spiritual, new, and inward man. It is certain that absolutely none
among outward things, under whatever name they may be reckoned, has any
influence in producing Christian righteousness or liberty, nor, on the
other hand, unrighteousness or slavery. This can be shown by an easy
argument.

What can it profit the soul that the body should be in good condition,
free, and full of life; that it should eat, drink, and act according to
its pleasure; when even the most impious slaves of every kind of vice
are prosperous in these matters? Again, what harm can ill-health,
bondage, hunger, thirst, or any other outward evil, do to the soul,
when even the most pious of men and the freest in the purity of their
conscience, are harassed by these things? Neither of these states of
things has to do with the liberty or the slavery of the soul.

And so it will profit nothing that the body should be adorned with
sacred vestments, or dwell in holy places, or be occupied in sacred
offices, or pray, fast, and abstain from certain meats, or do whatever
works can be done through the body and in the body. Something widely
different will be necessary for the justification and liberty of the
soul, since the things I have spoken of can be done by any impious
person, and only hypocrites are produced by devotion to these things. On
the other hand, it will not at all injure the soul that the body should
be clothed in profane raiment, should dwell in profane places, should
eat and drink in the ordinary fashion, should not pray aloud, and
should leave undone all the things above mentioned, which may be done by
hypocrites.

And, to cast everything aside, even speculation, meditations, and
whatever things can be performed by the exertions of the soul itself,