# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_December 1859_S353
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Lehre und Wehre. [Doctrine and Defense.]
Volume V.    December 1859.    No. 12.

A Comparison of Luther with Arndt and August H. Francke with Regard to Their Treatment of the Gospel Pericope for the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity.*)

I.

The distinctive feature of Luther's treatment seems to me to consist in this: that 1. he sets forth the article of the forgiveness of sins as a joyful Gospel appointed for all men, and as a treasure which the Church possesses, which he, as a preacher of the Gospel, is bound to offer to all, to magnify, and to praise; 2. that he seeks to help his hearers to this treasure by showing them how it lies in the means of grace, is dispensed with them, and is to be laid hold of through faith; 3. that, without in the least diminishing the fullness of comfort contained therein, he describes those alone who are capable of such comfort, and those who have become partakers of this comfort. In all this, however, Luther takes constant and continual account of the errors current in his time.

A few passages from his sermons will document the Lutheran distinctiveness here indicated.

1. As to the setting forth of the article of the forgiveness of sins in general, he writes as follows in the first sermon of the Kirchenpostille: "I have often said before, and say it always, that you should observe and rightly learn the nature and character of the kingdom of Christ; for we know how reason in every respect is inclined to fall from faith and from this knowledge into works. Here, however, you see no works at all, no merit; there is neither commandment nor law, there is nothing more here than the offering of his help, his comfort, and his grace — it is pure kindness that befalls the man sick of the palsy. Therefore, if the kingdom of Christ is to be increased, one must leave the law out of it and

*) This paper, submitted at the last pastoral conference held here, is hereby communicated at request. Unfortunately it is not possible to publish all the papers received on the subject, which together alone would give a true comparative presentation of the difference between Luther, Arndt, and the Pietists with regard to their type of doctrine.
The Editors.