d seek to determine by means of their
reason whether they are elected in order to be certain of their
standing. From this you must desist, it is not the hilt of the matter.
If you would be certain, you must attain to this goal by taking the way
which Peter here proposes. Take another, and you have already gone
astray; your own experience must teach you. If faith is well exercised
and stressed, you will finally become sure of the matter, so that you
will not fail." (E. 52, 224, St. L. 9, 1353.)

After a discussion at Wittenberg with a fanatic from Antwerp, in 1525,
Luther wrote a letter of warning to the Christians of Antwerp, in which
he speaks of God's will with respect to sin in an illuminating manner as
follows: "Most of all he [the fanatic] fiercely contended that God's
command was good, and that God did not desire sin, which is true without
a doubt; and the fact that we also confessed this did not do us any
good. But he would not admit that, although God does not desire sin, He
nevertheless permits (_verhaengt_) it to happen, and such permission
certainly does not come to pass without His will. For who compels Him to
permit it? Aye, how could He permit it if it was not His will to permit
it? Here he exalted his reason, and sought to comprehend how God could
not desire sin, and still, by permitting sin, will it, imagining that he
could exhaust the abyss of divine majesty: how these two wills may exist
side by side.... Nor do I doubt that he will quote me to you as saying
that God desires sin. To this I would herewith reply that he wrongs me,
and as he is otherwise full of lies, so also he does not speak the truth
in this matter. I say that God has forbidden sin, and does not desire
it. This will has been revealed to us, and it is necessary for us to
know it. But in what manner God permits or wills sin, this we are not to
know; for He has not revealed it. St. Paul himself would not and could
not know it, saying, Rom. 9, 20: 'O man, who art thou that repliest
against God?' Therefore I beseech you in case this spirit should trouble
you much with the lofty question regarding the secret will of God, to
depart from him and to speak thus: 'Is it too little that God instructs
us in His public [proclaimed] will, which He has revealed to us? Why,
then, do you gull us seeking to lead us into that which we are forbidden
to know, are unable to know, and which you do not know yourself? Let the
manner in which that comes to pass be