they say: the prophet had a particular revelation, in that he called
himself holy; whereby they themselves confess that they do violence
to faith, and have not the revelation of Jesus Christ, otherwise they
would surely be sensible of it. For whoever is a Christian
experiences within himself such a revelation; but they who do not
experience it are not Christians. For whoever is a Christian enters
into a participation with Christ our Lord, of all his good things.
Since, then, Christ is holy, he must also be holy, or deny that
Christ is holy. Hast thou been baptized? then thou hast put on the
holy garment, which is Christ, as Paul says.

The word Holy means that which is God's own, and which belongs to Him
alone, or as we render it in Dutch (_geweiht_), consecrated. Thus,
Peter here says: you are merely required to give God His own;
therefore beware that ye do not suffer yourselves to be led back
again to worldly lusts, but let God alone rule, live and work within
you; then shall ye be holy, even as He is holy.

Thus he has hitherto described the grace which is extended to us
through the Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, and has taught
us how we should therefore conduct ourselves, namely: that we abide
in a pure, inviolate mind of faith, since we know that no work that
we can do or imagine, can at all help us: when such doctrine as this
is preached, reason objects, and says, Ah! if that is true, I need
not do any good work. And then the great heads fall foul of it, and
from a christian condition, educe a freedom of the flesh, imagining
they may do what they will. These St. Peter here meets, and
anticipates them, and teaches how we are to use our christian freedom
only towards God. For nothing more is needed but faith, to the end
that I should give God the honor due Him, and embrace Him as my God,
confessing that He is just, true and merciful; such faith sets us
free from sin and all evil. If now I have made such a return to God,
whatever time I yet live I am to live for my neighbor, so as to serve
and help him. The greatest work that follows from faith is this: that
with my mouth I should confess Christ, sealing that confession with
my blood, and laying down my life for it, if so it be. Yet God does
not need this work; only I am to perform it, that my faith may
thereby be tried and known, so that others also may be brought to
believe. Thereafter follow also other works, which must all be
directed to this end, t