First part.
From the sins of the first bet at all, as the cause of their downfall.
(1) In the first five chapters Moses described the birth of mankind as it was in the first world, and painted before our eyes the wonderful glory of the holy patriarchs who ruled the same first world. And with these five chapters, as with the first book, he concluded the histories of the most blessed part of the whole human race and of the first world before the Flood. Here we will now turn to the other book of Genesis, in which the history of the Flood is described, that is
indicates that Cain's entire lineage is destroyed, but the lineage of the pious remains forever. For since in the Flood everything perishes and perishes, the generation of the pious is preserved as an eternal world.
(2) But this is very terrible, that the whole human race is destroyed except for eight people, when the same time was the right golden time. For the following generations are not at all equal to the glory, greatness and majesty of the first world, and yet God has destroyed that which he created as the best and most glorious in the human race, so that we are justly terrified by it.
3. yet God has kept His way even in this punishment, for that which is highest
and most excellent, he is the one who is most willing to strike down and humble, so that Peter does not say in vain, 2 Epistle 2:5, that God did not spare the first world, because he wants to indicate that it was like a paradise compared to the next world. He did not spare even the most glorious creatures, the angels, nor the kings of His people, nor the firstborn at all times; but the more and higher men were adorned with gifts, the harder and more severely He punished them, since they began to misuse their gifts.
4 Thus the Holy Spirit speaks of the kings in Psalm 2, v. 9: "You shall smite them with a scepter of iron; you shall break them as pots. But is not he who has ordained the kings, and wills that every man should honor them and be obedient to them, the Lord himself? So he condemns and rejects the wisdom of the wise and the righteousness of the just. For this is God's true and constant work, that He condemns what is most glorious, strikes down what is most powerful, and makes weak what is strongest, even though they are His creatures: but He does this so that the world may have many and terrible examples of His wrath, to terrify the wicked with it, and to awaken us to learn to despair of ourselves and to trust in His power alone. Therefore, one must either live under the shadow of God's wings and trust in His grace and mercy, or perish.
Now, after the fall, it has taken on such a form with men that the more one is adorned with gifts, the more he exalts himself with them. This was the sin of the angels who fell; this was the sin of the first world, in which the best and most glorious part of men lived. But because they have exalted their wisdom and other gifts, they have perished. This has been the sin of the highest kings; this has been the sin of almost all the firstborn. And what may it be much said? This is the original sin, that we do not recognize the great and excellent gifts of God, nor can we use them properly.
6. that for this reason the highest people to
The fact that the gifts or goods are set as horrible examples does not happen because it is the fault of the gifts or goods, but of those who possess them. But God is such a dialectician that he punishes the person and the thing that belongs to him at the same time (arguere a conjugatis).
7. but it is good that such examples be diligently remembered, to frighten the worthy with them, and to humble us, that we may learn how we, our lives, and all that is ours, depend upon the will of God, who will give grace to the humble, but destroy the worthy, 1 Peter 5:5. But because the world does not understand this, nor does it do so, kings, mighty men and righteous men fall one after the other, and the world becomes full of examples of God's wrath and judgment. As the Virgin Mary also sings Luc. 1, 51. 52. 53: "He scatters those who are hopeful in their hearts. He pushes the mighty off the throne; he leaves the rich empty."
(8) Such examples abound in all ages, in all courts of lords and princes, in all countries and people; and yet we have such hard hearts by the grace of the holy devil, the prince of the world, that we do not turn to such things, but utterly despise them, even though we see and feel that we must also fall to the ground because of them. Therefore, good to those who pay attention to it and allow themselves to be moved by such examples of wrath, so that they may be humbled and live in the fear of God.
(9) Therefore let us consider how the first world, which perished in the Flood, was excellent and had the best, holiest and noblest men in appearance and reputation, whereas we are to be reckoned as the yeasts of the world. For the Scripture does not say that they were wicked and unrighteous among themselves, but before God. "The same," says Moses, "saw that they were wicked." Now the eyes of God see and judge much differently than the eyes of men. "My ways," saith he in Isaiah, chap. 55, v. 8, 9, "are not your ways: but as the heaven is higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
(10) That is why these tyrants and giants were kept and regarded among themselves.
The most wise and righteous people; as in our time kings and princes, popes, bishops, theologians, physicians, lawyers, noblemen sit on top and are considered great, as special gems and lights of the world. Such people were the children of God in the first world, not according to delusion, but with truth, as they were adorned with virtue and many glorious gifts. But because they fell into pride and contempt of God over these gifts, God rejected them and corrupted them with their gifts, as if they were the yeast, filth and dung of men.
And this is a common affliction of our nature. For it cannot refrain from it, it must blow itself out and exaggerate its gifts, which are given to it by God, if it is not prevented from doing so by the Holy Spirit. That is why I have often said that a man has no more harmful enemy than himself. For this I learn and experience in myself, that I have no such great cause to fear apart from myself as in myself. For the gifts that we have within us stimulate and drive our nature to hope.
(12) But as God, who is by nature the most gracious, cannot refrain from adorning and showering us with various gifts, such as a fresh and healthy body, money and goods, wisdom, skill, knowledge of the Scriptures, etc., so we also cannot refrain from exalting ourselves with such gifts and becoming proud of them. Therefore our life would be the most miserable thing if we had to do without the gifts of God: nor is it twice as miserable if we have them; for we become twice as worse thereby. Such wickedness is original sin, which all men, except believers, do not know or understand, or even despise as a bad and small thing.
We see such wickedness not only in ourselves, but also in others. For how proud and arrogant are money and goods, which are the least of all other gifts! That is why the rich, whether they be noblemen, burghers or peasants, regard all other people as gnats and flies. But much greater abuse is done with
other higher gifts than wisdom and righteousness. Because these are all gifts that God distributes among us, both things happen, namely, that God cannot suffer such arrogance and we cannot let it go.
This was the sin of the first world. Among Cain's descendants were the best and brightest people, but before God they were the worst; for they exaggerated their gifts and despised God, from whom they had such gifts. The world does not understand and judge such naughtiness, but God alone judges it.
(15) And where these spiritual vices are persistent and continue, they are soon followed by the carnal ones. For "the beginning of sin is to fall away from God," as Jesus says in Sirach Cap. 10, 14. So the devil's first fall is from heaven to hell, that is, from the first table to the other. For when people begin to become ungodly, that is, they do not fear God and do not believe Him, but despise Him, His word and His servants, then it comes about with them that they stray from the right doctrine into heretical delusions and thoughts, teach, defend and adorn the same. Now these are such sins that the world considers them to be the highest holiness, and those who commit them have only the praise that they mean religion, are God-fearing, pious, righteous, and have only the name of the church and God's cinema. For men cannot judge of the sins of the first table, and thereafter such despisers of God fall into abominable adultery, theft, capital murder, and other gross sins in the other table.
(16) I tell this so that it may be understood that the first world was not only subject to the sins of the other table, but mostly sinned against the first table, that is, had wisdom, godliness, worship, and religion as its best outward appearance, which in itself was wrong and unrighteous. Since therefore the ungodly nature and the sins against the first table have gone in full swing, there has also followed the other corrupt nature, of which Moses in
This chapter says that people have first defiled themselves with all kinds of immorality and then made the world full of tyranny, bloodshed, violence and injustice.
17 Since the godless world had therefore trampled both tablets underfoot, God came to judge them, who is a worshipping fire and a zealous God. Therefore, he punishes the wicked being so that simply everything becomes desolate and neither authorities nor subjects remain. Therefore, we can think that the closer the world was to the fall of Adam, the better it was, but after that it decreased and became worse day by day until our time, in which the basic soup and, as it were, the last dirt of the human race still lives.
If God has not spared the same world, which has been blessed with so many and great gifts, what can we hope for, who are like dirt and sweepings against it, and are subject to many more misfortunes and miseries? But that I do not speak too near to the Roman pope and his holy bishops, who do not believe such things. Now I come to the text.
When men began to multiply on the earth and beget daughters for them, the children of God looked at the daughters of men and saw how beautiful they were, and took them as wives whom they wished.
19 This is a very short speech, but it understands a lot. First of all, the text must not be understood to mean that the world began to multiply only in the five hundredth year of Noah, but that it also includes the patriarchs who existed before that time. Which is to be proved by this: For Noah had no daughters; but because the text says of daughters, it must be understood also of the former times, when Lamech, Methuselah, Enoch etc. had lived. Therefore the world was corrupt and evil, even before Noah was born, and especially since many of them began to live more boldly after the first patriarch Adam had died, before whom they had had to shy away as before the first father.
020 But as I said above, that Noah was a virgin above all virgins,
so we see here also that he is a martyr above all martyrs. For our martyrs, whom we thus call, are in the very best position compared to him: Cause, they are strengthened and assured by the Holy Spirit and overcome death in one hour and thus come out of all danger and temptation. Noah did not have to live among the wicked for a whole six hundred years without many and severe dangers and temptations, just like Lot in Sodom.
21 And perhaps this was also one of the reasons why the father Lamech gave this name to his son Noah when he was born. For when the holy father saw before his eyes that the wickedness of the world was becoming more and more prevalent, he had hope in this son of his that he would now be able to comfort the pious, that is, to stand against sin and Satan, from whom sin had come, and bring back the lost righteousness.
22. the wickedness, which began at that time, not only did not cease under Noah, but the longer it went on, the more it spread and became prevalent; therefore Noah is a martyr above all martyrs. For is it not true that it is much easier and less to escape all danger and distress in one evil hour, than to have to see so much and great wickedness of the world through so many hundred years and to have to live with it?
As I also said above, I have these thoughts that Noah abstained from marriage so long because he did not want to see and tolerate in his own that which he had to see in the others, the descendants of the holy fathers. Therefore this mirror and contemplation of human wickedness was the greatest cross for him; as Peter says of Lot in Sodom, 2 Epistle 2:8: "Because he was righteous and dwelt among them, that he should see and hear, they tormented the righteous soul from day to day with their unrighteous works."
(24) Therefore this multiplication of men, of which Moses speaks here, belongs not only to the time of Noah, but also to the time of the former patriarchs. For with the same
the transgression of the first table, namely the contempt of God and his word; followed by the great and gross sins, as violence and injustice, tyranny, fornication, which Moses here especially remembers and starts from them, as from the main cause of evil. For look at all histories, look at all Greek tragedies, all histories of the Romans and other nations at all times, and you will find that all kinds of misery and misfortune have arisen from fornication. Now it cannot be without this; but where the word is not, or is despised, there men must fall and get into fornication.
(25) Fornication carries with it other innumerable sins, such as pride, injustice, and false oaths (2c). These sins cannot be countered or counseled in any other way than by the first tablet, that people begin to fear God and trust in Him; for then it will follow that they will follow the word as a light shining in the darkness, and not pursue such evil, but beware of it. But when the first table is lifted up and taken out of sight, it is impossible that anything else, except all kinds of sin, shame and vice, can follow and go on.
(26) But someone may be surprised that it seems as if Moses counts the begetting of daughters among the sins, which he vowed to the patriarchs above and God's blessing is also in the ungodly: why then does he count it among the sins? Answer: He does not condemn the child gene in itself, but the abuse that flows from original sin. For to be a lord, or prince, or king, to be wise, rich, and strong in body, is in itself a good thing, and it is also good to have it; for it is given to men by God: but for men to fall out of the first table with these gifts, and to fight against the first table with such gifts, and afterward the more surely to trespass at the other table, such is ungodliness, and worthy of condemnation. That is why Moses uses special words here. "The children of God," he says, "looked on the daughters of men as they were beautiful, and they took them for their own.
Women, which they wanted", namely, regardless of God, the natural or worldly right.
(27) Thus, after the first tablet is despised, the other tablet is also despised and rejected, and fornication gains the most prominent place, which despises conjugal childbearing and becomes an animal thing, even though God has ordained marriage primarily for the help of the weak nature and for childbearing. Therefore, when fornication has taken the upper hand, the preceding and following commandments fall away and are torn apart, so that one does not spare the honor of one's parents, does not abstain from murder and slaying, but makes a mess of other people's property, speaks false testimony etc.
28 The word jiru, "saw", does not simply mean to look at, but to see with pleasure and delight; as it is written in the Psalm east: "My eye will see its delight in my enemies", Ps. 92, 12, that is, will look with delight at the vengeance on my enemies. Therefore it is said here that they have turned their eyes away from God and His word and have turned to lust and fornication against the daughters of men. This consequence is so very serious and certain that from the transgression of the first table men also fall into the transgression of the other table; and despising God, they have also despised the laws of nature, and have taken wives of their own pleasure, which they desired.
29 These are truly harsh words, and yet I believe that fornication still had its measure and purpose, so that the children did not yet mix with the mothers in an unnatural way and defile themselves, as happened afterwards in the other world with the Canaanites; they also did not yet defile themselves with the shame of the Sodomites. For Moses blames them for this alone, that they threw away the law of their fathers, and kept no certain order in marriage, but followed only their pleasure, and whom they loved, took by force, against their parents' will.
030 But it may be seen that the fathers with special earnestness forbade their sons that they should not intercourse with the Cainoths; as there was a law afterwards
is that the Jews should not mix with the Canaanites. And although there are those who write that before the Flood there were incestuous marriages and no honor nor respect of blood friendships, but there were intermarriages between those who were close relatives: However, because Peter praises the first world, I consider that such enormous incest had not yet been in it, but that this was the sin of the first world, that they did not shy away from their parents, but despised them and took them as wives from the Cainites, whom they wanted, since lust and fornication became their master and gained the upper hand. And is this a hard word, that he saith, "They took unto wives whom they would."
(31) I have said above that these two families or churches, Adam's and Cain's, were separated from each other. For as Moses clearly testifies, Adam rejected and cast out the murderer Cain from his community; therefore he will no doubt have admonished his descendants to beware of the church of the wicked and not to mix with the accursed lineage of Cain, and they kept to this counsel or commandment of Adam for a time.
(32) When Adam died and the reputation of the other patriarchs began to decline, the children of God, that is, those who had the promise of the blessed seed and belonged to it, also desired friendship and marriage from the ungodly generation, the Cainites. For "children of God" Moses simply calls the sons of the patriarchs, to whom the promise of the blessed seed had been made and who were the true church. They also let themselves be taken in by the aversions of the Cain church, followed their flesh, took wives from the Cainites, item, concubines, which and how much they wanted. Lamech and Noah saw this with sorrow, therefore they were perhaps a little slower to marry.
(33) Here again the Jews invent many foolish things and say that the "children of God" are the devils of the fox, of whom the same is true.
They say that they are called "children of God" because of their spiritual nature. But those who have spoken more modestly of these things refute such foolish fables and say: Children of God are called children of the mighty, which Lyra also refutes intelligently. For this punishment of the flood was not only the punishment of the mighty, but of all flesh; as also will be the punishment of the last day.
34 As for the devils of the fief, called incubi and succubi, I am not opposed to them, but believe that it can happen that the devil is either incubus or succubus. For I have heard many of them who have said of their own examples. And Augustine writes that he also heard this from credible people whom he had to believe. For Satan is very pleased when he can deceive us in the assumed form of a young man or woman. But that something can be born from the devil and a man, that is absolutely wrong. But that it is said of ugly and shapeless children, of which I have seen some, that they are similar to devils, I think that they are either pretended by the devil, but not begotten by him, or are real devils themselves, who have either falsified and invented flesh, or stolen it. For if by God's decree the devil can possess the whole man and change his mind, what wonder is it that he disguises the body and causes the blind or crippled to be born?
35 Therefore he can make a noise in front of the eyes of godless people and those who live without fear of God, so that when the devil is in bed, a young journeyman thinks that he has a virgin in bed, or a virgin that she has a young man: but I do not believe that anything can be begotten from the same sexual intercourse. For many sorceresses have been burned from time to time because they have bargained with the devil and kept silent. For if he can make such a noise in front of your eyes and ears that you let yourself think that you see or hear something that is nothing, how much easier is it for him to make you feel that you are seeing or hearing something?
which is very coarse and thick in this nature? But enough of this; for such a thing does nothing to this text: but it makes the Jews loose and useless gossip that we have come to speak of it.
(36) Therefore, it is the right understanding that Moses calls "children of God" the people who belonged to the promise of the blessed seed. For it is a way of speaking in the New Testament and means the believers who call God their Father and whom God in turn calls children. And the Flood did not come because Cain's lineage was corrupt and wicked, but because the lineage of the righteous, who had believed God, obeyed His word and had the right worship, had fallen into idolatry, disobedience of parents, lust, fornication and tyranny. Just as God will hasten to bring the last day, not because pagans, Turks and Jews are ungodly, but because the church itself has become full of error through the pope and the swarming spirits, and because those who are most noble in the church and lead the reign practice lust, fornication and tyranny.
(37) But this is to frighten us all, because even those who came from the best patriarchs have begun to exalt themselves and depart from the word of God, boasting of their wisdom and righteousness, as the Jews boast of circumcision and of their father Abraham, and as the popes, because of the title of the church, have forsaken the knowledge, word and service of God, and have turned their spiritual glory to carnal lust and splendor. The Roman Church may have been quite holy and adorned with many excellent martyrs, but now we see what it has come to.
(38) Therefore no one should boast of his gifts, no matter how great they are, for the highest gift is to be a member of the true church. But beware lest you become proud because of it, for you may fall again, as Lucifer fell from heaven, and as we hear here that the children of God have fallen into fleshly lusts. For they are no longer children of God, but children of the devil, so at the same time, from the first
and other table of God's commandments; as in times past the popes and bishops were pious and holy, but now they are the worst of knaves and a basic soup of all other estates.
(39) St. Noah was forced to live in such a crowd of wicked and unruly boys, who had departed from their ancestral piety and virtues, and were hated and despised by everyone. For how could he praise such fornication of such a wicked and ill-advised crowd? but now they could suffer no punishment nor plea. Now that his example shines, and his holiness fills the whole world, the world grows worse day by day; and the greater Noah's holiness and chastity, the more senseless the world is for fornication. But this is how it tends to go in every case, when punishment and destruction are to follow.
For when God raises up holy people who are full of God's spirit and are to teach and punish the world, the world, not liking pure doctrine, sits in sins all the more diligently and presses on with all the more stubbornness. This happened in the beginning of the world, and now we know that it will also happen in the end.
Second part.
From the judgment and lamentation of God over the first world, as well as from Noah and his
Sermon.
V. 3 Then the Lord said, "Men will no longer punish my spirit, for they are flesh. I will give them another hundred and twenty years.
41 Here Moses begins and describes the patriarch Noah as the highest high priest or, as Peter calls him 2. Epist. 2, 5. But this text is in many ways bruised and torn. For it cannot be that the natural man should understand such spiritual things. Because of this, the interpreters of the holy scripture have fallen into it with unwashed feet and hands, and have brought with them
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And the Jews are the first to crucify Moses. For this is how they interpret this text: "My spirit", that is my wrath and anger, "shall not always judge among men", that is, I will not be angry with men, but spare them; "because they are flesh", that is, they are inclined to sin, because they are burdened with original sin by nature. Jerome also follows this opinion and thinks that only the sin of fornication is spoken of here, to which we are all naturally inclined. But in this he errs first of all, that he understands wrath for spirit, because Moses speaks here of the Holy Spirit; as also the contrast indicates that Moses further says: "For they are flesh". For he wants to indicate that the flesh is not only inclined to sin, but is also hostile to God.
43 Secondly, the whole thing that is talked about here is against this opinion. For what could have been more clumsy and inconsistent here? They see before their eyes the overwhelming wrath of God, who takes away the whole human race through the Flood: and yet they interpret it in such a way that God will not be angry with mankind, but will have mercy on them and will do the same after a hundred and twenty years, at which time the Flood took place.
Rabbi Solomon interprets it thus: The spirit that is in God will not quarrel any further; as if God, in His divine majesty, had debated and quarreled with Himself about what He would do with man, whether He would destroy him or spare him, and yet finally, having grown tired of man's wickedness, had decided with Himself that He would destroy man altogether.
The others understand it from the created spirit: "My spirit", that is, which I have blown into the face of man, that is, the human soul, will no longer quarrel and fight against the flesh, which pursues fornication; for I will take away the same spirit and redeem it from the flesh, so that it will no longer trouble it when it is eradicated. This is an Origenic understanding, and is not much different from the error of Manichaeus, who wanted that not the whole man sinned, but only a part of him. And Augustine says that what pleased him most about the Manichaean teaching was that he heard that his wickedness was not all his, but only that part of the body that is wicked from the beginning. For the Manichaeans pretended that there were two beginnings, one good and the other evil, as some philosophers have called quarreling and friendship. Thus, people not only lack the right goal, but also fall into ungodly delusions and thoughts.
46 Sanctes cites Rabbi David and derives the word jadon from nadan, that is, a sheath. But as the same mind is very foolish, so he gives it by a very foolish word. My mind shall not be shut up and kept further in man than in a sheath. Who ever heard a more strange and whimsical mind? But with this the Jews mock the new Hebraists, because they persuade them that one cannot understand the holy scriptures otherwise than by the grammar and exact manner of the punctuation. Therefore, no opinion is so clumsy that they cannot defend and adorn it with the nasty grammatical rules.
But tell me: where has there ever been a language that one has learned to speak rightly and well from grammar? is it not true that even the languages that have the most certain rules, such as the Latin and Greek languages, are learned more from practice and habit than from the rules? Is it not a very clumsy thing, then, that in the sacred language, in which theological and spiritual matters are dealt with, one should abandon the righteous and proper understanding of things, and
to pick it out of the grammar? Now the rabbis and their students do this almost everywhere, since many nouns and tense words can be declinatured, which are not used at all in the language, as can be seen. Therefore, because they pay the most attention to it and want to pay close attention to the etymology of words, they get into strange fantasies about it.
48 So here. Because the word jadon can be derived from nadan, they make a monstrous meaning out of it and thus say: My spirit will not be kept as in a scabbard. But they understand the spirit of man, which is held in the body of man, as in a sheath. This, they say, I will not leave in the sheath, but will take it out and destroy the sheath. Such a clumsy interpretation comes from the nasty grammatical rules, when one should rather consider the habit and manner of speaking; for by this a grammarian is taught.
49 For this reason I am telling you all this in such detail, that I would like to warn you, so that if you come across such foolish interpreters of the Scriptures, you do not follow them or consider their glosses to be special wisdom. For even many great men delight in such foolish work of the rabbis, and are not much different from the Sacramentarians, who do not deny the words of Christ in the Sacrament: "This is my body," but gloss them thus: Bread is bread, and yet Christ's body, that is, his creature; thus: "This is my blood," that is, my wine. No sensible person will suffer such a shameful desire to falsify the sayings, even in Terence's fables or Virgil's eclogues, and should we suffer it in the church?
50 But to understand the Scriptures aright, the Spirit of Christ is necessary. And we know that there is one Spirit until the end of the world, who was before all things. We have this Spirit, as we may well boast of it by the grace of God, and so through it we also have faith and a fair understanding of the Scriptures and knowledge of the other things that are necessary for a Christian life. Therefore, we do not devise a new understanding, but follow that which is in
The following is a summary of the principles of the law.
(51) Therefore the word dun, to judge or punish, signifies throughout the Scriptures a public ministry in the church, or preaching, by which we are punished, admonished, taught to distinguish good from evil, etc., as Ps. 110:6 says, jadin ba gojim, "He will judge among the Gentiles," that is, he will preach among them; for there is the very word which is here. And in the New Testament this way of speaking, taken from the Hebrews, is very common, especially in Paul, who uses more Hebrew ways of speaking than the others.
52. so I understand these words to be spoken either by Lamech himself or by Noah, and they are like a new sermon presented to the world: for it was a public sermon or judgment delivered in a public meeting. For when Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah saw that the world was hastening to ruin and destruction with its sins, they passed this sentence: "My Spirit will no longer be a judge among men," that is, we teach and admonish in vain, for the world does not want to mend its ways.
53. as if one said now and in our time, when men are wicked and perverse, we teach faithfully and have much to do, that we would gladly bring the world back to the fear of God and a chaste life; but we are mocked, suffer persecution, are killed, and fall every man with blinded eyes and ears to his destruction; therefore we must cease. So these are also the words of a heart that considers what is to be done, and is anxious and distressed, as in the extreme danger and distress of the whole human race, because they see that there is nothing to be done.
This understanding is according to faith and the holy scriptures. For we see that when God's word is revealed from heaven, some are converted and saved from damnation. The rest of the people despise it and are sure to follow avarice, fornication and other vices; as Jeremiah says
Cap. 51, 9. of Babylon says: "We heal Babylon, but she will not be healed. So let her go, and let us go every man to his own land." So it was with Moses and Aaron. The more diligently they exhorted and taught, the more hardened Pharaoh became. The preaching of the Lord Christ himself and the apostles did not improve the situation of the Jews. We, who preach the Word of God, are in the same situation. What shall we do? We can deplore the blindness and impenitence of the people, but we cannot correct them. For who would rejoice in the eternal damnation of the popes and all those who follow them? Who would not rather that they accept God's word and convert?
(55) Such hardened hearts Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah also saw in their days; therefore they go forth with such words, as if all were lost, and the people could neither be advised nor helped. "My Spirit", that is, the pure doctrine, "will not judge among men"; for because you will not accept the word, will not abide in the pure doctrine, nor be satisfied with it, you may go away and be lost. So these are the words of a troubled heart and, as the Scripture says, God is troubled, that is, the heart of Noah, Lamech, Methuselah and other holy people who are full of love towards everyone. But because they see such wickedness of the people, they are distressed and grieved.
56 Such sadness is actually the sadness of the Holy Spirit, as Paul says in Eph. 4:30: "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, that you may be sealed for the day of redemption. For he so much as signifies that the Holy Spirit is grieved, when we poor men are grieved and distressed by the wickedness of the world, which despiseth the word which we preach in the Holy Spirit. As Lot was afflicted in Sodom, 2 Peter 2:8; the pious Jews in Babylon under the godless king Belshazzar; item Jeremiah, when he preached to the godless Jews and cried out, Cap. 15:10: "Alas, my mother, that thou hast brought me forth!"; and Micah Cap. 7:1: "Alas, I am as one that is in the
Vineyards slacken, since no grapes are found to eat."
But this wrath of God is very terrible when he takes away the word. For who would not much rather have pestilence, theurge, war (for these are only the infirmities and punishments of the body), than the hunger for the word, which is always followed by eternal damnation? For example, the heathen who do not have God's word, how great and terrible darkness Satan can lead people into if God is silent and does not speak to them. For who would not be frightened by the fact that the Romans, who were famous before other peoples for their excellent wisdom and seriousness of discipline, had a way and a custom that honest women worshipped and crowned the most shameful image, Priapus; item, that young brides, who were virgins, were led to this? What is more mocking than that the Egyptians worshipped the calf Apis for the supreme god.
The Historia Ecclesiastica Tripartita reports that first of all Constantine the Great in Phoenicia and other places abolished the most shameful custom of making virgins, who were to be married, into whores before the wedding. Such abominable monstrosities and disgrace were held by the heathen to be religion and righteousness. For among people who do not have God's word, there is nothing so mocking, foolish, insolent and dishonest that they cannot be persuaded to the highest worship.
(59) Therefore this is the greatest punishment, so that God threatens here by the mouth of the holy patriarchs that He will no longer judge men by His Spirit, that is, because all teaching is in vain, He will not henceforth give men His word.
60 Our time will also bring Germany into such punishment. For we see how the devil hurries and is so restless, and tries everything to hinder God's word. How much has he wreaked havoc in our lives, since we have worked diligently to keep the doctrine pure? What
will still happen when we are now dead? Then he will bring the whole bunch of Sacramentans, Anabaptists, Antinomians, Servetians, Campanians and other heretics, who now, because they have been overcome by the pure doctrine and the diligence of pious teachers, keep quiet, but think of all kinds of opportunities how they might present and defend their doctrine.
Whoever therefore has the word pure, let him accept it, give thanks to God for it, and seek the Lord, because he is to be found, Isa. 55, 6. For when the spirit of doctrine is gone, then also the spirit of prayer comes away, as Zechariah Cap. 12, 10. calls it. For the spirit of prayer is attached to the spirit of grace. This is the Spirit of grace, which punishes sin and teaches forgiveness of sins, which punishes and condemns idolatry and teaches right worship, punishes avarice, fornication and tyranny, and teaches chastity, patience and doing good. Now the Lord threatens here that this spirit should no longer judge, because they do not want to hear him, nor do they want to improve. But when this spirit is taken away, the spirit of prayer is also taken away; for that he should pray who has not the word is impossible.
(62) Thus the office of a priest is twofold: first, that he turn to God and pray for himself and his people; second, that he turn from God to the people through teaching and the Word. Thus Samuel says, 1 Sam. 12, 23: "Far be it from me to sin so against the Lord that I should cease to pray for you, and to teach you the good and right way." For he recognizes that this is his true ministry.
For this reason the ministry of preaching is rightly praised and considered the highest good. For if this is abolished or corrupted, then not only can one not pray, but people are in the power of the devil, and do nothing else, except that they grieve the Holy Spirit with all their works, and thus fall into sin unto death, for which one may not ask, 1 John 5:16. Therefore other cases and sins of men are easy against it; for one may be converted again, and hope is left, let them be forgiven. But if the
If the Holy Spirit is grieved and people do not want to be judged and punished by the Holy Spirit, it is a plague in which neither counsel nor help can be hoped for.
How wicked is this sin in all classes at this time, for neither princes, nor nobles, nor citizens, nor peasants want to be punished, but rather they punish themselves and judge the Holy Spirit in his servants and preachers. For they judge the preaching ministry according to the low esteem of the person and think: This preacher is poor and despised, why should he have the power to punish me, who am a prince, a nobleman, an authority? Before they suffer this, they trample the preachers underfoot, along with the word and the ministry itself. Who then would say that we do not have to fear such a judgment of God as is held against the first world here?
65 Therefore these are the words of a father who disinherits his son, or of a ruthless schoolmaster who angrily expels a student from school because he simply gives them a hundred and twenty years to improve; if not, he threatens that his spirit should not quarrel with them any further, nor punish them. And this word, to quarrel or to judge, actually belongs to the office of preaching, which it also illustrates to some extent. For every preacher or minister of the word is a contending and judging man, and for the sake of his office must punish what is unjust, regardless of his hearers, who the person is, or what kind of office he holds. And because Jeremiah did this diligently, he had not only hatred and enmity, but also the greatest danger upon him. Therefore he became impatient that he wished he had never been born, Jer. 20:14.
And that I also say something about myself, if I had not been specially strengthened by God, this impenitent world's stubbornness and malice would have made me tired and fainthearted long ago. For the wicked grieve the Holy Spirit in us to such an extent that we often wish, with Jeremiah Cap. 20, 7, that we often wish that we had not started anything of the kind. And I often pray to God that He will bring this present generation together with us.
I want to let you die because when we are gone, the most dangerous times will follow.
67 For this reason Elijah is called the deceiver of Israel by the godless king Ahab, 1 Kings 18:17, because he punished idolatry, tyranny and fornication that were rampant in his time. Just as we are considered today to be the ones who make Germany distressed and restless.
68 But it is a good sign when people rebuke us and call us disputants. For the spirit of God is such a spirit, which disputes with people, punishes and condemns them. But people are so clever that they would like nothing to be done about them, because it pleases them; as they freely say in the prophet Micah in chapter 2, v. 6, 7: "Thou shalt not murmur against us; for such reproach shall not befall us, we shall not be so put to shame. The house of Jacob thus comforts itself." These last words lead them to the cause; for seeing that they are the house of Jacob and people of God, they do not want to be punished, nor do they want threat and punishment to affect them. As now the pope and his fellows boast of this alone and insist that they are the church, and conclude from this that the church cannot err. But if you look at this text, you will see that it is a loose proof.
69. For those whom God threatens that He will no longer judge them with His Spirit, are they not also children of God? And what can be more glorious than such a name? No doubt they will have boasted of the name and set themselves against the threats of the fathers, or at least despised their preaching. For no one thinks that God wanted to punish the whole human race so severely for the sake of a few sins. But this glorious title did not help them, nor did the fact that they were mighty and strong with multitudes. Out of Egypt, six times a hundred thousand men and only two of them entered the land of Canaan; the others were all put to death because of sin.
70. so God will not ask at all about the glorious title of the church, which is
But they will have to have other testimonies, if they want to escape the wrath of God, than to boast that they are the church. For thus it is written, Matt. 7:20: "By their fruits ye shall know them"; item, v. 21: "Not all they that say unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven."
If a council is ever held, which I hardly believe will happen, no one will be able to take away this title from our adversaries that they want to be the church, and they will condemn and suppress us by basing themselves on this title alone. But there will be another judgment when the Son of Man appears in his glory, Matth. 24, 30. Then it will be revealed that righteous and holy members of the holy church were John Huss and Jerome of Prague: but the pope, cardinals, bishops, doctors, monks and priests were all the church of the wicked in the pestilential chair and true servants of the devil, who helped their father to lie and murder.
We see such a judgment of God here as well. He does not say that the descendants of the saints are not God's children, but God leaves them this glorious title, so that they may be puffed up and surely sin. And yet he threatens these very children of God, who took the daughters of men in marriage, that he will not only take away the word from their hearts, but that he will also take away from their eyes and ears the spirit that preaches, prays, punishes, teaches and sighs in the holy church servants. And this is because these children of God do not want to be chastened or punished, but because they know that they are children of God, they despise the Word and the teachers. But for the sake of this name they do not escape punishment. The same will happen to the papists and all opponents and enemies of the divine word.
So I think that all the thoughts and actions of pious and God-fearing people are pointed to God Himself, as is usual in the Scriptures. As, Mal. 3, 8, the Lord says he will be stabbed, or, as the Hebrew says, violence will be done to him,
because the people unfaithfully gave the firstfruits and tithes to the priests.
74. But why, someone might say, does God need such a lament? Can he not, if he wills, destroy the whole world in one hui? Of course he can, but he does not like to do it: as he says Ezek. 33, 11: "I do not want the sinner to die, but to turn and live." Therefore, this effect proves that God is ready to forgive, to tolerate and to forgive sins, if people only want to convert: but because they continue so stubbornly and reject all help, this wickedness pains Him and, as it were, frightens Him.
Therefore, I interpret these words, "God said," to refer to the holy fathers, who testified with a public decree and resolution that God would be forced to take vengeance; for they taught by divine command. And after Noah and his forefathers had preached for almost a thousand years, and yet the world grew worse day by day, they reproach the ungrateful world with God's judgment, as he thus thinks: "What good is it that I always teach and constantly let my preachers call in vain? For the more I send them, and the longer I pause with my wrath, the angrier they become. Therefore I must put an end to preaching and let the punishment go. I do not want my spirit, that is, my word, to judge and preach for and for, and the wickedness of men to go unpunished, but I must punish sin.
For man is flesh, that is, he is against me; he is natural, but I am spirit. Man continues in his carnal nature, despises, scorns and persecutes the word, is hostile to my spirit in the patriarchs, and no preaching helps with him: therefore I must stop, and let man, who is so utterly wicked, have his way. This is what Moses wants to indicate by putting against it, "For they are flesh." For Noah, Lamech, Methuselah were the most holy people and full of the Spirit of God; therefore they carried out their ministry diligently with teaching, exhorting, urging and stopping at the right time and at the wrong time, as Paul says 2 Tim. 4, 2. But they taught the flesh and did forgiven work; for the flesh does not keep to pure doctrine. Shall I then,
he says, always suffering such contempt for my word?
So this saying is a public lamentation, done by the Holy Spirit through the holy patriarchs Noah, Lamech, Methuselah and others, whom God took away before the Flood, so that they should not see such a great wrath, which should spread so far. These all with one voice and mouth exhorted the giants and tyrants to repentance, and added the threat that God would not suffer such contempt of His word forever.
78) But the flesh has done as it is wont: for the faithful admonitions they have despised out of carnal presumption and certainty, and have thought the holy patriarchs mad men and old fools, because they threatened that God would prove earnest also of His church, that is, of the generation that had the promise of the seed to come.
The words, which are written: "I will still give them a hundred and twenty years", also says St. Jerome, must not be understood from the years of the human life or from the time of each life. For it is certain that after the Flood many of them lived more than two hundred years. Since one wanted to draw it now on each year particularly, then it would be a promise that each man should live so many years. But this is also wrong. That is why he speaks of the time that God gave the world for repentance before the flood came.
80 And this opinion agrees with the foregoing. For God indicates that he is greatly displeased with this perverse wickedness of man. For this reason, he is grieved and would like to spare; therefore, against his will, as it were, he lets the Flood rage; therefore, he sets aside a certain and sufficiently long time for repentance, so that they may convert and escape punishment. The same time Noah admonished the people to repentance, so that God would no longer suffer their ungodly nature, and yet be so kind and gracious that he would give time for repentance that would be long enough.
81. so the words and opinion go
fine on each other. The preceding words are a threat: I can no longer tolerate the contempt of my word; my preachers and priests, with their great effort and work, accomplish nothing more than that everyone laughs at them and mocks them. Therefore, just as a pious father or a pious judge would like to spare his son, but his wickedness is so great that he must prove earnestness, so (says God here) I also do not like to destroy the whole human race; therefore I will give them another hundred and twenty years, in which they may convert and I will show them mercy.
For this reason, it was a terrible punishment that neither Noah's brothers nor sisters were preserved. It was therefore necessary that such a serious threat should precede, whether the people might be provoked and brought to repentance. Jonah preached to Nineveh that they should perish within forty days, but they repented and were preserved, Jon. 3, 4. 5. 10.
(83) Thus it seems that the first world must have been secure to the uttermost. For though they have an hundred and twenty years to repent, they remain stubborn in their fornication, mocking their high priest and preacher of righteousness, the pious Noah.
84 Now that the Day of the Lord is at the door, it is almost the same. We admonish the papists to repentance, admonish our nobles, burghers and peasants not to continue in such contempt of God's word, for God will not let it go unpunished: but we use strength and diligence in vain; as the Scripture says Isa. 57:1: Few believers are built up, and they are gradually carried away by misfortune, and "no one pays attention to it. But what do you think, when God has threshed his wheat and gathered the grain into its place, what will happen to the chaff? Nothing else, but that it will be burned with eternal fire, Matth. 3, 12. This is what will happen to the world.
But she will not understand that God is now using the preaching of the good gospel to separate the wheat from the chaff and to gather it into the sheaves, so that afterward the chaff may be gathered,
that is, the whole multitude of unbelievers, who have sat in darkness and idolatry, shall be cast into the fire; as it is written Isa. 49:8: "I have helped thee in the day of salvation, and have kept thee. Those who let this day of salvation pass by, God's vengeance will be visited upon them, for he will not work in vain to thresh out the useless chaff.
But the world is flesh and does not obey, indeed, the closer it is to disaster, the more certain it is and the more insolently it despises all good admonitions. And even though this affliction greatly moves pious and God-fearing hearts, we should nevertheless take it for granted that God does not punish the world in vain through His Holy Spirit, that the Holy Spirit is not grieved in vain in the pious either. And Christ himself draws this example, when he predicts about the godless nature and the security of our time: "They will be," he says Matth. 24, 37, "like in the time of Noah and Lot."
But here one must note that also St. Jerome was troubled by the fact that the Flood came in the hundredth year after Shem, Grove and Japheth were born. But here it says that the time for the Flood should be a hundred and twenty years. But from this text it seems that Noah began his sermon of the punishment of the Flood before he entered the marriage state.
88. Now think what he will have done to the godless and secure world. He prophesies that the whole world will be destroyed by the Flood and takes a wife himself. But why does he do this? Is it not enough that he perishes alone, must he still have a companion for his misfortune? O what a foolish old fool that must be! For if he himself believed that the world should perish by the flood, he would rather perish alone than be intent on taking a wife and begetting children; but if he be preserved, so shall we also be preserved. Thus, for the sake of Noah's marriage, they have preached the Flood all the more.
But they have not understood God's counsel, that he acts in such a way that the world does not have to understand it at all. For does it not seem a strange and uncomfortable thing that He promises Abraham a lineage in his son Isaac in Genesis 21:12, and yet in Genesis 22:2 He says that he should sacrifice him?
Therefore, St. Jerome answers such an opinion: God may have appointed and determined a hundred and twenty years for the Flood, but after the world's wickedness became strong and great, He had to shorten that time.
90 We do not want to make God a liar, but rather believe that Noah preached how the world would be devastated by the flood while he was still without a wife, and then, by divine command, he took a maiden as a branch from the entire family of women and begat three sons. For afterwards it is written that he found favor with God. Otherwise, since he had remained so long without a wife, he could have continued to abstain. But God wanted to leave a nursery for the human race, so that his wrath would be measured. That is why he told him to take a wife, which the wicked consider a sign that the world will not pass away. Therefore they live in security and despise their preacher Noah. But God's counsel is different, namely, that he wants to destroy the whole world and leave a nursery for a future world through this righteous Noah.
91 Thus Noah was the highest prophet, the like of which the world has never had. For first he teaches about a very long time; then he preaches about the punishment of the whole world and determines the year in which it is to come. Christ also prophesies of the last judgment, in which all flesh shall pass away; "but of that hour," saith he Marc. 13:32, "knoweth no man, save the Father, which hath reserved it for himself." Jonas, Cap. 3, 4, tells the Ninivites their punishment forty days before. Jeremiah, cap. 25, 12, prophesies of seventy years of imprisonment. Daniel, Cap. 9, 24, says of seventy weeks until Christ comes. Which all meet
These are prophecies, so that certain time, place and persons are determined and described. But Noah's prophecy here is above all these, that he prophesies by the Holy Spirit a certain number of years, in which the whole human race shall perish. He would therefore be worthy to be called the other Adam or prince of the human race, through whose mouth God speaks and calls the whole race to repentance.
(92) But this is horrible and terrible, that his preaching is so surely despised, that not from the Cainites alone, but also from Adam's descendants, no one has improved. That is why Noah had to see the downfall of his brothers, sisters, blood friends and brothers-in-law, who were innumerable and all ridiculed the old pious man and his sermon as an old Vettelian fable.
But this terrible example is held up to us, so that we should not persist in sins. For if God did not spare the first race, which was the very best and, as it were, the flower or youth of the world, in which so many holy men lived, but, as the 81st Psalm v. 13 says, "left them in their heart's conceit," and rejected them as if they did not belong to the promise made to the church, how much less will he spare us who do not have such privilege and prerogative!
94 Thus this judgment, which is given here, that God gave men an hundred and twenty years to repent and be converted, was spoken and proclaimed before Noah begat children.
95 But of the family of the Cainites, what patriarchs they had at the time of the flood, nothing is written. For Moses did not esteem them worthy to be called. He brought their lineage down to Lamech, but whether either his children or his children's children lived in Noah's time is not known. But this is certain, that Cain's descendants still existed at that time and were so powerful, that they also led the children of God into trouble, since also the descendants of the holy patriarchs perished in the flood.
(96) Therefore the holy patriarchs, as the true rulers of the church, warned their own before that time to beware of the accursed generation. The Cainites, however, have been grievously pleased that they have been condemned, and have endeavored to subdue the pious with all manner of plagues. For the church of Satan contends for and against the church of God.
97. Since the pious were always departing one after another, and wickedness was great, God raised up Noah to exhort him to repentance, and that he might be an everlasting example to his descendants, of which faith and constant diligence in doctrine they should boast and follow. For this is a great wonder and excellent faith, that Noah, when he heard this judgment of Methuselah and Lamech, that after a hundred and twenty years the world should perish by the flood, did not doubt that it was true. And yet, after almost twenty years had passed, he takes a wife and begets children, when he should rather have thought thus: Why should I take a wife, because the human race is to perish? Why should I beget children? If I have abstained from it so long, I will abstain from it again. But Noah does not do this, but after he has pronounced the judgment of the destruction of the world, he is obedient to God, who calls him to marriage, believes God, and believes that even though the whole world will perish, he will still be preserved with his children. This is an excellent faith, and well worthy of diligent consideration.
For first of all, he had the common faith of the seed that should crush the serpent's head, which faith the other patriarchs also had. Now it was a special virtue that he maintained such faith and trust in so many adversities and did not depart from God. In addition, there was another special faith, that he believed God, since he threatened the whole world with destruction, and promised him and his children alone to preserve it. And no doubt his grandfather Methuselah and his father Lamech will have seriously exhorted him to this faith. For so difficult is this to
This faith taught him to despise the safety of the world, by which he was ridiculed as an old fool. This faith also admonished and strengthened him, so that he diligently continued in the ban of the box, which building the tyrants undoubtedly ridiculed as the greatest folly. This faith also equipped and strengthened him so that he stood alone against so many examples of the world and stubbornly despised the judgment of all men.
Therefore it is an unspeakable faith and almost like a miracle, loaded with new and very heavy articles, which the Holy Spirit only recently indicates in this history, but does not emphasize it, but wants us to think more diligently about all circumstances. For behold, first of all, the very worst and most corrupt time of Noah. For just as before that time the church had many holy patriarchs, so now it has lost such rulers as Adam, Seth, Enos, Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, all of whom have now died and have come to only three, namely, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah. For these alone are still alive, since the judgment, how the world should be destroyed by the Flood, is fallen and revealed. These three must see and tolerate the horrible and almost unbelievable wickedness of men, as idolatry, blasphemy, cruel violence and injustice, shameful fornication etc., until Methuselah and Lamech are also claimed on this life. Since Noah alone had to lie down against the world, which fell to its destruction, and try whether he would preserve justice and curb injustice. But he did so little that he had to see how the children of God fell into the wickedness.
Such a fall and desolation of the church tormented the soul of righteous Noah and made him almost weary, as Peter 2 Epist 2:8 says of Lot in Sodom. Now if Lot was thus afflicted and tormented by unrighteous works in a city, what will we
of Noah, against whom not only the family of Cain stormed, but also the family of the patriarchs, who had not been born, and his own house, brothers, sisters, brother's children and sister's children etc. For these are all corrupted and led away from the faith by the daughters of men, as the text says, "They looked after the daughters of men."
Third part.
From the sins of the first world in particular.
(102) Dear one, how is it that Moses does not also complain about men? or why does he not also complain about the daughters of God, but only says: "They looked after the daughters of men"? Therefore, the holy generation of Seth had a special command that since the Cainites were excluded from the true church, they should also be careful not to make friends with them and thus not mix with them either worldly through marriage or spiritually through worship. For devout and God-fearing people should beware of all occasions of offense.
(103) And the pious fathers were particularly concerned about this, because they forbade friendship and marriage with the Cainites, so that they might keep their lineage pure. For the daughters bring into the houses of the men of their fathers folly, wisdom and custom. Thus we read in the Histories of Kings that Solomon was seduced by a woman who had been a foreigner, 1 Kings 11:7, 8; thus Jezebel also brought the godless nature of the Syrians into the land of Israel, Cap. 16:31.
(104) The holy fathers saw that this would happen in their lineage. Therefore, after they had separated themselves from the Cainites by God's command, they decided and decreed that the sons of the holy generation should not take the daughters of men as wives: for it was easier for the daughters of the holy generation to refuse to mate with the daughters of men.
Cainites not to marry; but the sons are commonly freer and bolder.
(105) And so Moses wants to show that first of all all misfortunes arose because the children of God intermarried with the daughters of men, whom they saw were beautiful. For because the children of men were proud and mighty, and diligently pursued their lusts, they undoubtedly despised the poor maidens of the holy generation, whom the holy patriarchs had brought up, not tenderly, but plainly and chastely, in poor apparel and clothing: therefore it was not necessary to prescribe such a law for the people of women, which without it was despised by the noble and glorious Cainites.
When one looks at the histories of the pagans, one finds that women have often caused the fall and destruction of great kingdoms. For it is known that the destruction of Troy came from a woman. Thus the holy scripture testifies that through the sin of a woman the whole human race perished, 1 Tim. 2, 14. But one should say this without reviling the female sex. For we have a commandment Ex. 20, 12: "You shall honor your father and your mother"; item Col. 3, 19: "Husbands, love your wives." For it is true that Eve broke the apple first, but before she did so she had already sinned with idolatry and fallen away from the faith; which faith governs the body as long as it is in the heart, but when it has come out of the heart, the body serves sin. Therefore the guilt is not of the sex, but of the infirmity, which both man and woman have in common.
(107) Thus Moses here tells of the unrighteousness and fornication. But he leaves it to the reader to consider that before they sinned against the other table, they sinned against the first and despised God's word. Otherwise, the children of God would have been obedient to the will of their pious parents, who had forbidden them to marry those who were outside the church.
(108) Therefore Moses concludes that the children and descendants of the patriarchs shall first be given to the
For the world can do nothing else, when it has departed from God and the word, and has departed from obedience to its parents; then it has fallen into lust and fornication, and has taken to wives whom it wished; item, it has become tyrants, and has attacked other people's goods with painting etc. For the world can do nothing else, when it has departed from God, it worships the devil; having despised the word and fallen into idolatry, it also falls into all the sins of lust, so that wrath is aroused after denied lust; so that in the will and the lust there is the greatest disorder. Now when pious preachers punish such sins, violence and tyranny follow over them.
So the sin of the flood includes everything that can be called sin in the first and second table; namely, that godless people first fall away from God through unbelief and despise the Word, then they also depart from the obedience of their parents and become murderers, adulterers etc.
(110) I say this so that no one will think that the women's or men's sex or the married state itself is punished and accused; but the transgression of God's commandments and disobedience to parents is punished primarily because, since the Cainites had no part nor fellowship with the true church, the pious parents wanted their sex to be separated from them also in a worldly way, so that they would not also be deceived and corrupted by the fellowship of godless women. But since they have despised God's commandment and the reputation of their parents, they have also fallen into all kinds of lustful and wrathful sins. Thus the female sex and the married state retain their honor and dignity, and only the ungodly being is punished and accused, by which one first deviates from God and then practices violence and violence against the saints.
111. and the words themselves bring this with them: "The children of God," says Moses, "looked after the daughters of men, as they were beautiful." Why did they not also look after the daughters of God and desire them, which limbs of the right
Church and had the promise of the seed? Are they not reproached for despising the females of their generation, that is, of the true church, and mingling with the carnal and ungodly generation of the Cainites? They despise the simplicity, earnestness and honesty of their virgins and are more pleased with the kind, adorned and horny ones of the Cainites: these they desire and honor, but those either despise them completely or treat them abominably and evil.
For just as Eve, wanting to sin, looks at the apples, so the children of God look at the daughters of men with such eyes. Eve also looked at the forbidden tree before the same time, but with the eyes of faith, which looked at God's commandment: therefore she did not desire it, but rather fled from it. But since her eyes of faith were blinded and she looked at the tree only with carnal eyes, she stretched out her hand with desire for the fruit and tempted her husband Adam to do the same.
(113) The children of the patriarchs also saw before the time that the daughters of the Cainites were beautiful, adorned, and of good behavior and manners; but they did not worship with them at that time. For their eyes of faith looked to the commandment of God and the promise of the seed that should be born of the lineage of the righteous. But since they have lost those same eyes of faith, they no longer look neither to God's commandment nor to the promise; but simply follow the lust of the flesh, despising the simple, pious and honest virgins of their generation, and taking the Cainish ones, whom they see to be adorned, kind and short-tempered.
(114) Therefore it is not a sin for them to take wives, nor is the female sex itself condemned; but it is condemned that they despise God's commandment and take what they ought not to take, and so let their wives be led away from the right worship of God to the ungodly service of the false church, and that they, like the Cainites, despise the reputation of their parents,
Doing violence, tyrannizing etc. Such sin is clearly indicated by Moses, because he says: "They took wives as they pleased. As if he wanted to say: Taking wives is not evil, but good, if it is done rightly and honestly; but they did sin in this, that they took without reason and against their parents' will and opinion, whom and how much they wanted, both married and illegitimate without any distinction.
115 And this is even a terrible word, so that Moses shows great sins, that they have taken two or more wives without distinction; item, changed with their wives, or taken others by force; as Herod withholds his wife from his brother Philip, Marc. 6, 18. Such infinite freedom and insolence in fornication Moses shows and condemns.
Berosus writes that they also unnaturally took their sisters and mothers in marriage. I doubt, however, whether they should have been so wicked; and is that in itself a great sin enough, that they used no reason in womanhood and turned neither to their parents' reputation nor to God's word, but simply followed their fornications and lusts, took what they wanted and were able to take, and thus at the same time disordered, disturbed and disrupted the house government, police and church by such foolish fornications. That therefore the sin of the same first world has been a destruction of all estates, that the church has been destroyed by idolatry and false worship, likewise by the tyrants, who cruelly persecuted the pious teachers and holy people. Therefore, through tyranny and injustice, the secular government was broken, but the domestic government was raised up through unrestrained fornication, which was practiced and practiced without fear and punishment. Therefore, this fall of the fear of God and of all respectability must necessarily be followed by a common ruin; for the people at that time were not only wicked, but also not at all amendable.
V. 4. There were also tyrants on earth at that time.
117 Genesis continues with the description of the sins and the cause why the Flood came. The first sin was that the children of God fell away from religion and the word of God and became carnal, so that they not only perverted and destroyed the church, but also all police and house rules. Now he goes on to say that wickedness has also risen and multiplied to such an extent that there have been tyrants on earth, and clearly says that from the camp of the children of God with the daughters of men there have been begotten and born, not children of God, but tyrants or giants, that is, proud and presumptuous people, who at the same time have subdued and usurped the rule and priesthood for themselves alone.
118) Just as the pope does when he usurps spiritual and temporal power at the same time. But the harm would not be complete if he used the power he uses only for the preservation of the police and the church; but the greatest sin is that he abuses this power to confirm idolatry, to challenge pure doctrine and to tyrannize in the world government. If one punishes the papists with God's word, they want to be unpunished, and say that they are the church and cannot err; they exercise cyclopean tyranny over the pious Christians. Moses calls such people tyrants or giants, namely, those who usurp both the power of temporal and spiritual government and sin most freely and surely.
(119) Such are they who are described in the Book of Wisdom, Cap. 2, 11. that they say, "What we can do wrong, that shall be right." And Psalm 12:5: "Let our tongue have the upper hand; let us speak; who is our Lord?" And Psalm 73:3 ff: "They are sure and proud, and when they have done violence to others, they still boast." Such people were these tyrants who opposed the Holy Spirit and spat in the face,
since he admonished, taught and punished them through Lamech, Noah and his children.
120) The word nephilim is disputed as to what it is, and some say that it comes from the word naphal, which means to cut down; others say that it means to be cut down, so that when other people saw such horrible great people, they fell down in fear. But whether this is true, let the rabbis see. For it is ridiculous that they are called nephilim because others fall before them. That is why others give this interpretation: they are called so because they have departed from the common stature of men. They also cite a text from the 4th Book of Moses Cap. 13, 34, from which it can be seen that nephilim or the giants were of great bodies; like the Enakim and Rephaim. But which opinion is right, I do not judge, especially because one knows that one cannot indicate all words cause nor origin.
(121) But here is another question, namely, why those alone who were born of the children of God and daughters of men were not like other common people in height and length? I do not know anything else to answer this question, because the text does not say anything about how tall and long they were. In the 13th chapter of the 4th book of Moses, v. 34, it says: "We saw giants there, Enak's children of the giants; and we were before our eyes as grasshoppers. There it is indicated that they were large in body, but not here. Therefore they can be called giants for another reason, but for the size.
(122) But that I also give my opinion of this word, I hold that it is neither neutral, nor passive, but active; as the word naphal, though it is not of the third conjugation, in which the transitive or neutral actually belong, is often used active; as Joshua 11:7: "Joshua came suddenly upon them, and all the people of war with him by the waters of Merom, and overtook them." Now if you would give this word neutral, as if Joshua and his had fallen before the enemies, history will be against it. For the same
indicates that Joshua and his people suddenly attacked and subdued the enemies.
123 Therefore this text, and where more is written, gives me a sign that I understand that nephilim, that is, giants are not so called from greatness, as the rabbis think, but from tyranny and violence, so that they have raged and have regarded neither law nor honor, but have simply followed their lusts and desires. For those who rule with justice and law, the Scriptures call shepherds and princes, but those who rule with injustice and violence, they are rightly called nephilim, because they assault and oppress those who are put under them. As it is written in the 10th Psalm, v. 10: "He crusheth, and oppresseth," venaphal baazumav helkaim, "and thrusteth down the poor with violence." There the Holy Spirit speaks of the kingdom of the Antichrist, of which he says that he will rage so horribly that he will break what he can, but what he cannot break and crush, that he will bend and press it, and when it is bent, push it to the ground by force. For it is like this, if thou givest baazumav: with his violence, or: with his mighty ones. Such force, he says, he uses against those alone who are helkaim, that is, poor and afflicted before. But those who are strong and mighty he worships, that he may bring them to his side.
124] So I give here the word giants or nephilim also, that they were not monstrous and great people, as Genesis 13, 34. says, but free, furious and mighty people; as the poets fable of the Cyclopes, that they fear neither God nor men, but pursue their lusts alone and rely on their strength and power. For they sit in their majesty and have the rule in their fists; yes, they also arrogate to themselves spiritual power, but use such power according to their will against the church and God's word.
But here is to be noted the marvelous counsel of God, which commands us to honor, obey and serve the authorities etc. And yet let us see that everything that is said about serious threats and great punishments is mostly against the force of God.
and kings and princes, as if God were especially hostile to them. And the Scriptures tell us to honor the authorities, but they do not seem to honor them, but by threatening them to the utmost, they seem to dishonor them; indeed, since the Scriptures command us to honor the authorities, they can be seen as despising them, because they do not give them many good words, but only threaten them.
126 For does not Mary preach very earnestly against lords and princes in her song Luc. 1, 51, 52, 53: "He scatters those who are confident in their hearts. He pushes the mighty from their seats. He leaves the rich empty" etc.? If this is to be believed, who would want to be found among them, who are so sure of their misfortune? Who would not rather be with the humble and hungry? So the 2nd Psalm accuses the authorities of a very grave sin, when it says in v. 2, that with all their strength and authority, they sit down together against the Lord and his anointed, and oppress his kingdom. This is also what Isaiah Cap. 25:2, "Thou makest the strong city a heap of stones." And the whole Bible is full of such sayings.
Therefore, the Scripture does not honor the authorities, but threatens them with danger and almost brings them into public contempt, and yet commands us with the utmost diligence that we should honor them and show them all kinds of respect, service and obedience. But why is that? Because God himself wants to punish her and has reserved vengeance for himself and not commanded the subjects. Jeremiah disputes Cap. 12, 1. how it comes about that because God is just, the wicked are nevertheless fortunate? Finally, however, he concludes in v. 3: "O Lord, you let them go free and save them from being strangled.
(128) Someone might say that the ungodly authorities are, as it were, God's swine; for he fattens them, gives them wealth, power, honor and obedience of the subjects; therefore they are not burdened, but they themselves burden and oppress others; nor do they suffer violence, but they exercise violence on others; nor do they give, but they take from others, until they have been deprived.
that the hour is coming for them to be slaughtered like the long-fattened sows. Therefore, in the German proverb, a prince is said to be a rare bird in the kingdom of heaven, or, princes are a game in heaven.
Thus, without a doubt, those whom Moses calls nephilim here with a hateful and disgusting name would have been in the proper regiment of the church and police. But because they do not use their office as they should, God calls them by a shameful name. For just as in this depraved nature we cannot use even the smallest gifts without preservation: so God cannot tolerate less than preservation, and for this pushes the mighty from the throne and leaves the rich empty etc., Luc. 1, 52: 53.
130 Thus I understand the word nephilim activ for tyrants, oppressors and mad dogs. But I believe that (as also happens in other languages) Moses drew this word from the custom and usage in which it was in his time and interpreted it to the times before the Flood and changed the meaning somewhat, that just as Enak's children were tyrants who relied on their strength, so these naughty grandsons of the children of God abused their honor and power to oppress the pious, as Moses himself will now explain.
For when the children of God slept with the daughters of men, and begat them children, they became mighty men in the world, and famous men.
Jerome translated it: Isti sunt potentes a saeculo, these are mighty from the world. But the word saeculum here does not mean a long-lasting time, because these giants or tyrants have not been from the beginning of the world; but were born at the very first, when the children of God were struck out of their kind. The word saeculum here means a substance, and Moses wants to indicate with it what kind of power this was, on which they relied, namely a temporal or worldly power. For they despised the ministry of preaching as a lowly ministry, and therefore they
The papists, who were much more pleased to have great incomes and the kingdoms of the world than to be hated by everyone for the sake of the gospel, did the same.
For as far as Moses is concerned, the word olam means the world itself and time. Therefore one should be careful when in Scripture it means a true time, saeculum, or the world. Now here it must necessarily be understood of the world; for such giants or tyrants "have not been from the beginning.
Therefore these words, "mighty men of the world," belong to the description of the power that they have not taken from the church, nor from the Holy Spirit, but from the devil and the world, that it is as it were a contrast to that which Christ said to Pilate Joh. 18, 36: "My kingdom is not of this world. The church servants and preachers suffer hunger and need and are hated by all classes, therefore they cannot practice tyranny; but those who have the reign, rule over land and people, have castles and villages, they are equipped for tyranny.
And so these words also belong to the description of the church, in which there is a little people, who must all bear the cross and have neither honor nor good. They have the wait, which is their only good, but which the world despises and persecutes. On the other hand, these nephilim or giants use the glorious name of the church, as they are descendants of the patriarchs, and they also possess the kingdoms. These rule and oppress the poor church with their power; therefore Moses calls them meolam nephilim, mighty ones of the world or in the world, or worldly and temporal mighty ones.
The Jerome further translates: viri famosi, there is in the Hebrew viri nominis, people of a name, that is, who are famous and celebrated in the world. With this Moses touches here once again the sin of these Cyclopes, that after they had everything that is in the world, they also had a famous name and were famous through the whole world. And that therefore, that against it
The children of God, namely Noah with his children, were in the highest disgrace and contempt, and were considered heretics, children of the devil, those who at the same time would break off and hinder the spiritual and worldly government, as it is now with us. For Christ himself testifies in Matthew 24:37 that the last times will be like the times of Noah.
For Moses said before that the Holy Spirit was taken away from the wicked and they were given to the way of their lusts. That is why they were such boys as now are the pope with his cardinals and bishops, who are not only called gracious lords and princes and hold the kingdoms, but they also subject themselves to the name of the church, so that they may consider us heretics and surely condemn us. They do not allow themselves to be called tyrants, ungodly, church robbers, but want to be called the most gracious, most holy and most venerable lords.
137 Therefore, it does not have this opinion, which Lyra follows, since it is famosos, famous, declared, infamous, infamous people. For just as the world does not call the Pope the Antichrist, but gives him the name of the Most Holy One, and admires him as one who, with his fleshly creatures, is completely full of the Holy Spirit and cannot err; therefore it also humbly worships him, calling him and commanding what he will: so these giants also had a famous name, and the whole world marveled at them. But Noah, on the other hand, is condemned with his own as a rebel, heretic and slanderer of temporal and spiritual majesty; as in our time we who teach the gospel are held by the pope and his bishops.
Therefore, in this text there is a description of the sins with which the same time was afflicted, namely, that it was the people who turned away from God's word and gave themselves over to their lusts and perverse minds; who sinned against the Holy Spirit with the highest and utmost impenitence, defending the ungodly nature.
and challenged the recognized truth. And yet, in all such blasphemy, they retained the name and honor not only of the worldly regime, but also of the church, as if they had been exalted by God to the angels. But since things stood thus, and Noah and Lamech with his grandfather Methuselah taught in vain, God left them in their heart's conceit, Psalm 81:13, and kept silent until they experienced the Flood, which they would not believe.
139 That is, to fall away from God and the church and to take forbidden wives. For one sin, if it is not soon repented of, draws into another, and from it soon into another, until there is no more cessation, and until one comes to the degree which Solomon describes, Proverbs 18:3: "When the wicked is sunk in the depth of sins, he despises them." For even if one wanted to warn such people about this, they ask nothing about it, think that they do not need a teacher, and let themselves believe that they have a righteous cause, do not believe that after this life there is another, or still hope for salvation in obvious sins. But in the end they are overtaken by scorn and shame. Such stubborn impenitence and supreme contempt of the Word caused God to destroy all flesh with the Flood.
Fourth Part.
Of the repentance and sorrow of God over mankind.
V. 5. 6. But when the Lord saw that the wickedness of men was great upon the earth, and that all the thoughts and actions of their hearts were evil for ever, he repented that he had made men upon the earth.
This is the text that we have led against free will, of which Augustine writes that without grace or the Holy Spirit it serves nothing but to sin. But the patrons of the free will are thrown in front of the head and
have taken much pains not only for the sake of this very clear text, but also for the sake of this saying of St. Augustine, of whom they say that he speaks hyperbolically and, as Basil writes, that one who had gone too far in refuting his counterpart did as the peasants do, who, when they want the young wood to grow straight, bend it a little much to the other side. Thus, they say, Augustine, in his refutation of the Pelagians, in which he praises grace, also spoke somewhat more harshly against free will than was just.
But as far as this text is concerned, they misinterpret it as speaking only of the wicked generation before the Flood, for now people would be better, and if not all, there would be some who would use free will correctly. But the wretched people do not see that the text speaks in general of the heart of man, and especially there is the little word "only". Thirdly, they also do not see that after the Flood this saying is repeated almost in the same words as it is here, in the 8th chapter, v. 21, where God says: "The thoughts of man's heart are evil from his youth. Since he does not only speak of those who were before the Flood, but also of those to whom he promises that he will no longer destroy them with the Flood, that is, of the entire descendant generation of Noah. For these are words that are spoken in general: "The thoughts of man's heart are evil."
Therefore we conclude in general that without the Holy Spirit and without grace man can do nothing but sin, and thus goes on infinitely from one sin to another. But if this is added to the fact that he cannot tolerate the pure doctrine and rejects the word of salvation and resists the Holy Spirit, then by the help of free will he also becomes an enemy of God, blasphemes the Holy Spirit and simply follows the evil lusts and temptations of his heart; as witnessed by the examples of the Jews under the prophets, Christ and the apostles; the example of the first world under the teacher Noah; item, the example of our adversaries of the present time, who are not to be reckoned with in any way.
Wise people can persuade that they sin, err and have wrong (worship).
143 Other sayings in the holy scriptures also prove this. For does the 14th Psalm, v. 2, not speak generally enough when it says: "The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of men, to see if any are wise and ask after God. But they have all gone astray" etc.? And Paul refers to this Psalm in the Epistle to the Romans Cap. 3, 10. Item, Ps. 116, 11.: "All men are liars." And Paul Rom. 11, 32.: "God has decided everything under sin." These sayings are all general and conclude powerfully for us that without the Holy Spirit, which Christ alone gives, man can do nothing but err and sin. Therefore Christ says in the Gospel of John, Cap. 15, 5: "I am the vine, and ye are the branches: without me ye can do nothing," but without me ye are as a branch cast down, barren and dead, prepared for the fire.
144 And this is also the reason why the Holy Spirit's office is to punish the world, John 16:8, namely, that He calls the world to repentance and the recognition of this naughtiness. The world, however, remains and does as it has long done: even though it is admonished by God's word, it does not listen, but thinks that God will be pleased with the services it has chosen, even though without God's word; and it cannot be changed from this opinion.
If there will be a concilium one day, it will be of this very doctrine, of free will, that the decision and opinion will be that one should follow what the Pope and the Fathers have decreed. If we were to cry out against this and say that man would be evil of himself without the Holy Spirit, and that what he does without the Holy Spirit or without faith would be condemned before God, for man's heart would be evil and all his thoughts would be evil, we would not achieve anything.
(146) Therefore, we must firmly insist in our hearts and hold on to this doctrine, which holds our sin and condemnation against us. For such a knowledge of our sins is the beginning of our salvation, that we may simply believe in our sins.
to completely renounce ourselves and give God alone the glory of righteousness. For why else does Paul complain so much, Rom. 7, 18, and freely confess that there is nothing good in him, and says first of all: "in my flesh"? That we may understand that our naughtiness and harm is healed by the Spirit of God alone. If this is firmly established in the heart, then we have laid the foundation of our blessedness to a greater extent. For after this we have clear testimonies that God will not reject sinners, that is, those who recognize their sins, desire to repent, and thirst for righteousness or forgiveness of sins through Christ.
Therefore, we should take great care that we are not found among these Cyclopes who oppose God's word and boast of their free will and their own powers. For though we often stumble, fall and sin, yet the Holy Spirit, when we give way to Him with humble confession of our wickedness, will be with us and will not only not impute the sins we have recognized, but will cover them up by Christ's grace and abundantly grace us with other gifts, both of which are necessary for this and that life.
But the words of Moses himself should also be considered diligently; for here, out of certain counsel and concern, he has used a peculiar way of speaking, that he does not simply say: The thoughts of man are evil, but, "the writing of thoughts. And so he calls that what man is able to do in his thoughts or with his reason and free will in the very highest degree. For that is why he calls it a poem, that man conceives it with the highest diligence, chooses it, does it like a potter and considers it the most beautiful work of all. But this, he says, is evil, and not just once, but for all times; for without the Holy Spirit, reason is absolutely without all knowledge of God. But to be without the knowledge of God is to be ungodly, to live in darkness, and to think that the best is the worst.
But I am speaking here of the good in a theological way; for here a distinction must be made between the worldly and the theological.
logic. For God is pleased with the regiments even of the ungodly: He adorns and rewards the virtues even of the ungodly; but only as far as this life is concerned, and as far as reason, as outwardly and worldly good, understands it, but not as far as the future life is concerned.
(150) But when we discuss free will, we ask what it can do in a theological way, not what it can do in worldly things and in those that are subject to reason. And thus conclude that man without the Holy Spirit is simply godless before God, even if he were adorned with all the virtues of all pagans. As one truly finds in the pagan histories excellent examples of discipline, temperance, generosity, love for the fatherland, parents, children; item, examples of manliness, kindness etc. We also conclude that the very best thoughts of God, of God's will, of God's service are the very deepest darknesses. For the light of reason, which alone is given to man, understands no more than what is good for the body and does it good. But this is the corrupt love of pleasure.
Therefore, this saying should not be understood in the same general way as it is understood by Jews and Sophists, who think that it only speaks of the lower part of man, which is animal, but that reason drives and is inclined to the best: thus, it only draws the thoughts and thoughts to the other table, like the Pharisee who condemns the tax collector and says that he is not like the others, Luc. 18:11. He speaks good words, for he gives thanks to God, which is not evil: but we say that it too is evil and ungodly, for it comes most certainly from the lack of knowledge of God, and is really a prayer that becomes sin and serves neither God's glory nor man's blessedness.
Thus one sees that the philosophers in some places do not so foolishly disputing about God, about God's providence, through which God governs everything; and some seem to be so Christianly spoken that they almost make prophets out of Socrates, Xenophon, Plato etc. Prophets. But because they thus argue about it,
that they do not know that God sent His Son Christ for the salvation of sinners, then these delicious and beautiful disputations are the highest ignorance of God and vain blasphemy according to the opinion of this text, which briefly and roundly makes such a judgment that all thinking, striving, and intending of the human heart is absolutely evil.
For this reason he does not speak of sins alone before the Flood, but speaks of the whole nature, of the heart, reason and understanding of man, as he is when he pretends to be righteous and wants to be most holy: as the Anabaptists of today have such thoughts in mind, they want to live in such a way that they sin nothing everywhere, and imagine the most beautiful virtues in their thoughts. The reason is that if hearts are without the Holy Spirit, they not only have no knowledge of God, but are also naturally hostile to God. But how can that be other than evil that comes from ignorance of God and enmity?
But here this question is also discussed. Moses speaks thus: "The Lord saw that all the thoughts of man were evil"; item: "And it saved him that he had made man"; if God sees everything beforehand, how then does Moses speak here that he first saw it? Item, if God is wise, how can he repent of what he has made? Why did he not see this sin or corrupt nature of man from the beginning of the world? And why, then, does Scripture give God temporal will sight and counsel? Is not God's counsel eternal and that He cannot repent? The same is written in the prophet Jonah, Cap. 3, 4, where God threatens to punish the Ninivites, and yet forgives them when they repent. To such questions the sophists have nothing else to answer, except that they say that Scripture speaks in a human way, and that such things as seeing, repenting, etc., are attributed to God by a figure. Therefore they argue about two kinds of God's will, the will of the sign and the will of the good pleasure. The will of benevolence, they say, is steadfast and unchangeable; but the will of the sign is changeable; for he changes the signs when he wills. Thus he has the
Circumcision is taken away and baptism is instituted etc., since the will of God's good pleasure remains the same for all eternity.
(155) I do not condemn this opinion, but it seems more simple to me that the holy Scriptures speak according to the thoughts of men who are in the church office. Therefore, when Moses says that God sees him and repents of him, this truly happens in the hearts of those who are in the ministry of preaching.), "My Spirit will not continue to be a judge among men": since he does not speak of the Holy Spirit as he is in his own natural being, or of the divine majesty, but of the Holy Spirit who is in Noah's, Methuselah's and Lamech's hearts, that is, of the Spirit of God who is in the ministry and guides the word through the saints.
In this way God saw the wickedness of men and repented, that is, Noah, who had the Holy Spirit and was a minister of the Word, saw the wickedness of men and was moved to sorrow by the Holy Spirit when he saw it: as Paul also says Eph. 4:30.That the Holy Ghost is grieved in the saints by the wickedness of the wicked: For Noah being a faithful minister of the word, and an instrument of the Holy Ghost, it is rightly said that the Holy Ghost is grieved when Noah is grieved, and would rather that man were not at all, than that he were so wicked.
Therefore, it is not the opinion as if God had not seen this from eternity. He has seen everything from eternity. But just as the wickedness of men now manifests itself with full force, so God reveals it in the hearts of His servants or prophets. God is eternally firm and steadfast in his counsel, sees and knows all things, but he does not reveal this to the godly until his time, so that they may see it. This seems to me to be the simplest understanding of this text, and Augustine also agrees with it quite well.
But I always keep this rule, that I avoid, as much as I can, such questions as draw us up to the throne of the divine majesty. And it is much better to remain at the bottom of the manger of the Lord Christ,
who became man; for if one confuses himself with the Godhead, there is much danger.
But to this text belong others like it, in which God is painted as if he had eyes, ears, mouth, nose, hands and feet, as Isaiah Cap. 6, 1., Daniel Cap. 7, 13. and other prophets saw in their visions and revelations. For in such places the Scriptures speak of God no differently than of a man. Therefore, the anthropomorphites were condemned as heretics for having given the divine majesty the form of a man.
160 If the thoughts of the anthropomorphs were so crude, they were rightly condemned, for there is a manifest error in them. "For a spirit," says Christ Luc. 24:39, "hath not flesh and bones." But I am rather of opinion that I hold that the anthropomorphites thought as they would like to pretend the doctrine to the simple in a simple-minded form. For God is in His substance and essence quite unknowable and incomprehensible. We can also not actually say what he is, if we wanted to tear ourselves apart right away.
Therefore, God Himself condescends in such a form that we can grasp and comprehend Him, and He shows Himself to us in parables, as in covers, according to childish simplicity, so that He can be recognized by us to some extent. Thus the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove, Matth. 3, 16, not that he was a dove, and yet in such a coarse and simple form he wanted to be recognized, accepted and worshipped; for he was truly the Holy Spirit. So in this very place, although no one will say that the voice that comes down from heaven is God the Father, yet in this crude image, which was a human voice from heaven, he was accepted and worshipped.
162. that the Scriptures thus attribute to God the form, voice, works, and attributes of a man etc. not only serves to instruct the simple and the weak, but we great and learned people, who are versed in the Scriptures, must adhere to such rough parables, because God has presented them to us and made Himself known to us by means of
The angels also appear in human form, since one knows that they are only spirits. But we cannot recognize spirits when they appear to us like spirits, but we recognize the images.
This is the simplest way of dealing with such sayings. For what God is in His nature we cannot discuss, but what God is not we can discuss, namely, that He is not a voice, not a dove, not water, not bread, not wine. And yet He shows Himself to us in such visible forms, deals with us through them, puts these forms before us, so that we should not become erroneous and frivolous spirits, who may argue about God, but know nothing about Him, except that He cannot be comprehended in His mere majesty. And God sees that this way of understanding Him is impossible for us. "For He dwells," as the Scripture 1 Tim. 6, 16. says, "in a light where no one can come." Therefore he has presented such things to us, which we can comprehend and understand. Those who are based on these things take hold of God rightly, since those who boast of secret visions, revelations and illuminations and follow them are either suppressed by the Majesty or remain in the thickest darkness, so that they do not recognize God, Proverbs 4:19.
So the Jews also had their images, in which God showed Himself to them, as: the mercy seat, the ark, tabernacle, pillar of cloud and pillar of fire etc. For in the 2nd book of Moses Cap. 33, 20. God says: "No man shall live who beholds Me." That is why he presents his image to us, so that he shows himself to us in such a way that we can take hold of him. Thus, in the New Testament we have baptism, the sacrament of the altar, absolution and the ministry of preaching.
And such images are actually the will of the sign, as they are taught in the schools, into which we are to look if we want to know God's will. The other will, of pleasure, is the essential will of God or the mere majesty that is God Himself: there we should not turn our eyes, for it cannot be grasped. For in God there is nothing but divinity, and
His essence is the overflowing wisdom and almighty power, where reason cannot reach at all. And what God has willed with this will of benevolence, that he has seen from eternity.
166 But one should not inquire into this essential and divine will, but abstain from it altogether, as from the divine majesty, which is inscrutable, and which God has not presented to us in this life to know or to comprehend, but has wanted to wrap it up and show it to us in several images, as in baptism, word and sacrament. These are the divine images and the will presented in one sign, by which he acts with us according to our understanding: therefore one should look at these alone. But the will of the good pleasure is to be left aside; unless it be Moses, or David, or some other man equal and perfect to them. However, these also saw the will of the divine good pleasure in such a way that they did not take their eyes off the will that God reveals by signs.
Now the will of the sign is called the effect of God, when he goes out to us and acts with us through some external thing in which he has wrapped himself, which we can understand; as there is the word and ceremonies, which he himself has arranged. And this will, they say, is not omnipotent. For even if God commands us through the Ten Commandments what he wants to be done, it is not done. Thus Christ ordered his supper so that faith in God's mercy would be strengthened in us, Matth. 26, 28, and yet many use it for judgment, 1 Cor. 11, 29, that is, without faith.
Now I come back to the text. Moses says that the Lord saw the wickedness of men and repented him. The scholastics interpret this thus: He sees and repents of him, namely with the will of the sign and not of the good pleasure or essential will.
But we say that Noah's heart was moved by the Holy Spirit so that he understood that God was angry with man and wanted to destroy him. This opinion can be
and does not draw us into the disputations of the perfect power or majesty of God, which find the most dangerous thoughts and disputations, as I have seen in many. For first of all, such spirits are puffed up by the devil, so that they think they have the Holy Spirit, and despise the Word, even blaspheming it, and praising nothing else but spirit and visions.
This is the first degree of error, when people leave God, who has wrapped Himself in His images and become man, and seek mere God. But when the hour of judgment comes and they feel God's wrath and God judges and tests their hearts, the devil no longer blows them up; therefore they despair and die, for they walk in the mere sun and leave the screen and shade from the heat, Isa. 4, 6.
Therefore, let no one think of the mere Godhead, but beware of it, as of hell and of the highest temptations of the devil. And we should all diligently see to it that we remain with the signs in which God Himself has revealed Himself to us, namely, in His Son, born of the Virgin Mary, who lies among your cattle in the manger, in the Word, in Baptism, in the Lord's Supper and Absolution. For in these images we see and find the God whom we can tolerate and who comforts us, directs us to hope and makes us blessed. The other thoughts of the will of good pleasure or of the essential and eternal will kill and condemn us.
172 Although they do not actually call this will the will of good pleasure. For this is called the will of good pleasure, which the gospel indicates, and of which Paul says Rom. 12, 2: "That ye may prove which is the good, the acceptable, and the perfect will of God"; and Christ John 6, 40. 6, 40: "This is the will of God, that whoever sees the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life"; Matth. 12, 50: "He who does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother"; Matth. 3, 17: "This is My will.
dear Son, in whom I am well pleased." This will of grace is rightly and properly called the will of good pleasure and is the only counsel and remedy against this will of sign or good pleasure, which the scholastics discuss in the histories of the Flood and the Fall of Sodom.
For there is seen in both places a terrible wrath of God, against which hearts cannot endure without this will of grace alone, that they think that the Son of God was sent into the flesh to save us from sin, death and the tyranny of the devil.
This will of the divine good pleasure has been from eternity and has been revealed and shown in Christ and is a life-giving, friendly and loving will. That is why it alone should be called a pleasing will. But the good fathers pass by almost all the good promises and do not insist on them, so they could be called voluntas beneplaciti, that is, the will of good pleasure.
(175) Now that they teach and say that one should look at the will of the sign, they do well, but it is not enough. For when we look at the Ten Commandments, are we not terrified when we see and find our sins in them? If these terrible signs of divine wrath, which are also the will of the sign, are added to them, it is impossible for a heart to be uplifted and comforted if it does not look into the will of God's good pleasure (which we also call the will of God), that is, into the Son of God, who shows us the heart and the will of His Father in such a way that He is not angry with sinners, but has mercy on them for the sake of His Son. 14, 9: "Philip, he who sees me sees the Father."
Therefore, the Son of God, who became man, is that shell in which the divine majesty with all its gifts shows itself to us in such a way that there is no such poor sinner who may not come before God with certain confidence that he will receive forgiveness and grace. This is the only sight of the Godhead that can be seen in this life.
is easy and possible. Those who have departed in such faith will be enlightened by power from above on the last day, so that they will also see the divine majesty itself. But in this way we must come to the Father, who is Christ Himself, who will guide us safely and not deceive us.
The fact that the text says, "The Lord repented that he had made man on earth," I think is meant in the opposite sense, that God is not thinking of such a man on earth, who is subject to sin and death, but of a heavenly man, who is the master of sins and death. Such a man, he shows that he loves him, but the earthly man he is hostile and intends to destroy him.
And it grieved him in his heart.
178 Thus God repented that it grieved him in his heart. For here is the word azav, which he used above Cap. 3, 16, where he says: "You shall bear children with pain"; item Ps. 127, 2: "Bread with sorrow." But this way of speaking must be understood according to the scriptural habit, and not think that God has a heart or can feel pain; but when Noah's, Lamech's and Methuselah's spirit is grieved, the scripture says that God Himself is grieved. That we do not understand this sadness from the divine being, but from Noah, in whose heart the feeling of the wrath of God has worked and caused such sadness. For he feels with his father and grandfather through the revelation of the Holy Spirit in his heart that God is hostile to the world because of sin and wants to destroy it; therefore they are grieved because of such impenitence.
This is the simple and right understanding. For if you want to understand these words about the will of the divine being, that God has decreed and ordained it from eternity, it is a dangerous disputation, which can only be handled by spiritual people and those who are well tempted in temptations; as Paul was, who
But we want to stand down and stay with simplicity, since there is less danger involved, namely that Noah and the other fathers were grieved to the highest degree, since the Holy Spirit revealed such wrath of God to them. Such unspeakable groaning of pious people is attributed to God Himself, for it comes from His Spirit.
180 We will see an example of this sighing later, Gen 18:23, in Abraham, who let himself in for the Sodomites and stood for them like a wall, and did not let go of the matter until it had come to five righteous people. For no doubt the Holy Spirit filled Abraham's heart with many and innumerable sighs, whether he would serve the poor people, that they might be preserved. And what does not Samuel do for Saul? He cries and howls so long that God Himself must stop him and says to him: "How long will you suffer for Saul, whom I have rejected, so that he will not be king over Israel?" 1 Sam. 16, 1. So Christ, when He looks at the city of Jerusalem, which was to be destroyed in a few years because of sin, is moved and grieved, Luc. 19, 41.
181 And the spirit of prayer arouses such emotions in pious hearts. For where it is, it takes care of the needs and misfortunes of others, teaches, instructs and spares no effort, laments, sighs etc. Thus Moses 2 Mos. 32, 32. and Paul Rom. 9, 3. desire to be banished for their people.
And so the most holy man Noah, with his father and grandfather, is also distressed when he sees this terrible wrath of God. He does not rejoice in the harm and destruction of the whole human race, but is distressed and grieved to the utmost, while meanwhile the children of men live in the greatest security, laughing, rejoicing and mocking him to boot; as David also laments Ps. 109, 4: "For that I love them, they are against me; but I pray"; and Paul Phil. 3, 18: "I say with weeping." For what else can holy people do when the world does not want to resist and be converted?
And this is the constant form and shape of the true church, that it not only suffers, is humiliated and trampled underfoot, but also prays for those who afflict it, and seriously takes care of their danger and harm. On the other hand, the closer they are to their damnation, the more surely the wicked joke and rejoice. Therefore, when the hour of judgment arrives, God again plugs his ears so that he does not hear even his dear children when they plead and beg for the wicked; as Ezekiel Cap. 13:5 complains that no one can be found who will intercede for a wall for Israel, and says that such an office belongs especially to the prophets.
But it is impossible for the wicked to pray. For this reason, no one may avail himself of any prayer from our adversaries, the papists. But we pray for them and set ourselves up like a wall against the wrath of God; therefore they will undoubtedly receive through our tears and sighs whether they might want to repent.
A terrible example is that God did not spare the first world, since Noah, Lamech and Methuselah were placed between them as a wall. How will it be now, when there are no such walls, that is, when there is no church at all! For the same is always the wall against the wrath of God: therefore it grieves and sorrows, agonizes, prays, pleads, teaches, admonishes, because the hour of judgment is not yet present, but nevertheless very near. But what else can she do, when she sees that such service is in vain, but grieve fiercely for the sake of the ruin of the impenitent? And did this increase the heartache of the pious patriarchs, that they saw that a large number of their friends and relatives would perish at the same time.
And Moses could not have described such heartache better or more clearly than by saying that the Lord repented that he had made man. For above, Genesis 1:31, when he describes the condition of man, that he was made in the image of God, he says that God looked upon and considered all his works that he had made,
and they would all have been very good. Therefore, there God takes pleasure and joy in His creatures; but here He is of a different mind and says completely the opposite, namely, that He is grieved and it grieves Him that He created mankind.
Thus Noah and the other fathers were encouraged by the revelation of the Holy Spirit. For otherwise they would have remained with the thoughts of joy, and would have judged according to the first promise that God would have pleasure and delight in all his works. And they would not have thought that God's wrath could be so great that he would not only destroy all the human race, but also all the animals under heaven and on earth, which had not sinned, even the earth. For the earth, because of man's sin, did not remain as good after the Flood as it was before. Therefore some, as Lyra says, have written that through the Flood the earth above has gone down by the breadth of three hands. So truly the whole paradise was rejected and corrupted by it; so that we now live on an earth that is completely cursed, compared to how it was before the Flood after Adam's fall, which was also nothing compared to the goodness in which it was first created before sin.
Therefore the holy fathers saw such distress by the revelation of the Holy Spirit a hundred and twenty years before. But the wickedness of the world was so great that it forced the Holy Spirit to be silent; and Noah, without fear of the greatest danger, was not allowed to reveal such threats, but spoke of such wrath of God to his father, grandfather, wife and children. For the children of men have not been able to hear and tolerate such things any less than the papists can now suffer it to be said that they are the church of Satan and not of Christ. For they also boasted of their ancestors, and set the promise of the seed against Noah's preaching, and thought it an impossible thing that God should thus destroy all men.
189. so the Jews believed the prophets
and Christ Himself, because they thought they were God's people, because they had the Temple and worship. Nowadays, the Turks pride themselves on their victories, which they consider a reward for their faith and religion, that they believe in One God: but they consider us pagans, as if we believed in three gods. God, they say, would not give us so many victories, land and people, if he were not gracious to us and our religion did not please him. Just such a thought also blinds the papists. They see that they are sitting in the highest honors, that is why they consider themselves to be the church and are therefore not afraid of any threat of divine judgment. That is why it is a devilish argument and proof when people gloss over their sin with God's name.
190. But if God has not spared the first world and the lineage of the holy fathers, to whom the promise of the seed was proper, and if He has preserved the very smallest and least of the rest, Turks, Jews and Papists will boast of the name of God in vain. For God's word, says the prophet Micah Cap. 2:7, says good things to those who walk blamelessly: those who do not walk blamelessly, God's word is evil to them, and God threatens them and corrupts them, regardless of the fact that they bear the name of the church and are a great multitude. But the rest, which walk aright, he upholdeth: but the world cannot be persuaded of this.
The descendants of the patriarchs, who perished in the Flood, will undoubtedly have made a big deal of this proof of the majesty and dignity of the Church and accused Noah of blasphemy and lying. For to say that God wanted to destroy the whole world with the Flood is as much to say (they thought) as if one said that God was not merciful, was not a father, but a cruel tyrant. You say of God's wrath, Noah: is God such a one who has not promised help and salvation from sin and death through the seed of the woman? How can God's wrath devour the whole world? We are God's people and have excellent gifts from God that He would not have given us if He had been willing to be so swift and hostile.
to go with us. Thus, the wicked take upon themselves the promises of God, and because they insist on them, they despise and ridicule all threats.
192 But this is necessary and useful, that it be diligently considered, that we strengthen ourselves against such fears of the safety of the wicked. For the same thing that happened to Noah is happening to us. Our adversaries give themselves the name that they are God's people, having worship, grace and everything: again, they attribute to us everything that is devilish. If we now punish them and say that they are blasphemers and Satan's church, they rage against us with all kinds of cruel tyranny. Therefore we weep and wail with Noah, and commit our cause to the Lord, as Christ did on the cross (for what else can we do?).), and wait until God will once hold judgment on earth, and let it be seen that he loves the rest of those who fear him, and is hostile to the great multitude of impenitent sinners, however high and much they boast that they are the church, have promises and worship; as he has corrupted the whole first world and turned the promise of the SaMen to the poor and small rest of the multitude, as Noah and his children.
Fifth part.
How Noah alone was found righteous, and the whole earth corrupt.
V. 8. But Noah found grace in the sight of the Lord.
These are the words by which Noah was restored to life. For he would have had to die before such great wrath of the divine majesty, if God had not given him this promise that he wanted to preserve him. Although it is to be believed that even at that time, when he heard this promise, his faith was weak and challenged. For no one believes how fainthearted it makes one to regard God's wrath in this way.
194 Here again is a new way of speaking of the Holy Spirit, which Gabriel, the heavenly messenger, also uses, as he speaks to the young people.
Mary, Luc. 1, 30. says: "You have found favor with God. This way of speaking obviously excludes merit, and praises faith, by which alone we are justified before God, that is, pleasing to God and pleasing Him.
V. 9. 10. This is the generation of Noah: Noah was a godly man, and without change, and led a godly life in his days; and begat three sons, Shem, Ham, Japheth.
Here the Jews not only begin a new chapter, but also a new lesson. This text is a short history in which this patriarch Noah is especially praised and extolled, because the other children of God all fall and turn evil, he alone remains righteous and pious.
We must remember that there were many excellent men among the children of God who lived with Noah for some five hundred years. For before the Flood, people lived a very long time, not only as far as the children of God were concerned, but also as far as the children of men were concerned. Such people have come through so many years to excellent experience: because from their ancestors they have learned much, have also seen and experienced many things themselves.
197 Now that all these have become evil and corrupt, Noah stands there alone, a true miracle man, who steers neither to the left hand nor to the right, but keeps the right worship, keeps the right doctrine, and lives in the fear of God. Therefore, there is no doubt that the wicked and evil world must have been fiercely hostile to him and inflicted many plagues on him, mocking and ridiculing him: Are you alone wise? Is God pleased with you alone? and are we all wrong, or will we all be damned? Therefore the righteous and holy man had to conclude that the others would all err and be damned, but he alone would be preserved with his family. And even though he concluded this for himself according to the truth, it was still very difficult for him; therefore the holy man must have wrestled with such thoughts in many ways.
198. the wretched papists plague us now
and with this some argument that they say: Do you think that the fathers have all erred? And it is true, it is difficult to say so, especially of those who have been the best, as Augustine, Ambrose, Bernard, and the other whole bunch of the very best marbles, who have ruled the Church with the Word and have been adorned with the laudable name of the Church, whose work we love and honor.
In truth, however, St. Noah, who alone is praised as righteous and pious, was not reproached with anything more unbearable and severe, especially because the children of men also wanted to have the name of the church. They also, when the children of the fathers came to them, thought that Noah was mad and foolish with his own, that he followed a different doctrine and a different worship.
200. now people's life is the shortest of all, and yet we see how high human wit and understanding come; what do we think has happened since life was very long, since people's wit and understanding were also sharper and stronger? for now nature is much rougher and slower. And yet such excellent people, who were adorned with so many gifts, became blind and godless; as it is said afterwards, "All flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth." But Noah alone is righteous and pious.
201. These two words may be distinguished, if one wishes, so that Noah is called righteous for the sake of the first table, and pious for the sake of the other table. For he is called righteous by faith toward God, because he first believed the common promise of the seed of the woman; then he also believed the special promise made to him alone, namely, that the world would be destroyed by the flood and his family preserved. But he is called pious because he walked in the fear of God, diligently guarded against death and other sins, so that the wicked might defile themselves against their conscience, and did not mind so much offense from the most famous and wise people, who were most detrimental to appearance and reputation.
This has been a great virtue. For now it seems impossible to us that a man should set himself against the whole world and condemn all others as evil people, who also boast of the church, the word and worship, but he alone should consider himself God's child, pleasing to God. Therefore Noah is a real miracle man, and he boasts of his great courage to Moses by clearly saying: "He led a godly life in his time", as if he wanted to say: since the very worst and most perverse boys lived.
203. But above in Enoch's history I have said what it is to lead a godly life, namely, to lead God's cause publicly. For being righteous and pious is a testimony of a private virtue: but walking before God is a public thing, namely, leading God's cause before the world, acting God's word, teaching right worship etc. That Noah therefore was not righteous and pious for his person alone, but was also a confessor and constant preacher, who publicly taught others of God's promises and threats, did and suffered everything that a public person should do and suffer, in that very worst and most perverse time.
(204) If I had seen such great people in the generation of the wicked against me, I would have left my office out of despair. For no one believes how hard it is for a man to stand against all the churches that are one and hold one over another, and also against the judgment of the very best of friends, to condemn them, teach against them, live against them, and do everything. Which Noah did with marvelous constancy, who was innocent before men and did not forsake the cause of God alone, but boldly and undauntedly carried it out with violence among the very worst people, until it was said to him, "My Spirit shall judge no more among men." And the word "judge" or "to be a judge" finely indicates the attitude with which the wicked heard Noah when he preached to them.
205. and Peter interprets finely what it means to walk before God, as he 2. epist. 2, 5.
Noah calls a preacher of righteousness, not of men, but of God's righteousness, that is, of the righteousness of faith in the promised Seed. But what reward he received from the wicked for this preaching, Moses does not indicate, but is content to say that he preached righteousness and taught the right worship against the whole world, that is, against the best, holiest and wisest people. Therefore, God will have to prove many miraculous signs in him, so that the wicked did not betray him and strangle him. For now we see and experience how much anger, hatred and enmity a sermon preached to the people arouses; what do we mean that Noah had to suffer, who did not teach for a hundred or two hundred years, but for many more? except for the last hundred years, in which God no longer wanted anyone to continue preaching to the wicked, because it aroused them more and made them more and more angry.
206. Therefore, from the nature and character of the world and the devil, as well as from the apostles, prophets and our own experience, it is easy to see what an example of patience and virtue Noah was, who was righteous and blameless among the godless generation and lived a godly life before God, that is, he ruled the church with God's word, and after a hundred and twenty years, after which the world was to perish by the Flood, he took a wife after this terrible threat and begat children.
It is also to be believed that he will have gone through the whole world and taught and admonished everywhere about the right worship of God, and therefore, after he had been prevented by the greatest effort and work, he abstained from marriage because of great tribulation, as he waited daily for a better and more pious world. But when he saw that this hope had been in vain and had failed, and that God had indicated to him a certain time when the world would come to an end, he first thought, through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, to enter the marriage state, so that out of it he would be able to live for the rest of his life.
nliest seed would remain for the new world. So the holy man raised up the human race not only spiritually in the Word and righteous worship, but also bodily through childbearing.
(208) Therefore, just as a new church arose in Paradise before the flood through Adam and Eve, who believed the promise, so also a new world and a new church arose from Noah's marriage state, which is, as it were, a nursery of the world, which is to last until the last world and the last judgment.
209. But I have said above that the wicked were greatly offended at Noah's marriage and matrimony and made a mockery of it. For how does it add up that the world should perish in so short a time and yet Noah still beget children in his five hundredth year? They took this for a certain proof that the world would not perish by the Flood. Therefore they have also begun to live more freely and boldly and to despise all threats in the highest security; as Christ says Matth. 24, 38: "In Noah's time the people ate and drank" etc. For the world does not understand God's counsel and will.
But how the sons of Noah were born one after another, I have said above. Japheth was the firstborn, but Shem was born two years after Noah began to build the ark, Ham also two years after. This is not clear enough, but it is diligently indicated by Moses.
V. 11. But the earth was corrupt in the sight of God and full of iniquity.
Here Lyra disputes, perhaps from what the rabbis understand, that also the birds and other animals have left their nature and have mixed with various species. But I do not believe it. For in the animals the creation or nature remains as it was created. They have not fallen through sin, as man has, but they were created for this bodily life alone. That is why they do not hear the word and are not concerned with it.
the laws of the first and other tablets; therefore these words alone shall be understood of man.
The fact that the animals also bore the punishment of sins and were destroyed at the same time as man by the Flood was because God wanted to destroy man completely, not only with body and soul, but also with possessions, goods and dominion, so that he was created. As there are examples of similar punishments in the Old Testament; Dan. 6, 24. Daniel's enemies were thrown into the lions' den with their wives, children and the whole household. This is also what happened in Numbers 16:32 when Korah, Dathan and Abiram were swallowed up by the earth. Christ also says the same thing in the Gospel of Matthew 18:25 about the king who called the servant to be sold with his wife, children and all that he had.
In the same way, not only men but also all their goods were destroyed by the Flood, so that it would be a full and complete punishment of sins. For the beasts of the earth and the fowls of the air were created for man, and are the goods and chattels of man. Therefore, the animals perished with them, not because they sinned, but because God wanted to corrupt man in and with what he had on earth.
214. But Moses clearly adds these words: "The earth was corrupt in the sight of God", so that he indicates that Noah himself was considered and regarded as a foolish and vain man in the sight of his world: on the other hand, the world considered itself to be the most righteous and holy, and thought that it had just and sufficient cause to persecute Noah, especially as far as the first table and the service were concerned. For the other table also has its color and glitter, but is not to be compared with the first. An adulterer, thief or murderer may remain hidden for a time, but not forever: but the sins of the first table generally remain secret and hidden under the appearance of holiness until God reveals them. For what is ungodly
The one who is godless never wants to be godless or thought to be godless, but strives to be praised as godly and holy, and decorates his services in such a way that proper worship and religion is a stink and filth in comparison.
The word schichet, to destroy, is very common and apparent in the holy scriptures. Moses also uses it in 5. B. Cap. 31, 29: "I know that after my death ye shall perish, and go out of the way which I have commanded you." And David, Ps. 14, 3: "They are all corrupt, and all unfit." But in both places it is actually spoken of the sins of the first table, that is, those are punished who, according to appearance, are the most holy, because they have false worship and false doctrine. Now it is impossible that where there is false doctrine, ungodly life should not follow.
216] Because Moses says that the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, he clearly shows and contrasts that the hypocrites and tyrants considered Noah to be one who did not do anything right, but again they taught and did what was right and holy. But the contradiction, says Moses, is true: "The earth", that is the whole world or all men, "was corrupt", that is, as far as the first table was concerned; for they had no right word, no right worship. This distinction between the first and second table is very pleasing to me and is undoubtedly indicated by the Holy Spirit.
217 But the fact that Moses adds, "The earth was full of iniquity," indicates that it is always the case that where the word is lost, faith is extinguished, and instead of the right services of God, the statutes of men and self-chosen spirituality, as St. Paul Col. 2:8, 23 calls it, follow there also iniquity, injustice and a shameful life.
218 The word chamas, sacrilege, actually means great violence and injustice, as where all law and equity is suspended and everyone may do as he pleases, and everything is done not with justice but with violence. If this has been their life (one might say), how then have they been able to retain the appearance or prestige of holiness and righteousness?
tivity? Answer: Do you have such examples of the present lines before your eyes? For what has the world ever seen more cruel than the Turks? and yet they adorn all their cruelty and tyranny with the name of God and religion.
Thus the popes have not only taken to themselves all the goods of the world, but have also made the church full of great errors, blasphemies and false doctrine, live in shameful fornication, separate the hearts of lords and princes from each other when they want, and help to war and much bloodshed: and yet they rightly want to have the name of the holy of holies by force, boast themselves as governors of Christ and St. Peter's successors.
Thus, under the name of holiness, the church and true religion, etc. is the highest sacrilege and violence. Since someone speaks against it, he must soon be banished and condemned as a heretic and enemy of God and the church. After the Roman popes and their followers, there is no nation that insists and defies religion and justice more than the Turks. Christians despise them as idols, but they consider themselves the most holy and wise. But what is their life and religion but eternal murder, robbery, stealing and other abominable gross sins?
Therefore the examples of the present time show us how these two things, which are not otherwise comparable, can nevertheless stand and walk together, namely, that with the highest religion are the highest abominations, and with the appearance of righteousness the highest violence and injustice. And is this also the cause that people become so obdurate and sure of themselves, nor of the punishment they have earned with their sins.
V. 12. Then God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.
222. because the wrath of God is great, and now there is the destruction of all flesh, except eight men, Moses describes this history somewhat more extensively and
This is repeated often, but it is not in vain, but has its emphasis. Earlier (v. 11) he said that the earth had been corrupted: here he says, as if in an ordinary court case, that God had seen this and intended to punish. He thus paints, as it were, the order that God is wont to keep when he does something.
At the present time, spiritual people can rightly judge the pope to be the Antichrist and to rage against the Word and the kingdom of the Lord Christ. But even those who recognize and judge this ungodly nature cannot change it or defend themselves against it. For ungodliness increases day by day, and contempt for godliness grows day by day. Then they think: What is God doing? Why does He not punish His enemy? Is He asleep and no longer cares for the world? For the pious are offended by the fact that God is so lenient with His judgment; for they themselves can do nothing to help the poor religion, and they see that God, who is well able to do so, looks through the fingers of the raging and blustering of the popes, who at the same time surely sin against the first and the other table.
Noah also sees that the world has become full of injustice. Therefore he whimpers and sighs to heaven to awaken God from his sleep to judgment, as it were; as such sighs and lamentable words are many in the Psalms: Ps. 10, 1: "Lord, why are you so far away?"; Ps. 13, 2: "Lord, how long?"; Ps. 9, 14: "Lord, look upon us, look upon our affliction"; Ps. 7, 7. 9. 10: "Arise, Lord, and judge my cause" etc.
Therefore it finally comes to pass, as Moses indicates here, that God sees it and hears the cry of the saints, who can indeed judge the world (for "the spiritual judges everything," 1 Cor. 2:15), but cannot make it better. For when the ungodly is adorned with the appearance of holiness, it cannot be punished at all, nor can it be made better; just as tyranny, when adorned with the appearance of righteousness and prudence. For it is not new that those who take another's wife, daughters, house, land and property by force are still just and holy people.
as I have also said above about the papacy.
226. therefore this is the other degree, that after the saints of the wager have seen and judged ungodly beings, God also sees the same: as he says afterwards Gen. 19, 13. of Sodom: "The cry of Sodom has come up to me", and above Cap. 4, 10. of Abel: "The voice of your brother's blood cries out to me." But before God sees it, there is always the groaning and sighing of the pious. But before God sees it, the groans and sighs of the pious always precede it. This is what Moses wants to indicate here by the word: "God saw," namely, that God had finally seen the affliction of the saints and had heard their cry, that finally heaven had become inches; so that God, who until now had posed as if He saw nothing, and who seemed as if He were helping the wicked to advance, awoke as if from a sleep. He had probably seen everything much earlier than Noah, because he sees into the hearts and cannot be deceived by false appearances of holiness, as we are: but now that he intends to punish, Noah only feels that he sees it.
227 Today we are also plagued by the greatest and most outrageous wickedness. For our adversaries, out of pure courage, condemn the known and known truth, stand at our necks, and shed the blood of the saints out of diabolical nonsense; and yet, they advocate such public blasphemies, robbery and murder against the kingdom and the name of God, that they themselves cannot deny it, as if it were the highest righteousness. Because they fight for their tyranny, to preserve it, they also measure themselves against the name of the church. But what else can we do here but cry out to God that he will sanctify his name and not let his kingdom be destroyed, nor his fatherly will be hindered?
But the Lord is still asleep and does not yet see such great ungodly beings, for he does not yet indicate that he sees them, but leaves us tormented and tortured with the most horrible spectacles. That is why we are still in the first degree, and may be able to escape from this
In our time it may well be said here: "The whole earth was ruined. But the other degree will also come in its time, so that we can conclude with certain confidence that not only we, but also God sees so great an ungodly life and is hostile to it. For although God, according to His patience and longsuffering, long feigns not to see many things, He will nevertheless exalt His title, that He will judge the earth with righteousness, Ps. 96, 13.
229) How hard and difficult such delay is for the pious is shown by the complaints of Jeremiah Cap. 12, 1. ff. and 20, 7. ff. For in them the holy man comes so far through impatience that he blasphemes God, until finally it is said to him that the king of Babylon will come and punish the unbelieving despisers. Then Jeremiah sees that God looks on earth and is a judge in it.
The following saying is very frightening, in which it is generally said that all flesh on earth has corrupted its way, and since God has looked upon the children of men, he has not found either among the oldest, nor among the youngest fathers, whom he could have delivered from corruption and remedied. This is even more terrible to hear, if one thinks a little more and more diligently about the first world, and does not value it out of the wretched rest that we still have. For as everything that grows out of the earth was better and more delicious then: so we may think that the majesty and splendor of our princes, and the appearance of holiness and wisdom of the popes, are nothing compared with the appearance of godliness, righteousness, and wisdom that was in the first world among illustrious men. And yet the text says that all flesh has corrupted its way, except for the one Noah with his children, that is, they were all godless people and lived in idolatry and false religion, but hated the right worship with the promises of the seed, persecuted their preacher Noah, who proclaimed and proclaimed forgiveness of sins through the given seed, and threatened with eternal damnation those who would not believe in it.
Sixth part.
How God decided to punish the first bet; how He commanded Noah to build the box and made a covenant with him.
V. 13. Then God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is full of their iniquity; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
After Noah and his people had long cried out and complained about the wickedness of the world, God finally showed that he would also see and punish the same wickedness. In our time we also hope for this outer trial or degree; and there is no doubt that there will be some to whom the future destruction of the world will be revealed; unless that same destruction will be the last day and the last judgment, which I wish and desire. For we have seen enough calamities in this short and evil time of our life: ungodly people adorn their shame and vices with the name of holiness and righteousness; as also happened in Noah's time. Therefore we must not wait for repentance or conversion. Since it came to this degree in Noah's time, a final judgment is pronounced, which the Lord indicated above, saying that his spirit should no longer be a judge, and that it repented him that he had made man.
But reason cannot believe nor fully understand this anger. For behold, how this text is not at all like what is said above. Above, Genesis 1:31, we heard that God had seen all that he had made, and it was very good; he had also blessed men and animals to multiply; he had subjected the earth and all its goods to man: Man subjected the earth and all the goods of it; and which is the greatest, he gave him: also a promise of the seed of the woman and eternal life: has thus not only appointed the household government and police, but also a church.
done. How is it then that the first world, which was founded by the Word, as Peter 2 Epist. 3, 5. 6. was founded, is therefore destroyed by water?
Therefore, there is no doubt that the children of men, when Noah preached about the future and general destruction, reproached him with all these things, and publicly blamed him for lying, namely, that the household government, the police and the church were appointed by God, so that God would not completely reverse, abolish and destroy His order and statutes; so that man would be created to multiply and to beget children and to rule on the earth, therefore he would not be destroyed by the water.
234 As the papists urge us with this argument, Christ will be with his church until the end of the world, Matth. 28, 20, and they will not overcome the gates of heaven, Cap. 16, 18. They boast and proclaim this with their mouths full, and think that it is impossible that they should sink. The little ship of Peter, they say, may suffer a little trouble and sway through impetuosity, but it cannot be sunk and subdued by the waves.
Such security and defiance existed even before the Flood, and yet we see that the whole world has been corrupted. They boasted that God's ordinances were eternal, and that God had never again abolished or completely changed what he had once created. But see how it has gone out, and you will find that they have failed, but Noah alone was true.
236 Where the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit does not come, it is impossible that a man should not be overcome by this argument. For will you not make God unstable and fickle if you conclude that He wants to destroy His creatures completely? And yet God reveals this to Noah himself, that he will not let the end come upon a part of the flesh or of the earth, but upon all flesh and upon the whole earth. For would it not be terrible enough if one part of the earth, after three were made of it, were threatened with its destruction? But over
The fact that the whole earth and all people are raging so cruelly can be seen as contrary to God's order and opinion, who said that everything is very good. Therefore, this is higher than human reason can understand or comprehend.
But what is the cause of such great wrath? None other, because of it here the text says that the world is full of iniquity. How is this such a strange cause? He says nothing about the first tablet, but only refers to the other. As if he wanted to say, "I do not want to say anything about me, that they are hostile to my name and word, blaspheme and persecute; they themselves live among themselves in all disgrace, neither the house government nor the police are ordered rightly; but everything is done by force, but nothing by law and justice. Therefore I will destroy both men and earth.
Thus we see in our time that our Lord God does not yet allow Himself to be angered by the abominable abuse of the mass, which has been a terrible abomination and has filled the whole world, as well as by false doctrine and other sins and vices that have been taken for religion. But because the people live among themselves in such a way that neither the police nor the home rule works properly; item, because so great avarice, so many kinds of deceitfulness and injustice are so rampant: so everyone must see and conclude that God will urge and force Germany to punish, even to completely turn back.
This is full of grace and love, that God complains more about the evil and violence, so that His members are pressed and weighed down, than about what happens to Him. For here we see that he is silent about it, since he threatens not only mankind but the whole earth with destruction.
240 For by the flood both things happened: First, man's strength became weak and low; and second, much of his goods, together with the earth, departed. For the fruits that grew on the trees afterward were not at all like the former; but before the flood the grapes were better than afterwards melons, citrine apples, or poppies.
merances. Thus the pears were more delicious and nobler than now and the spices. It is also credible that there was more strength in a man's finger than in his whole arm. Thus reason and wisdom were far more excellent; but because of sin God not only punished man, but also his goods and dominion, so that this wrath might be a lesson and warning to the world to come. But how does this destruction come about? So it happens that God takes the water and destroys everything everywhere. Now it is known with what violence this element is wont to rage; and although the air is also harmful and poisonous, it does not always poison the trees and roots. The water, however, not only tears everything down, not only uproots the trees, but also takes much from the earth and changes the soil, so that even the most fertile fields are spoiled by salty earth and sand, Ps.
107, 34. So this has been as it were a destruction of the first world.
But the present world will be afflicted by another punishment, as the colors in the rainbow indicate. For the lowest color, which is apparently recognizable and has a certain stroke, is water color. In the Flood, the waters raged in such a way that the punishment nevertheless had its number and dimensions, and the earth, after the sinners were destroyed, was again given to the rest of the pious people for their dwelling. But the outermost ring of the rainbow, which encompasses far and has no ended place, is fire color, by which element the whole world is to burn. But this destruction will be followed by a better world, which will remain eternally and serve the pious. This can be seen as if God had painted it in the rainbow.
V. 14 Make thee a box of fir wood, and make chambers therein, and pitch them within and without.
First of all, God thinks about how to preserve the small remnant that is begotten from the small seed, the three sons of Noah.
For Noah did not father more children. This is a great indication of God's mercy toward those who walk in His ways.
Some understand the word for a spruce, some for a fir, some for a cedar tree; therefore it is difficult to guess what it actually is. But it seems that such wood is chosen for the box either because it is light, or because it is fat and sticky, so that it could float on the water more easily and the water would pass through it less.
244 Kinim are called nests or chambers and different oerters according to various kinds of animals; for bears, sheep, deer, horses etc. have not lived in one place with each other, but each species has had its own special chamber or container.
But what bitumen, which we call pitch, was for a thing, I don't know. In our country, the ships are plugged with bitumen and tow. Pitch is used against water, but it burns easily. But we don't have such glue, which could last in the water; that's why I don't mind that some take it for pitch.
But here one might ask: Why does God command everything so specifically and diligently, since it was enough ordered that Noah should make a box? For how a dinah is to be built and what kind of space belongs to it, reason sees well for itself, as many magnificent works of the builders testify. Why then did God teach Noah so diligently about the length, width and height of the box and how he should build it? So that after Noah does everything according to what God tells him and prescribes (as Moses built the Tabernacle according to the pattern from the mountain), he can believe all the more strongly and surely that God wants to preserve him and his people, and that he cannot mistrust the work and the building that God Himself tells him how to build. This is the reason why God commands him to do everything so diligently and carefully.
V.15. And make it so: three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high.
Here we have a beautiful exercise from geometry and arithmetic about the shape and size of the box, of which the teachers have judged in many ways. Some write that the shape was quadrangular; some that it was attached at the top, as almost all our houses in Europe are. But I believe that it was square. For the Orientals knew nothing of pointed buildings and lived in square ones; as can be seen from the Gospel Marci Cap. 2, 4. that they walked on the roofs; and was almost so also the figure of the temple.
248 After that, there is also a dispute about the difference of the chambers and about the upper, middle and lowest place (because the text says about such division and difference), which part each kind of the animals inhabited. But of it one can say nothing certain. But it seems to be credible that Noah had the uppermost place with the birds, the middle one the clean animals and the lowest one the unclean ones. Although the rabbis say that the lowest place was used to collect the filth. But I think that the dirt and filth were thrown out of the window. For after such a bunch of animals has been in the box for more than a year, the filth has to be carried out.
249 And Augustine also states this from Philo against Faustus, that according to geometrical calculation the box had the proportion of the human body. For if a man lies on the earth, his body is ten times longer than it is high, but six times longer than it is wide. So three hundred cubits are six times fifty and ten times thirty cubits.
250 This is then applied to the body of the Lord Christ, that is, to the church, which has one door, that is, baptism, through which both the clean and the unclean enter. Although the church is small, it rules the world and will preserve the world for its sake, just as the unclean animals are preserved in the box. The others also drew it upon the body of the Lord Christ, which had a wound in the side, as the chest had a window. But although
Although these are not particularly artificial allegories, they are harmless and there is nothing erroneous about them; they can also be used outside of debate to emphasize and decorate the text.
V. 16: You shall make a window on the top of it, one cubit wide. You shall put the door in the middle of its side. And it shall have three bottoms, one at the bottom, the other in the middle, the third in the height.
Behold, how diligent a master builder God is, and how He actually prepares and orders all the oerths of the building. The word zohar does not actually mean a window, but midday light. And is asked here: whether there was not more than one window in the box, or their more? Because in this language it is usual that one understands many, if one says of one. As: "I will destroy man from the earth"; here God does not speak of one, but of many people. But methinks it was only one window, through which man's dwelling had light.
The Latin text is very obscure, so that one cannot understand what he who translated it meant. And I think it is entirely likely that he was guided by the figure of a ship, as they are now, so that the people usually sit in the lower parts. So one cannot understand what he says about the door, since one knows for certain that there was a window a cubit wide in the upper part and a door in the middle of the side of the box; just as Eve was created in the middle of the man's body. But the whole building had three layers or differences, the uppermost, the middle and the lowermost, and the uppermost chamber or difference had light from the day through the window.
But one might say, What kind of window must it have been, or how could it have remained in such constant and violent rain? For it did not rain there, as it usually rains, because within forty days the waters had risen and increased so that they were fifteen cubits high above all the mountains. That is why the Jews say that the same window was filled with water.
The stable was closed, so that the light went in. But it seems to me to be in vain that one would particularly care about it or ponder about it, because therefore godliness or the kingdom of Christ is in no danger, if we cannot know some things of this area, which has been the work of God. Although I do not see what is dark in this, so you understand that the window was in the upper layer in the side.
It is certain that the door was thirteen or fourteen cubits high from the ground, for the box stood and walked in the water for ten cubits; for it carried a great load, namely all kinds of animals and food, more than was needed for more than a year. This is enough of the simple and crude form of the box. For without the width and height, Moses shows nothing more than that it was three-layered and had a door and a window.
Other innumerable questions we want to leave here: as, what they had for air in the box? For such a large body of water must undoubtedly have given off a great and noxious stench, especially as it fell. Where did they draw the water they used? For no water can be kept fresh and pure for a whole year. Therefore, for the sake of fresh water, the sailors often had to go to nearby harbors. How did they manage to scoop out the basic soup, which stinks so badly?
256 We will leave such and such incidental things, which are common and customary to shipmen, because otherwise there is no end to the questions; and we will be satisfied with this narration of the text, namely, that it seems credible that bears, lions, tigers, and other wild animals were kept in the box below. In the middle, however, stood the tame animals, and with which it has been to deal, at the same time with the victims, which one can not keep in places, in which no desire goes at all. In the first place, however, were the people with the domestic animals and birds. We should be satisfied with this.
V.17. Then, behold, I will cause a flood of water to come upon the earth, to destroy all flesh under heaven in which there is a living breath. Everything that is on earth shall perish.
Above he threatened the human race in general that it should perish; here he indicates in which way it should happen, and that he wants to use a new punishment for it and to destroy everything by the deluge. The world did not know anything about this punishment until this day. For as can be seen from the prophets, pestilence, famine, war and wild animals are common punishments. By pestilence men and cattle die; so by war the earth is destroyed; for those who are to build it are taken away. But whether theurung or hunger does not seem so cruel, it is nevertheless the most miserable misery and distress. We know almost nothing of the fourth plague in our country. Although any one of these plagues would have been sufficient for the punishment of the human race alone, God has yet sent a new punishment upon the first world, so that all flesh in which there is breath would be destroyed.
258 And because this punishment was unheard of before, the wicked believed in it all the less. For they thought: If God is angry, can he not punish the disobedient with sword or pestilence? For through the Flood the other animals would also be destroyed, which have not sinned. God will certainly have none of the world to do in mind.
259 But that he might tear such unbelief out of the heart of Noah and the other God-fearers, he repeats twice the pronoun I, and says: "I, I will cause to come. Then he declares that he will destroy all flesh that is under heaven and on earth. For here he takes out the fish, whose strength and power is increased by water. Therefore these words belong to it, so that thereby God's great wrath is indicated, by which humans lose not only body and life, but also their rule over the whole world.
V. 18. I will establish a covenant with you, and you shall go into the casket with your sons, with your wife, and with your sons' wives.
This consolation was indicated by Moses when he said that Noah had found grace with the Lord. And this was necessary not only so that Noah would not despair in such a terrible wrath of God, but also so that his faith would be started over this punishment, which was to pass horribly through the whole world. For no one could easily believe that the whole human race would be destroyed. Therefore the world considered Noah to be the most foolish of men to have believed this, and laughed at him for it, and no doubt had strange and various sayings about his building. In order that his heart might be started in such great distresses, God spoke to him so often and now also remembers the covenant.
But the teachers ask: What kind of covenant was this? and Lyra answers thus: that God had made him a promise that he would protect and defend him from the godless people who had threatened him with death. Burgensis, however, says that this covenant should rather be understood from the dangers in the water, in which God wanted to protect and preserve him. Some think that it means the covenant of the rainbow, which God made with Noah afterwards.
But in my opinion he speaks of the spiritual covenant or of the promise of the seed, which should crush the serpent's head. Which covenant also the tyrants had; but since they abused it for the sake of hope and godlessness, they fell out of it; as afterwards the Jews lose their gifts and perish, since they take carnal thoughts from God, from the law, worship and temple. But God assures Noah of this covenant, so that he will certainly conclude and believe that Christ will be born from his family, and that God, in His great wrath, will nevertheless bring a multitude of people together for the sake of His people.
The church is the only church in the world that can remain a church. Thus, this covenant includes not only the physical protection and protection, of which Lyra and Burgensis speak, but also eternal life.
263 Therefore this is the opinion: These hopeful despisers of all threats and promises shall be punished by me. For first of all I will take away from them the protection and confidence which they have in my covenant, that they may perish without all covenant and grace. But the same covenant will I give thee, that thou shalt be preserved not only from the power of the waters, but also from death and everlasting damnation.
But he expressly says: "with you", and names neither sons nor wives, whom he also wanted to receive, but names only Noah, from whom this promise of the seed came to his son Shem. Therefore this is the other promise of Christ, which is taken from all other Adam's children and attributed to the one Noah and promised.
After that, this promise was made clearer and clearer, and God went with it, as it were, from the lineage to the species, and then from the species to the individual person. For from the whole lineage of Abraham the promise came to the one David, from David to Nathan, from Nathan to the one virgin Mary (who was like a dead stem or root of Jesse), in whom this promise or covenant is completed and fulfilled. And because there was such a great unspeakable wrath of God, this establishment of the covenant was very necessary.
266 But here also the special profession is to be noted, since God says: "You shall go into the box with your sons" etc. For without this special profession, they would never have been so bold as to go into it.
How terrible it is that out of the whole human race only eight persons are chosen to be preserved! and yet Ham, the third son of Noah, is rejected, who is counted and named here by the mouth of God among the elect and the saints; yes, he is also protected with the others.
and preserved, and is in no other position than his father Noah. For if he had not believed and called at the same time as him, and had not feared God, he would certainly not have been preserved in the box; and yet he is rejected afterwards.
Here the sophists argue about election or providence, which happens according to God's purpose. But I have often warned against abstaining from thoughts and speculation about mere majesty. For just as it is impossible for such thoughts to be right and true, so they do not serve salvation at all; rather, we should think of God as He reveals and offers Himself to us in the Word and the Sacraments, and should not draw such examples from the secret providence by which God decides and orders everything in Himself from eternity; for we cannot attain to this with our thoughts and hearts, and see that they conflict with the revealed will.
(269) What then shall we (someone might say) conclude and think of such examples? Answer: Nothing else, except that they are prescribed for us to put the fear of God in us; and we are not to think that we cannot fall again out of God's grace and mercy, which we have once received; as Paul also admonishes in 1 Cor. 10:12: "Whoever lets himself think that he is standing may well see that he does not fall. Therefore we are to use such examples to humble ourselves, and not to exalt ourselves, or to be slothful in that which we have received; but to stretch ourselves toward that which is before, as Paul says to the Philippians in 3 Cap. V. 13, and not to think as if we had received everything in full, 1 Cor. 4, 7.
270 For our enemy is evil, very swift and fierce, but we are weak and carry this great treasure in earthly vessels, 2 Cor. 4:7. Therefore we should not boast as if we were freed from all danger, but sigh to God as if we were in the greatest danger, because we see that such holy people have fallen again by safety from the grace received and long possessed. Thus one disputes from such examples with benefit: the
but despise such things and pursue the high things of the providence according to God's purpose, they themselves drive their hearts to despair, which are already inclined to it by themselves.
Seventh Part.
Of the animals and of the food that Noah took into the box; likewise of Noah's obedience.
V. 19, 20: And thou shalt put into the box every kind of beast of all flesh, a pair of each, male and female, that they may live with thee. Of the birds after their kind, and of the cattle after their kind, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind; of them all a pair shall go in unto thee, that they may live.
Here, however, a dispute arises, as it is wont to do when one looks at the histories according to usage and other accidental things. For here it seems as if the text is contrary to each other, because here it is said of a pair, but afterwards in the beginning of the 7th chapter of seven and seven. After that Lyra quarrels with one whom he calls Andrew, and who meant that Noah had decided fourteen animals in the box, because here it is written: "Take to you seven and seven each of the pure cattle. I agree with Lyra, who says that Noah took seven of each kind into the box, three males and three females, and then the seventh, which was also a male, which Noah could have used for sacrifice.
272 Now that the text says that Noah put into the box a pair of each kind, this must be understood only of the unclean; as such is enforced by the 7th chapter. For there must have been a greater number of clean animals; seven of each kind were put into the box.
But here we must say something about the difference between these words: living animals,
Animal and cattle. Although these words are often used without distinction, the Scriptures also use them with distinction at times: as in Genesis 1:24, "The earth brings forth living creatures. V. 24: "The earth brings forth living creatures"; item V. 20: "The waters are filled with living creatures. There it is a general designation, by which is meant everything that lives on earth and in the water. It includes chajah, remes, behemah, although one is often used for the other without distinction.
274 Moses calls the cattle here behemoth, but the four animals, Ezekiel Cap. 1, 5, are summarized under the name chajoth, which word actually means wild animals, as we call them, which do not eat hay or anything else that grows from the earth, but eat meat, as there are lions, bears, wolves, foxes. Behemoths are animals that live on the hay and herbs of the earth, as sheep, oxen, deer, roe deer.
Remes is everything that creeps and walks, and this word comes from ramas, which means to tread. And if we compare ourselves to the birds, we are also remasim; for we also walk and tread the earth, like the dogs and other animals. But actually by this are meant the animals that tread and do not raise their heads. For the animals that crawl and which we therefore call reptiles, that is, crawling animals, have a special name, and are called scherazim, as is evident from the 3rd book of Moses, and this word comes from scharaz, that is, to move, and is subsequently placed in the 7th chapter, v. 8. The little word oph is known and means a bird.
This is the difference between these words or names, although, as I said, it is not observed in some places. But all this is not to be referred to any other time than to the time after the Flood; otherwise it would follow that such wild and cruel beasts would also have existed in Paradise. However, let no one doubt that before the sin, because man was commanded to rule over all the animals on earth, there was unity not only among men, but also among the wild animals with man.
277 Although it can be clearly proved from the first chapter that the wild animals were created together with the others, their kind and nature were changed for the sake of man's sin, so that those who should have been tame and harmless animals are now wild and harmful after sin. This is my opinion; although we cannot indicate and conclude anything certain about the life before sin, because we have lost it; we can, however, make up stories and make assumptions about it.
But one might say: If the nature of animals is thus changed for the sake of sin, how was Noah able to conquer the animals, especially the wild and cruel ones? A lion can certainly not be forced, as well as tigers and leopards and what are more such monstrous and strong animals. To this, one answers that the animals have miraculously gathered in the boxes, and this seems to me also credible. For if they had not been forced by God's command to go into the box, even though Noah had to use special skill to do so, he could not, as a man, have been so strong that he could have forced such wild animals. And the text indicates both of these things; for first he says, "Thou shalt put them into the box"; then he says, "Of them all, a pair each shall go in to thee." If this had not happened miraculously, there would have been many more of them than pairs and seven.
That they therefore find themselves with pairs and with seven of themselves is a miracle and a sign that they have noticed the wrath of God and the terrible misery that was to come. Just as even unreasonable animals have a certain foreboding and foreknowledge of future changes and accidents and, as if moved by compassion, often whimper over a human being who is in obvious danger. As is seen in dogs and horses, which understand their masters' danger and give signs that they feel the same, the dogs with whimpering, the horses with great trembling and sweat. Yes, it is not uncommon for wild animals to take refuge in people in danger.
If there is otherwise such a feeling and sensation in the unreasonable nature, what wonder is it that they willingly gather to Noah here, after they are warned in such a way by God of the future danger? For the text indicates that they came willingly: as history testifies and experience proves, that when either vestilence or a great war is present, the wolves, the very wildest animals find, fall not only into the villages, but also sometimes even into the cities and have refuge in man and seek, as it were, their help with humility.
V 21 And thou shalt take unto thee all manner of meat that is eaten; and thou shalt gather it unto thee, that it may be food for thee and for them.
Because the flood was to last for a whole year, it was necessary for Noah to be reminded by the Lord to gather food from the herbs and fruits of the trees, so that men and other animals could live. Although there was a great wrath, so that everything that grew and came from the earth had to perish and be destroyed, God's goodness shines forth even in such a terrible accident, that he makes provision for man and other animals, so that they are preserved and through their preservation the species are preserved. But just as the chosen animals, in order that they might be preserved in the box, were strong and healthy, so also by God's providence they had such food as was convenient to their nature.
And as far as man is concerned, it is known that at that time he did not use meat for food, but only plants of the earth, which were far better before the Flood than they are now, after the earth is very spoiled by the salty water.
Therefore, one sees and feels God's providence here, by which counsel the wicked are punished, but the pious are preserved. But it is astonishing that because God punishes the wicked, he does not destroy the whole of nature, but graciously preserves it.
Providence does so that seed is preserved for the world to come.
284. But if God could have easily preserved Noah and the animals through a whole year without food, as He did Moses, Ex. 24, 18, Cap. 34, 28, Elijah, 1 Kings 19, 8, and Christ, Matth. 4, 2.He created all things (for this is even greater and more miraculous) from nothing: yet, as Augustine finely said, He governs the created creatures in such a way that He leaves them their course and order, that is, God uses certain means and performs His miraculous works in such a way that He nevertheless uses the service of nature and natural means for this purpose, so that we apply Augustine's saying to our commerce here.
He also requires of us that we not reject the means and instruments of nature (for that would be tempting God), but that we use the means God has provided and created for us with thanksgiving. For if a hungry person expects food and drink from heaven, and does not want to create it for himself or ask for it from others, he would be committing sin; just as Christ tells the apostles to eat what is set before them, so Noah is commanded here to use proper means to gather food, and God does not tell him to wait until food and drink are miraculously sent down to him from heaven in a box.
The life of the monks is nothing other than a temptation from God, for they cannot abstain and still remain without marriage. Just as they abstain from some foods that God has created, so that they may be taken and used with thanksgiving by the faithful and those who recognize the truth that all creatures of God are good, and nothing is to be rejected that is accepted with thanksgiving, 1 Timothy 4:3, 4. 4, 3. 4. So also one may well use medicine; yes, one should use it, for it is a created means of preserving health by it, Sir. 38, 1. ff. So also one should study good arts and languages and, as Paul says 1 Tim. 4, v. 4. 5.
Thanksgiving received or sanctified by prayer."
God could have preserved Noah in the middle of the water; as St. Clement is said to have had a cell in the middle of the sea: yes, as the people of Israel, Ex. 14, 22, were preserved in the middle of the Red Sea, and Jonah, Ion. 2, 1, was preserved in the body of the whale. He did not want to do it, but wanted Noah to use wood and trees, and human skill to be practiced.
Since you cannot have such means and creatures, or they cease, you must either suffer or expect help from God: as the Jews did, standing at the sea, with the enemy behind them on their necks, and no skill nor human counsel could help them any further; so they either hoped for miraculous salvation or certainly had to die, Ex. 14, 10. ff.
V. 22. And Noah did all that God commanded him.
This way of speaking is very common in the Scriptures. And this is the first text in which Noah's obedience to God is praised under such words; below, however, it is often repeated: Moses or the people did everything that the Lord had commanded them. Noah is praised as an example, because he did not have a dead faith, which in truth is not a true faith, but a living and active one, because he obeyed God's commandment. And because he also believes what God promises and threatens, he diligently carries out all that God commanded him to build the box, to gather the animals into it, and to eat the food. In this Noah's faith is especially praised, that he stays in the right middle road and does not add to God's commandment, nor change it, nor take away from it; but just stays with it, that he hears that God commands him.
For this is the most common and at the same time the most harmful pestilence in the church, that one changes that which God has commanded, or
order something more about it. For just as there is only one right course and middle place on which we are to walk, so those who keep too much to the left side sin, because they do not do or despise what God has commanded. But those who keep to the right side and do more than God has commanded, as Saul did when he spared the Amalekites, 1 Sam. 15:9, sin also and more than those on the left; for there is added praesumptio pietatis, that is, such a delusion that one does well and godly in it. And since those on the left cannot excuse their error, they think they have done very well.
And this case is very mean. For God is wont to command mean, lowly, ridiculous, and at times even annoying things. Reason, however, takes pleasure in what is apparent, and either despises the common thing, or accepts it with displeasure: as the monks despised domestic works, and chose others that had a better appearance. And because the common man hears that in the gospel common works are praised, he despises the gospel as a common and bad doctrine, in which there is nothing special nor praiseworthy. For what seems to be great teaching when one teaches that servants should obey their masters, children their parents? Which then learned papists not only despise, as everyone is aware of it beforehand and it has been taught by others before, but also ridicule it, and look for something special, which is either taken for wisdom, or has an appearance that it is difficult and therefore praiseworthy. So mad and nonsensical is human wisdom.
292 But as it is commonly said that one should not look at who he is who says something, but at what is said, because even those who teach others lack and err in some things, so one should reverse this rule when dealing with God's commandment and right obedience. For here one should not look at what is said or commanded, but at who is the one who says it. For if you want to look at what is said in God's commandments, and not at who says it, you will easily stumble; as the
The example of Eve, Genesis 3:6, shows. For this one, since she does not consider who he is who commands her, but only looks at the commandment, she considers eating an apple a trivial thing. But see what harm has come to the whole human race.
But he that looketh on him that commandeth, considereth the greatest thing, even that which seemeth to be the least. The papists consider it a small thing to be an authority, husband or wife, to raise children etc. But experience shows that these are the greatest works that human reason cannot understand. And I see that the most holy and the most spiritual have at times stumbled horribly. Therefore, if we look at the Lord, it will be easy to find that although what God commands seems to be a mean and lowly thing, it is nevertheless the most high and cannot be kept or fulfilled by any man unless he is helped to do so by God.
For this reason the papists, who look only at outward appearances and veneer, like a cow at a new gate, may well belittle domestic and political works, and dream that they do other and much more perfect works; but truly, because they are shameful adulterers, blasphemers, thieves, and disgracefully squander and murder the goods of the church, they bear living witness against themselves that they cannot at all attain nor keep these low and mean commandments of the rule of men and the world.
What then is this holiness of which they boast so greatly? It is that they eat no meat for some days, commit themselves with certain vows, and choose for themselves special works. But, dear one, tell me, who has commanded you to do this? No one. Therefore, they ask nothing about what God has commanded and ordered to be done.
but arrange other things over it, of which God has commanded nothing.
Therefore this rule should be kept with great diligence, that we regard not what is commanded us, but who is he that commandeth us. He who does not do this will often take offense at the work that seems either small or inconvenient. But let us praise God as wise and gracious, and take it for granted that everything He commands is very wise and best commanded, even though reason judges otherwise.
The papists do harm to this wisdom of God, because they despise the works commanded by God as little and presume something better and more difficult. Therefore, God cannot be reconciled with such works, but is rather angered by them, as the example of Saul, 1 Sam. 15:9 ff. shows. Saul thought that God was too foolish, lazy and cruel to destroy the Amalekites with all their possessions; therefore, he found a softer and more convenient counsel and kept the cattle for sacrifices: but what was this but to consider himself wise, but God foolish?
Therefore Moses is right here to praise the obedient Noah and to say that he did everything God commanded him. For this is to consider God wise and kind. He did not dispute about the work, as Adam, Eve, and Saul did to their great detriment; but followed the majesty of Him who had commanded him, and he was satisfied with that, even though he was commanded to do things that were clumsy, impossible, and inconvenient. He closed his eyes to all such annoyance and passed by, relying only on what God had commanded him. Therefore, this is a well-known text, according to hearing, but according to doing and keeping, it is known to few and is very difficult.