DE TESTA MENTO s8¥ FoEDERE Dei unico & atemo HeinrychiBullin geribreuis axPositia tasvs 11 eftflius mens des in quo plican fanimamesipfam aude Matha ons TiGvRE IN’ABDIBVE CHR STOPA FROSCR. MENSE Spl. Au. HD. XXXII,A Brief Exposition of the One and Eternal Testament or Covenant of God by Heinrich Bullinger JESUS This is my beloved Son, in whom my soul is reconciled. Hear him Matthew 17:5 Zurich: Christopher Froschauer, September, 1534A Brief Exposition of the One and Eternal Testament or Covenant of God Heinrich Bullinger Translated by Charles 8. McCoy and J. Wayne Baker With notes by J. Wayne Baker This brief discourse sets forth the one and eternal testament or covenant of God, which both the prophets, inspired with the dlivine spirit, and the apostles, commissioned by the Son of God, ‘explained by writing entire books. As I begin. I especially pray for your sprit, Christ Jesus. in order that, imbued with it, may he able to discourse clearly, briefly, soberly, and according to the analogy of faith concerning a subject that is difficult but at the same time necessary and useful First, however, in order that greater clarity and more certain ty may enter into the entire discussion it scems that a specifi, te meaning ought te be established for the word "testa: (2b) ecase its usage varies in Scripture. ‘The Meaning of Testament ‘The Hebrew term berth, which the Septuagint always trans lated into Greek as diathele and the Latin writers rendered as ledamentum, sometimes signifies the inheritance that results from a will (elamentum). The Greek verb diatidiemai means make a will” and therefore the phrase o datheks goo means "I irs in.a wil,” And to the Latin writers “to ‘make a testament” means “to make known one’s final will” By the word ledamentum they mean “a testimony (estimonium) of ‘ui will” The jurist Ulpiats sad thatthe lawful expression of ‘ur will was anything that one wants to be executed after one’s mate jai ho mae jor contro mooa The Fotahead of Feet death. Gelliust and after him Lorenzo Vall, contesting the etymology ofthe juris 3 ny tha the word esamentm sa compound word composed from contestatio ments ("the calling ‘of the mind as witness"). They assert, rather, thatitisa simple ‘word derived from "an invoking as witness” (contestation), ust 4s, likewise, “a small shrine” (aceon) is not composed from SCacred™ (aera) and “small room" (ella) but is a diminutive form of "a sacred place” (aero). Further, from testo, which means "I make a will” comes testator, “one who makes a will” ‘And it is with this meaning that Christ used the word in ‘Matthew, ch. 26 [v.28) as did Paul in his eters to the Galatians, ch. 3[15-18}, and to the Hebrews, ch. 9 [15-17]. Ivis used fextensvely in this sense aso among jurists. Second, the Greek arse ditihemas ant to suntithenat means “make a pact” and make an agreement.” Therefore, diatheke in the singular ‘means "a pact” "an agreement," “a promise,” that is, in Greek cpaggelia. And among Latin writers, trom ete (3b) comes the Word tear which properly means “I give evidence” and "I “firm by oath.” For thi reason fstamentim in Seripture is used Several fumes for a “promise,” not of any sort, But firmed by oath. Zechariah says in Luke (1:72, 73}: that he might remember his sacred testament which he swore 10 four fathers that he would gie us." And Peter says in Acts [3:25]: "You are sons of the prophets and of the testament ‘which God swore to our fathers” Finally” diatheke or diathekai one he Np coco ene Ses agua ay 1 Lc ar 107-187 aay Reina aman, wat panera sero soc, nan Vale who" txpned “The Dowson of Contin the ‘mei py can wr pena a eT hf el ns aa ng amon by J se dg tr ce een ore rah ‘kee a hg rn te rc ma “Event ft He nemo at ay tthe hid meaing one ‘helane meen of nena sess Ahi he a te rye sls ne en no eo pate pan Sige tet tng enc na ehThe One and Erna Testament Cannan of Ca 0 im the plural, means “pact” and also “covenant” (eds, 0 which te Hebrew word beh mont closely corresponds Berk it Uerived from am, that "he made a pact Or “he entered ino a covenant” Moses used it with this meaning in Genesis 13, tnd 17, We to shall use iin this way in the present treatise da) Latin grammarians tink that fedus derives from the circumstance that in the maling ofa covenant Yoedu) api iorrby” fone) tha i eae, ssn: Indeed, coves i properly made between enenes when ending war. Though t puts forth proposals for harmony and fellowship, yet i ll Entered into sdlemnly and with special ceremontes and condi tions. For in the covenants ofthe ancients there were certain eremonies, conditions, restitions, or principles, or, if You prefer, main points Under these conditions one may enter amo EGrenant for its duration, The chef negorstor who confirms! the covenant gives agreement with formalized words and cere- thonies hens immediately the records containing the acount ‘fhe entre dacumentare written, deseribing and transmitting the covenant in wntng to posters. In fact wilh ko, (ib) the arrangement scarcely diferent, inasmiich athe heirs are first writen down, then theinberitance i described, at well as, those who are to be excluded from the ierianee. Everything isrecorded and then signed and sealed so that no fra may txceur, However, as ong asthe death ofthe testator does not cur, the will doesnot fake effec. But whats the purpose of th eton? The pl hth ey Cod who he ga Ciously deigned wo al this mystery ofthe tity and fellowship sith the divine by. human expression bae 3 the sume Gime followed human Custom, on account of the weakness of our future, in making the covenant or nsttaing the testament ‘Thus {shall beating mos appropriately it proceed in this ander by the way ofthe cordon ofthe covenant to dsc theone and eternal conenane of God. 1 nin an aversive frm i sv fT! hore” Babe cya sol the poy om works see more emp sas a To make ‘Shemale ote fdas an eng ows tango is han he ety ‘ic ls Hedda se amon ay ER “exter en, ai ea04 he Punic of Frain (6a) The Record of the Covenant The following words of Moses, which are set forth in his passage from Genesis, ch. 17 [I-14], testify to the fact that God Entered into a corenant with us according to human castor: "Now when’ Abrabam was ninety-nine yeats ok, the Lord ap pare to ign and said to him: Tam the almighty, allsuffcient Gol, Walk before me and be upright. And Twill make my ‘covenant between me and you and between your sed ater yom in your generations an everlasting covenant, that Lmay be your Goa snd the God nf your sed ater you, And L will give tout and 10 your seed after you all the land of Canaan as an ever ing possession, an Twill be their Govd, And yons on yout part will Keep my covenant, you and your seein their generations. This s iy covenant (3b) between me and you snl your sed after yon, Every male from among you will he cicumeised. The 1 however, whose Mesh shall not have: been circumaised foreskin, his sl wll be blotted fron his people, hecause he has male my pact void” These ate the words of the eovensant, tot writen down verlatim but brought together and united ina Summary. If you examine these words carelully, you will se tat Goal has acted according to human custom at every point. Fist the passage exphinss who bound themselves together, namely Goatand the dewendants of Abraham, Second, the text tates the condliions under which they bound themselves together, spel tally that Ged wished to be the God of the descendants ‘Abraham and thatthe descendants of Abrahaon ought to walk "uprightly betore Gad. Third, iis explained that the eovenant is mace between them forever. And finally. the entire covenants Confirmed with specific ceremony. (ba) noel. T shoul explain why there sno mention of legal records. Indeed, in place ff sich records aro the words of Menes which we have already ‘quoted, of, if yom prefer more abundant words, the: whole {inonical Scripture ‘Thus nothing now remains except to speak ‘Specifically about each aspect ofthe covenant God's Covenant with the Descendants of Abraham, The ineflable mercy and divine grace of the eternal God are proven, first, in that God offers this covenant not in any way‘The One nd Era Teaent orCovenant f Gad os because of the merits of humans but rather out of the sheer fondness which i Gods nature. T do not now whether hu hans sre capable ether of conceiving this mystery fully oF Conveying how praiseworhy tis For what greater deed than {hin has ever bee heard of nthe world, that the eternal power Sha majesty, the immortal (5) ait knowing God, the crestor of ihe untvers, in whom al things subsist by whom all things {Exist and thiough whom al things are preserved, joined hime Seif in covenant with miscrable mortals corrupted by sin. This indisputably is the origin of our religion and is primary poine wre afe saved solely through the goodness nd mercy of God Without doubs, ths what the prophet of God proclaimed to the whole word in asacrd song. "Phe Lord is holy and fall of race slow to anger and great in mercy” He docs not blame Forever nor does he bear anger to eternity. He does not deal ivth us according to our sins, nor punish ts according to Our Iniquities, As far as the heavens are high (7a) above the earth. 50 does Gods sealant mercy prevail toward thoze who fea hi ‘As far asthe eas i from se west, so far does God remove our “tansgressions from us. Ava father has merey on his children, So dows the Lord have mercy om those who feat him. For he hows how weare made, and that we are from the dust [Psalin 103] So whatever we are-and. whatever tings have been Created for our use and delight, we owe tothe divine goodness Sind merey. For God crated” all things forthe benefit of humans” Cod has exhibited in many ways powerful demonstra- tio of bis steadfast mer toward humanity. Thus he raised phe fathless and aller Adam immediatly and ordered him Ue of good hope (Genesis 3). And when the entire progeny lind postr of Adam deserved to be completely desiayed iecauve of heinous cies, (75) God not only exercised justice wien the Nod engulfed he earth but also showed his steadfast Inerey abundantly to Noah and hissone (Genes 8). Why did he Ianilest the same mere’ most clearly before the eyes ofall morals by making the everlasting covenant with Abraham and Tis posterity? So that I can now say the same of God and is oorness that Salus sid of Carthage: "I is far beter to be Sent than tosa lite.” But {prefer this saying above all oshers: She same Govt who made covenant with Abraham and his uncon fram his wort Th Jone Wor 19" See Sate. with ay Eagih Sy il AC ote adescendants is the greatest possible God.” Nowe ae shall say a ow words about tne descendants of Abraham. Who Are the Seed of Abraham? And indeed one may easily yet iy wouble here unless one proveeds on the royal highway. For those people wh consider Sinks the conditions of the covenant and an fact distegard he {qrace and (Sa) promise of Goel exclude mfants trom the eove= fant, Tis true that children not only de not observe the terans the covenant bat also do st even mnderstand these terms But those who view only the sacrament ceremony, oF sig of the covenant cours some inthe covenant who are really excl fed. But il you corsider each one separates, one at tine, not ‘only according ta the canulidions of the covenant but ale i Terms of the promise or the mercy of God, and the age and feason of a prrven, then you will gealize that all thowe who hele froin among the Jews and the Gentiles ave dhe desten= dlantsof Abrafiaon with “shom the Lord made the covenant. ly inmever, their oltspring, that i, their children, hhave by no means been excluded! Framthe covenant. They ate excluded, however. if having reached the age of reason they elect the conditions of the eoven. Tin the sume way, we conser children (8b) of parents to be eile and indeed! hens eventhough they thelr aly years, do not know that they are either ehilayen or heirs oftheir patents, ‘They ate, however, disowned iy alter they have Teached the age ol reawon, they nee the commands of their parents, I hat ease the parent no longer els then children Lind elas but worthless profligates. They ate mistaken who innagt about ther prerogatives a sons ofthe Caml by virtue of birth, For he whoviolates the laws of piety toward parents ne different fron save: indeed, he fs Hower than stave, beers feven the law ef tite ise he owes mare to his parents Truly this debate aboot the seed of Nbrabs fas heen settled for is hy the prephets and the apostles, specifically that not everyone who thorn of Abraham fe the seed of Abram, but Son he sli son of the promise, (8a) tha ‘whether Jew or Gentile. Far the Jews the basic conditions ofthe cove lovitied themselves as the people of God. relsing ot cteunnet Son and the fact that they were horn frou the parent Ab ham. Indeed, this error a denied and attacked not only by Christ long with the apostles bat also by the entre hay the prophetshe One and ema Team Caen of Gd 7 The People ofthe Old Testament, asa Spiritual People, ‘with Spiritual Promises Children of the Faithful asthe Seed of Abraham For in this passage Goel has promised through grace and said, “Twill be your God and the God of your seed (10a) after you" And even more clearly," This ismy covenant between you and me and yous seed after you: Every male among you shall bbe circumcised.” Agai fone think this saying apples ‘only to people of the Old Testament but not also wo those of the New Testament, let hitr listen to Paul speaking in Galatians: “Those who ate Christ's are the offspring of Abraham” (Ci 3:29) Again, "Those who are heirs are the descendants of Abraham.” Yet again, “Those who are holy are the seed of Abraham” Ifyou connest these statements—they are children ‘of Christ, they are heirs. they are holy-—it follows automatically thatthe childven are the seed of Abraham and they are in the covenant, Here the words of Christ are pertinent: “Let the litle ‘Children come to me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven” {Luke 18-16), Also this pssage from Paul: “For the unbelieving spouse is made holy threugh marriage to a faithful one. Other" wtise, your children (108) would be unclean, but they are niow holy (I-Cor. 7:14). Urdoubsedly this happens through theno he Funai of edt benefits, Furthermore, God wished t0 reveal to them what his ‘ature is, hove his statement “I wil he your God sho be tinderstood. ‘The other promises alo serve as an expkanation of this ail bless you and (3b) 1 wll magaify your name and you will be Blessed, wl bless those who less you and Ll {ise those who curse yous and in you al the families of the ith will be blessed” (Gen. 12:2-3} Again, "Fear not, Abr than, I wil be your shield und your exceedingly great reward {Gen, 5. Once mire, “L-will muluply you athe stars of Theaven and I will make you the father of many peoples” (Gen, 15). From allthese promises we are able to gui fll understand: dng that his Gon the highest good, that he ior Ge tat FRalbsufficient, that he has made a covenant with us, nd th, the promises and conditions olfered in that covenant are not ‘nly material tal spiritual, Most important, explained the Galatians [3:16] by the apostle, Abraham wis promised the Used Jesus, in whor is al fullness, righteossness, sancti tion, (laa) ite, redemption, and saiation (1 Cor. | (30), of rice for grace (John se the Father that all fullness vel in him, and through his blood on the ctoss he has made peace with everything thats in heaven and on earth (Col. | [19°20), Ind thi same Jesur isthe inheritance salt which has beet isoqucathed to those who trust nthe one and eternal covenant of God, the summary of which (I anyone seeks recapivlar tion is this The Gocof heaven, that highest and eternal power and majesty, through whom al hings exist, wom all ings “consis andre move wishes to be the God of Abraham and of his descendants, That i God offers hitaelt for thes benefit, Sceing that he is suificent for all thse things necessary Tor humans, so that now he might promise to them power and every hind of strengih. Namely (14b) God wil be their protec: ton confederate and savior, who ie going to strengthen the tere weak himan race in spirit and in flesh, and who through Chrit the Lord is gomg to liberate the human ace from sin and from eternal death andl give eternal lite These things have todo with the olfice and. pardcpation of God inthis covenant, the God who appeared tos under the Cover of the lind of Canaan snd the blessed sced asthe horn Of plenty and all the treasures of heaven, and invited the e re Iman race to enjoy these blesings (saiah 33). Now let us listen to what Cod in return demands and. expects from usTh On at ral Tamed x Covenant of Cad un The Duties of Humans and What They Owe to God God iy, “You will kexp my covenant, you and your deen: dan in thet gencrators. Walk before tne al be upg These, sy, are ur des these hing tbe obrve By ‘And Gaal syn "Vou (al Beep ny covenant” that "You Silt me sone for allyour nea every sition and you {3 be fafa wih a your heat to me sone.” For this aso Moses capaned in Deweronomy 13 sj. siping, “Follow the Lond your Corea him keep his commandments a ten He vlc! Serve mand dese to in” What Follows nex inthe Actual words ofthe coneran’ “Wk before me" Te canbe sd ihar nating i more bref, nothing more eden than these words excep that she prac "to nak” according to Hebrew Tage B the same as isthe? which we expres komt. Prepare youself so walk nd olive upright." And Gaal adh “Before nee which mears “cording to my will and pleasure Theretore the meaning m 030) "Arrange your fin every respect according to my wil” Then, wih thee rather lar Words and be upright!” God further expuns what his wl Sd how we cin wk before him, For fnew and sincerity of ith, slong wath innocence ae parity fie, tha itty a strait wy by which she ns ea before Get Ths on Denteronomy 10 [12] ss sys, "And now sal what does your Lond ask of ou, excep that you fear the Lord yo Goa ad walkin his ways, ove him and serve the Lord Con! with your Moke eae and vith your while sou” And Mich [3 wl Show your O'man, whats plod and what the Lord requires of your amet, to us good fadgmemt and co love mercy and 10 ak creuly before four Co (16 Bat whats ental among These many things? Is our ty to adhere firmly by ta othe Ue Cod stich ay het the one ard ony author of al gor things and wo valk tn innocence of efor his plessores For Iiyue wo has negli thee things and has su abe gos, ‘tho hs lve shamefully oF psy and who hes worshiped Gt more with ceremonies or external things than wth true fotness of hie wl he exceed, dere, and ected rom the covenant (eran ee fe ed Si aos The Fountainhead of Foran 4 mercy of the Lord. But here some object: While the parent fs unfaithfal, a child born of him is excluded from the Covenant. And they cal “unfaithful” the one who profanes the hame of the Lord with an impute ife who etherwtse confesses itwith his mouth, Shut these who make such an objection do not Constr the fact thatthe parent isonce forall inseribed among. the penple of Ged and that the guilt of the parent does not Spread to the children, ‘The Lord hs mace this lear in the Thth chapter of Ezckicl, The sons of Israel were circumcised, and called the perple of Gad even thorigh they had heen born Sf el parents those whom the Lord struck down in the desert hheeause of impious complaining. For God said, "Your sons and Tle ‘ones who today (Ila) ate ignorant of the difference hpetween good and evil willenter the land Iwi give ito them, and they shall possess i” (Deut. 1:39). In like manner, the poste clearly d "7 how the momstrates in | Corinthians, ch. 7 Lord is gracious toward those children who are bora of only tone, parent who confesses the name of the Lord. Now is it probable that the most merciful God acted Tess favorably and Inne harshly toward our children after he sent the Savior thar he had acted toward those children whom Ine hal chowen as hi possession before Christ had been sent? No! Since it has bee Established sulfcently that thei children, even those who have heen born wf evil parents, were circumeised and inseribed among the people of God, we have no doubts atall about the children of Christians, and we recommend that tiese children Sf the laihful be freely received into the chureh by baptism (LIB) Till say nore about these things elsewhere. Concerning jose things which have been explained up to this point L think itivelear mho are the seed of Abraham and thatthe inheritance is omed to this very sed. ‘The Conditions of the Covenant Now we cometo the conditions of the covenant. ‘Those whe re connected ty covenants site joined together by eentain fogulations, so Cat each af the parties might know is duty tunely, what responsibilities the primary party might have toward the other, and what in return the primary party might expect from the ster ‘The Promises of God and His Offer of Himself in Covenant Therefore Gol, who holds the primacy in this covenant, first ‘expresses and seis forth the divine nature, as much as he wishesThe Onan eral Tesanent er Caner Gad 109 to show himself t0 us. Then God further explains what he {demands from us in reture, and what iting for sto do. For that reason with solemn words and with 4 great authority God thus declares: "I am (12a) the abundantly allsutficent God, the hora of plenty.” That is tosay he alone stat power nd hat food which sufices for humans. He who isin want of nothing Sipplie everything for everyone. Eternally he lives, moves, snd A from the divine energy isell. For this signifies at once rerything that the Hebrew word Shadi comprehend. By this fname, the Lord wonderfully felitoudy, and. concisely sets {orth bis unity, his wronipstence, and all his moral excellence and goodness ut since ton great abrevity might generally lead to obscurity, God soom ade an explanation: will establish my Covenant between me and you and your seed after you in orde that Lmay be your God and the God of your seed after you" For itis nt sufficient to hive belleved that God exists or even that he is alk sufficient unless you further (120) beive thatthe “ime omnipotent God, the creator ofa things, your God, indeed the tewarder ofall who seck him (Hebrews 11), Now in order that he night clealy show what means to be the Ltsutficent God he God of the faithful and the rewarder of those who fear him, God ads at vivid examples Tor the ‘ovenanted people! “i wil give to you and to your seed alter you all the land of Canaan as an everlasting posession, and 1 Will be dheir Got” [Genesis 17:8) ‘The Promises to the Ancients ‘Not Entirely Carnal Although these things promised about the land of Canaan were fuliled physically (or the Lora also demonstrates his Goodness in alters relauag to the meceslies ofthis fe), they fre neverthles set forth wih many terme about the eternal inheritance, especialy life in heaven, Paul makes this point Clearly wath these words that he writes to the Hebrews, ch 1 (18-16): (3a) “Abraham, Lac, and Jacob died in faith ta time when they had not received the promises but had een them from a distance ané beleved them, and had embraced them: and they confessed tha they were strangers and foreign- erin the land. Por those who sid these things declared that they sought a homeland, Yer if they had in mind tha land snhenc they had come, they had the opportunity of re But now they expect abet land, that a heavenly one Lord spoke tn ike manner about the land of Canaan, but in doing to he ako included other greater spiritual gits and1m The Fomine Feri ‘The Covenant—The Subject of All Scripture The Covenant as a Target at Which All Seripture Aims {The entre sum of piety consists in these very brie min points of the covenant. Inced, it i evident that nothing ele. ss Thanded down to the ssn of all ages, throughout the entite Scriptire, ether than what included in these sain points of the ‘covenant, although cach point i set forth more profusely an (1) more clearly inthe secession of tes, For whatever things have been said in the Holy Scripture bout the unity, power sty. goodness ane glory of Gad are inched in thi-one expression of the covenant: Lamy the allsufficient Lard” What fever promises have been written sbonnt boxy Messings. glory. the Kingdom, victories, labors, andthe basic needs of fe. are inl ced inthis one expression of the covenants" wil give to yo an your descendans the Lind of Canaat; 1 will be their Gad.” the sameway, those things shih lfterwardd at various ties about Christ the Lord both i ln in truth, whatever has been sil about his justice, bo inatifcation and redemption of the fsthful abn the sacrifice the priesthood, snd the satslaction of Christ about the Kingdom, land crernal bf, and, farther, about the cling of all peoples, (7a) abou spiritual blessings, about the abrogation of the aw labour the glory of the church gathered from Gentiles and Jews, fre foretold in this Single promise: "And all the nations will be essed in you sand. you wail be the father of many peoples ‘wherefore from noon your name is wot Abram, bt ot wl be Called Abraben.” Agi, those things which have been sid ant {ait in God, about the vanity of ides, about worshiping the one Goa, about the ealing upon and the reverence of the one God nd alo about true justice about judganent, and aban elvan txquity an hty—al ot these annie ‘hough varias ton through the many escent prop efx through the epiies of the ponte, std Fvally through the Gxpel narratives ave been summed up these ese word ‘Yor, however. shall Keep my covenant, ou shall walk, Beloee sme, ind yo sal he complete or upright °C7D) A Callation o the Entre Scripture Around the Mat Points ofthe Covenant Compare, f you wil, dhe laws, the prophets, and the very epistles of the apostles ith these sin pots ofthe coven thd you ill discouer that all them return to this center asTeen ner Tesametor Cent of Gd ws toa target. For the law as we shall speak bout this first) trly teachen, withthe Lord vimsell sy 4 witness, partly the love of God and parly he laveof the neighbor. This is precisely what ie tag by th points of the covenant I fact, the Decalague tact sms w be aloost a paraphrase of the cond shone the covenant. Fer what said tn the brief phage, 1 am the allsuficent Lord" more Fully explained by the Dec logue in sppreioately the me way? "Tan the Lord your God ws Ted you out of the land of Egypt Again what ts prox Chimed very cancel i the words ofthe covenant, "Vou wil Keepy my covenant, you ill walk before me, and you will be CHI) upright" explained this way the Decalogue by means do aspeciic Hats "You sll not hase other gods before me You Shu hot make images for yoursell: You shall nor ae the name ff the Lord in sain: Vou shall Keep the Sabbath holy. You shall hhonor yout parents. Ye shall not Kil You shall ot comnit fry. and whatever other commands ofthis sort there re it describe and establish trae integrity We shall speak abott ceremonies 4 hte later, when we discus the velaionship af the Old and New Testaments Civil or Judicial Laws 1h judicial or ii Las provide rules fr the maintenance of cave atl public tranquility. for punishing the gel, for teaging war snl repelling enemies, for the detense of Hetty. the appressed, of widons, of orphans, and of the fatherland, sn Tor the making of laws of justice andl equity (186) relating ihe purchase the lan, possesion, inhertance, and other heal Subjects of this sort. Are not these things als inchided in that ‘ery edition of the covenant which prescribes in onimansthac we walkin the presence of Gods Now thinks that this opinion ot our snot valid or clear enough, let him consider the very feeds of Abraham, wom the aps calls the lather of ll believers (Rom. [1 1}, Abraham cetainy endured Taittully within the eavenant of God and walked Uiprightly helore him. Insofar ss judicial, i, or external sti ste normed to certain print ples in punishing crimes, making covenants, im declaring tear, in preserving. ponessions and public peace-omd these principles are nothing eke than what purty ofthe sou, sient {wal ith and love (1) of situe and the neighbor dictated. Tnvteesh much hater, Moses, speaking for’ Gant, taught the Jewish people to obsewe the some principles (insofar ay i7 The Famine of Frain pertains to the same substance and sum of the matter. For These are also the obigations of piety, or necesities for the holiest churches, so necessary that without them they could not oper exist and they have never existed part from them Titout danger In connection with that, acording to the word Dre Lord (Matthew 13), here wil aeays be tres the field Sfthe Lord, nor will sever be without them. For the Lord did tot wish the tares to be uprooted Decause their uprooting Mtould tain the wheat, that i. the righteous and the holy ‘hare So Jesus said, Allow bots to grow, lest eile you gather together te tars you at the same ine sso uproor the wheat ‘vith tem." But who foubte that ose same (19D) tates ought {oe cut off with the eythe of justice, when their excesive and Lintimelystscigth ane quantity tends toward the subversion of the church? Farthermare: the stints consist not only of spirit but alto of leah: As long i they ve om this earth they donot ently lay aide the nutnan shape and totally turn nto spit Buta heir laws are made co order external dealings among spl in their socal ie: For these reasons, they need magi Ries and the works ofthe cil lave covering many subjects Whats more strange than the insanity that drives those who extlude! the magitate from the church of God, isa there srere no need of his functions, oF who consider his Functions to Tot the sort that cannot or ought not to be numbered smog the holy-and spiritual works af the people of God (203) Nevertheless, those deeds of Abraham which are erly judicial depraved by the Holy Spirit of God ss among the fist and the mos excelent works, Therefore that same Abraham, nas Inuch as he was named the father of al elevers bythe apostle nd cae Trend of God prior tothe law, posseses a fore: thos place i the trae chusch of Christians: he nevertheless ‘nerd judigal powers, Now we turn from the Taw 0 the prophets The Prophets “The prophets write arly history and pany discourses, which sme call declamations and others sermons or homilies. In these histories they provide examples, indeed, nothing ee bru examples of the covenant, ust a8 Moses docs it is Thies ilo an yang eine ie The topey Med SSB Mend Pe, HS pSPhe One and Erna Totamen a nena f historical narrative, where one can see how God stood frm in his covenant, how he was the Gad of the seed of Abram, (206) that is ther alsicient defender, their salvation and their greatest happiness. One can also sce how he led them nto the land of Canaan where he made them into a mos power Kingdom how he destroyed the enemies ofthe sed Of Abts tha by his powerful hand and mercifully protected his own people” Finally one can sce how the suits led efore him Upright, that i, how thy adhered to the one God through tte fath and worshiped him in lines of fe and furth tore, how some of them neglected this covenant and were punished for their impiety. Therelore the prophetic hori Ere like ving paradigi of ths covenant, Tn ther dscourses the prophets also dal with nothing ese tut those sme terms of te covenant, teaching what the nate GF God is how good he bs hose just, powerful, 21a) truth acand merciful he i; how he must be served sm truth, th Fighteousness and love. Furthermore, they severely condemn {nes expeclly the forsaking of the covenant, dolar. deser tion, and lathlesness, as wells murder, the oppression of oor usury injustice, rape, extravagance, adultery, and ther Siamctul crimes. They abo urge repentance, they promise the Fewards andthe benefits cf Genta they thresten plagues and the fearful punishments 2f God. Finally, how very clesriy do they speak About the seed of Abrabanh about Christ and is bewing, about the kingdorn and is whole mystery. aid about the caling ofthe Gentisvand the glory ofthe church Indeed, at times they seem to have woven together not only prophecy iu also a history of pst events (21b) Christ, the Seal and Living Confirmation ofthe Covenant What am 110 say about Christ the Lord, who, not only in every teaching but also n his most astounding incarnation, explained and confirmed in a marvelous and hving way that ternal covenant of God tnade with the human race? For when the true God assumed true humanity, then he no longer acted ‘with words or arguments, btby that very event he bore witness to the greatest mystery in the entire world, namely, that God admitted humans into the covenant and into partnership, n= ‘deed that he bound them to himself with an indissoluble bond by the highest miracle of love, and that he is our God. Thence: truly we abo believe the name given to Christin Isaiah (7-14), tvhien he is called “Emanaaiel," which is say, "God with us. Thence the Gospel writers (22a) recount those outstanding ane he Fountain of Fosse innumerable mirades and benefits of Christ giving many ex timples. For in thee ways Christ declared that he is the benef ent God. and whats more, the cornucopia, father and Shad Of the human race. The death and resurrection of Christ are the mont certain tstinon rey justice, al life restored, with which God has revealed hires poured out is Emre self for us. Blessing vs and receiving ws who have been lensed by hin int partnership and nto the eternal hinglom Jolin the Evangelis sad all of these tinge with Te, but Treavenly, words: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was male fesh and dwelt among us: Arad was Bi flory. the glory which was fing forthe only-begorten (23) From the Father, fll of grace and rath, Of his flless ve have all received, grace for grace. For the lae was given through Moses, but grace and (uth appeared through Jesus is Goh le fie 6-17). Hear that peatest snstery: God wis thade Human hati, was totally made one of us al has dive linong us Hear that his power and glory have broxight Hight Ito the work, and for nother reawon except to draw ts by the tat beautiful benefits nto hs lovey he wha is a uss the (Godt Shad Fors Paul ayn tn Chest dels al the Fullness ‘the Godhead bail snd you re completed and perfected in thm (Col. 29-10), In this way, therefore, the’ Love Jess Confirmed and unfolded the fis pet ofthe eases, By this ety fact (233) porting out that God isthe God Shukla, the dking und thecernal happncas of the sel of Abrabarn The ther part ofthe wrenant as we ave sat expline what Gad invari demands rom us and what sort of people we should be ‘which the Lord ne less diligently and clealy ts placed ore dur eyes in Christ, He. prescribed in the conditions of the Covenant: “Walk before te and be upright." Theretore een Christ the Lord came into this world, ank-entered sno tht ph Of God, he let sa lving example which we might follow: For inte life of Chri, which the Gospels have described rather “iigently asin a mirror s0 to speak we we what we ought to follow oF avoids vhat pleases or what dixplesses Goel Thome (230) sayings ofthe Lotd found in John's Gospel are pertinent Here! Pam the light ofthe world; he wh follows mecace nat walk in darkest has the light of te” (Joh 8 [12))- Or." ihve given pou an example, bat just a8 [have dene, so ale you Should do ob 13 {13}. That text in John’s first epte at petting to this. “He who says tht he abides in Christ ought Fist vo walkasthat one walked (0 Joh 2 (6). These thingy Concern the fe aud ising example of Chest. ‘Now there is no reason for me to reat what pertains 0 hisThe One an Eternal Tesamentor Covenant of Gad M7 teaching at any length. For who does not know that he taught partly faith in God and partly love ofthe neighbor? The former explains the firstaim ofthe covenant, the later the second, For faith believes that God is the highest good, that he is righteous and beneficent toward umanity. And love (24a) isthe Foun- tainhead of innocence aad uprightness of ie. The Apostes ‘The Unity of the Covenant ‘The third point now follows from the above facts: the tests ‘ment or covenant is both one and everlasting. For in plain ‘words the Lord himself says among the other statements about his covenant: (25a) “L wil make my covenant between me and you, and between your seed after you in their generations as an everlasting covenant, sothat | may be your God and the God of Your seedafter you.” Inallthat we have said up to this point, we have established nothing about true religion in relation to posterity that the ancestors had not already heard, certaily Insofar as i pertains tothe substance of the matter, Abrahamnaif Foran was cleatly justified by faith alone, without ceremonies. prior ‘Grestncsion and te Taw (Row. (1-13). Hle saw the day of the Lord Jesus and rejsiced (John § [56], Furthermore, he hoped for an everlasting fatherland, holding. this extthiy land in Contempt, and thus searched foram eternal land, not mevely ‘carnal ar earthly one Hebrews 11 [8-10)) Moreover, the spas ites of Christ. mdced Christ the Lord himself, told at tehy Abr: ister in faith and wmmocence’ (Luke 11) (9) (25h) There can be no sameness or things that are contrary by 1 et mmorence of Abra had dnd piety, then the Lore would have falely proposed that h ‘Should be imitated by Christians (Isa. 51 [[-2f. John 8 [84-40). There is therefore one covenant an one church all the is before and alter Christ, one way te heaven, tel one changing religity ofall the saints (Psals TH and 23). Nn, indeed, { would 0 fer several testimonies abot this matter i the very point which we have treated up to now were not upto the douber ith ts charity snl simplicity. But i anyone is ore influenced by the force of testimonies, let Tot hinisell speaking iy Mathes "A niulinude sunt east ad fron te west i wll (263) with ie cde the kinglons wil "darkness where there will be tweeping ad gnsshing of tect (Mant 8 [11-12 Abo in th Caxpel of Jon {10:16} Jesus speaks more clearly alot the uttering together of the dhureh of the Gentiles: "And T have this Fld, andi aso behooves ne fine flock and one shepherd ion 10 ir parables in te Gospels ave pertinent, especially the ane ihotthe wedding east a those hit eal wit the vineyard (Stat 20 (10-16), 21 Ebs-H fe 22 [1-14 fn these pi quests and the laburers are changed, but the wedding feast aid the sineyarel alas remain the same, Not elisa to these 1 the parable of the sponte about the olive wee a (Rom, 11 (17-24) Hor the same olive tree always Same tree, bu C26) the shoots ala wld olive tee With the natural branches that have heen broken off Als ith Cloxjuent words tae Corinthians, Paul says, "To not wish yout Terbe ignorant, brethren, that all Four fathers ate af the sime Spiritual food and all drank the same spivitual drink. For they rank of the spiriwal rock which accompanied thent, But the tek was Christ (Loe, 10 (1-4). Bu i a opi onal Paulshe One and Erna Testament or Caen of Gad us ‘pinion from these texs seem to anyone to be a new interpreta tion, he should know that Doctor Aurelius Augustine drew the same conclusion a we thd from ths very text of Pol the Corinthians. Augustine's words in his Commentary On the Gospel of Jobn' support this imterpretation: "The just ones who pre- teded the advent of our Lord Jesus who humbly came in the flesh believe in him who was to come in the same way that we believe (27a) in him who came. The times are differen, but not the faith. Akiiough the times did indeed differ, we see that those of both times entered through the one doorway of faith, that is, through Christ We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, that he came in the lesh that he sutfered, rose, and ascended. Nw we believe that all of tha’ already has been falfilled, just as vou heaed the words in the past tense “Those fathers who believed that he would be horn of a vir that he would suffer, would rise, and would ascend into heave are in the fellowship of this Faith with us, For the apostle made these things clear when he said, "We have the same spirit of faith, just as its written, "T believed and for that reason hay spoken, and we also believe and for that reason we speak, The prophet (27b) sad: believed sind for that reason have spoken’ [Ps 116:10), The apostle says:"We believe and for that Feason we speak:'In order that you might knows. however, that there is one faith, listen to him saying, Having the saine spirit of faith, we believe." And soin another place he says I da not wish you tobe ignorant, brothers," and what follows, for this text of Paulin I Corinthians 10 is familie. Furthermore, Augustine, writing elsewhere! and speaking of the church, says. "The fx nrg ai 9 Mae ai Si in tn rt anche TE "cempbanet Balas 2 2 i on i, 1 BN MF) Dn St Nae dante nts ne me ing Depew eure tn 108,10 he Font of aderion same church that gave birth to Abel, Enoch, Noah and Abra fam also ata later ie gave birth to Moves and the prophets before the coming ofthe Lord; and that very same church gave birth to cur apetles andl martyrs and all youd Christians. For i fare inholeryone who ape, br at dierent ne hut joined together in the fellowship of one people: (28) an the ezens ofthe same city have experienced the harlships of this pilgrimage, ost 8 some are now experiencing them, and ‘thers will experience them until the end af the world” From “lot this [thnokitis truly evident tha there is only one church tnd one coverant, the sine for the pariarchs snd for us The Source of the Terms “Ola” and "New Covenant Many arguments are found in Serpture that a first glance sccm leary to distinguish between two covenants, wo peoples and two spirit, suchas that which we readin Jeremiah O1 (3 32] "Behold the days wil come, says the Lord, whew wll inake a new covenant with the house of Israel and Judah Wot cording to ite covenant T male with ther fathers. ete Ad Sgain in Ezekiel 36,20), "vl ive you anew hear, and wil puta new spint(28b) in your muds.” Again in Catone 4 (24), These are the two covenants.” Now I wilexpain from whence these terms were horm and hove they should be understood. To Join wih, fis certain thatthe nomenclature ofthe oll and new covenant spirit and people did not aise Irom the very tssence of the covenant but from certain Foreign and unessen tial things because the diversity of the umes recommended that how this now that be added according to the comtrarity af the Jewish people. These ditions di not exist as per petal and particularly necesary things for salvation, but they arose as hangeable things according tothe time, the persons, and the Gireumstances, Fhe covenant well could easily conte wi oun them, Ceremonies Indeed, the ceremonies are ofthis sort, as well a the Aaronic priesthood itself, the law prescribing the manner of sacrificing, punitying, (29%) and slaying, and even the choice of foods, what type of tabersade had to be constructed, and innumerable ‘ther things ofthis sort. For the holy patriarchs were without Such thinge--Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph‘The One and Flat Toad Covenant of id ry Dut they were nevertheless pleasing 10 God at a great cost through faith, and they attained salvation without such things, ‘Wherefore Paul speaking to the Galatians, ch. 3 [16-11], says, “The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Itdloes not say ‘to his seeds’ as of many, but only of one, “And to your seed,’ which is Christ. Moreover, I say, the aw which originated 130 years later does not make void this covenant establish earlier by God in Christ, that it would abrogate the pro Hence the patriarchs were saved by the blessing of the cove- rant, not of the law oF of the ceremonies, (20b) For just as [Abraham believed in him who hal said, "In you all the nations ‘of the earth will be blesed” (Gen. 22 (18). so the tathers of ‘Abraham preceding himin time believed in him who hia sai “The seed of the woman will crush the head of the serpent’ (Gen, 315). Then you ask, Did God introduce the law without a plan, without a delinte eason, without a bent? The Imtitution of the Law Far from it Rather, during the ime that the sous ofthe ced of Abraham, thats, the Jews, had been corrupted by their long Stay in Egypt, tothe extent tha they were not only ignorant of the ancestal religion an ofthe covenant tell but were aso ‘over daly more and more eo Egyptian Molatry and to the Entre way of worship othe Gentiles, at that time t pleased the tise and merciful Lord to come to the id of the collapsing Covenant with certain support Fist, therefore, he (Ba) restored the main points of the ancient covenant, but unfolded ie more fully, and inscribed i on tablets of stone with ns on finger. There s no mention, however, of ceremonies in these events up to this point. For enough had already heen prescribed for the fathfal But when they continued to be ualathful and wicked, the burden of vrorthless ceremonies was thrown on their shoulders, ceremo: ties thatthe patriarchs dd not have: Nevertheless, its evident that the burden was umpased for an urgent reason, for this an and with this plan, so that they would not introduce the worship Df strange gods. Theretore, God instituted his own worship, land he declare that wis pleasing to him (Pasi 50), which he fcwally despised, so thet. with this plan, he confirmed the Covenant, and in adliion to that he enveloped the mystery of Gist in these ceremonies as types. Nor at this concept been «rented recently in our own lind rather, it has been brought light trom prophesies and gleaned from the faith ofthe churchThe Fontaine of Pdr n his Against Marcon, bak 2.07 sive "No one shoud blame God for the burden te scifi Sor the troublewme scruputosiies of the ceremonies, ad Shlations, ay it he had dested such things for himselt who early exclaimed. What are the moltiude of your sacrities 10 te al who requites the from your hands? Isa 1 (1112. Bucone percenes God's iligence by which he seshed! to bind together in his own religion the people, who were otherwise inclined toward sdostry and tranagresson, with obligations of itis sont, ceremonits by which the superstition of the tne ws ed ot that He sight call them sway From these things ering them to be pertormed toward hit ae if he desired the, ste people Ispee ste making images Bu in the very Srdinary transactions of ie and of busin relationships Nove andi publa, even to the cate of (ta) snl vessel, he tmarked! out every tals tha, when encountering these legal {ciples everyuhere hey might noc atany moment be apart fron the care of Conk So writes Verelln ‘Now, therefore,in respect wo the Deeaogue an ci ws, 0 diference atall his arnen regarding the covenant andthe peo [le Ca. or everywhere the lve of God and the neighbor. and love maintain the mastery. The diversity has aise tt and Irom the additions fore Covert, so thatthe covenant, which fone among al thal people, began tbe called “old” and "neve" "earnal” an Merial’ acanoot af certain allen elements an rather sttious people Indeed, te called the “old” because th Se followy it is the Tule of rclatione demand). eve promises the rein of sins, which i olfers through Chest {id ako teaches faith an love: But ican be called “ew Ciniely om accone of hese facts since i teaches nothing new For it receives Trem the wid sradion thowe things which se already have received (I Jobn 2 [7]: consequently is called ie Writs of te Pte vehe One an Erna Testament Cena of Co Be ‘new" from the fact that all the ceremonies were fulfilled by Ghnist, whom alone i procaims. Since they were types and Shadows of ternal things, they became obsolete, So, that a- ‘dent religion, which win thriving in tht golden age of the patriarchs before the law was brought forth, now flourishes througout the er wrk renewed and revered more fully ‘and more clearly by Chat and made perfect with a new people, ttamely, the Gentiles, a though a new light had heen intro: ‘ced into the world. For thus aso Paul (324) speaks concern ing this matter both when he address the Hebrews (ch, 8) and the Ephesians (eh. 2) With a similar method and plan the Scripture called carnal not those people who petsevered through true faith im the covenant of God but those who ‘depended more on ciel things than on the enduring, spin Slferms ofthe covenant or the promise af Cod. I sumion Paul asa witness here, who ‘aid omg ago, “For these are two Covenants" (Gal. 4 (24) he said just before that, “Tell me, you tnho wish to be under the law, have you listened to the law sll? For itis writen that Abraham hid two sons, one from 2 save gr the other froma fre woman” (Gala (2), From this, wwe conclude that the carnal person is ome who dwshes to be Under the law. Furthermore ‘not all the seed of Abraharn i Linder the law or carnal for hee called carnal who depends om legalities without Knowledge and without the spirit and. who helieves firmly that he «an be saved through these legalities (628) For ceremonies abo have their own spirit, which Paul explained in detail in tany_ passages in his letter to the H brews. But when they cespised and did not understand the spirit and’ purpose of the ceremonies, they abused the lw: Furthermore, the tte sons of Abraham are free and they put their trust inthe promises of Gad. Accordingly. amity aso hha the spiritual Isracl. For they judge falsely who judge the twhole from the part, a those who stigmatize-—not without insult to the saints of God—all the fathers preceding the Coming of the Lord by the name of the catnal Israel, They do hot consider that this knot to be untied isa syncedoche, 2 Common trope in Scriptire. But, lest some declare that they inugh at topes, eventhough ‘we have avendy sufficiently established our ease, I wil (38) nevertheless provide for thei Ske three testimonies ofthe greatest men in Fligion, Each of these men claim that Torch was spiral peopled, what i ‘more, that the prophets had taught the same cng concerning legal maters that the apostles taught. Jeremiah, first ofall i Ins seventh chapter (vn, 21-25] wrote these words: "Thus says the Lord of hows, the Gad of Isc: Join your burnt offerings1 Te Fountain of Portion to the sacrifices, your holocausts to the victims, and eat the teat. For T'did mt speak with your fathers and 1 did not instruct them about burnt offerings and sacrifices on the day then T led them out of Egypt: but rather 1 gave them this Command, saying, Hear iy voice and Iwill be your God and Sou willbe my people: walk in every path Ihave commanded Souso tha it might be well with you" And with these words he {iarftes whar fad (3b) been the doctrine of the prophets Concerning legal naiters, namely, what i the highest ofall the Gommundients of God, the highest commandment of the Covenant—obedience or faith ive, eis evident thatthe saints score tested by thiscommandment, and not by aw. Truly the ord ordered thos: legal things, but with another intention by far, namely, that he might come tothe aid of the collapsing ovenantand that he sight divert all of his own from idol Stuy, weld them together in faith, not that he might justly worshipers by those means but that he might foreshadow the righteousness to come, Christ But because they were unwiliny tounderstand, ther were scused mow severely bythe prophet inthis pusage. The Lord theretore approved ofthe spiritand hot the flesh among the Israelites. For that reason he hid formed a spiritual people from the israclites before Christ was torn, because he despproved of the carhal people so much. (Gia) The most holy miarye of Chast, Stephen in the seventh ‘Chapter of Luke's Aes of the Apostles alo prowed with almost Countess examples from the ancient that faith in God before the laws under the law, and after the law wan pleasing 0 God, hocceremonies, and he established thatthe saints, that all the patsarchsand dhe prophets, and the righteous before the birth SF Chis, worshiped God sn faith and with purity of hfe, not trith external thing. Behold you haven entirely spirits and Yoluntay people, Wiy docs te apne Paulo declare this in most the same way in his eleventh chapter to the Hebrews ‘rth examples drawn from the patriarchs trom the beginning Sf the world almost up tothe very time of Christ Since these ‘mem bel to these things inthis nner, who there who does Not see thatthe names “ol and “new,” both of the people and OF the Covenant, (rb) cannot tear asunder the very covenant Sind the very church of the ancient people snd ur people? ven the Spits the sire in both Testament, Bus wit regsrd torthe carl tings and the (ransgeesions of those whose sins brought them to faught in Babylon, God said that he would {Eve anew spirit br which he mednt the abundance and riches, the git to be imparted to the faithful by Chris. We have argued the ruth of this matter in our commentaries om thehe One and Bernal Testament Cent of Cok bs epistles of Peter. Up to this point I have wished to assert the Unity ofthe covenant and to point out the reasons why it began tobe called "new" and "oid ‘The Ways We Surpass the Ancients Now in order that 1 might conceal nothing inthis matter, wil briefly mention how the church of Chefaians, which was tablished after the bik of Chris, excels (354) First we are Indeed beter off than thse wi Hved under the law with this rname because, having been freed from the entire burden of Eeremonies, we have hse connection with the ancient and distinguished religion, namely, that of the patriarchs. which ested upon faith and innicene without ceretmonis, that Of the basie terms of the covenant. Second, we rejoice then inthe evident truth thatthe shadows have been dispersed bythe bright ight of the gospel and thatthe typologic foreshadow 1g have en fuliled. Third then, God has made our church rior tothe church of our dead fathers hetore the coming of Hrs acute we ele thatthe Chest has come to uy ho they believed would come and whom they awaited. with the sreatest desire He has gen his Spirit most abundant, he has ow spread his glory throughout the whole world; and he has perfecly completed al things. (Sab) For this reason, that very Ederly man, Simeon, counting himself very fortunate, cies oot, "Now, Lore, cinmie your servant in peace according to your word, for my eyes hive scen your salvation, which Jou The prepared hetore the face of all peoples, «light for the enlightenment of the Gentes, and the ylory of your people Israel" duke 2 (20-32), Matthew, Chapter 5 Some people use Matthew 5 to object to this viewpoint. But they do not See that the Lord Jesus im that elegant and divine sermon of his id not atack either Moses or the prophets, a i they either fele or tauglh anything different from Christian doctrine, but he wished tocorreat the error of the people and to teach the true nature ofthe law. For the wickedness ofthe time and the ignorance and avarice of the Pharisees had corrupted everything. Wherefore, witnessing with eloquent words, (a) just before he began the exposition of the law, he aid, “Unless Your righteousness is more abundant than that of the series and Pharisees, you will rot be able to enter the kingdom of hheaven.” Therefore, Christ attacked the Pharisees, not the16 he Fumie of Foam ‘pitt of the lay isl or ofthe prophets, Just ite before that ited sad" hve ns comet isle the aw butt fl it Moreover, in sermon he taght that the fa’ was the wil Ot Govt which is eately holy, pure, and of amos refined Spin The law ako demands the mind by humans of corrape fei mo d he plat of th whole sermon, whic to lead us toa knowledge of ourselves nd to bring us (3) to a utter denial of ourselves so that ‘ee might throw ourselves Tatally on the mercy off God. In the meaniime, we should conform all our pans and deeds to the eternal and mont pure wil thats the lof Gol, nonin the tual way but with ce highest and most enact devotion, This nd this alone i to walkearchly wih the pure Cod (ica Bip, who ebay and wishes us also to be holy (Lev. 19 (2). Paul in 2 Corinthians 3 ‘Those wandering inthe same errors do not see hat Pau in 2 Corinthians 3 argues against fake apostles forcing legates on the church of Christ ashe makes evident in is other epatl). For agains thir supersitons, nay, even ther impiety, besser the goof he gel wih vedios ha eae Invded, in that pnsge edocs not speak ofthe entire fw (373) but only ofthat parcol law which s abolished. Atte same ime, Ihe docs command that everything i the ka al the pro 188 should be taken erally, but on the other hand he Stands sprt'not many way you please, as 6 ther custom, Father asthe Lord Js himsel, whofe flillment ofthe lw for the josicato fal eho believe Rom. 10 (4. The Ebionite Misture of Law and Gospel Furthermore, they falsely accuse us of the Ebionite heresy. Eusebius writes in this way about the Ebionites in his Church History, book 3, chapter 271: "They feel that the law must be natant wey ea aoa a nels ti Nera, rms Weep in tertThe One an eral Tosonet or Covenant of Ca i kept, and they donot chink that Fah alone in Christ is Iliient for svaton (as 1 have sid, they mix together legal things with gospel). Therefore they hep the Mleshly observance DTU law. Moreover athe same time they reject all the epistles or the apostle, and they cll him an aposte of the law." (37) Sordid Irenacuse” Tern, or Augustine! report anything different: Wherefore our dacsine of the single and eternal Covenant of Cody and ofthe abrogation of legalities, is fat different {rom thir blasphemy. There s no-one who does not Slready know this Deuteronomy, Chapter 5 Bur what will we say tothe words of the Lord in this passage ‘of Moses in Deuteronomy, chapter 5 [2-3]? "The Lord our God. ‘male a covenant with us én Horeb; not with our fathers did the ord enter into this covenant but with us who exist and live at te present time.” Augustine in his commentary on Deuterono- mn, chapter 5, question 92° explains this ext as a synecdoche. He understands these fathers to be those whom God struck down in the desert. (38a) “They.” he says, “who did not enter inc the land of the promise do net belong to this covenant, but their sons did belong, sty, if they who were not over twenty Sears old when God had spoken on the mountain, so that at that Time they could not be counted in a census. Nevertheless they ould have been nineteen years of age oF less all the way boyhood, in which case they could have seen and heard an retained in memory al those things which were said and done. Moreover, Johannes Occolampadius, in hs published commen tary on Jeremiah, explains it almost in the same way: “Before Goat that eternal covenant which is arranged differently ac- ‘cording tothe diversity o: the times is one. And also in relation ‘heh intuens onthe dehy af hncnese hoops Ro Bulag the Cerne pp 38 Sat geen pana rcpt "E Quashnan npn i VT 39058128, 37479)bs he Ponti Foon to the inner human realities, it always has been one and will emai one, not only a8 i isn eternal predestination, (38) Notice, however. the great diversity of the covenants, The Lord made pact with Abraham with words and demanded noth- ing except obedience from him. But-under Moses many strange and dreadlil things sere added, things known not Only 10 the one lealer but things evident (0 all the people Then i was fortified with so many circumstantial legalities, all of which return to those ten words of the tablet of the ‘The Promise ofthe Land of Canaan Now the objection is easily disposed of that the land of Canaan, wars and victories, Juda glory and happiness, are things least suited tothe ways of Christians, far wham nothing waits except the cls and eail, in as much as the Scripture Says about them, “All who wish to live piously in Christ wil nde persecution” (2"Tim.3 12). For no one denies that the promise of the land (39) of Canaan was bound w a specific place: but neither can anyone deny that the same promise of rather a similar promise of carthly things was made equally 10 all the Gentiles. In Tat ‘Abratany himset whom the promise of the land of Cartan imade, did not (3 Stephen sad in Acts 75) even put the {ark of his Foot on ihe and but in the meantioe, he acquired fgreat wealth, ust as is posterity Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph id For even though they did not take possession of the promised land, they were nevertheless very famous because of theit Fiches. Now I beiete that this was dane by the Land as an ‘example forall the Gentiles, trom which they might learn that they also would lack nothing if they feared the Lord after the Imanner of the patrrchs. And you will find many more prom ses of this type thicughout boih Testaments (Psalm 372 Matt G[25-34h) Aes HI[I7}e and 17 [26-28 Heb, 15 (5-6). 39) In respect to the happiness of the Fathers, however, iti certain hat they hardly etjoyed a perfecly good Fortune in theseThe One an eral Tesanent ranean Gad 9 lands, In fac, they entered the kingdom of God by means of| the cross and many tribulations. ‘The Cross, Peace and Victory of the Saints Everyone knows how many trials Abraham endured in the course ofthat journey, 0 | need not call to mind the rest of the Aetails. The patriarch facob never enjoyed any good fortune that was not soured by various severe hardships. There is no treason for me to relate any details about Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, and all the other distinguished figures. No single one of them would suffice as an example in enumerating their many hardships, calamities, and labors undertaken For the sake of the Lord. Even the sacred writers. themselves have Searcely been able 10 telate everything in their many books What about the fact that (Hs) the faithful people of Judah endured no less persccirions on account of their piety and fuith, sometimes from their own wicked kings, sometimes from Foreign tyrants, than the church of Christ itself suffered fron the impious and blnpherous Caesars? For as this church has Neto. Domitian, Maxentis, Julian, Decian, Severus, Valerian, and Diocletian, so the ancient church had Pharaoh. Ahab, h, Manasseh, Jehoiachim, Zeddekiah, Nebuchadnezzar, and jochus. Truly) the priests and. prophets of the ancient ‘church deserved to be made examples for Christian martyrs For the Lord even said so in the Gospel of Matthew: "Blessed are they who suffer persecution for the sake of righteousness, for theirs isthe kingdom (0b) of heaven. Blessed are you when ‘men shall attack you on account of me. Rejoice and exul because your reward in heaven is great. For in this way di they persecute the prophets before you" (Mat 5 (10-12). On the ‘ther hand, there is no doubt that there have always been ‘myriads of saints who have lived piously in Christ, who were never sent into exile or klled for the sake of the faith. ‘There- fore Paul's statement, “All who wish to live piously in Christ will suffer persecution” @ Tin. 3 [12)),does not refer toa common ‘occurrence, buts a consolation for the aflicted. There are also different Kinds of persecution.®* Not only does he who is thrown into prison or hung from a tree endure persecution but falso he who (Ta) is tested by different adversities and tempt tions, The latter customarily happens to pious people otherwise art Eatin 210 Phe Fotainbal of Folration enjoying peace and security of mind, For even the apostle Pau, ‘most often safe from the snates and furies of perseeutors and, that is more, revived by the ministrations Of the brethre experienced severe anxieties of the soul. For the soul of Christan i also affected by another person's distress, Where: fore the apostle sie, "Who is weakened and T am not weak ened? Who is offended and 1am not distressed?” (2 Cor. 11 [29}; see also Rory, 12(15] and Heb. 18 [3)). Moreover, che nost Holy prophet Isaiah in those chapters in which he de- scribes the' church being gathered together trom the whole tworkd, into which church he said that kings also would eo slid notteach tha dhe church should in every way and always be sxposed to slaughters, so that on this earth ie would be without ‘any kind of peace, happiness, and victory (Isa. 49 [I=T). And Doctor Aurelius (41b) Augustine in his work The City of God, book 5, in the final chapters,” offered pleasant and useful accounts for the reader about the victories and wonderful happiness of certain Christian kings. Likevise in Against the Manichean Faustus, book 22, from chapters 74 to 802 he discusses war and the right of war in many passages, but we do foot intend to consider this matter further” Up to this point, we have wished to explain what the conditions of the covenant are, in isone and eternal, and for what reasons the “old” and "new" was adopted, Now we vill he ceremony andthe sacrament of the covenant. "The Sacrament of the Covenant Circumcision Those who entered into covenants tok either ram, a heifer, or shesgost cat ino two parts then ped thro Ipetwcen the par, 42s) testifying that if they dil not stand firm by dhe pacts, God then should in the same manmer spit thei in two dnd so way with them entirely Indications of tis ste are seen in Genesis 15 (10] and Jeremiah $4 15} Alluding od consecrates the covenant ation tn plain words, saying wth blood and adds an expl ‘And the uncircumdsed male, the foreskin of whose ies shalThe One an lea Teen! rene of Ca on not have been ctcumeised his soul shal be blotted out from his people” (Gen. 17 (Ita). That which must be understood not {nly concerning the cut-off foreskin, but more x0 of the entire Covenant is that he who shall have neglected thicovenant must, treldestroyed by an eternal curse. The reason for thin follows: ceause he has male my covenant void and broken i” (Gen. I7[L4bp. Moreover, he who has broken i through contempt of Govt covenant and iastttion, despises the sacrament Of God as useless: or cven ihe does not (2) despize the sign of the covenant which he has received, he neverteles forsskes, the covenant itself by faitlessnes and moral impurity Infants Dying Without the Sign of the Covenant Wherefore we conclude that infants who ate hor of faithful parents and who die ether before they have begun to lve or ore they cou he inscribed among the people of God with the sacred sign of the covenant cannot be damned with the Stipport of this text. For God speaking of despisrs of the Covenant who are adult. Which fac the words themselves ‘demonstrate sufficiently stating the matter inthis way" And the uncircumcised male on whose Mesh the foreskin shall ot have been ccunched, his soul shall be banished from his people Werle, moreover sch nana be save the grace und mercy of God, by whom they are aot prejdged as by those who judge therm only according tothe tes of the church. (53) “Gieumeison alo had another mystery. For Paul sys, “A testament takes effect only im deathr iis no yt valid while the testator i living” (Heb. £[17). God, however, i the testator therelore # behooved God to die: And since he i mutable Sind immortal he asumed the seed of Abraham and, ithe Ssoumed flesh, he suffered, shed his blood, and in that way. a trould express it, raified the testament. Moreover. in Order that he might hand down dis rystry tothe fathers na igure, he willed that the sced of Abraliam isell be sireumesed Shopng that the ie sed of Abram, lr the Lord ‘sould confirm that covenant by his death ad blo The New Sacraments For this reason, the Lord Jesus himself, speaking in Mav thew's Gospel about the srerament of the new covenant, sid “This is my blood (43b) vhich is of the new covenant, which i shed for many for the remission of sins” (Mat. 26 [28)). Hencea The Funtineof ederton forth, it was ako necessary for the old strate tobe changed fd te new tobe sted or alter everthing as tiled iy the death of Christ and the covenant fell had been con thus signs which prefigured the Tutor death pe thet place signe substi fear wih het mean signi the completion ofthe ost peeectjustficaion, That nae we aera to the mystery of Apu andthe Eixharst or these sacrament, stated by Gon became forthe people ofthe new testament symbols the covenant and. divine grace already confined through Chins Thereafter, reumeiion meant that one must cata the foreskin of the heart and serve God (4a) he edionce of rah Deut 10 [16 Jor 4 (8). Therefore crear was given tothone wo wfom the grave andthe covenant of God was Ec offered though the seitnce andthe institution of God ‘thoi ot ser bg the Cx of ie chidren snd whoo fiw offered hil to ust of sheer grace ands wl be Your Cont Them by tha same creumcison Gort bot the fai to himselt, commanding that they adhere to hi in i of ih is as event that the the same manners he entire esence of the renewed fucharit Tray to examine these things fully atthe presen time would pull us farther away tro cue purpose For ITreadyshatfhave hen enough that God indie ns ing sacrament ofthe cena tan he wished to con (toy the easton af mortals who. since they exis no ony Shu butalso tm body are en le by mean of be things nd signs into the contemplation of invite thingy Therefore wv the sacraments eich the amen led the vse Signs invile pace. Further, he gave ccumetsion and the PRGover to the avien, but to us who are hs people alter Cin suffered, he gave Baprism and the Euchato. And for the rest whut ts vibe and inesile in these sacraments and ‘that hie poner and efficacy thas Been deat with he heres Now me shall pes about the econ ‘The Documents ofthe Covenant testaments oF covenants is the ‘composition of documents, or, if you prefer, records, compre- hhending and transmitting to posterity the emtire essence and testimony of the matter transacted. these records (45a) were also chosen as the names of theThe One and En Testament Cena of Co wa ‘covenant oF testament. For we refer to the written records of the covenant or testament as the covenant or the testament ise, when in ruth they are not the covenant or the testament but only the exposition of the conditions and the testimony of the entire transaction, The Lord didnot bother to have any records written for the ancient patriarchs, for they bore the Covenant in their bears, mseribed by the Finger of Gov. But to their posterity God gave ubat they longed forthe entire true telgibn received from thet fathers, almost as fron hand to ind, carved on stone tablets by Moses, which he called the fecords of the covenant and the testament, undoubtedly with that plan and for that reason whic we have already explained Liter lest anyone might find (15b) anything lacking. he fn posed on Moses himself then on the prophets, and eventually Inthe apostles of the Lord, the diay to verte feting sind Compete books about this matter, From the very contents of these books, they have deserved the tile “Old” and "New" Testament among all peoples in every age, Undoubtedly this true also because they expla abundantly how that covenant tntered into with Abraham was to be kept bythe ancient people Sind fhow that covenant led them to ite unider the hope ofthe st to. come through various means, types, and ways 0 religion. ‘Truly dhese books teach how the covenant was re: hrewed and consecrated in a new way by Christ, how all the types were Full theaugh hin, and how new people hhumely. the multitude of the Gentiles, was called ino the nity ‘Of faith, (6a) and exablahed inthe true religion, and led nto tem ie through Chrat- These are books of sich truth and Sighteousness that all Iearned and holy men ofall ges have irieved sha eternal fe and the faith ofthe worshipers ofthe true Gax! could be firmiy established on their teachings. For Teta cries out, If they shall say to you, "Const the sorcere the diviners, the sontisayers, those who do ine Should not every people consults gods bout the ivi the dead? Hasten even more therelore, othe lve and tothe {estimony” (Iss. 89-20) Then Christ the Lord says, “They hhave Moses and the propiets Tet them listen to them: and i they do not isten to them, neither ill hey believe st someone tose from the dead” (ke 1 (29, 31), Tater on. if any dispute arses among the heirs about an inheritance hey immedictely eonslt the records 16D) for ther Selves and thus they place ter confidence in these witness 0 frder that they tight do everything according tothe rule ofthe fecords Inthe same way, any ste arcs i the matter of Feligion about the true or false Worship of God, le us consult theo Pedro records of the covenant, the books of each Testament, Let us believe them, le us estabish everything according to these books. For the owo greatest lights of our religion, David in Ps 19 and Pel in 2 Timothy, testify abundantly that all piety and righ teoustiess have been perfectly embraced in these books, Epilogue The Amiquity ofthe Christian Religion Sch are the thoughts, most spend readers, that 1 wanted wo share with you concerning the one and eternal testament or Hod. Truly, those things which belong to this Conditions, the place and purpose of st sara ind what is command by ks record have been put togetiver by me by virtue of race from the Low (473) {have dione so pur in onder that 1 might serve the Brothers who 50 Sten cafmestly request such an exposition from asad partly for those mhose grea depravity request. Then ta, 1 have dome so patly i order that P might Clarity. siopliity, snd sntaqity of the Serprure religion, which today 8 illspoken of by many people, a Hi store heretical, Indeed, the olden region of the Gentes 3 Mery or the word of images tis act, older than gest iver of fame may otherwise compute, For there are the who inthe times of Jupiter or ie before, believed that the temples were estaba forthe worship of new gods. But the ‘opinion of Herodotts! in his secend Book of histories and Strabot*in the seventeenth book ot his eagraphy appear 0 he tore probable. These men (47b) asserted that the Egyptians trere the fist worshipers and the ereators of the god, rom Miho the rest of the nations accepted slaty. But to theme Ino diligently compute dates, it clea hat Jupiter i yunger than Moses by several centuries. Bue Mose testified ot only tha he Jen pple, weep in try nay acncng {o the eample of he Egypitans, et up an image to the god iRpis in the desert ut also thatthe eal for idoltsy Hound inline tints of the patriarchs. Now the Jewish religion, which 1 Linderstand to be dined in tine by circumcision and laws, is honcent, seeingthat it began party ithe Gime of Ababa mS. py Ta1-2 The Capo Sta ean ese ned iy ans EL RT‘The One and Elena Tota Cneant of Cd bs and partly inthe time of Moses, Bu the € der by far than sch tings: For Abraham i decared justified inthe sured Scripture tefore he was circumcised. 484) There fate ako those prior to AbrahamNoahy Enoch, Seth Abel, ‘Adame—wvho plesed Ged through faith without crcumeision Ieis annoying that inthe present day the Turkish and papal jons are counted 4 examples of ancient religions, Buti ‘ras not many centuries ago, about the year 50, thatthe former issued trom is mow corrupt and impious founder. Mohammed who blasohemest the truth, And the papal rll fo, scarcely any older than Islam, obscured the precepts of Giri the propheve tradition, andthe apostolic simphiciy, purty, and truth, While Tsay nothing het about that faith hich Compre in tre artes they confess by mouth together with us, 1'do speak about the papal doginas and gious Customs which they trust as mos certain, ane infallible (480) Some examples are masses, images, mo ism, and many other things that were unknown inthe tive holy chureh of God. For Albert the Grea the chief of the Scholastic theologians, referred to Gregory. the fist Roman Pom of that mame, who ved aroun. 600, athe rigina {orf the mass This sime Gregory delared ina certain fewer to Bishop Serenus of Marseiles (1 use Gregory's own word), that antiquity permited stories to be punted in the venerable ‘hhurches ofthe stints fer the mstrocton of ignorant peopl. 1 donot know how he undetstond sntiguiy, but I do Khow this that the famous Lactartive Firmianis,® contemporary of Constantine the Great” sain eloquent words, "There 90 ‘placa ess that hal orshed for sg the Mole Ages COL ee, pe mi tat tay ee gar oe altace or Croan 31 NoeD6 The Fouad of Federation dloube that there is ro religion a all (49a) wherever there are images." This cose to. the opinion of the Holy Bishop Epiphanins of Salamina® in Cyprs,on the bass of whose view expositor Dr. Jerome declared publicly that human images ere placed i the rch of Cn ago the authori of Scripture and agains our religion. And Dr. Jerome, aecordin tothe authors Ramen” and Prosper of Aqua d fd the year no. 422. Hw then could Gregory te "amqty” in defense of painting in the sanctuaries Exen it he could have thought forth thestronges sspport for such “nti,” never= eles the prophet of the Lord, speaking with irony. about images sips "Should they not teach you?" (ab, 2 [19 Tn act, ory Himself assuled the worship of tmages in that very Sime leer of his. 96) Nevertheless, the popes have not oni Silowed such worship but (496) have even ordered it. And Benedict” abbot of Cassino, whom all monks call "Father," flourished only a litle before the time of Gregory, perhaps Sixty years if the supposition of Bede® about the ealulation ot the times is correct For Jerome remembered that Pal and [Amthonyt did nothing to delend pontifical monasticism. Now eal, you compare these times with ancien tes, you Wil thatthe papal ‘ligion is an utely new thing and in no vray ought ito be compared to earkier antiquity. But even though such people prefer this religion above all others, and imuny things are vented about its antiquity ad cenit, we "Epiphone cd hp of Cath sii i ta tf Oe mec Fn te oof he a at a i Seance noua i Pi arn an “hep Sat 8) ang of pin’ a, Coed Venaa tate 72 195 woh fs fe Engh He Teena ery of ie Fags Pop tebe atone work “i taagers cee hee vo eres Yin pa graphy of hi end Poo es seer ra a oe ra pay tnd the fume of mao Foe Vapor PLS ERThe One and Een Testament Conant of Go by glory far more justly in the antiquity of our faith, inasmuch asit ‘Solder than the religions of both the Gentiles and the Jews. It ‘endured from the beginning ofthe world t9 (50a) this very diay, about 6,738 years, From the birth of Christ up to the present day, 1,534 years zre computed, and from the beginning Df the world to the birth of our Lord, 3,199 years.®? We have proven that the faith of Abraham, Adam, and Christ was the fame. But also Eusebius in the first book of his Church Hisory, chapter 1, asserts the same thing that we do. It will not be annoying to include his words, although we cannot include all ff them. The passage is rather long, but for many reasons it deserves to be Fead diligently. ‘The Christian or Evangelical Faith the Oldest of All Eusebius says, “Al these who are written down in the order ‘of generation from Abraham all the way back to the first man ‘were truly Christian in deeds and in religion, if not in name. TThe ame ‘Christian’ indicates the fact that te one who be: lieves in Christ holds to his (G05) teaching, faith, piety, and justice; devotedly adheres to divine wisdom: and pursues ev thing that leads to vitue. I these things are indicated by the ‘meaning of the name Chistian, and designate this person as a {ollower of the true religon, then those holy men, of whom we Ihave spoken above, ate also acknowledged to have been Chris: tians, Corporal crcumcbion did not exist with them, nor did the observance of the Sabbath (just as we do not observe it) Neither did they have any scruples about regulations regarding food, or the rest of the practices handed down to their posterity bby Moses to he observed typologically and spiritually. ‘There. fore, sine there were those men who were religious without all ‘of these observances, of whom we made mention above, who followed the faith of hi whom we (51a) now follow, the Faith ‘of Christ, who frequently appeared to them and taught them ‘those things whieh pertain to faith and piety, which we have ‘established earlier, how can anyone doubs thatthe origin ofthis people commenced with those men and has been traced dow teardl in time from them? They followed the same God, the suthor and guide of life and they persisted in similar religious edn csi 90 eae apr trast te oan pe eae a ar (rh 188 tac io air apa rn 142be he Fun of ederim abservances. And fialy, this religion was so far pre-sent and [preformed in them that they were not even comsidered trang Ets tothe name sell (which certainly scems to make the only fisnetion) indeed, not only are they already at Uhat time declared to be ‘Christians’ but also, with divine eloquence, they Ste called “Christe "© And after certain other arguments Eusebius concludes, “The region of Christans is neither anew nora foreign one, (5b) nor has it arsen recently. Rather, since create permited freely to indicate what the truth, twas the First region ofall, ginating with the sery beginning of the world from the begnning recelsing shape and form by the Sime ‘Christ's Godhereator, and teacher” So far have Fecounted the words of Saint Eusebius Now Lask therefore, whois ashamed of oF regrets the most {Mult labors undertaken on behalf of the covenant of God Since itis now evident that from the beginning of the world al the saints have worshiped God in this covenant snd have even laid down their lives on bebalf of t2 Who has not been greatly {orufied, even thouga sweating inthe midst of grat labors, by the fact that the ternal God has bound himself tous by an ‘tera oath and fs most Fit ke tral 28) his sims from the beginning? For often the have been theown ino dangers, atten religion set has been threatened with desructon, and more often # seemed to be flefeated ‘and. buried, and even ‘God was. quite. frequently thought to have deserted his own people: But ssing up at the right moment, God has always protected the tue religion, hhving defeated and crushed the impious ones. This same Cod ‘simmutable and eternal This same God, therefore, even today ‘ell not fail those of his own who are bound to him i the eral covenant, no natter how the world might be seized madiness. To him be the glory! Pal 25:10 Allthe paths ofthe Lord are grace and faith to those who keep his testment and hiscoverant! 1334Notes Introduction 1. Ketcham, “James Madison and the Nature of Man,” pp. 62-76, 2 Torrance, “Srengihs ind Weaknester ofthe Westminster The ology. pa ‘Chapter I: Heinsich Ballinger and the Origins ‘of the Federal Tradition 1. Friedrich, Tend f Feral, p 6. 2. For example, sce [irgen Moltmann and Elisabeth Moltman Wendel, Humanity in God (New York: Friendship Press, 1983). ‘3 Friedrich, Trends of Plea, p.7. ‘4 Fora more extensive dicussion of ideas of these church fa thers, se Baker, Ballinger and he Covenant, pp. 19-23. 's Oberman, “The Shape of Late Medieval Though” p. 15. On the nominalist acum, see 350 Ober man’s Hert of Medio! Phesagy and "Wirsind peer.” pp 292-252, 8. Heinrich Bulinger, Ankag and erties rmanen Gots All machen! eye greynern Eygahafidas 3h son ron Sdn ‘hu jm bere Zurich, 1528) sig. Cl), Ci “For an enimaie of Bullinger's influence on the Reformed tradition and 3 complete study of his covenantal thought, sce Baker, Bullnger and the Covenant. ‘5 There is no biography of Bullinger in English, Schulthess Rechberg, Henrich Buller der Nahfolger Zot, the most recent biography. Frit Blanke's S42 stdy of the young Ballinger (Der jung Bulinger 1304-1331), hich covers his ile only up to his mose to Zurich, i again avaiable: Blanke and Lewschner Heinck Buln gr Vater der formieron Kirche (1980). Leuschner has added vignetes be