For whosoever attempts
anything without the command of God, will labor in vain.

33. To deny this, some one might cite as example the act of Noah,
described below, when he built an altar without God's command, and
offered a burnt-offering thereon to God from the clean animals. If
this was permitted to Noah, why should we not be permitted to choose
certain forms of worship? And, in truth, the Papacy has heaped up
works and forms of worship in the Church without measure, just as it
pleased. But we must hold fast to the principle, which is a theorem of
general application, that whatsoever is not of faith, is sin, (Rom 14,
23). But faith cannot be separated from the Word; hence, whatsoever is
done without the Word, is sin.

34. Furthermore, it is plainly dangerous to take the acts of the
fathers as models. As individuals differ, so also do their duties
differ, and God requires diverse works according to the diversity of
our calling. Accordingly the epistle to the Hebrews fitly refers the
various acts of the fathers to the one faith, in order to show that
each of us must imitate, in his calling, not the works, but the faith
of the fathers. Heb 11.

35. Hence works peculiar to the holy fathers must by no means be
considered as models for us each to imitate as the monks imitate the
fasting of Benedict, the gown of Francis, the shoes of Dominic and the
like. Men become apes who imitate without judgment. The monks try to
ape the works, but know nothing of the faith of the fathers.

36. Abraham was commanded to slay his son. Afterward his descendants
most wickedly believed they should follow his example, and they filled
the earth with innocent blood. In a similar manner the people
worshiped the brazen serpent and offered sacrifices before it. In both
instances the people wanted to justify themselves by the example of
their forefathers; but since they established these forms of worship
without the Word, they were righteously condemned.

37. Let us, therefore, remember not to establish anything without the
Word of God. Duties differ, and so must the works of individuals. How
foolish it would be for me to proclaim that I must follow Caesar's
example, and that others must obey my laws! How wicked it would be for
me to assert that I must follow the example of a judge, condemning
some to the cross, others to the sword! Then, we must look, not upon
the works, but upon the faith of individuals; for the faith of all
saints is one, t