more bitter his
hatred toward the preaching that dares to censure such righteousness
and assert its futility to merit God's grace and eternal life.

14. I myself, and others with me, were dominated by such feelings
when, under popery, we claimed to be holy and pious; we must confess
the fact. If thirty years ago, when I was a devout, holy monk,
holding mass every day and having no thought but that I was in the
road leading directly to heaven--if then anyone had accused me--had
preached to me the things of this text and pronounced our
righteousness--which accorded not strictly with the Law of God, but
conformed to human doctrine and was manifestly idolatrous--pronounced
it without efficacy and said I was an enemy to the cross of Christ,
serving my own sensual appetites, I would immediately have at least
helped to find stones for putting to death such a Stephen, or to
gather wood for the burning of this worst of heretics.

15. So human nature ever does. The world cannot conduct itself in any
other way, when the declaration comes from heaven saying: "True you
are a holy man, a great and learned jurist, a conscientious regent, a
worthy prince, an honorable citizen, and so on, but with all your
authority and your upright character you are going to hell; your
every act is offensive and condemned in God's sight. If you would be
saved you must become an altogether different man; your mind and
heart must be changed." Let this be announced and the fire rises, the
Rhine is all ablaze; for the self-righteous regard it an intolerable
idea that lives so beautiful, lives devoted to praiseworthy callings,
should be publicly censured and condemned by the objectionable
preaching of a few insignificant individuals regarded as even
pernicious, and according to Paul, as filthy refuse, actual obstacles
to eternal life.

16. But you may say: "What? Do you forbid good works? Is it not right
to lead an honorable, virtuous life? Do you not acknowledge the
necessity of political laws, of civil governments? that upon
obedience to them depends the maintenance of discipline, peace and
honor? Indeed, do you not admit that God himself commands such
institutions and wills their observance, punishing where they are
disregarded? Much more would he have his own Law and the Ten
Commandments honored, not rejected. How dare you then assert that
such righteousness is misleading, and obstructive to eternal life?
What consistence is there in teaching people