian must at all times be ready to do all this. If he is not, he is not born of God; for the regenerated are of one mind with Christ Jesus.

All who by the grace of God have been carried over from Adam into Christ, have become partakers of the divine nature, and are baptized by God with the Spirit and fire of heavenly love, will not argue so mockingly with the Lord and say, My dear friend, what can water do? Rather, they say with trembling Paul, “Lord, what do you want me to do?” and with the penitents on the day of Pentecost, “Men and brothers, what shall we do?” They will renounce their own wisdom and willingly obey the word of the Lord, for they are moved by his Spirit, and through faith, with willing, obedient hearts, they do all the things the Lord has commanded them.

But as long as their minds are not renewed, and they are not of one mind with Christ, and are not washed in the inner man with clean water from the living fountain of God, they may well say, What can water do for us? For as long as they are earthly and sensual in mind, the whole ocean would not cleanse them.

My faithful reader, do not think that we lay great stress on elements and rites. I tell you the truth in Christ, and do not lie. If anyone came to me, even the emperor or the king, and wanted to be baptized while still walking in the unclean, ungodly lusts of the flesh, and he were not blameless, penitent and regenerated, I hope by the grace of God that I would rather die than baptize such an impenitent and sensual man. For where there is no renewing, regenerating faith leading to obedience, there is no baptism.* As Philip said to the eunuch, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” Nevertheless, you ought to know that if someone comes for baptism with a hypocritical heart, under the appearance of faith, his hypocrisy would not be counted as a sin against the one who baptizes him, but against the pretender; for no man knows the heart of a man except the spirit of man which is in him, First Corinthians 2, verse 11. [* p. 39]

It seems to me that you can readily conclude from what we have said that we want no other water than the one the word of the Lord has commanded. For since we believe that Christ is the true Messiah, to whom the law and the prophets pointed, whom all the righteous fathers and patriarchs longed for; that he came from heaven and testified to the truth; and that his command is eternal life, we must therefore hear his voice and obey his word. If we do not, we show by our actions that we do not believe, but reject his counsel and word and are ungrateful to him for his love.

I know well that many of you will say, We were baptized once in the name of God, and we are satisfied with that. To this we reply: If you fear God with all your heart and acknowledge that his word and ordinances are just and good, you must conclude that you were not baptized in the name of God but contrary to it. It is true that the adorable, exalted name of God was pronounced over you, but no differently than it is pronounced over church bells, churches, altars, holy water, candles and palms. All antichristian idolatry and abominations, alas, are performed under the appearance of the divine name, although they are done not by virtue of his name but against it, for they are done contrary to his word and will.

My dear reader, think these words over well and judge them by the word of God, and you will find that the baptism you have received is without the command of God’s word; that it arose from self-righteousness and was invented by man, and therefore it must be accursed of God, who alone will reign and rule in his church. If you want to rejoice in the promise and share in the church of Christ, you must believe the word of the Lord, obey it, and follow his counsel, will and ordinances. But if you refuse, and follow your own counsel and will and not the Lord’s, you cannot comfort yourselves with any promise of Scripture, for “he who does not believe,” says Christ, “is condemned already.”

Therefore do not comfort yourselves any longer with such empty comfort, saying, We have been baptized once; for at heart you are still entirely unbelieving, indeed, rebellious and unclean. Your whole life is earthly and carnal, your baptism antichristian and without the sanction of the word of God. Therefore wake up, repent, believe in Christ, seek, fear and love God with all your heart; then the word of the Lord and his anointing will teach you what is right for you to do or not to do in this matter. And do not say, as some do, I will renounce the church and idolatry, I will serve my neighbor, and so on, but I do not want to be baptized.

O you blind people! Do you think the Lord is pleased with your staying away from the church, or with your alms, or anything of the kind, if you reject his counsel and word? No! No! He desires your obedience, not sacrifice. He desires the whole heart, the whole person. With him neither church nor alms will avail, neither words nor deeds, as long as you do not show a new heart and life. “For in Christ Jesus,” says Paul, “neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which works by love, a new creature, and the keeping of the commandments of God,” Galatians 5, verse 6; Galatians 6, verse 15; First Corinthians 7, verse 19.

And whoever is renewed in Christ and born of God no longer lives himself, as Paul says, but Christ Jesus lives in him. In all his ways he conforms to the word of the Lord, for that powerful, active faith compels him to all obedience and to every good work. But where this new life is not, there may well be fine words, but in truth there is only unbelief, disobedience, wantonness, presumption and perversity.

I hereby entreat and admonish you, beloved reader, not to be so stubborn against the Lord as to say, What can water do for us? But consider that Christ Jesus himself was baptized, Matthew 3, verse 13, although he was without sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth, First Peter 2, verse 22; indeed, he was himself righteousness, the way, the truth and the life. Tell us, then, what could water do for Christ, who was all in all things? The disciples at Ephesus also were rebaptized by Paul because they knew nothing of the Holy Spirit, although they had been baptized with the baptism of John. If Christ himself, who was without sin, was baptized, and others who had been baptized with the baptism of John, which was also from heaven, were rebaptized by Paul, why then do you despise the Lord’s baptism, you poor, miserable sinners, who were baptized without knowledge and faith, with the baptism of the dragon and the beast?

Cyprian the martyr, with his whole council in Africa, resolved that those who had been baptized by heretics should be rebaptized with Christian baptism, and this because they held that the baptism of heretics could not be the baptism of Christ. Think a little, kind reader, about who it was that baptized you; by whom they were sent; what kind of faith they had; what kind of lives they led; with what doctrine and practices you were baptized. If you will seriously think it over, I hope by the grace of God, if you desire true peace and freedom of conscience, that you will soon realize that you never knew either the outward or the inward baptism, much less received it.

See, beloved reader, here you have the true foundation and scriptural instruction concerning the baptism of Christ, and an explanation of the baptism of antichrist.

Pray to the Lord, the Most High, for a sound and clear understanding, so that you may sincerely know the right and blessed truth, believe it, and faithfully keep it in the fear of the Lord. Stop all useless disputing and contradicting; for whoever disputes and contradicts with the determination to remain on the broad way will ruin his soul, will never walk before God with a good and sure conscience, and will always find occasion to dispute and quarrel.

Therefore examine, believe and obey the word of God with a sincere and devout heart, and do not let yourselves be deceived and led into the mere appearance of godliness by fine speeches, and you will surely obtain the sure doctrine of the saving truth and the comforting promise of grace. The Lord Jesus Christ grant you his grace. Amen.