# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_Januar 1858_S25
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Menius and Flacius in the Controversy over the Office and the Priesthood.                                    25

Flacius had become extremely troublesome to the Wittenbergers and their friends, among whom Menius too belonged, on account of his resoluteness. It was recalled that he had come to Wittenberg as a poor stranger, and that at the outbreak of the disputes he had been nothing more than a lecturer in the Hebrew language — that he had not even belonged to the theological faculty, let alone ever held any churchly office. Yet it remains remarkable, nonetheless, that Menius could derive from these circumstances a ground for accusation against him.

The reproach that Menius brought against him, and the occasion for the statements on the office and the general priesthood that we are about to present, is as follows*):

Flacius, he said, has for his rash and presumptuous undertaking no calling or commission whatsoever, neither from God nor from men. His rash and presumptuous undertaking consists in this, that he arrogates to himself and takes it upon himself to be master and judge over all church and school officers, pastors, preachers, professors, etc., and to sit in judgment on them and reform them.

That he has not been called by God to his audacious, rash, and presumptuous undertaking, nor has received any commission for it, Menius grounds as follows:

"All those who have been called by God, from the beginning of the world, to particular offices, have been called either through the mediation of men, or by God himself. Called by God without human mediation are the holy fathers and prophets — Abraham, Moses, Samuel, John the Baptist, Paul, and the other apostles — to all of whom God, both through his Word and through miracles, bore witness to their calling, so that everyone must recognize and confess that they were truly sent by God."

This calling, however, was not to endure any longer than until Christ should come and be revealed to all the world; for it was to this end alone that all was done, that God raised up and sent the prophets, who were to proclaim his coming, office, and kingdom to the world. After the prophets he called John the Baptist together with the apostles, all of whom were specially chosen and appointed for this, that they should testify and preach throughout all the world that through him all was fulfilled that God had promised to and through him for the salvation and blessedness of the human race."

"But after Christ appeared, and fulfilled all that the prophets had prophesied of him, the prophetic office too came to an end. — And after the Lord Christ had likewise chosen a certain number of apostles, who were to bear witness of him throughout all the world until the Last Day, whose names are also recorded in the Gospel, so that through their testimony all who wish to be saved should be-

*) Verantwortung Just. Menii [The Defense of Justus Menius], printed at Wittenberg, 4to, Signature G, leaf 4 and following.