Sermon of good works.

March 29, 1520.

Letter to Duke John of Saxony.

To the Serene, Highborn Prince and Lord, Lord John, Duke of Saxony, Landgrave in Thuringia, Margrave of Meissen, my gracious Lord and Patron.

Sublime, highborn prince, gracious lord! May E. F. G. always have my humble services and poor prayers before him. Most gracious Prince and Lord, I would have long since liked to show my subservient services and duty to E. F. G. with some spiritual goods that are in my charge; however, considering my fortune, I have always found myself too small to undertake anything worthy of offering to E. F. G..

However, since my most gracious lord, Duke of Saxony, Archmarshall of the Holy Roman Empire, Elector and Vicarius etc., E. F. G. brother, has not spurned me, but has graciously taken up my incompetent booklet, attributed to His Grace, which has now also gone out through the printing, which I had not thought of; I have taken courage from such a gracious example and have presumed, as the princely bloom, so also the princely courage, to be equal and one before in gracious grace and goodwill; I hope that E. F. G. should also accept this kind of booklet. F. G. should not disdain this poor, humble offering of mine, which has been much more necessary for me to omit [due to the printing], than perhaps none of my sermons or little books. Because the greatest question has arisen about good works, in which there is more cunning and deceit than in any other creature, and in which the simple man is very easily deceived; that our Lord Christ also commanded us,

We shall diligently take heed to the sheep's clothing, under which the wolves hide. (Matth. 7, 15.)

Neither silver, gold, precious stones, nor any other precious thing has such diverse additions and subtractions as good works, which must all have a single, simple goodness, apart from which they are nothing but color, glitter and deceit.

However, I know many of them and hear them every day, who disdain my poverty and speak of it: I only do little sexters and German sermons for the unlearned laity; I will not be moved. If God would have me serve a layman all my life with all my ability for betterment, I would be content, thank God and willingly let all my little books perish.

Whether making large and many books is an art and better for Christianity, I leave to others to judge. But I think, if I would like to make great books according to their art, it should perhaps follow me more quickly than to make a small sermon according to my way. If success were as easy as following, Christ would have been thrown out of heaven long ago, and God's chair itself reversed. If we cannot all write poetry, we all want to judge.

I will gladly let everyone have the honor of great things and am not at all ashamed to preach and write in German to the unlearned laity. Although I can do little of this, it seems to me that if we had and wanted to do more of this, Christianity would not have gained a small advantage of more improvement,

for from the high great books and quaestions in the schools, traded among the scholars alone.

Moreover, I have never forced or asked anyone to hear me or read my sermon. I have served freely in the church from what God has given me and I owe. Who does not like his, let him read and hear others. Nor do I care much if they do not need me. It is enough and more than too much for me that some laymen, and those who are excellent, humble themselves to read my sermon. And even if no other thing would drive me, it should be superfluous to me that I have experienced how E. F. G. likes such German books, and that they are quite eager to recognize good works and the teaching of faith, therefore it has befitted me to serve them with all possible diligence.

Therefore, I ask with humble submission, E. F. G. want to accept this my testimony of gracious opinion, until, if God gives me the time, I completely explain the faith with a German interpretation. For this time I wanted to indicate how we should practice faith in all good works, how we should use it, and how we should let it be the most important work. If God exists, then I will deal with faith in Him myself another time, as we should pray or speak it daily. I hereby humbly submit to E. F. G.. At Wittenberg on the 29th day of March, after the birth of Christ 1520.

E. F. G.

subordinate capellan,

JESUS.

First of all, it is to be known that there are no good works except those which God has commanded; just as there is no sin except that which God has forbidden. Therefore, whoever wants to know and do good works must know nothing but God's commandment. Thus says Christ, Matth. 19, 17: "If you want to be saved, keep the commandments." And when the young man asked, Matth. 19, 18, what he should do to be saved, Christ held nothing else before him but the ten commandments. Accordingly, we must learn the difference of good works from the commandments of God and not from the appearance, greatness or quantity of the works in themselves; nor from the discretion of men or human laws or ways, as we see happening and still happening through our blindness, with great contempt for divine commandments.

2) Secondly, the first and highest and most noble good work is faith in Christ, as he says, John 6:28, when the Jews asked him, "What shall we do that we may do good works of God?" he answered, "This is the good work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." Now, when we hear this or preach this, we run across it

And we shall think it small and easy to do, and yet we shall stand here a long time, and we shall think well of him. For in this work all works must go, and receive from it the influence of their goodness, as of a fief; this we must roughly stamp out, that they may take hold of it.

(3) We find many of them praying, fasting, making offerings, doing this and that, living a good life in the sight of men; who, when you ask if they are sure that it pleases God what they are doing, they say: No, they do not know, or they doubt. There are also some of the great scholars who deceive them, saying that it is not necessary to be sure of this, but who do nothing else but teach good works. Behold, all these same works are apart from faith; therefore they are nothing, and wholly dead. For as their consciences stand against God, and believe, so are the works that come out of them. Now there is no faith, no good conscience toward God; therefore the works are devoid of faith, and all their life and goodness is nothing. That is why, when I value faith so highly and reject such unbelieving works, they accuse me of forbidding good works, when I would gladly teach right good works of faith.

4. third, if you ask them whether they consider it good works when they work their craft, walk, stand, eat, drink, sleep, and do all kinds of works for the nourishment of the body or for the common good? and whether they believe that God is pleased with them? then you will find that they say no, that they limit their good works so much that they only pray in church, fast and give alms; they regard the others all in vain, because God is not interested in them; and thus, through damned unbelief, they shorten and diminish God's service, which is served by everything that may be done, said or thought in faith.

5 Thus Ecclesiastes 9:7, 8 teaches: "Go joyfully, eat and drink, and know that your works are pleasing to God. Let thy garment always be white, and let not the oil fail from thy head; use thy life with thy wife whom thou lovest all the days of this continual time which are given thee." Let the garment be white at all times, that is, let all our works be good, as they may be called, without any distinction. But then they are white, when I am sure and believe that they please God; and so the oil of a happy conscience never breaks from the head of my soul.

6 So Christ, Joh. 8, 29: "I do always that which is good in his sight. How did he do this at all times, since he ate and drank and slept in his own time? And St. John, 1 John 3:19-24: "By this we may know that we stand in the truth, if we may comfort our heart in his sight, and make a good confidence. And if our heart punishes us or bites us, God is greater than our heart, and we have confidence that what we ask we will receive. For we keep his commandments, and do that which is good in his sight." Item, v. 9: "He who is born of God - that is, he who believes and trusts in God - does not and cannot sin." Item, Psalm 34:23: "None of them will sin who trust in Him." Yes, in the other Psalm, v. 12: "Blessed are they that trust in him." If this is true, all that they do must be good, or all that they do evil must soon be forgiven. But behold, why I exalt faith so high, all works

and discard all the works that do not flow out.

(7) Fourthly, here each one can see and feel for himself when he is doing good and when he is not doing good. For if he finds his heart confident that it pleases God, the work is good, even if it is as small as picking up a straw. If the confidence is not there, or if there is doubt about it, the work is not good, even if it awakens all the dead, and the man is burned. This is what St. Paul teaches in Romans 14:23: "Everything that is not done by or in faith is sin." It is from faith, and no other work, that we are called believers in Christ, but from the main work. For all other works a Gentile, a Jew, a Turk, a sinner may do; but to trust firmly, that he may please God, is not possible, except to a Christian, enlightened and fortified with grace.

(8) But that these sayings are strange, and that some call me a heretic because of them, is because they have followed blind reason and pagan art, and have placed faith not above but beside other virtues, and have given it a work of its own, separate from all the works of the other virtues, which alone makes all other works worthy and acceptable, because it trusts in God, and does not doubt that all that man does is well done in his sight. Yes, they did not let faith remain a work, but, as they say, made a habitum (a condition) out of it; yet all Scripture does not give the name of divine good work to any but the one faith. Therefore it is no wonder that they became blind and blind guides, Matth. 15, 14. And this faith immediately brings with it love, peace, joy and hope. For whoever trusts in God, he immediately gives him his Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says to the Galatians, Cap. 3, v. 2: "You have received the Spirit, not from your good works, but because you believed the word of God."

(9) The fifth: In this faith all works become equal, and one is like the other; all difference of works, whether great, small, short, long, much, or little, falls away.

For works are not acceptable for their own sake, but for the sake of faith, which is unique and without distinction in all and every work, and works and lives, however many and various they may be: just as all limbs live, work, and have name from the head, and without the head no limb may live, work, or have name.

(10) From this it follows that a Christian living in this faith does not need a teacher of good works, but whatever comes to him he does, and all is well done; as Samuel said to Saul, 1 Sam. 10:6, 7: "You will become a different man when the Spirit comes into you. Then do whatever comes to you, God is with you." So we also read of St. Anna, Samuel's mother, I Sam. 1, 17. 18., that since she believed the priest Eli, who promised her God's grace, she went home happily and peacefully, and from then on she did not turn back here and there; that is, everything that came before her became one thing and everything became the same. St. Paul also says, Rom. 8, 2, where the spirit of Christ is, all things are free. For faith cannot be bound to any work; neither can it be deprived of any: but, as the first Psalm, v. 3, says, "He giveth his fruit when it is time," that is, as it comes and goes.

(11) Sixthly, we may see this by a gross carnal example: If a man or a woman has love and goodwill toward another, and firmly believes the same, who teaches him how he should act, what he should do, what he should refrain from doing, what he should say, what he should conceal, what he should remember? A single confidence teaches him all this and more than is necessary; there is no difference in works for him: he does the great, long, many things as gladly as the small, short, few, and again; in addition with a cheerful, peaceful, secure heart and is completely a free companion. But where there is doubt, he seeks which is best, imagines the differences of works with which he might gain favor; and yet he goes on with a heavy heart and great unwillingness, and is as it were caught, more than half in despair, and often becomes a fool because of it.

So, a Christian man who lives in this confidence against God knows all things,

He is able to do all things, is at a loss for all things that can be done, and does them all cheerfully and freely; not for the sake of accumulating much good merit and works, but so that it may be his delight to please God, and serves God truly for nothing, being content that it pleases God. Again, the one who is not at one with God, or who doubts it, starts searching and worrying about how he will do enough and move God with many works. He runs to St. Jacob (Compostela in Spain), Rome, Jerusalem, here and there, prays St. Brigitte's prayer, this and that, fasts this day and that, confesses here, confesses there, asks this one and that one; and yet does not find rest and does all this with great discomfort, despair and unwillingness of his heart, so that even the Scriptures call such good works in Hebrew Aven amal, in German "Mühe und Arbeit". They are not good works and all are lost. Many have become mad because of it and have come into all misery because of fear. Of them is written Wisdom 5:6, 7: "We have grown weary in the unrighteous way, and have walked in hard and sour paths; but we have not known the way of God, neither has the sun of righteousness risen for us.

(13) Seventh, in works faith is still small and weak; let us further ask: if they are in trouble in body, goods, honor, friends, or whatever they have, whether they then also believe that they are still pleasing to God, and that he graciously orders their sufferings and adversities, whether small or great, over them. Here is art, to God, who is angry with all our senses and understanding, to have good confidence, and to have better things for Him than we feel. Here he is hidden, just as the bride says in Song of Songs, 2, 9: "Behold, he stands behind the wall and looks through the windows"; that is so much, under the afflictions that are about to separate us from him, like a wall, yes, a wall, he stands hidden, and yet he looks at me and does not leave me; for he stands and is ready to help in graces, and through the windows of dark faith he lets himself be seen. And Jeremiah in Klagl. 3, 31. 32. 33.: "He rejecteth men, but he doeth it not of hearty opinion."

(14) They do not know this faith at all, and they are in disbelief; they think that God has abandoned them and is hostile to them; indeed, they give such evil to men and devils, and there is no confidence in God. Therefore their suffering is always annoying and harmful to them, and yet they go and do some good works, as they think, not realizing anything of their unbelief. But those who trust in God in such suffering and keep a firm and good confidence in him that he is well pleased with them, to them the sufferings and adversities are all precious merits and the noblest goods, which no one can appreciate. For faith and confidence make all things precious in the sight of God, which are most shameful to others, that even of death it is written in the 116th Psalm, v. 15: "The death of the saints is precious in the sight of God." And as much as confidence and faith in this degree is better, higher and stronger than the first degree, so the sufferings in the same faith surpass all works in faith. And so between such works and sufferings there is immeasurable difference in improvement.

15 Eighth: Above all this, the highest degree of faith is when God does not punish the conscience with temporal suffering, but with death, hell and sin, and immediately refuses grace and mercy, as if he wanted to condemn and anger eternally; which few people experience, as David laments in the 6th Psalm, v. 1: "Lord, do not punish me in your wrath. To believe here that God is graciously pleased with us is the highest work that can be done by and in the creature, of which the saints of works and doers of good know nothing at all. For how would they provide themselves with good and grace to God here, since they are not certain in their works and doubt the least degree of faith.

(16) Behold, therefore, as I have said, I have always exalted faith, and have rejected all works that are done without such faith, that men may turn from the false, glittering, Pharisaical, unbelieving good works, of which all monasteries, churches, houses, inferior and superior estates are now full, unto the right, true, fundamental good, faithful works.

I am not opposed to doing evil deeds. For the unclean animals, whose feet are not split, as indicated in the Law of Moses, Deut. 11, 4.They do not want to suffer any difference of good works; but they are rude, if it is only prayed, fasted, prayed for, confessed, done enough, it shall all be good, even if they have had no faith in it of divine grace and favor; Indeed, they consider it most good when they have done much, much, long, without all such confidence, and only then want to do good when the works are done; and thus do not build their confidence on divine favor, but on their works done, that is, on sand and water, from which they must finally fall cruelly, as Christ, Matth. 7, 26. 27. This good will and good pleasure, on which our confidence stands, was proclaimed by the angels from heaven when they sang on Christmas Eve, Luc. 2, 14: Gloria in excelsis Deo: "Glory to God in the highest, peace to the earth, gracious good will to men."

(17) The ninth: Behold, this is the work of the first commandment, where it is commanded, Thou shalt not have other gods; that is, because I alone am God, thou shalt put all thy trust, confidence, and faith in me alone, and in no other. For this does not mean to have a God, if you call God outwardly with your mouth, or if you worship with your knees or with your gestures; but if you sincerely trust in Him and put all your trust, grace and favor in Him, whether in works or in suffering, in living or in dying, in loving or in sorrowing; as the Lord Christ, Joh. 4:24, says to the Gentile woman, "I tell thee, he that will worship God must worship him in spirit and in truth." And this faith, fidelity, confidence of the heart thoroughly is true fulfillment of this first commandment, without which no other work is enough to fulfill this commandment. And as this commandment is the very first, highest, best, from which the others all flow, go in it, and are judged and measured by it; so also its work, that is, faith or confidence in God's grace at all times, is the very first, highest, best,

from which all others must flow, go, remain, be judged and measured. And other works against this are just as if the other commandments were without the first, and there were no God. For this reason St. Augustine says that the works of the first commandment are: believing, hoping and loving.

18 Now it has been said above that such confidence and faith bring with them love and hope; indeed, if we look at it rightly, love is the first or ever at the same time as faith. For I would not trust God if I did not think that he would be favorable and kind to me, so that I might be kind to him again and be moved to trust him heartily and do all good to him.

19. to the tenth: Now you see for yourself that all those who do not trust in God at all times, and seek His favor, grace, and pleasure in all their works or sufferings, life or death, but seek it in other things or in themselves, do not keep this commandment, and truly practice idolatry, even though they do the works of all the other commandments, and have in one heap the prayer, fasting, obedience, patience, chastity, and innocence of all the saints. For the principal work is not there, without which the others are all nothing, but a mere glittering, shining, coloring, and nothing behind it; against whom Christ warns us, Matt. 7:15: "Beware of false prophets, which come unto you in sheep's clothing." These are all those who by many good works, as they say, want to make themselves pleasing to God, and buy off God's favor, as it were, as if he were a dawdler or a day laborer who did not want to give his grace and favor for nothing. These are the most perverse people on earth, who will hardly ever be converted to the right path.

20) Likewise, all who run here and there in adversity, seeking counsel, help, and comfort everywhere, without seeking anything but God, since they are most highly commanded to seek Him; whom the prophet Isaiah, Cap. 9:13, chastises thus: "The foolish people turn not to him that smiteth them," that is, God smote them and caused them to suffer and all manner of adversity, that they should run to Him and trust Him; so they run.

from him to the people, now in Egypt, now in Assyria, somewhat also to the devil. Of which idolatry much is written in the same prophet and Libris Regum (Books of Kings). In the same way, all holy gleamers, when they are offended by something, do not run to God, but flee from him, only thinking how they can get rid of their concern by themselves or by human help and still be considered and respected as pious people.

21 To the eleventh: This is the opinion of St. Paul in many places, since he gives so much to faith that he says: Justus ex fide sua vivit: "The righteous man has his life by faith," Rom. 1, 17, and faith is that for which he is counted righteous before God. If then righteousness stands by faith, it is clear that it fulfills all the commandments and justifies all their works; for no one is justified unless he does all God's commandments. Again, works may not justify anyone before God without faith. And so the holy apostle, with an open mouth, rejects works and praises faith, Rom. 3:28, that some are angered by his words: Let us no longer do good works, which he condemns as wrong and unwise.

22 Thus it happens when we reject the great seeming works of our time, done without all faith, that they say: You should only believe and do no good; namely, the works of the first commandment are called at this time, singing, reading, playing the organ, keeping masses, praying masses, vespers and other times, endowing and decorating churches, altars, monasteries, bells, jewels, clothes, jewelry, also collecting treasures for Rome, running to the saints. After that, when we are clothed, we bend down, bow our knees, pray rosaries and psalms, and do all this not before an idol, but before the holy cross of God or His holy image; this is what we call honoring and worshipping God, and according to the first commandment, having no other gods; which even usurers, adulterers, and all kinds of sinners may do and do daily.

(23) Well then, if these things are done with such faith that we believe them to be pleasing to God, they are praiseworthy:

not because of their virtue, but because of the same faith to which all works are equally valid, as has been said. But if we doubt this, or if we do not believe that God is pleased with us, or if we presume first of all to please Him by and according to works, then it is all deception: honoring God on the outside, but setting ourselves up as an idol on the inside.

24. This is the reason why I have so often spoken against such works, pomps, splendor, multitude, and have rejected them, that in broad daylight they are done not only in doubt or without such faith, but there is not one among thousands who did not put his trust in them, thinking thereby to gain God's favor and to anticipate His grace, to make a fair of them; which God cannot suffer, who promised His grace in vain, wanting one to increase in it by a confidence, and in it to perform all the works as they are called.

Twenty-fifth, the twelfth: From this notice for yourself how far apart they are from one another, fulfilling the first commandment only with outward works and with inward trust. For this makes right living children of God; the latter makes only worse idolatry and the most pernicious glitterers that are on earth, who lead innumerable people with their great pretense into their ways and yet leave them without faith and thus outwardly seduced stuck in the miserable babbling and spitting. Of them Christ says, Matth. 24, 25: "Beware, when they say to you, behold, here or there is Christ"; item, Joh. 4, 21-23: "I say to you that the time will come that you will neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem worship God; for spiritual worshipers the Father seeks."

26 These and similar sayings have moved me and should move everyone to reject the great splendor with bulls, seals, flags, indulgences, so that the poor people are led to give, endow, pray for church buildings, and yet the faith is completely silenced, yes, completely suppressed. For since he has no distinction among the works, he may not stand beside him, blowing and driving some work before the other so great. For he alone wants to be a service to God and to

He does not leave the name and honor of any other work without communicating as much to him, which he does when the work is done in and out of him. This mischief is signified in the Old Testament, when the Jews left the temple, and sacrificed in other places, in the green pleasure-gardens, and out of the mountains. So do these also: all works they are diligent to do; but this principal work of faith they regard not.

27 The thirteenth: Where then are they that ask what works are good, what they ought to do, how they ought to be godly? Yea, where are they also that say, when we preach of the faith, that we ought not to teach or do works? Is not this first few commandments more to be done than any man can do? If a man were a thousand, or all men, or all creatures, there would still be enough laid up for him here, and more than enough, if he were commanded to live and walk always in faith and trust in God, never to put on any other such faith, and thus to have only one, the right, no other God.

28. Because human nature and being cannot be without doing or burdening, suffering or fleeing for a moment, for life never rests, as we can see; so let him who wants to be pious and full of good works, and practice this faith in all life and works at all times, constantly learn to do and leave everything in such confidence; Then he will find how much he has to accomplish and how all things are in faith, and may never become idle, because idleness must also take place in the exercise and work of faith; and in short, nothing may be or fall in and on us, if we believe that everything pleases God as we ought, it must be good and meritorious. Thus says St. Paul, 1 Cor. 10:31: "Dear brethren, whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it all in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord." Now it may not be done in the same name, except in such faith. Item, Rom. 8, 28: "We know that all things work together for the good of the saints of God."

29Therefore the speech which some say, that good works are forbidden, if we preach faith alone; is like unto speech, as

If I say to a sick person: If you had health, you would have all the works of the limbs, without which the work of all limbs is nothing; and he would take from this that I had forbidden the works of the limbs, when I meant that health must first be and work all the works of all limbs: so also faith must be master and captain in all works or be nothing at all.

Thirteenth, you may say: Why then do we have so many spiritual and secular laws, and so many ceremonies of churches, monasteries, and cities, to urge and provoke men to good works, when faith, by the first commandment, does all things? Answer: Precisely because we do not have or respect all faith. If everyone had it, we would never need the law; but each man would do good works for himself at all times, as the same confidence teaches him.

Now there are four kinds of people. The first, now said, do not need a law, of which St. Paul, 1 Tim. 1, 9, says: "To the righteous - that is, to the believer - no law is imposed"; but such do voluntarily what they know and are able to do, alone, in firm confidence that God's favor and grace is upon them in all things.

The others want to abuse such freedom, rely on it wrongly and become lazy. Of them St. Peter says, 1 Ep 2:16: "You should live as free men, and yet not make this freedom a cover for sin"; as if he were saying, "The freedom of faith does not give permission to sin, nor will it cover it; but gives permission to do all kinds of works and to suffer all things, as they come before the hand, so that no one is bound to one or some works alone. So also St. Paul, Gal. 5:13: "Take heed that ye let not this liberty be a cause of carnal life." This must be practiced with laws and preserved with teaching and admonition.

The third are wicked men, always ready to sin; they must be forced with laws, spiritual and secular, like wild horses and dogs, and if that does not help, they must be put out of life by secular means.

Sword; as St. Paul, Rom. 13:3, 4, says: "The temporal power bears the sword, and serves God in it, not for the fear of the pious, but of the wicked."

The fourth, who are still courageous and childish in the understanding of such faith and spiritual life, must be enticed and stimulated, like young children, with the outward certain and connected adornments, reading, praying, fasting, singing, church ornaments, organs and whatever else is set or held in monasteries and churches, until they also learn to recognize the faith. However, there is great danger here, when the rulers, as is unfortunately the case now, indulge in the same ceremonies and sensual works, as if these were the right works with the omission of faith, which they should always teach along the way; just as a mother gives the child other food in addition to milk, until the child itself can eat the strong food.

35. to the fifteenth: Because we are not all equal, we must tolerate these people and hold and bear with them what they hold and bear, and not despise them, but instruct them in the right way of faith. So St. Paul teaches, Rom. 14, 1: "Accept the weak in faith" to instruct him. He himself did the same, 1 Cor. 9, 20. 21: "I kept company with those who were under the law, as if I were also under it," when I was not under it. And Christ, Matth. 17, 25. ff., when he was supposed to give the interest penny, of which he was not obligated, he disputed with St. Peter: whether the children of the kings had to give interest, or only other people? St. Peter answered, "Only other people. Said Christ, The children of kings are free: but lest we offend them, go out to the sea, and cast a line; the first fish that cometh, take him, and in his mouth shalt thou find a penny, which thou shalt give for me and for thyself.

(36) Here we see that all works and things are free to a Christian through his faith, and yet, while others do not yet believe, he bears with them and holds fast that he is not guilty. And this he does freely. For he is sure that it pleases God, and does it gladly; accepts it, as

Another free work that comes to his hand without his choosing, because he desires and seeks no more than to please God in his faith.

(37) Since we have undertaken in this discourse to teach what righteous good works are, and are now speaking of the highest works, it is evident that we are not speaking of the others, or of the third, or of the fourth, but of the first, to whom all the others are to be made like, and they are to be tolerated and instructed by the first for so long. Therefore these weak believers, who would gladly do well and teach better and yet cannot understand it, are not to be despised in their ceremonies, if they believe in it, as if it were all lost with them; but their unlearned blind masters, Matth. 15,14.He should lead them back into the faith soothingly and with clean leisure, as one deals with a sick person, and allow them to cling to and do some works for a while for the sake of their conscience, as necessary for salvation, as long as they have a right grasp of the faith; Lest, when we would so quickly pluck them out, their weak consciences should be utterly shattered and confounded, and retain neither faith nor works. But the stubborn, who, being hardened in works, do not heed what is said of faith, and also fight against it, are to be let go, so that one blind man may lead another, Matt. 15:14, as Christ did and taught.

38. sixteenth, you say, "How can I be sure that all my works are pleasing to God, if at times I fall, talk too much, eat, drink, sleep, or otherwise go overboard, which I cannot avoid? Answer: This question shows that you still respect faith as another work, and do not put it above all works. For for this very reason it is the highest work, that it also remains and wipes out these daily sins, so that it does not doubt that God is favorable to you, that He sees through the fingers of such a daily fall and infirmity; yes, even if a fatal fall were to happen, this never or rarely happens to those who live in faith and trust in God.

If a man sins, faith rises again and does not doubt that his sin is already gone, as 1 John 2:1, 2 says: "I write these things to you, little children, so that you may not sin; but if anyone ever falls, we have an advocate before God, Jesus Christ, who is the forgiver of all our sins. And Wis 15:2: "Though we have sinned, yet are we thine, and know that thou art great." And Proverbs 24:16: "A righteous man may fall seven times, but rise again as many times." Yes, this confidence and faith must be so high and strong that a man may know that all his life and work are vain sins before God's judgment; as it is written, Ps. 143, 2.: "No living man is found justified before you"; and must so despair of his works that they may not be good, for by this faith, which has no judgment, but only grace, favor, favor, mercy; as David, Ps. 26:3: "Thy mercy is ever before mine eyes, and I have been of good cheer in thy truth"; Ps. 4:7: "The light of thy countenance is upon us," that is, the knowledge of thy grace through faith, "and therewith thou hast made my heart glad." For as he thinks, so it happens to him.

(39) Behold, then, by the mercy and grace of God, not by their nature, works are blameless, forgiven and good because of faith, which relies on the same mercy. So we must fear because of works, but comfort because of God's mercy, as it is written, Ps. 147, 11: "God is graciously pleased with those who fear Him, yet trust in His mercy." So we pray with all confidence: "Our Father"; and yet ask: "Forgive us our trespasses"; are children and yet sinners; are pleasant and yet do not do enough. All this is done by faith, fixed in God's mercy.

40 To the seventeenth: But do you ask: where faith and confidence may be found or come from? This, of course, is the most necessary thing to know. First, without doubt it does not come from your works or merit, but from Jesus Christ alone, in order to-

otherwise promised and given; as St. Paul, Rom. 5:8, says: "God makes his love almost sweet and kind to us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us"; as if to say: Should this not give us a strong, unconquerable confidence that before we asked for it or cared for it, even while we were still walking in sins for and for, Christ dies for our sin? And v. 6. 10. follows: if Christ "died for us while we were yet sinners, how much more, if we are now justified by his blood, shall we be saved through him? And if we are reconciled to God by the death of his Son, while we were yet his enemies: rather, if we are now reconciled, shall we be preserved by his life?"

(41) Behold, you must form Christ in you and see how in Him God holds out and offers His mercy to you without all your preferential merits; and from such an image of His grace draw faith and confidence in the forgiveness of all your sins. Therefore faith does not begin with works; neither do they make it; but it must spring and flow from the blood, wounds and death of Christ, in which you see that God is so favorable to you that He also gives His Son for you, your heart must become sweet and God again favorable, and thus confidence must arise from pure favor and love, God's toward you and yours toward God. So we never read that the Holy Spirit was given to someone when he worked, but always when they heard the gospel of Christ and the mercy of God. From the same word must also still today and always faith, and nowhere else, come; because Christ is the rock, where one sows butter and honey, as Moses says, 5 Mos. 32, 14.

From the other commandment and good works.

42. to the eighteenth: Behold, we have hitherto dealt with the first work and the first commandment, yet almost briefly, roughly, and beyond; for there is much to be said of it. Now let us seek the works further by the following commandments. The other and next work after

Faith is the work of the other commandment, that we honor God's name and not use it uselessly; which, like all other works, cannot be done without faith; but if it is done without faith, it is a mere shine and appearance. After faith, we can do nothing greater than praise, honor, and magnify God's name, preaching, singing, and exalting Him in all ways.

(43) And though I have said above, and it is true, that there is no difference among works where faith is and worketh, yet it is to be understood, if they be counted against faith and its works. But to measure them one against another is a distinction, and one is higher than the other. Just as in the body the limbs have no difference from the health, and the health works in one as in the other; yet the works of the limbs are distinguished, and one is higher, nobler, more useful than the other.

44 So also here praising God's honor and name is better than the following works of the other commandments, and yet must be done in the same faith as all the others are done in. But I know well that this work has been disregarded and unknown; therefore, let us look at it further, and let it be said enough that such a work should be done in faith and confidence that it pleases God. Yes, there is no work in which one feels and senses confidence and faith as much as honoring God's name, and it helps greatly to strengthen and increase faith; although all works also help, as Saint Peter says, 2 Ep. 1, 10: "Dear brothers, be diligent to make your calling and election sure through good works.

45. to the nineteenth: Just as the first commandment forbids us to have no other gods, and below it commands us to have One, the right, God, by a firm faith, trust, confidence, hope, and love; which alone are the works for having, honoring, and keeping a God; for by no other work can one attain or lose God, but by faith or unbelief, by trust or doubt alone; none of the other works reaches to God:

1318 D-142-144. B. On the Christian faith in particular - third article. W. x, 1588-1591. 1319

46; So also in the other commandment it is forbidden that we should not use his name uselessly. But this is not enough; under it we are also commanded to honor his name, to call upon it, to praise it, to preach it, and to extol it. And it is not possible that God's name should not be disgraced where it is not properly honored. For even if it is honored with the mouth, bows, kisses, or other gestures, if it is not done in the heart through faith in God's grace and trust, it is nothing but a semblance and color of glitter.

Now behold, how many good works a man may do in this commandment every hour, and never be without good works of this commandment, if he will, that indeed he may not wander far or seek holy places. For, say, what moment may pass in which we do not receive God's goods without ceasing, or suffer evil repugnance? But what are God's goods and adversities but constant exhortation and stimulation to praise, honor and bless God, to call upon Him and His name? If you were idle in all things, would you not have enough to do with this commandment alone, that you praise, sing, extol and honor God's name without ceasing? And what else is the tongue, voice, speech and mouth made for? As Ps. 51:17: "Lord, put on my lips, that my mouth may declare thy praise"; item, v. 16: "Let my tongue magnify thy mercy."

(48) What work is there in heaven but this other commandment, as it is written in the 84th Psalm, v. 5: "Blessed are those who dwell in your house, they will praise you forever. So also David says in the 34th Psalm, v. 2: "Let the praise of God always be in my mouth"; and St. Paul, 1 Cor. 10:31: "If you eat or drink or do anything else, do it all in honor of God"; item, Col. 3:17: "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to praise and thank God the Father." If we were to do this work, we would have a kingdom of heaven here on earth and always have enough to do, just like the blessed in heaven.

49. to the twentieth: that's where the

It is a wonderful and' right judgment of God that sometimes a poor man, whom no one can see doing many and great works, happily praises God in his own house when things go well for him, or cries out with all confidence when something happens to him; and thus does a greater and more pleasant work than another who fasts, prays, builds churches, goes on pilgrimages, and now and then strives to do great deeds. Here it happens to the same fool that he opens his mouth and looks at great works, so blinded that he is never aware of this greatest work, and praising God is a small thing in his eyes compared to the great images of his own imaginary works, in which he perhaps praises himself more than God, or ever has a pleasure in it in himself, more than in God; and thus rushes with good works against the other commandment and his works.

50. just as the Pharisee in the Gospel and the manifest sinner give all this a likeness, Luc. 18, 11-14. For the sinner called upon God in his sins, praised Him and met the two highest commandments, faith and God's glory; the sinner lacked both of these and therefore boasted with other good works, by which he praised himself and not God, placing his trust more in himself than in God. That is why he was justly rejected and the other chosen. All this is due to the fact that the higher and better the works are, the less they shine; moreover, everyone thinks that it is easy to do them, because it is obvious that no one is more eager to praise God's name and glory than those who never do so, and with such shining, because the heart is without faith, they make a contempt of the good works.

51) The apostle Saint Paul, Rom. 2, 23, may also freely say that those who blaspheme God's name the most are those who boast about God from the law. For to call God's name and to write His glory on paper and on the walls is easily done; but to praise Him thoroughly and to praise Him in His benefits, and to call Him comfortingly in all offences, these are truly the rarest, highest works next to faith; that if we should see how few there are of them in the world, we should be able to say that they are the ones who praise God most.

Christianity, we would like to despair of sorrow. And yet, while the high, beautiful, glittering works, which men have devised or which are like these right works in color, are always multiplied, basically all faithless, unfaithful and, in short, nothing good behind them. So also Isaiah, Cap. 48, 1, the people of Israel: "Hear, you who have the name as if you were Israel, who swear by the name of God and remember him neither in truth nor in righteousness," that is, that they did not do it in right faith and confidence, which is right truth and righteousness, but trusted in themselves, their works and abilities; and yet called on God's name and praised it; which do not add up.

52. twenty-first: Now the first work of this commandment is to praise God in all His benefits, of which there are immeasurably many, so that even such praise and thanksgiving may not cease nor end. For who can praise Him completely for natural life, let alone for all temporal and eternal goods? And so, with this one piece of this commandment, man is showered with good, delectable works, which, if he practices in right faith, he has truly not been useless here. And in this piece no one sins so nearly as the most hypocritical saints, who please themselves, like to boast or ever like to hear their praise, honor and glory before the world.

Therefore, the other work of this commandment is to beware, to flee, and to avoid all temporal honor and praise, and ever not to seek his name, rumor, and great clamor, that everyone may sing and say of him; which is a dangerous and yet the most common sin, and, alas, little respected. Everyone wants to be seen and not be the least, however small he is; so deeply is nature corrupted in its own conceit and in its own confidence against these two first commandments.

54) Now this cruel vice is considered the highest virtue in the world, for which reason it is extremely dangerous to read the pagan books and histories or listen to those who are not previously well versed in the commandments of God and the holy scriptures.

and experienced. For all the pagan books are completely saturated with this poison of seeking praise and honor, in which one learns by blind reason that these are not active or noble people, nor can they be, who do not allow themselves to be moved by praise and honor; and who are considered the best, who put life and limb, friend and property, and everything else, before the pursuit of praise and honor. All the holy fathers have complained about this vice and have unanimously decided that it is the very last vice to be overcome. St. Augustine says: "All other vices are done in evil works, but glory and our own good pleasure are done in and by good works.

55 Therefore, if man had nothing more to do than this other work of the other commandment, he would still have to struggle all his life with this vice, which is so vile, so cunning, so cunning, and so treacherous to expel. Now we all leave this good work, and practice many other lesser good works, yes, even by other good works we overthrow this one and forget it completely. So then the holy name of God is uselessly accepted and dishonored by our cursed name, our own pleasure and desire for honor, which alone should be honored; which sin is more serious before God than death and adultery. But his wickedness is not seen as well as the death stroke, because of its subtlety (subtlety, hiddenness), because it is not done in the gross flesh, but in the spirit.

(56) To the twenty-second: Some think that it is good for young people, if they are provoked with glory, honor, again, with shame and disgrace, and are moved to do well. For there are many who do good and leave evil for fear of dishonor and love of honor, which they would not otherwise do or leave in any way. But we are now seeking how to do right good works, and those who are inclined to do so truly do not need to be driven by fear of shame and love of honor, but they have and should have a higher and much nobler drive, that is, God's commandment, God's fear, God's pleasure, and their faith and love for God. Which these three

Those who do not have or do not respect honor, and are driven by shame or honor, will also receive their reward, as the Lord says, Matth. 6:2, 6. And as the driving is, so is the work and the reward, neither of which is good, except in the eyes of the world.

(57) Now I think it would be easier to train a young person in the fear and commandments of God than in any other; but where this does not help, we must tolerate them doing good and not doing evil for the sake of shame and honor, just as we must tolerate evil people or the imperfect, of whom it was said above. Nor can we do more than tell them how their deeds are not good enough and right before God, and leave them like this until they learn to do right for the sake of God's commandment; just as young children are tempted with gifts and promises from their parents to pray, fast, learn, etc., which would not be good to do all their lives, and never learn to do good in the fear of God, much worse if they were accustomed to do good for the sake of praise and honor.

58. twenty-third: Now this is true, that we must nevertheless have a good name and honor, and let every man so hold himself, that nothing evil may be said of him, nor any man be offended at him; as St. Paul saith, Rom. 12:1, "We ought to be diligent to do good, not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of all men"; and 2 Cor. 4:2, "We hold ourselves so honestly, that no man knoweth any other thing of us." But here must be great diligence and prudence, lest this honor and good name puff up the heart, and make him well pleased therein. And here Solomon's saying, Prov. 27:6, applies: "As the fire in the furnace proves the gold, so a man is proved by the mouth of him that praiseth him." These must be few and very spiritual people, who remain pure, calm and equal in honor and praise, so that they do not take it upon themselves, have discretion and pleasure in it; but remain completely free and unattached, ascribe all their honor and name to God alone, entrust it to Him alone and do not use it in any other way than for the honor of God and for the betterment of their neighbor, and

He does not measure or exalt himself above the most unworthy, despised man that may be of the earth; but recognize himself as a servant of God, who has given him the honor to serve him and his neighbor with it, no differently than if he had commanded him to distribute some florins to the poor for his sake. So he says, Matt. 5:16: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." He does not say that they should honor you, but that your works should only serve them for improvement, so that they may praise God in you and in themselves. This is the right use of God's name and honor, when God is praised through the improvement of others. And where people want us and do not praise God in us, we should not suffer it, and resist and flee with all our might as from the most grievous sin and theft of divine honor.

(59) The twenty-fourth: Hence it comes that God often causes a man to fall or lie in grave sin, so that he may be disgraced before Himself and everyone, who otherwise would not have abstained from this great vice of vain honor and name, if he had persisted in great gifts and virtues. And God must, as it were, ward off this sin with other grave sins, so that his holy name alone may remain in honor, and thus one sin becomes another medicine for the sake of our perverse wickedness, which not only does evil, but also abuses all that is good.

60 Now behold, how much a man hath to do, if he will do good works, which are always in his hand with great houses, and is everywhere compassed about with them, and alas, through blindness leaves them, and seeks out and follows others of his own liking and pleasure, so that no one can sufficiently speak against them, and no one can sufficiently guard against them. All the prophets had to deal with this and all of them died because of it, only because they rejected their own works and only preached God's commandments. One of them, Jeremiah, Cap. 7, 21-23, says: "Thus God has said to you of Israel: Take

go your sacrifices and do them together with all your gifts, and eat your sacrifices and your flesh yourselves; for I have not commanded you of the same, but this I have commanded you, that ye should hearken unto my voice, that is, not what seemeth you right and good, but what I command you, and walk in the way which I have commanded you." And Deut. 12:8, 32: "You shall not do what seems right and good to you, but what your God has commanded you."

61 These and the like innumerable sayings of the Scriptures are said to tear men away not only from sins, but also from the works which they think good and right; and to direct them only to God's commandments of simple mind, that they may diligently observe them alone and at all times, as Exod. 13, 9. it is written: "Thou shalt let these my commandments be to thee as a sign in thine hand, and as a constant pattern before thine eyes," and Ps. 1, 2.: "A righteous man also speaketh unto himself of the commandment of God day and night."

For we have more than enough and too much to do, if we are to do God's commandments alone. He has given us such commandments that, if we understand them, we may not for a moment be idle and may well forget all other works. But the evil spirit, which does not rest where it cannot lead us from the left side into evil works, fights on the right side by seemingly good works of its own devising; against which God commanded, Deut. 28, 14, Jos. 23, 6: "You shall not waver from my commandments, neither to the right hand nor to the left."

63. twenty-fifth: The third work of this commandment is to call upon God's name in all distress. For this is what God respects, His name hallowed and greatly honored, when we call upon Him in adversity and distress. Finally, this is the reason why he causes us much distress, suffering, contempt, and even death, and also allows us to live in many evil sinful tendencies; so that he may penetrate man and give him great cause to listen to him, to cry out, to call on his holy name, and thus to fulfill this work of the other commandment, as he says, Ps. 2:15: "Call on me in your distress, and I will call on you.

If you help me, you shall honor me, for I will have an offering of praise. And the same is the way by which you may come to blessedness. For through such work a man becomes aware and learns what God's name is, how powerful he is to help all who call upon him; and through this, his confidence and faith grows so much that the first and highest commandment is fulfilled. This is what David experienced, Ps. 54, 8. 9.: "You have delivered me from all distress, therefore I will say and confess that Your name is sweet and lovely"; and Ps. 91, 14. God says: "I will deliver him, because he hopes in Me; I will help him, because he has recognized My name."

Now behold, what man is there on earth who would not have enough to do this work all his life? For who is without temptation for an hour? I will keep silent about the temptations of adversity, of which there are countless. This is also the most dangerous challenge, when there is no challenge and everything is well, so that man does not forget God in it, becomes too free and misuses the blessed time. Yes, here he needs to call upon God's name ten times more than in adversity; for it is written, Ps. 91:7: "A thousand fall on the left side, and ten thousand on the right."

We also see this in broad daylight in all people's daily experience, that many more cruel sins and iniquities occur when there is peace, all things are cheap and good times, than when war, pestilence, diseases and all kinds of misfortune have burdened us; that Moses also worried his people that they would not leave God's commandments for any reason, because they were too full, too full and had too much rest, as he says, Deut. 32, 16: "My dear people have become rich, full and fat, therefore they have striven against their God." Because of this, God allowed many of his enemies to remain and did not want to drive them out, so that they would not have rest and would have to practice keeping God's commandments; as Judges 3, 1.2. is written. 3, 1.2. is written. He does the same to us when he causes us all kinds of misfortune. He is so careful over us that he teaches us and drives us to honor and call on his name.

To gain confidence and faith against him and thus fulfill the first two commandments.

Twenty-sixth: Here, foolish people act dangerously, and especially the self-made saints, and what wants to be something special; there they teach themselves to bless; he keeps himself with letters; he runs to the prophets; one seeks this, the other that, so that they only escape the accident and are safe. There is no need to tell what kind of devilish spirits rule in this game with spells, conjuring, disbelief; all this happens because they only do not need God's name and do not trust Him. Here, great dishonor is done to the name of God and to both of the first commandments, that one seeks that from the devil, men or creatures, which should be sought and found only in God through pure faith, confidence and joyful hope and invocation of His holy name.

Now grasp it with your own hand, whether this is not a great, great reversal. They must believe the devil, men and creatures, and provide the best for them; and without such faith and trust, nothing lasts or helps. What should the pious, faithful God reward, that one does not believe and trust in him as much or more than in man and the devil, since he not only promises help and certain assistance, but also promises to provide it, and gives and drives all kinds of reasons to place such faith and trust in him? Is this not pitiful and to be pitied, that the devil or man, who gives nothing, nor penetrates, but only promises and pledges, is set above God, who promises, penetrates and gives, and is held more by him than by God Himself? We ought to be cheaply ashamed and set an example of those who trust the devil or man. "For if the devil, who is a wicked, lying spirit, keeps faith with all those who associate with him, how much more, indeed, only the most gracious, most truthful God will keep faith if anyone trusts in him? A rich man trusts and relies on his money and goods, and it helps him: and we will not trust and rely on the living God, that he will help us, or that he will help us.

may. It is said that good makes one brave; this is true, as Baruch, Cap. 3, 17, "gold is a thing that men rely on"; but much greater is the courage that comes from the highest, eternal good, on which not men but only God's children rely.

68. twenty-seventh: Even if none of these adversities compels us to call upon God's name and trust in Him, sin alone would be sufficient to train and drive us in this work. For sin has surrounded us with three strong armies. The first is our own flesh; the second is the world; the third is the evil spirit: by which we are driven and challenged without ceasing, so that God may give us cause to do good works without ceasing, that is, to contend with the same enemies and sins. The flesh seeks pleasure and rest; the world seeks good, favor, power and honor; the evil spirit seeks hope, glory and its own pleasure and other people's contempt.

69. and these pieces are all so powerful that each one of them is sufficient in itself to challenge a man, and yet we cannot overcome them in any way, but only by calling on the holy name of God in a firm faith, as Solomon says, Proverbs 18:10: "The name of God is a strong tower; the believer steals away and is lifted up above all. So David, Ps. 116, 13: "I will drink the cup of salvation and call upon the name of God"; item, Ps. 18, 4: "I will call upon God with praise, and I will be kept from all my enemies." These works and the power of the divine name have become unknown to us, because we have not been accustomed to it, have never seriously contended with sins, and have not needed its name. This means that we are only trained in our own imaginary works, which we can do by our own strength.

(70) The twenty-eighth: The works of this commandment are also, that we should not swear, curse, lie, deceive, conjure by the holy name of God, or commit other abuses; which are almost gross, and are well known to all what sins are to be committed.

preached and proclaimed almost alone in this commandment. In which it is also understood that we are also to prevent others from lying, swearing, cheating, cursing, conjuring and otherwise sinning in God's name. In this many causes are given to do good and to ward off evil; but the greatest and most difficult work of this commandment is to protect the holy name of God against all those who take his spiritual name in vain, and to spread it among all. For it is not enough that I praise and call upon God's name for myself and in myself, in fortune and in misfortune; I must come forward and invite upon myself the enmity of all men for the sake of God's honor and name; as Christ said to his disciples, Matth. 24, 9: "All men will be enemies to you for my name's sake." Here we must enrage father, mother, and best friends. Here we must strive against the authorities, spiritual and secular, and be scolded for disobedience. Here we must arouse the rich, scholars, saints and everything that is something in the world against us.

71 And although those who are commanded to preach God's word are especially obligated to do so, every Christian is also obligated to do so when the time and place demand it. For we must place and offer for the holy name of God all that we have and are able, and prove by deed that we love God and His name, honor and praise above all things, and trust in Him above all things and do good; thus confessing that we esteem Him the highest good, for the sake of which we forsake and add all other goods.

(72) The twenty-ninth: Here we must first resist all injustice where truth or righteousness suffers violence and distress, and must have no distinction of persons in it; as some do, who fight very diligently and assiduously for the injustice done to rich, powerful friends, but where it is done to the poor or despised or enemies, they are well silent and patient. These look at the name and glory of God not in Himself, but through a painted glass, and measure truth or righteousness by persons; and

They are not aware of their false eye, which looks more at the persons than at the thing. They are hypocrites in the skin, and only lead a pretense to protect the truth; for they know well that it is without danger, where one stands by the rich, powerful, learned friends, and can enjoy the same again, be protected and honored by them.

73 It is easy to fight against the injustice done to popes, kings, princes, bishops and other great men. Here, everyone wants to be the most pious, since it is not so necessary. Oh how secretly the false Adam is here with his request, how finely he covers his avarice with the name of truth and justice and God's honor. But where something happens to a poor and lowly man, the false eye does not find much pleasure but sees the disfavor of the mighty; therefore he leaves the poor unhelped. And who would like to tell the amount of this vice in Christianity? Thus God says in the 82nd Psalm, v. 2 ff: "How long do you judge unjustly and look at the person of the unjust? Judge the poor and the fatherless his cause, and the wretched and the needy his right, and redeem the poor, and help the forsaken from the power of the unjust." But they do not do it; that is why it follows: "They know nothing and understand nothing, they walk in darkness," that is, they do not see the truth, but only cling to the reputation of the great, how unjust they are; the poor also do not recognize how righteous they are.

74. thirtieth: Behold, there are many good works in hand. For the greater part of the mighty, the rich, and the friends do wrong, and do violence against the poor, the lowly, and the adversaries; and the greater, the worse. And if one cannot defend oneself by force and help the truth, one must confess the same and do it in words, not to fall prey to the unjust, not to justify them, but to speak the truth freely.

(75) What good would it do if a man did all kinds of good, ran to Rome and all the holy places, gained all indulgences, and visited all the churches?

If he had built churches and foundations, if he had been found guilty in the name and honor of God, that he had concealed and forsaken the same, esteeming his goods, honor, favor and friends greater than the truth, which is God's very name and honor? Or who is he to whom such good works do not come daily to his door and to his house, so that he would not need to walk far or ask for good works? And when we look at the lives of men, how they move so quickly and easily in all places, we must call out with the prophet, Ps. 116, 11: Omnis homo mendax: "All men are false," lie and deceive. For they leave the right, main good works standing, adorn and color themselves with the least and want to be pious, to go to heaven with quiet peace.

76. But do you say, "Why does God not do it alone and by Himself, since He is able and knows how to help everyone? Yes, he can, but he will not do it alone. He wants us to work with him, and does us the honor that he wants to work his work with us and through us. And even if we do not want to use ourselves for the honor, he alone will do it, help the poor, and those who do not want to help him and spurn the great honor of his work, he will condemn together with the unrighteous, as those who have kept it with the unrighteous. Just as he alone is blessed; but he wants to do us the honor, and not only be blessed, but have us blessed with him. Even if he did it alone, his commandments would be given to us in vain, because no one would have cause to practice the great works of the same commandments, nor would anyone try whether he regards God and his name as the highest good and for his sake adds everything.

In the thirty-first part of the same work, all false, seductive, erroneous, heretical teachings and all abuse of spiritual power are to be resisted. This is much higher, because they are fighting with the holy name of God against the name of God. For this reason, it seems to be dangerous to resist them, because they pretend that whoever resists them resists God and all His saints,

In whose stead they sit and use their power; saying that Christ said of them, Luc. 10:16, "He that heareth you heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me." On which words they lean strongly, become insolent and bold, to say, do, let, what they will; to banish, to malign, to rob, to kill, and to do all their mischievousness, as they may desire and devise, without all hindrance.

78 Now Christ did not mean that we should hear them in all that they say and do, but if they hold up to us his word, the gospel, not their word; his work and not their work. How else would we know if their lies and sins are to be avoided? There must ever be a rule how far to hear them and how far to follow them. Which rule must not be set by them, but by God over them, by which we know how to judge ourselves; as we will hear in the fourth commandment. Now it must be that even in the spiritual state the several preach false doctrine and abuse spiritual authority, so that we may be given cause to do the works of this commandment, and we may be tried as to what we will and will not do against such blasphemers for the sake of God's glory.

If we were pious here, how often would the officials have to cast their papal and episcopal ban in vain? How would the Roman thunderbolts become so dull? How often would some have to shut up, to whom now the world has to listen? How few would preachers be found in Christendom? But it has got out of hand; what and how they only pretend, everything must be right. Here is no one who contends for God's name and glory; and I take care that no greater nor meaner sin be done in outward works than in this piece. It is high that few understand, in addition to being adorned with God's name and power, to attack dangerously. But the prophets of old were masters in this, as were the apostles, especially St. Paul, who did not allow themselves to dispute whether the highest or lowest priest had said it in God's name or in his own. They perceived the works and words and held them against God's will.

regardless of whether Big Hans or Little Nickel said it in God's name or in man's name. That is why they had to die; much more could be said about this in our times, because it is much worse now. But Christ and St. Peter and Paul must cover all this with their holy name, so that no more shameful cover has come upon the earth than the most holy, most sacred name of Jesus Christ.

One would be afraid to live just because of the abuse and blasphemy of the holy name of God, under which, if it lasts longer, I fear we will publicly worship the devil as a god. The spiritual authorities and scholars are so exuberantly crude in their dealings. It is high time that we ask God with earnestness to sanctify His name. But it will cost blood, and those who sit in the holy martyrs' estate and are won with their blood must in turn make martyrs themselves. More about this another time.

From the third commandment.

81) First, we have now seen how many good works there are in the other commandment, which are not good in themselves, except in faith and divine mercy and confidence; and how much we have to do if we observe this commandment alone, and unfortunately deal much with other works, which have no understanding at all. Now follows the third commandment, "Thou shalt keep the feast day holy." In the first is commanded how our heart shall keep itself against God with thoughts; in the second, how the mouth shall keep itself with words; in this third is commanded how we shall keep ourselves against God in works.

82] And this is the first and right tablet of Moses, in which these three commandments are described and govern man on the right side, that is, in the things that concern God and in which God has to do with him and he with God, without the mediation of any creature.

The first works of this commandment are gross and sensual, which we commonly call worship; as there are measuring, hearing, praying,

Listen to the sermon on the holy days. According to the opinion, there are very few works in this commandment; in addition, if they are not in God's grace, trust and faith, they are nothing; as is said above. For this reason it would be good if there were fewer holy days, since their works in our times are worse than those of the working days, with idleness, eating and drinking, gambling and other evil deeds; moreover, the mass and sermon are heard without any improvement, and prayer is said without faith. We almost think that enough has been done when we have seen the mass with our eyes, heard the sermon with our ears, said the prayer with our mouths, and so go about externally, not thinking that we have received something from the mass into our hearts, learned and retained something from the sermon, sought, desired and waited for something with the prayer. Although here the greatest fault of bishops and priests, or of those who are commanded to preach, is that they do not preach the gospel and do not teach people how to see mass, hear sermons and pray. Therefore, let us interpret these three works recently.

84 Secondly, in the mass, it is necessary that we also be present with our hearts. But then we are present when we practice faith in the heart. Here we have to tell the words of Christ, when he instituted the mass and said, Matth. 26, 26-28, Luc. 22, 19. 20: "Take and eat, this is my body, which is given for you. In the same way about the cup: "Take and drink from it, all of you; this is a new eternal testament in my blood, which is poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. This ye shall do, as often as ye do it, in remembrance of me." In these words Christ made a testament or anniversary for him, to be kept daily in all Christendom; and made a glorious, rich, great testament to it, appointing and ordaining therein, not interest, money, or temporal goods, but remission of all sins, grace, and mercy unto life eternal; that all who come to this testament should have the same testament; and died upon it, that such testament might be established and made irrevocable.

As a sign and token, instead of a letter and seal, he left his own body and blood here among the bread and wine.

(85) Now it is necessary for a man to practice the first work of this commandment very well, so that he does not doubt it, and so that the testament may be certain to him, lest he make Christ a liar. For what is it if you stand at mass and do not remember or believe that Christ has decreed and given you forgiveness of all sins through his will, but as if you speak: I do not know or believe that it is true that forgiveness of my sins is granted and given to me here? O how many are now masses in the world? but how few who hear them with such faith and custom? By this God is greatly angered. For this reason, no one should or can be fruitful at mass, unless he is distressed and desirous of divine graces, and would gladly be rid of his sins; or, if he ever has an evil intention, that he may change under mass and gain a desire for this testament. For this reason, in ancient times, no public sinner was allowed to attend mass.

If then this faith goes right, the heart must become joyful from the testament and warm and melt in God's love. Then follows praise and thanksgiving with a sweet heart. In Greek, the Mass is called Eucharistia, that is, thanksgiving, that we praise God and give thanks for such a comforting, rich, blessed testament; just as he gives thanks, praises and is happy to whom a good friend has given a thousand or more florins. Although Christ is often like those who make some rich with their wills, who never remember them, neither give praise nor thanks: so our masses now go on, that they are only held, not knowing for what or why they serve; therefore we also neither give thanks nor love, nor praise, remain dry and hard thereby, let it remain with our little prayer. More about that another time.

Thirdly, the preaching should be nothing else than the proclamation of this testament. But "who can hear it if no one preaches it?" Rom. 10:4, 15.

Now those who are to preach it do not know it themselves. That is why the sermons wander into other unprofessional fables, and Christ is forgotten; it happens to us just like in 2 Kings 7:19, 20, that we see our wealth and do not enjoy it. Ecclesiastes 6:2 also says: "This is a great evil, when God gives riches to someone and never lets him enjoy them. So we see countless masses and do not know whether it is a testament, this or that, just as if it were otherwise a mean, good work in itself. O God, how blinded we are! But where these things are rightly preached, it is necessary to hear them diligently, to grasp them, to keep them, to remember them often, and thus to strengthen our faith against all temptations of sin, whether past, present, or future.

(88) Behold, this is the certain ceremony or practice which Christ instituted, wherein his Christians should assemble, exercise, and keep themselves in one accord, which he did not, like other ceremonies, leave to be a mere work, but put therein a rich abundant treasure, to be given and appropriated to all them that believe therein.

This sermon is intended to make sinners sorry for their sin and to kindle the desire for the treasure. Therefore it must be a grave sin for those who do not hear the gospel and despise the treasure and rich food to which they are invited, Matth. 22, 5. Luc. 14, 18. But it is a much greater sin not to preach the gospel, and to let so many people perish who gladly hear it; for Christ so strictly commanded to preach the gospel and this testament, that he also would not have the mass kept, unless the gospel were preached, as he says, "As often as ye do this, remember me," that is, as St. Paul, 1 Cor. 11:24, 25, says, "Ye shall preach of his death." For this reason it is terrible and horrible in our time to be a bishop, pastor and preacher. For no one knows this testament anymore, let alone that they should preach it, which is their highest and only duty and guilt. How hard will they give account for so many souls who must perish because of such preaching infirmities?

90) Fourthly, one should pray, not as is customary, counting many leaves or grains, but rather take up some need at hand, desire it with all earnestness, and in it exercise faith and trust in God in such a way that we do not doubt that we will be heard. Thus St. Bernard teaches his brothers and says: "Dear brothers, you should never despise your prayer as if it were in vain; for I tell you truly that before you offer the words, the prayer is already written in heaven, and one day you should certainly make provision to God that your prayer will be fulfilled; or, if it is not fulfilled, that it would not have been good and useful for you to fulfill it.

So prayer is a special exercise of faith, which certainly makes prayer so pleasant that it is either certainly fulfilled, or something better than we ask is given in return. Thus also St. Jacob, Cap. 1, 6, says: "He who asks God should not doubt in faith. For if he doubt, let not the same man suppose that he obtains anything from God." This is a clear saying that says straight to and from: He who does not trust does not obtain anything, neither that which he asks for, nor anything better.

92 Christ himself said, Marc. 11, 24, "I tell you, whatever you ask, believe that you will receive it, and it will be done"; and Luc. 11, 9, 13: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For whoever asks receives; whoever seeks finds; whoever knocks, it will be opened to him. What father among you gives his son a stone when he asks for bread, or a snake when he asks for a fish, or a scorpion when he asks for an egg? But if you know how to give good gifts to your children, and you yourselves are not good by nature; how much more will your heavenly Father give a good spirit to all who ask him."

93. fifth: Who is so hard and stony whom such mighty words should not move to pray with all confidence, cheerfully and gladly? But how many prayers would have to

Should one also reform, where according to these words one should pray rightly? All churches and monasteries are now full of praying and singing, but how is it that little improvement and benefit comes from it and that it becomes worse every day? There is no other cause than that which St. James indicates and says, Cap. 4:3: "You ask much, and nothing comes to you, because you do not ask rightly." For where this faith and confidence in prayer is not there, prayer is dead and nothing more than a heavy toil and labor, for which, if anything is given, it is nothing but temporal benefit, without all goods and help of the soul, yea, to great harm and blindness of soul, in that they go and chatter much with their mouths, regardless of whether they obtain or desire or trust, and remain hardened in such unbelief, as in the worst habit, contrary to the exercise of faith and nature of prayer.

(94) From this it follows that a right praying man never doubts that his prayer will certainly be acceptable and heard, even though the very thing he asks for will not be given to him. For one should present one's need to God in prayer; yet not set a measure, manner, goal or place for Him, but whether He will give it better or differently than we think, leave it to Him; for "we often do not know what we ask," as St. Paul, Rom. 8, 26, and "God works and gives higher than we understand," as he says in Eph. 3, 20. So that there is no doubt that prayer is pleasing and heard, and yet God leaves the time, place, measure and goal free, so that he will make it as it should be.

95 These are "the right worshippers who worship in spirit and truth", Joh. 4, 23. For those who do not believe that they will be heard sin on the left side against this commandment and step very far away with unbelief. But those who make a goal of it, they sin on the right side and come too close to God's temptation. So he has forbidden both, that one should not depart from his commandment, either to the left hand or to the right, that is, neither with unbelief nor with temptation, but with simple faith remain on the right road, trusting in him and yet not setting a goal.

1338 D-16,164-166. B. Of the Christian faith in particular - third article. W. X, 1615-1617. 1339

96) The sixth: So we see that this commandment, like the other, is not to be other than an exercise and practice of the first commandment, that is, of faith, fidelity, faithfulness, hope, and love of God, that the first commandment is the captain of all the commandments, and faith the chief work and life of all other works, without which, as I said, they cannot be good.

97 But if thou sayest, How if I cannot believe that my prayer shall be heard and acceptable? Answer: For this very reason faith, prayer, and all other good works are commanded, that you may know what you can and cannot do. And if you find that you cannot believe and do so, you should humbly complain about it before God and thus, with a weak spark of faith, begin to strengthen it more and more every day by practicing it in all your life and work. The infirmity of faith, that is, of the first and highest commandment, there is no one on earth who does not have a great piece of it. For even the holy apostles in the Gospel, and especially St. Peter, were weak in faith, so that they also asked Christ and said, Luc. 17:5, "Lord, increase our faith," and he often punished them for having little faith, Matt. 14:30, 31, 32.

Therefore, if you find that you do not believe as strongly in your prayers or other works as you should and would, do not despair or let your hands and feet go. Yes, you should thank God from the bottom of your heart that he reveals your weakness to you in this way, through which he teaches and admonishes you daily how necessary it is for you to practice and strengthen yourself daily in faith. For how many do you see who go about praying, singing, reading, working, and appearing to be great saints, but who never come to know how the main work, faith, is with them; so that they deceive themselves and other people, thinking that they are doing well; thus secretly building on the sand of their works, without all faith, not on God's grace and promise through a firm, pure faith. Therefore, while we live, no matter how long it takes, we have our hands full,

that we remain disciples of the first commandment and of faith with all works and sufferings and do not cease to learn. No one knows how great it is to trust in God alone, except he who begins it and tries it with works.

99. The seventh: Now again, if no other good works were commanded, would not prayer alone be sufficient to exercise the whole life of man in faith? To which work spiritual persons are especially commanded; as many fathers of old prayed day and night. Yes, there is certainly no Christian who does not have time to pray without ceasing. But I mean spiritual prayer, that is, no one is so hard-pressed with his work, if he wants to, that he can talk to God in his heart, ask him for help in his or other people's need, and practice and strengthen his faith in all of this.

(100) This is what the Lord means in Luc. 18:1 [1 Thess. 5:17] when he says, "Pray without ceasing and never stop"; yet he forbids many words and long prayer in Matt. 6:7, in which he punishes the wicked: not that verbal, long prayer is evil, but that it is not the right prayer that should always be done, and that without inward prayer of faith it is nothing. For we must also practice outward prayer in its time, especially at Mass, as this commandment requires, and where it is conducive to inward prayer and faith, whether in the house, in the field, in this or that work, of which there is not now time to say more. For this belongs to the Lord's Prayer, in which all petitions and oral prayers are briefly included.

The eighth: Where then are they who desire to know and do good works? Let them take prayer alone before them and practice it rightly in faith, and they will find that it is true, as the holy fathers have said, that there is no greater work than prayer. Murmuring with the mouth is easy, or ever considered easy; but obeying the words with earnestness of heart in thorough devotion, that is, in eagerness and faith, earnestly desiring what the words hold, and not doubting that it will be heard, that is a great deed in the sight of God. Here

the evil spirit resists with all its might. Oh, how often will he prevent the air from praying here, not allowing time and place, yes, even often making doubts whether a man is worthy to ask such a majesty, who is God, and confusing him in such a way that the man himself does not know whether it is serious that he prays or not; whether it is possible that his prayer is pleasant; and many of the same strange thoughts. For he knows well how powerful, how painful it is to him and how useful it is to all men, a man's faithful prayer, therefore he does not like to let it arise.

102. Here man must indeed be wise and not doubt that he and his prayer are unworthy before such immeasurable majesty, in no way relying on his worthiness or slackening in unworthiness; but must perceive God's commandment and press it upon him, offer it to the devil and thus say: For the sake of my worthiness nothing has been started, for the sake of my unworthiness nothing has been slackened; I ask and work only for the fact that God, out of his sheer goodness, has promised all unworthy people hearing and grace; yes, not only promised, but also most strictly commanded, by his eternal disgrace and wrath, to pray, trust and take. Has it not been too much for the high majesty to oblige such his unworthy little worms to pray, trust and take from him, so dear and high; how shall it be too much for me to receive such commandment with all joy, how worthy or unworthy I am? So one must cast out the devil's interposition with God's commandment, then he will stop and never ever again.

103. ninth: What are the things and hardships that one must present and lament to Almighty God in prayer in order to exercise faith? Answer: First of all, there are the hardships and distresses of each one's own, of which David, Ps. 32:7, says: "You are my assurance in all the fear that surrounds me, and you are my consolation to deliver me from all the evil that surrounds me"; item, Ps. 142:2, 3: "I have cried out with my voice to God the Lord, I have asked God with my voice, I will spread out my prayer before His eyes, and I will pour out before Him everything that is troubling me.

is due". Thus, a Christian man should, in the mass, take note of what he feels he lacks or has too much of, and freely pour it all out before God with weeping and wailing, as he is able to do most miserably, just as before his faithful father, who is ready to help him.

104 And if thou knowest not, or knowest not, thy affliction, or art not in temptation, know that thou art in the very worst of circumstances. For this is the greatest challenge, that thou findest thyself so stubborn, hard-hearted, insensible, that no challenge moves thee. But there is no better mirror in which you can see your distress than the Ten Commandments, in which you will find what you need and should seek. Therefore, if you find in yourself weak faith, little hope, and little love for God; item, that you do not praise and honor God, but rather love your own honor and fame, value the favor of men, do not like to hear mass and sermons, are lazy to pray, in which things no one has no weaknesses; Then you shall esteem these infirmities higher than all bodily harm to property, honor and body, that they are also worse than death and all fatal disease, and present them to God with earnestness, complain and ask for help, wait for them with all confidence that you will be heard and obtain help and grace.

105. Henceforth enter into the other table of the commandments, and see how thou hast been, and still art, disobedient to father and mother, and to all authority; how thou hast been, and still art, with wrath, and hatred, and reproachful words, against thy neighbor; how thou hast been, and still is, offended by unchastity, and covetousness, and iniquity, and by deed and word, against thy neighbor; and thou shalt doubtless find thyself full of all distress and misery, and shalt have cause enough to weep even drops of blood, if thou be able.

106. to the tenth: But I know well that many of them are so foolish that they do not want to ask for such things, because they find themselves pure beforehand, and take it for granted that God does not hear someone who is in sin. All this is done by false preachers, who teach not by faith and trust in God's mercy, but by their own works. Behold, wretched man, if your leg is broken

If your leg is broken or you are in danger of bodily death, call upon God, this one and the saints, and do not wait until your leg is healed or the danger is over, and do not be so foolish as to think that God does not hear someone whose leg is broken or in mortal danger.

(107) Yes, you think that God should hear you the most when you are in the greatest distress and anguish. Why then are you so foolish here, since there is immeasurably greater need and eternal harm, and will not ask for faith, hope, love, humility, obedience, chastity, meekness, peace, righteousness, unless you are first without all unbelief, doubt, hope, disobedience, unchastity, anger, avarice, and injustice, when the more you find yourself in these things, the more and more diligently you should pray or cry out. This is how blind we are: with bodily sickness and need we run to God; with soul sickness we run from Him and do not want to come back, unless we were healthy before; just as if there would be another God who would want to help the body and another who would want to help the spirit, or we ourselves would want to help us in spiritual need, which is greater than the bodily need. This is a devilish counsel and presumption.

(108) Not so, dear man; if you want to be healed from sins, you must not withdraw from God, but run to Him and ask Him much more confidently than if a physical need had overtaken you. God is not hostile to sinners, but only to unbelievers, that is, those who do not recognize their sin, lament it, nor seek help for it from God, but through their own presumption purify themselves first, do not want to need His grace, and do not let Him be a God who gives to everyone and takes nothing in return.

109. eleventh: All this has been said about the prayer for one's own need and in general. But the prayer that actually belongs to this commandment and is called a work of the feast day is much better and greater, which is to be done for the assembly of all Christendom, for all the needs of all people, enemies and friends, especially those of every parish.

or bishopric. So St. Paul commanded his disciple Timothy, 1 Tim. 2, 1-3:

"I beseech thee that thou cause prayers and supplications to be made for all men, for kings, and for all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in the service and purity of God. For the same is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Savior." Likewise Jeremiah, Cap. 29, 7, commanded the people of Israel to "pray to God for the city and land of Babylon, that the peace of the city may be also their peace." And Baruch, Cap. 1, 12: "Pray for the life of the king of Babylon and for the life of his son, that we may live in peace under their rule."

This common prayer is delicious and the most powerful, for which we also come together. The church is also called a house of prayer, Luc. 19, 46, so that we can unite in a group and take our needs and the needs of all people before us, present them to God and call upon Him for mercy. But this must be done with heartfelt emotion and earnestness, so that the need of all people may go to our hearts, and so we may pray with true compassion for them, in right faith and trust. And if such prayer does not take place at Mass, it would be better to refrain from Mass.

For how is it that we come together bodily into one house of prayer, so that it may be seen that we are to call and pray for the whole congregation together; so that we scatter and divide the prayers, that each one may pray for himself only, and that no one may take care of the other, nor be concerned with anyone's need? How may prayer be called useful, good, pleasant and common, or a work of the holiday and the assembly? How do those who keep their own prayers, this for this, that for that, and have nothing but selfish prayers, to which God is hostile.

112 To the twelfth: This common prayer has remained of old custom, an indication when one hears the confession at the end of the sermon and asks for all Christianity in the pulpit. But it should not be aligned with it, as now the custom is

But let it be an exhortation to pray for such need through the whole mass, to which the preacher provokes us and, that we may pray worthily, reminds us of our sins beforehand and thereby humbles us; which should be done in the shortest possible time, so that afterward the people in the crowd may all complain to God of their sins themselves and pray for everyone with earnestness and faith.

Oh, if God would have a multitude of these hear and pray after Mass, that a common, earnest cry of the heart of the whole people would go out to God, how immeasurable virtue and help would follow from the prayer? What could be more terrible to all evil spirits? What greater work could be done on earth? so that so many pious people would be preserved, so many sinners would be converted.

For truly, the Christian church on earth has no greater power or work than to pray together against all that it may encounter. The evil spirit knows this well; therefore he does everything he can to prevent this prayer. He lets us build beautiful churches, endow many things, whistle, play and sing, have many masses, and practice praise without any measure; he is not sorry for this, indeed, he helps us to regard such a being as the best and to think that we have done well with it. But that this common, strong, fruitful prayer should go down beside it, and be unnoticed by such glittering, he has what he seeks. For where the prayer is laid down, no one will take anything from him, nor will anyone resist. But if he were to realize that we would practice this prayer, even if it were under a thatched roof or in a pigsty, he would truly not let it go, but would be more afraid of the same pigsty than of all the high, large, beautiful churches, towers, and bells that might be there, where such a prayer would not be in it. It is not in places or buildings where we come together, but only in this unconquerable prayer that we do the same together and let it come before God.

115 To the thirteenth: This prayer ability we notice from that, that before times

Abraham asked for the five cities, Sodoma and Gomorrah etc., Gen. 18, 32, and thus managed that if there had been ten pious people in them, two in each, God would not have destroyed them. What then would they do where many in a multitude call upon God heartily and with earnest confidence? Also St. James, Cap. 5, 16-18, says: "Dear brothers, pray for one another, that you may be saved. For it is very possible for a devout man's prayer to continue or not to cease," that is, to keep on asking, "if what he asks will not soon be done to him, as some of the weak-hearted do." He uses Elijah the prophet as an example, 1 Kings 17:1 ff. 18:42 ff: "He was a man," he says, "like us, and asked that it should not rain, and it did not rain for three years and six months. Again he asked, and it rained, and all became fruitful." The sayings and examples that drive us to ask are many in Scripture; but that it be done with earnestness and faith, as David says, Ps. 33:18: "God's eyes look upon the pious, and His ears listen to their prayer"; item, Ps. 145:18: "God is near to those who call upon Him, that they may call upon Him in truth." Why does he add "call upon in truth"? Because it is not called praying or calling, where the mouth alone murmurs.

What should God do? So when you come with your mouth, book or pater-noster, that you think no more than how you accomplish the words and fulfill the number, that if anyone asked you what the matter was or what you had undertaken to ask, you yourself would not know; for you have not taken care to present or desire this or that to God. Your only reason for praying is that you are commanded to pray this and so much more, the same you want to keep and accomplish. What wonder is it that thunder and lightning often set churches on fire, because we make the house of prayer a house of mockery, and pray for it, since we neither present nor desire anything inside?

But we should do like those who want to ask something in front of great princes: they do not presume to speak only a few words, and the prince would be angry with them.

1346 n 16,173-175. B. Of the Christian faith in particular - third article. W. X, 1625-1628. 1347

They do not let themselves think that they are mocking or being foolish, but rather they take it in their stride and present their need with diligence, leaving it to His grace, with good confidence that it will be heard. So we must act with God in certain matters, namely, we must address some of our needs, entrust them to His grace and good will, and not doubt that they will be answered. For he has promised to answer such prayers, which no earthly lord has done.

118. to the fourteenth: We can pray in this way masterfully when we suffer bodily distress. When we are ill, we call on St. Christopher, St. Barbara, we vow ourselves to St. James, here and there, there is earnest prayer, good confidence and all good kinds of prayer; but when we are in the churches under the mass, we stand like oil gods, knowing nothing to raise nor to complain; there the stones clatter, the leaves rustle, and the mouth babbles, there is nothing left.

If you ask what you should say and complain about in prayer, you will be easily taught from the Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer. Open your eyes and look into your life and the life of all Christians, especially the spiritual state, and you will find how faith, hope, love, obedience, chastity and all virtue are in decline, how all kinds of cruel vices rule, how good preachers and prelates are lacking, how vain boys, children, fools and women rule; then you will find that there is need to plead such cruel wrath of God with tears of blood every hour without ceasing in the world. And is it ever true that there has never been greater need to pray than at this time, and ever more until the end of the world. If such cruel afflictions do not move you to grief and lamentation, do not let your rank, order, good works or prayer seduce you; there will be no Christian vein nor nature in you, however pious you may be. But it is all proclaimed that at the time when God will be most angry and Christianity will suffer the most hardship, that then intercessors and advocates against God should not be found; as Isaiah says weeping in the 63rd chapter, v. 5: "You are angry with us and, alas, are never angry with us.

someone to stand up and hold you"; item Ezekiel, Cap. 22:30 says, "I have searched among them, whether there be not one that put a fence between us, and stand against me, and defend me. But I have not found him. Therefore I have let my wrath go upon them, and have devoured them in the heat of my anger." With the words God indicates how He wants us to resist Him and resist His wrath for one another; as it is often written of the prophet Moses that he received God so that His wrath would not overwhelm the people of Israel, Ex. 32, 11. ff. 4 Ex. 14, 13. ff. 21, 7.

120 The fifteenth: But where will those remain who not only do not respect such an accident of Christianity, do not intercede, but laugh at it, take pleasure in it, judge, after-talk, sing and say of their neighbor's sins; and may nevertheless go to church unafraid and unashamed. They may hear mass, say prayers, and be respected and respected as pious Christians. They need to be prayed for twice, where one simply prays for those who are being judged, persuaded and ridiculed by them. These are also proclaimed to be in the future by the left-handed avenger, who blasphemed Christ in his sufferings, infirmities and misery, and by all those who blasphemed Christ on the cross, Luc. 23, 36-39, when they should have helped him the most. O God! How blind, yes, senseless, have we Christians become? When will there be an end to the wrath, Heavenly Father? That we mock, blaspheme and judge the Christianity accident, for which we are gathered in the church and mass, that makes our mad sensuality.

When the Turk destroys cities, countryside and people, when he devastates churches, we consider that great harm has come to Christendom; then we lament, we move kings and princes to quarrel. But when faith perishes, love grows cold, God's word is omitted, all kinds of sin abound, no one thinks of quarreling; yes, pope, bishops, priests, clergymen, who should be dukes, captains and ensigns of this spiritual quarrel against these spiritual, much worse Turks, are themselves princes and predecessors of such Turks and devilish armies, like the Turks.

Judas of the Jews when they caught Christ, Match. 6, 47.

There had to be an apostle, a bishop, a priest, the best of them, who could kill Christ: so Christianity must not be rejected by those who should protect it; and yet they remain so mad that they still want to eat the Turk and thus set fire to the house and sheepfold at home and let it burn with sheep and everything that is inside, and nevertheless think about the wolf in the bushes. This is the time, this is the reward that we have earned through ingratitude of the infinite graces that Christ has purchased for us in vain with his precious blood, hard work and bitter death.

123. sixteenth: Behold, where are the idle, who know not how to do good works? Where are they who run to Rome, St. James, here and there? Take this single work of the Mass before you, look at your neighbor's sin and fall, have mercy on him, let yourself lament it, complain to God and ask for it; do the same for all the other needs of Christianity, especially the authorities, whom God allows to fall and be seduced to unbearable punishment and plague. If you do this diligently, be sure that you are one of the best fighters and dukes, not only against the Turk, but also against the devils and infernal power; but if you do not, what good would it do you to do all the miraculous signs of all the saints and slay all the Turks, and yet be found guilty, as one who has not considered his neighbor's need and thereby sinned against love? For Christ will not ask at the last day how much you have prayed, fasted, prayed, done this or that for yourself, but how much you have done for others, the least of these.

124 Now among the least of these are undoubtedly those who are in sins and spiritual poverty, imprisonment and need, of whom there are now far more than suffer bodily hardship. Therefore, look before you; our own accepted good works lead us up and into ourselves to seek our own benefit and salvation alone; but God's commandments urge us on to our neighbor, that we there

by only being useful to others for their salvation/ Just as Christ on the cross did not ask for himself alone, but rather for us, when he said, Luc. 23:34: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing"; so we must also ask for one another. From this, everyone can see how the afterredeers, sacrilegious judges and despisers of other people are a wicked people, who do no more than revile those for whom they should ask. In which vice no one is so deep as those who do many good works of their own, and who shine before men and are respected because of their beautiful seeming nature in many good works.

In the seventeenth, this commandment has, according to spiritual understanding, still a much higher work, which comprehends the whole nature of man. Here one must know that "Sabbath" in Hebrew means celebration or rest, "because on the seventh day God rested and ceased from all His works which He had created," Genesis 2:3. Therefore He also commanded that the seventh day should be celebrated and that we should cease from all works which we do during the six days. And the same Sabbath is now changed into Sunday for us, and the other days are called working days, Sunday is called a day of rest or a holiday or a holy day. And if God wished that there should be no holiday in Christendom but Sunday, that all the feasts of our Lady and of the saints should be kept on Sunday, many evil evils would remain; and by the work of the working days the land would not be so poor and consumed. But now we are plagued with many holidays to the ruin of souls, bodies and goods, of which much could be said.

This rest or cessation of works is twofold, bodily and spiritual: therefore this commandment is also understood twofold. The bodily celebration or rest is that of which it is said above, that we leave our handiwork and work in order that we may gather to church, celebrate mass, hear God's word, and pray together in unity. Which celebration, although it is bodily and henceforth in Christendom, is not commanded by God, as the Apostle, Col. 2, 16. 17., says: "Let no one oblige you to any holiday, for they were figures before.

Now the truth is fulfilled that all days are holidays, as Isaiah, Cap. 66, 23, says: "There shall be one holiday upon another," again all days are working days; but it is necessary and decreed by Christianity for the sake of the imperfect laymen and laborers, that they may also lam to the word of God. For, as we see, the priests and clergy say mass every day, pray every hour, and practice the word of God with study, reading, and listening; therefore they are also exempt from work before others, are provided with interest, and have holidays every day, also do the works of the holiday every day, and no working day is for them but one like another. And if we were all perfect, and able to the gospel, we would work every day if we would, or celebrate if we could. For there is no need or command to celebrate now, but only to teach and pray for the sake of the Word of God.

The eighteenth, the spiritual celebration that God primarily means in this commandment is that we do not leave work and handicrafts alone, but rather that we let God alone work in us, and we do not work anything of our own in all our powers. But how does this work? It happens like this: Man, corrupted by sin, has much evil love and inclination to all sins and, as Scripture says, Gen. 8:21, "man's heart and mind are always set on evil," that is, on pride, disobedience, anger, hatred, avarice, unchastity etc. And summa summarum, in all that he does and leaves undone, he seeks his own benefit, will and honor more than that of God and his neighbor. Therefore all his works, all his words, all his thoughts, all his life are evil and not godly.

If God is to work and live in him, all these vices and wickedness must be strangled and eradicated, so that all our works, words, thoughts and lives may cease, so that "henceforth - as Paul says in Gal. 2:20 - it is not we who live, but Christ who lives, works and speaks in us. Now this does not happen with sweet good days; but here one must woe to nature and let it woe. Here the conflict between the spirit and the flesh arises; here we must resist.

the spirit to wrath, to pleasure, to hope; so the flesh wants to be in pleasure, honor and leisure. Of this St. Paul says, Gal. 5:24: "Those who are of our Lord Christ have crucified their flesh with its vices and lusts." Here now follow the good works: fasting, watching, working; of which some say and write so much, yet they know neither the beginning nor the end of them; therefore we will also now speak of them.

130. to the nineteenth: The celebration that our works cease and God alone works in us is accomplished in two ways. First, through our own practice. Secondly, through the practice or activity of others and of others. Our own training should be done and ordered in such a way that, first, when we see our flesh, senses, will, and thoughts being stirred up, we resist them and do not follow them; as the wise man, Sir. 18:30, says: "Do not follow your desires," and Deut. 12:8: "You shall not do what seems right to you." Here man must have in daily practice the prayers which David prays, Ps. 119:35, 37: "Lord, lead me in thy way, and let me not go my way," and many like these; all of which are included in the prayer, "Come thy kingdom unto us." For the desires are so many, so various, and at times so nimble, subtle, and of good form through the intervention of evil, that it is not possible for a man to govern himself in his ways; he must let his hands and feet go, command himself to God's rule, trust his reason in nothing, as Jeremiah says, Cap. 10:23: "O Lord, I know that the ways of man are not in his power."

This is testified, when the children of Israel went out of Egypt through the wilderness, where there was no way, no food, no drink, no help; therefore God went before them by day with a light cloud, by night with a fiery pillar, fed them from heaven with bread from heaven, preserved their garments and their shoes, that they should not be torn; as we read in the books of Moses, Exodus 13:13, 6. 13. f. Deut. 29, 5. 6. Therefore we pray, "Come thy kingdom," that thou mayest rule us, and not we ourselves. For there is nothing more dangerous in us than our reason and will. And this

is the highest and first work of God in us and the best practice to leave our works, reason and will idle, celebrating and submitting to God in all things, especially when they are spiritual and well shining.

132) The twentieth: After the exercises of the flesh, to kill its gross, evil desire, make rest and celebration; we must kill and satisfy them with fasting, vigilance, work. And for this reason we learn how much and why we should fast, watch or work. Unfortunately, there are many blind people who practice their mortification, be it fasting, vigilance or work, only because they think that they are doing good deeds, that they earn a lot with it. For this reason they go about and sometimes do so much that they ruin their bodies and make their heads mad. Much more blind are those who measure fasting not only by quantity or length, as these do, but also by food, considering it much more delicious if they do not eat meat, eggs or butter. Above these are those who judge fasting according to the saints, and choose according to the days, the one on Wednesday, the one on Saturday, St. Barbara, St. Sebastian, and so on. All these seek no more in fasting than the work of it; when they have done this, they think it is well done. I will keep silent here that some juice so much that they nevertheless get drunk, some fast so abundantly with fish and other food that they would come much closer with meat, eggs and butter, and in addition would get much better fruit from the fast. For such fasting is not fasting, but fasting and mocking God.

For this reason, I allow each man to choose the days, food, and amount of fasting he wants, provided that he does not leave it there, but has respect for his flesh; as much as it is lustful and wanton, so much he should fast, watch, and work on it and no more; let it be commanded by the pope, the church, the bishops, the confessors, or whoever else wants it. For no one shall ever take the measure and rule of fasting, watchfulness, and labor in quantity of food or days, but according to the departure or access of the flesh's lust and will, for the sake of which alone, to kill and curb, the fasting, watchfulness, labor, and the work of the flesh.

is used for the purpose of work. If this desire were not there, eating would be as much as fasting, sleeping as much as waking, being idle as much as working, and one would be as good as the other without any difference.

134. To the twenty-first: If anyone finds that his flesh is more hungry for fish than for eggs and meat, he should eat meat and not fish; If, on the other hand, he finds that his head is dull and mad, or his body and stomach are ruined by fasting, or that he does not need to kill his will in the flesh, he shall not fast at all, and shall eat, sleep, and be idle as much as is necessary for his health, regardless of whether it is contrary to the commandment of the church or the laws of the orders and estates.

For no commandment of the church, no law of any order, may set or urge fasting, vigilance, and labor higher than as much and as far as it serves to curb or kill the flesh and its lusts. If this goal is ignored and fasting, food, sleep, and vigilance are pushed higher than the flesh may suffer or is necessary to kill the lusts, and thus nature is corrupted and the head is broken, then no one will reproach him for having done good works or excuse himself with the commandment of the church or the laws of the order. He will be regarded as one who has neglected himself and, as much as there is in him, has become his own murderer. For the body is not given to kill his natural life or work, but only to kill his will of courage; unless the will of courage were so strong and great that it could not be resisted enough without ruining and damaging natural life. For, as I said, in the practice of fasting, watching, and working, one should not keep an eye on the works in themselves, not on the days, not on the quantity, not on the food; but only on the courageous and lustful Adam, so that the tickle may be increased by it.

136) The twenty-second: From this we may judge how wisely or foolishly some women do when they become pregnant, and how one should behave with the sick. For the foolish women are so hard on fasting,

That they rather dare the fruit and themselves great danger, before they should not fast like others; make them conscience, where there is none, and where it is, they make none. This is all the fault of the preachers, that fasting is so often talked about and its proper use, measure, fruit, cause and end are never shown. So the sick should be allowed to eat and drink whatever they want every day; and in short, where the will of the flesh ceases, all reason to fast, watch, work, eat this or that has already ceased, and there is no longer any commandment that binds. Again, beware lest out of this liberty grow a careless sloth to kill the will of the flesh; for mischievous Adam is very crafty in seeking leave for himself, and pretending to the ruin of the body or head; as some plump in, saying, It is not necessary nor commanded to fast or chasten, and will eat this and that without timidity, just as if they had long practiced fasting very much, when they have never tried it.

(137) No less should we beware of offending those who, not understanding enough, consider it a great sin if one does not fast or eat with them in their own way. Here we should teach them well, and not scorn them insolently, or eat this or that in spite of them, but show them the reason why it is done so justly, and so lead them with leisure into the same understanding; but if they are stiff-necked and will not let us tell them, we should let them go and do as we know is right.

(138) The twenty-third: The other affliction that comes upon us from others is when we are offended by men or devils, so that our goods are taken from us, our bodies are taken away sickly and honor, and everything that may move us to anger, impatience, and restlessness. For God's work, as it reigns in us according to His wisdom and not our reason, and according to His purity and chastity, not the will of our flesh; for God's work is wisdom and purity; our work is foolishness and uncleanness, which shall be celebrated: so shall it also reign in us according to His peace, and not our anger, impatience and discontent. For peace is also God's work;

Impatience is the work of our flesh, which should be celebrated and dead; so that we celebrate a spiritual holiday everywhere, idle away our work and let God work in us.

For this reason, in order to kill our works and Adam, God sends down our throats many impulses that provoke us to anger, many sufferings that provoke us to impatience, and finally death and the shame of the world, so that He may seek nothing else, but to cast out anger, impatience and strife, and come to His work, that is, to peace within us. Thus says Isaiah, Cap. 28:21: "He taketh upon him the work of another, that he may come unto his own work." What is this? He sends suffering and strife, that he may teach us patience and peace; he is called to die, that he may make alive, until man by training becomes so peaceful and quiet that he is not moved, whether he is well or ill, whether he dies or lives, whether he is honored or disgraced. God Himself alone dwells there; there are no works of man. This is called keeping the holiday right and sanctifying it; there man does not lead himself, there he does not desire himself, there nothing distresses him, but God himself leads him; all divine pleasure, joy and peace are there with all other works and virtues.

(140) The twenty-fourth: These works he esteems so great that he not only commands the holiday to be kept, but also to be sanctified or made holy; so that he shows that there is nothing more precious than suffering, dying and all kinds of misfortune; for they are sanctification and sanctify man from his works to God's works; just as a church is consecrated from natural works to divine services. Therefore he should also recognize them for sanctuary, be glad and thank God when they come to him. For when they come, they make him holy, so that he fulfills this commandment and becomes blessed, redeemed from his sinful works. Thus says David, Ps. 116:15: "The death of his saints is a precious thing in his sight." And that he might strengthen us to this end, he hath not only commanded us such a feast; for nature dieth and suffereth not willingly, and it is a bitter holiday to be idle and dead in her works; but hath comforted us in the scriptures with manifold words

and let it be said, Ps. 91,15: "I am with him in all his afflictions and will help him out"; item, Ps. 34, 20: "The Lord is near to all those who suffer and will help them. Not only that, but he has given a strong, powerful example of it, his only Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lay on the Sabbath the whole holiday without any of his works and was the first to fulfill this commandment, although without need for himself, only for our comfort, that we also in all suffering and death should be quiet and have peace, seeing that as Christ, after his rest and celebration, was raised from the dead, now lives on in God alone and God in him, so also we by killing our Adam, which does not happen completely. For through the death and burial of nature we are raised up in God, so that God may live and work in us forever. Behold, these are the three parts of man, the reason, the desire, the unwillingness, in which all his works go, which must therefore be strangled by these three practices, God's government, our own mortification, other insults, and thus spiritually celebrate God, give him room for his works.

(141) The twenty-fifth: Now these works and sufferings are to be done in faith and good faith in divine mercy, so that, as has been said, all works may remain in the first commandment and faith, and faith may be exercised and strengthened in them, for the sake of which all other commandments and works are set. Therefore, behold, how a beautiful golden ring makes itself out of these three commandments and their works, and how out of the first commandment and faith pushes the other into the third, and the third in turn pushes through the other into the first; for the first work is: to believe, to have a good heart and confidence in God. From this flows the other good work, praising God's name, confessing His grace, giving Him all glory alone. Then follows the third, worship with prayer, listening to sermons, writing poetry, and seeking God's good deeds by mortifying oneself and forcing one's flesh.

When the evil spirit becomes aware of such faith, God's honor and God's service, he rages and starts persecution, attacks body, property, honor and life, drives away

Sickness, poverty, disgrace and death, which God thus decrees and ordains. Behold, the other work or the other celebration of the third commandment arises; thereby faith is tried almost as high as gold in the fire, Sir. 2, 5, 1 Petr. 4, 12. For it is a great thing to maintain a good confidence in God, even though He inflicts death, dishonor, unhealthiness, poverty, and in such a cruel image of wrath to hold Him for the most gracious Father; which must happen in this work of the third commandment. Suffering then urges faith to call on God's name and praise Him in such suffering, and thus through the third commandment comes again into the other; and through the same calling on God's name and praise faith grows and comes into itself and thus strengthens itself through the two works of the third and other commandments.

And so he goes out into works and comes back to himself through works; just as the sun goes out to its setting and comes back to its setting, Ps. 19:7. Therefore in Scripture the day is assigned to the peaceful life in works, the night to the suffering life in adversity, and faith therefore lives and works in both, goes out and comes in, as Christ says, John 9:4.

144. To the twenty-sixth: This order of good works we ask in the Lord's Prayer. The first is that we say, "Our Father, who art in heaven," which are words of the first work of faith, which, according to the first commandment, does not doubt that it has a gracious God and Father in heaven. The second: "Let Your name be holy," in which faith desires that God's name, praise and glory be praised, and calls upon Him in all need, as the other commandment reads. The third: "Come thy kingdom," in which we ask for the right Sabbath and celebration, the quiet rest of our works, so that God's work alone may be in us, and so that God may reign in us as in His own kingdom, as He says, Luc. 17, 21: "Perceive that God's kingdom is nowhere but in yourselves."

145) The fourth prayer, "Thy will be done," in which we ask that we keep and have the seven commandments of the other tablet.

in which faith is also exercised toward the neighbor; just as in these three it is exercised in works toward God alone. And these are the prayers where the little word thou, thine, thy, thine is written inside, that they seek only what belongs to God; the others all say: our, us, ours etc. For we ask for our goods and our blessedness. And let this be said of the first tablet of Moses, and roughly above it the highest good works are shown to the simple. Follows the other table.

The first commandment of the other table of Moses:

You shall honor your father and [your] mother.

146. From this commandment we learn that after the high works of the first three commandments there are no better works than obedience and service of all those who are set before us for authority. Therefore also disobedience is a greater sin than death, unchastity, stealing, cheating, and what may be comprehended therein. For the difference of sins, which is greater than the other, we cannot know better than from the order of the commandments of God. Although each commandment has its own differences in its works. For who does not know that cursing is greater than anger, beating more than cursing, beating father and mother more than a common man. Now these seven commandments teach us how to practice good works toward men, and first of all toward our rulers.

The first work is to honor our physical father and mother. Which honor consists not only in showing oneself with gifts, but in being obedient to them, having their words and deeds before our eyes, paying great attention and giving attention to them, letting them speak what they pretend to speak, being silent, and suffering as they do with us, if it is not contrary to the first three commandments; and, if they need it, providing them with food, clothing, and house. For he said not in vain, Thou shalt honor them; not said he, Thou shalt love them; though that also shall be. But honor is higher than simple love, and has with it a fear that unites itself with love, and makes a man to be more

Fear to offend them, because the punishment. Just as we honor sanctuary with fear, and yet do not flee from it as from a punishment, but press toward it more. Such fear mixed with love is true honor; the other fear without all love is against the things we despise or flee, as one fears the executioner or punishment; there "is no honor, for it is fear without all love, yes, fear with hatred and enmity. There is a saying of St. Jerome: "What we fear, we also hate. With fear God does not want to be feared nor honored, nor parents honored; but with the first mixed with love and confidence.

148 Secondly: This work seems easy, but few pay much attention to it. For where parents are quite pious and do not love their children in a carnal way, but instruct and govern them in the first three commandments with words and deeds, as they should, for the sake of God's service, the child's own will is broken without interruption, and he must do, allow, and suffer what his nature would gladly do otherwise; because of this he gains cause to despise his parents, to grumble against them, or to do worse things; there love and fear go out, if God's grace is not there. In the same way, when they punish and chastise as they should, sometimes unjustly, which does no harm to the soul, the evil nature accepts it with displeasure.

149. Above all this, some are so wicked that they are ashamed of their parents, because of poverty, nobility, deformity or dishonor, they are more moved than the high commandment of God, who is above all things and has given them such parents with thoughtful favor, to practice and try them in his commandment. But this is even stronger when the child has children again, there the love rises among itself, and goes off very much the love and honor against the parents.

(150) What is commanded and said by the parents shall also be understood by those who are in their place, if the parents have died or are not present, such as friends, godparents, godfathers, temporal lords and spiritual fathers. For it must be

Every man shall rule and be subject to other men. For this reason we see here how many good works are taught in this commandment, since all our lives are subject to other people in it. And hence it is that obedience is so highly praised, and all virtue and good works are concluded in it.

151 Thirdly, there is another dishonor of parents, much more dangerous and subtle than the first, which is adorned and seen as a true honor; that is, when the child has its will, and the parents allow it through carnal love. Here it honors itself, here it loves itself, and is a delicious thing on all sides, pleases father and mother well; in turn, pleases the child well. This plague is so mean that examples of the first dishonor are rarely seen. All this is due to the fact that the parents, blinded, do not recognize or honor God in the first three commandments; therefore, they do not see what is wrong with the children and how they should teach and educate them. That is why they draw them to worldly honors, pleasures and goods, so that they may please men and ever come high. This is dear to the children, and they are quite happy to obey without any contradiction.

152. so God's commandment secretly goes down under a good pretense and is fulfilled, which is written in the prophet Isaiah, Cap. 57, 5. and Jeremiah, Cap. 7,31. 32,35.It is written that children are consumed by their own parents and do like King Manasseh, who sacrificed and burned his child to the idol Moloch, 2 Kings 21:6. What is different than sacrificing and burning one's own child to the idol, where parents raise their children more for the love of the world than for God? Let them thus go and be burned in worldly lust, love, joy, good and honor, and let God's love, honor and eternal good pleasure be extinguished in them. Oh how dangerous it is to be father and mother, where only flesh and blood rule; for, indeed, it is because of this commandment that the first three and the last six are known and kept; for parents are commanded to teach their children such things, as Ps. 78:6: "How nearly hath he commanded our parents, that they should make known the commandment of God unto their children, to

that their descendants should know them, and proclaim them to their children and their children's children. This is also the reason why God calls parents to honor, that is, to love with fear; for this love is without fear, therefore it is more dishonor than honor. Now behold, whether every man have not good works enough to do, whether he be father or child. But we blind men leave such things undone, and seek other works besides, which are not commanded.

153. fourth: Where mm the parents are so foolish and educate the children worldly, the children shall not be obedient to them in any way. For God is to be respected in the first three commandments higher than the parents. But I call it worldly education, when they teach not to seek more than lust, honor and goods, or the power of this world. To wear proper ornaments and to seek honest food is a necessity, not a sin; But if a child finds himself so skilled in his heart, or ever so skilled, that he is sorry that this miserable life on earth cannot be well begun or led, except under more adornment and good, for it is necessary for the covering of the body to ward off frost and to have food, and must therefore without his will, for the sake of the world, go along with it and tolerate such evil, for the sake of a better way to avoid trouble.

Thus Esther the queen wore her royal crown, and yet she said to God, as in Esth. 5:11: "Thou knowest that the crown of my head hath never pleased me, and I esteem it as an evil rag, and wear it no more when I am alone, but when I must do it, and go before the people. The heart that is thus minded wears jewelry without danger, for it wears and does not wear, dances and does not dance, lives well and does not live well. And these are the secret souls, hidden brides of Christ; but they are rare; for it is hard not to delight in great adornment and pomp. So St. Cecilia, at the command of her parents, wore golden garments, but inside her body she wore a hair shirt.

Here some say: Yes, how was I going to bring my child among the people and expose it with honors? I must therefore be resplendent. Tell me if these are not words of the heart,

that despairs of God and trusts more in his care than in God's care? St. Peter teaches and says, 1 Ep. 5, 7: "Cast all your care upon Him, and be sure that He will take care of you. It is a sign that they have never thanked God for their children, never prayed for them properly, nor commanded them to Him; otherwise they would know and have experienced how they should also ask and expect God to abandon their children. That is why he lets them go in their own way, with worries and anxieties, and yet they do nothing well.

Fifth: So it is true, as they say, that parents, if they have nothing else to do, may obtain blessedness in their own children; in whom, if they bring them up rightly to God's service, they have indeed both hands full of good works before them. For what are the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the prisoners, the sick, the strangers, but the souls of your own children? (Matth. 25, 35. 36.) With whom God will make you a hospital out of your house, and will make you a hospital master for them, that you may wait on them, feed and water them with good words and works, that they may learn to trust God, to believe and fear Him, and to put their hope in Him, to honor His name, not to swear or curse, to mortify themselves with prayer, fasting, watchfulness, work, worship and waiting for the word, and to celebrate the Sabbath to Him, that they may learn to despise temporal things, to bear misfortune gently, not to fear death, not to love this life.

Behold, what great lessons these are, how many good works you have before you in your house, in your child, who needs all these things, like a hungry, thirsty, naked, poor, captive, sick soul. Oh, what a blessed marriage and house that would be, where such parents would be inside; indeed, it would be an interwoven church, a chosen monastery, yes, a paradise. Ps. 128, 1-4. says: "Blessed are those who fear God and walk in His commandments; you will be nourished with the work of your hands, therefore you will be blessed and it will be well with you. Your wife will be like a full-fruitful vine in your house, and your children will be like the young shoots of the full oil trees around your table. Behold, thus blessed shall be

be whoever fears God" etc. Where are such parents? Where are those who ask for good works? No one wants to come here. Why? God has commanded it; from it the devil, flesh and blood, draws; it does not shine, therefore it is not valid. He runs to St. Jacob, who vows to Our Lady; no one vows to govern and teach himself and his child well in honor of God, leaves those whom God has commanded him to keep in body and soul, and wants to serve God in another place, which he is not commanded to do. No bishop teaches such a perverse nature, no preacher punishes it; indeed, for the sake of avarice they confirm it, and only think up more pilgrimages, elevations of saints, indulgences, and fairs every day. God have mercy on such blindness.

(158) Again, may parents not more easily earn hell than by their own children, in their own house, where they neglect them, and do not teach the things which are spoken above. What does it help that they fast to death, pray, walk and do all works? God will not ask them about this at death and the last day, but will demand the children he has commanded them. This is indicated by the word of Christ, Luc. 23, 28, 29: "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. The days are coming that they will say, Blessed are the bodies that have not given birth, and the breasts that have not suckled." Why will they lament like this, because all their condemnation comes from their own children? Which if they had not had, they might have been saved. Truly these words should open the eyes of parents, that they may look upon their children spiritually, lest the poor children be deceived by their false carnal love, as if they had taught their parents well, because they are not angry with them, or obedient in worldly pomp, wherein their own will is strengthened; when the commandment honors the parents, that the children's self-will may be broken, and they may become humble and meek.

159. as it is said in the other commandments, that they shall walk in the principal work; so also here no man shall observe to keep his discipline

and teaching in children is sufficient in itself, unless it is done in the confidence of divine grace, so that man does not doubt that he pleases God in works, and does not allow such works to be anything other than an admonition and training of his faith to trust in God and to provide himself with good things for Him and His gracious will, without which faith no work is alive, good, pleasant. For many pagans have brought up their children beautifully, but all is lost because of unbelief.

160 The seventh: The other work of this commandment is to honor and be obedient to the spiritual mother, the holy Christian church, the spiritual authority, what it commands, forbids, sets, orders, banishes, dissolves, that we judge ourselves according to it; and as we honor, fear and love physical parents, so also spiritual authorities, let them be right in all things that are not contrary to the first three commandments.

Now in this work it is almost worse than in the first: The spiritual authorities should punish sin with banishments and laws and urge their spiritual children to be pious, so that they would have cause to do this work and practice obedience and honor toward them. So now they see no diligence, setting themselves against their subjects, like mothers running from their children after their courtship; as Hosea, Cap. 2, 5; do not preach, do not teach, do not defend, do not punish, and yet there is no more spiritual rule in Christendom. What then can I say of this work? There are still a few fasting days and holidays left over, which would have been better left. But no one respects that, and no more that is valid, because the ban is driven for the sake of guilt, which should not be.

162) But it should be spiritual authority that adultery, unchastity, usury, eating, worldly splendor, other ornaments and such public sin and shame be punished and corrected in the strictest way, that the monasteries, convents, parishes, schools be ordered properly and worship be maintained in them with seriousness, that young people, boys and girls, in schools and convents, be provided with learned, pious men, so that they all may be well educated and educated.

and so the ancients would set a good example and Christianity would be filled and adorned with fine young people. Thus St. Paul teaches his disciple Titus, Cap. 2, 1-10, that he should instruct and govern all classes, young and old, male and female. But now go whoever you will; he who governs and teaches himself has it; indeed, it has unfortunately come to this that the places where one should teach good things have become boys' schools, and no one respects the wild youth.

163. to the eighth: If this order went, one could say how the honor and obedience should happen. Now it goes, however, as with the physical parents who leave their children the will. The spiritual authorities now impose, dispense, take money and indulge more than they are able to indulge. I will be silent here, to say more; we see its more, because it is good; the avarice sits at the regiment and just, that it should resist, that it teaches; and before eyes is, how spiritual state in all things is more worldly, than the worldly itself. Christianity must perish over this, and this commandment must perish. If there were such a bishop, who should take care of all such estates with diligence, see to it, visit it and keep it as he is obliged to, truly, a city would become too much for him. For even in the time of the apostles, when Christianity was at its best, every city had a bishop, since the city was the least of the Christians; how can it be, if one bishop wants so much, the [other] so much, the [third] the whole world, the [fourth] half?

It is time to ask God for mercy. We have much spiritual authority, but little or nothing spiritual government. However, whoever can, may help that monasteries, convents, parishes and schools are well ordered and governed, and it would also be one of the works of the spiritual authorities that they make fewer monasteries, convents and schools where they do not want to be taken care of. It is much better not to have a monastery or a foundation, because evil regiments in them only anger God more.

165 The ninth: Because the authorities have so completely abandoned their work and are wrong, it must certainly follow that they are not to be held accountable for their actions.

misuse the authority and do evil works of others, just as parents do when they command something that is against God. We must be wise in this; for the apostle said, 2 Tim. 3, 1. 2. that the same times will be dangerous in which such authorities will rule. For it appears that one resists their authority, if one does not do or resist everything they pretend to do. We must therefore take the first three commandments and the right tablet before our hands, and be sure that no man, neither bishop, pope, nor angel, shall command or set anything contrary to, hindering, or not favorable to these three commandments with their works; and if they do so, it shall stand and be of no account; so also we sin in that where we follow and obey, or suffer the same.

From this it is easy to understand how the commandments of fasting cannot be understood by the sick, pregnant women, or those who otherwise cannot fast without harm. And that we go higher, because nothing else comes from Rome in our time than a fair of spiritual goods, which are bought and sold openly and brazenly, indulgences, parishes, monasteries, bishoprics, provostries, benefices and everything that is ever endowed for worship far and wide, by which not only all the money and goods of the world are drawn and driven to Rome, which would be the least harm; but the parishes, bishoprics, prelatures are torn apart, abandoned, devastated and thus the people are missed, God's word, God's name and honor perish, the faith is destroyed, so that in the end such foundations and ministries are not only given to unlearned and incompetent people, but the greater part is given to the greatest Roman ruffians who are in the world. Everything that was founded for the service of God, to preach to the people, to govern and to improve, must now serve the stable boys, muleteers, yes, so that I do not say it more crudely, Roman whores and boys; yet they have no more thanks for it than that they mock us as fools.

167) The tenth: If such intolerable mischiefs all happen under the name of God and St. Peter, just as if God's name and the spiritual power were established to blaspheme God's honor, Christianity

to corrupt body and soul; we are indeed guilty, as much as we are able, of resisting justly; and must do here as pious children do, to whom their parents have gone mad and insane, and see for the first time where the right comes from, that which is instituted for worship in our lands, or ordered to be provided for our children, that it should be made to serve in Rome, and here, where it should be, omitted; how are we so senseless!

168. Since bishops and ecclesiastical prelates are standing still here, not resisting or fearing, and thus letting Christianity perish, we should first of all humbly call upon God for help in resisting this; then do so with our hands, move the road for the curates and Roman letter carriers, and offer them a sensible, gentle way: If this is not done, and they sit in Rome or elsewhere, devastate and weaken the churches, so that they may feed the pope in Rome whom they serve. It is not fitting that we should feed the pope his servants, his people, even his knaves and whores, with ruin and harm to our souls.

Behold, these are the right Turks, whom the kings, princes, and nobles should attack first; not seeking therein their own benefit, but only the betterment of Christendom and the prevention of the blasphemy and dishonor of God's name, and thus dealing with the clergy as with the father, who had lost his sense and wit; whom, if not taken and defended, yet with humility and all honor, he would destroy child, heir, and every man. So we are to hold Roman authority in honor as our supreme father; and yet, because they have become mad and senseless, not allow them to take advantage of it, lest Christianity be corrupted by it.

170) The eleventh: Some think that this should be put on a common council. I say no to this. For we have had many conciliums in which this has been done, namely at Costnitz, Basel, and the last Roman one; but nothing has been done, and it is always worse.

have become. Also, such councils are of no use, because Roman wisdom has devised the finding that kings and princes must first swear to let them remain and have what they are and what they have, and thus put up a bar to ward off all reformation, to preserve protection and freedom from all excesses. Although the same oath, demanded against God and right, is enforced and taken, and the Holy Spirit, who is supposed to govern the churches, is thus locked. But this would be the best and also the only remaining means, if kings, princes, nobility, cities and communities themselves began to make a break in the cause, so that the bishops and clergy, who are now afraid, would have cause to follow. For here one should not and must not look at anything other than God's first three commandments, against which neither Rome, nor heaven, nor earth can command or defend anything; and there is nothing in the ban or the dragon that they think they can defend against; just as there is nothing in it, whether a mad father almost threatens his son, if he defends him or catches him.

The twelfth: The third work of this commandment is to be obedient to the temporal authorities, as St. Paul teaches in Romans 13:1 and Titus 3:1, and St. Peter in 1 Peter 2:14, 15: "Be subject to the king as the ruler and to the princes as his envoys, and to all orders of temporal authority." The work of the temporal power is to protect the subjects, to punish thievery, robbery and adultery, as St. Paul, Rom. 13, 4: "It does not bear the sword in vain; in it it serves God for the fear of the wicked and for the good of the pious."

Here one sins in two ways. First, when one lies, deceives and is unfaithful to them, does not follow and do as they have commanded and commanded, whether with body or with goods. For though they do wrong, as the king of Babylon did to the people of Israel, Jer. 27:6-8, Bar. 2, 21. 22. nevertheless God will have kept obedience to them without all cunning and danger. On the other hand, if one speaks evil of them, maligns them and, if one cannot avenge oneself, scolds them publicly or secretly with murmuring and evil words.

In all of this, we are to look at the one that is called St. Peter's, namely

The only thing that may harm the soul, but only the body and property, is that its power, whether it does right or wrong, may not harm the soul, unless it wants to publicly urge to do wrong against God or man; as before times, when they were not yet Christians, and the Turk still does, as they say. For unjust suffering corrupts no one's soul; indeed, it improves the soul, though it diminishes the body and goods; but unjust doing corrupts the soul, though it brings good to all the world.

174 To the thirteenth: This is also the reason why there is not so much danger in worldly authority as in spiritual authority, if they do wrong. For worldly authority may not harm, since it has nothing to do with preaching and faith and the first three commandments. But spiritual authority does harm not only when it does wrong, but also when it leaves its office and does something else, even if it is better than the very best works of secular authority. Therefore one must resist it if it does not do right, and not against the secular power if it does wrong. For the poor people, as they see and hear of the spiritual power, so they believe and do; but if they see and hear nothing, so they believe and do nothing, because this power was not instituted for any other purpose than to lead the people in faith to God. All this is not in the worldly power; for it does and lords it as it wills, so my faith goes to God its way and works for itself, because I do not have to believe as it believes.

For this reason, temporal authority is also a small thing in the sight of God, and is considered far too small by Him, so that one should be disobedient and disunited for its sake, whether it is right or wrong. On the other hand, spiritual authority is a great abundant good and much too precious in his sight that the least Christian should suffer and remain silent when it steps a hair's breadth from its own office, let alone when it goes completely against its office, as we now see every day.

Fourteenth, in this power there are also many abuses. To the first, where it follows the flatterers, which is a ge-

My and special harmful plague is this power, which no one can sufficiently resist and provide for; there it is led by the nose, and goes over the poor people, becomes a regiment, as a heathen says, that the cobwebs catch the little flies, but the millstones pass through; So the laws, order and regiment of the same rule keep the lowly, the great are free; and where the lord himself is not so reasonable that he does not need his people's counsel, or is ever so important that they fear him, there will and must be, unless God wants to do a special sign, a childish regiment. Therefore, among other plagues, God considered wicked, inept rulers to be the greatest, so that He would forewarn, Isa. 3:2: "I will take from them every valiant man, and will give them children and children's children.

God has named four plagues in Scripture, Ezekiel 14:13 ff. The first, the least, which David also chose, 2 Sam. 24, 13, 14, is pestilence; the second is the evil time; the third is war; the fourth is all kinds of evil beasts, such as lions, wolves, serpents, dragons; these are evil rulers. For where these are, the land has corruption not only in body and goods, as in the others, but also in honor, discipline, virtue and the blessedness of souls. For pestilence and evil times make pious and righteous people; but war and evil rulership destroy all that pertains to temporal and eternal good.

178 To the fifteenth: A lord must also be almost prudent not to always break through with his head, even if he has exquisite good rights and the very best cause. For it is a much nobler virtue to tolerate harm to the right than to the property or body, where this is useful to the subjects; since worldly rights are only attached to temporal goods. Therefore it is a foolish speech: I have a right to it, therefore I will take it by storm and keep it, even though all misfortune should spring from it for others.

179 Thus we read of the emperor Octavian that he did not want to get how just he would be, unless there were certain indications of better benefit than harm, or tolerable

He said, "Warfare is like fishing with a golden net, where you never catch as much as you dare lose. For he that leadeth a chariot must walk much differently than if he went by himself; here he may walk, leap, and do as he pleaseth; but when he goeth, he must steer himself, and be ready, that the chariot and horses may follow him, hearkening more to this than to his will. So also a lord who carries a troop with him must not walk and act as he wills, but as the troop is able, looking more to their need and benefit than to his will and pleasure. For where a lord rules according to his mad head and follows his will, he is like a mad carter who runs straight with horses and wagons through bushes, hedges, ditches, water, mountains and valleys, regardless of roads and bridges; he will not drive long, it will go to ruin.-Therefore it would be most useful for the rulers to read or have read to them from their youth the histories, both holy and pagan books, in which they would find more examples and art to govern than in all books of law; as it is said that the kings of Persia did, Esther 6:1, 2. For examples and histories always give and teach more than laws and statutes; there experience teaches, here inexperienced and uncertain words teach.

180. to the sixteenth: All rulers, especially in these lands, have to do three special necessary works in our time. First, to put an end to the cruel nature of gluttony and drunkenness, not only for the sake of abundance, but also for the sake of preciousness; for through spices, specimens and the like, without which life would be well lived, not a small loss of temporal goods has come into these lands and comes daily. To prevent such two great damages, the secular powers would have to create enough, which are almost deeply and widely torn. And how could the powerful do God a better service and improve their country for themselves?

181 Secondly, to ward off the exuberant food of clothing, so that so much good

It is frightening to think that such abuse should be found among the people who are sworn, baptized, and dedicated to Christ crucified, who are to bear their cross with him and prepare themselves for the other life daily by dying. If it were done by some unwisdom, it would be more unfortunate; but that it is done so freely, unpunished, unashamedly and unhindered, yes, that praise and glory are sought in it, that is ever an unchristian being.

182. thirdly, drive out the usury-addicted interest-buying, which in all the world corrupts, consumes and destroys all countries, people and cities by its mischievous appearance, so that it makes it appear that it is not usury, when it is in fact worse than usury, so that one does not stand in front of it, as before the public usury. Behold, these are three Jews, as they say, who suck the whole world dry. Here the lords should not sleep, nor be slothful, if they would give God a good account of their office.

183 To the seventeenth: Here we also have to show the excesses committed by officials and other episcopal and ecclesiastical officials, who banish, summon, hunt and drive the poor people with great difficulty, just because there is a penny. Such things should be fought with the secular sword, because there is no other help or means. O God from heaven, that once such a regiment would be started to destroy the common women's houses, as it was in the people of Israel. It is an unchristian image to keep a public house of sin among Christians, which was unheard of before. It should be an order, that boys and maidens should be given together in time, and that such a vice should be prevented. Both the spiritual and the temporal authorities should strive for such an order and manner. If it was possible with the Jews, why should it not be possible with the Christians? Yes, if it is possible in villages, markets and some cities, as is evident, why should it not be possible everywhere?

184 But it is because there is no government in the world; no one wants to work, so there is no need to work.

The craftsmen must celebrate their servants: they are then free and no one can tame them. But if there were an order that they had to walk in obedience, and no one would take them up in other places, this evil would have been plugged a big hole. Help God! I see to it that the wish is greatest here, hope is small; but we are not excused by it. Now behold, there are few works of the authorities indicated, but still so good and so much that they have superfluous good works and God to serve all hours. But these works, like the others, should also be done in faith, even practicing faith, so that no one intends to please God by his works, but rather, by trusting in His grace, does such works only to honor and praise His gracious dear God, to serve and be useful to his neighbor.

185. to the eighteenth: The fourth work of this commandment is: obedience of the servants and workmen to their lord, wife, master and mistress. Of which St. Paul says, Titus 2:9, 10: "Thou shalt preach unto the servants, that they keep their masters in all honour, and be obedient, and do that which is right in their sight, not deceiving them, nor opposing them"; also for this reason: because "thereby they make a good name for the doctrine of Christ, and for our faith," that the heathen may not complain and be angry with us. St. Peter also says, 1 Ep. 2:18, 19: "Ye servants ought to be obedient to your masters for the fear of God, not only to them that are kind and gentle, but also to them that are whimsical and unsaved. For this is a pleasant thing in the sight of God, if a man suffer unpleasure with innocence."

Now the greatest complaint in the world is about the servants and laborers, how disobedient, unfaithful, naughty and wicked they are; this is a plague from God. And indeed, this is the work of the servants, so that they may be saved; they are not allowed to do much, this or that, they have enough to do, if only their heart is set on doing and leaving what they know is pleasing to their masters and wives, and all this in a simple faith, Eph. 6, 5. Col. 3, 24, not that they want to earn great things by their works, but that they do it in a simple way.

they do all this in divine grace, confidence, in which all merits stand, purely in vain, out of love and favor to God, arising from such confidence; and let such works all be a training and admonition to strengthen such faith and confidence more and more. For, as has been said many times, this faith makes all works good, indeed, it must do them and be the master of them.

187 To the nineteenth: Again, the masters and wives should not govern their servants, maids and laborers in a furious manner, should not seek all things most carefully, should sometimes slacken a little and, for the sake of peace, look through their fingers. For all things may not be always the same in every state, while we live on earth in imperfection. St. Paul says about this, Col. 4, 1: "You masters should act equally and fairly with your servants, remembering that you also have a master in heaven." Therefore, just as masters do not want to be treated harshly by God, but have a lot of things abated by grace, so they should also be the more gentle toward their servants and abate a little, and yet use diligence so that they do right and learn to fear God. But behold, what good works a householder and a wife may do, how finely God sets before us all good works so near, so various, so constant, that we may not inquire after good works, and may well forget the other glittering, extensive, invented works of men, such as walking, building churches, seeking indulgences, and the like.

Here I should also say how a wife should be obedient, submissive, yielding, silent and right to her husband as her superior, if it is not against God. Again, the husband should love his wife, let her go a little and not act exactly with her, of which St. Peter and Paul have said much, 1 Petr. 3, 5-7. Eph. 5, 22-25. Col. 3, 18. 19. but it belongs in further interpretation of the ten commandments, and is easy to recognize from these pieces.

(189) The twentieth: All that is said of these works is contained in the two, obedience and diligence. Hearing

It is the duty of the subjects to be careful, and of the rulers to be diligent to govern their subjects well, to deal kindly with them, and to do all they can to be useful and helpful to them. This is their way to heaven, and their best works that they may do on earth; that they may be more acceptable in the sight of God, than if they had done miracles. Thus says St. Paul, Rom. 12, 8.He that hath an authority, let his work be diligence"; as if he should say, he is not to be deceived as to what other men or estates do, he looks not to this work or that, whether it be glittering or darkness; but has respect of his estate, and thinketh only how he may be useful to them that are under him, so that he standeth up, and is not carried away, though heaven rise up before him, neither chaseth he away, though hell follow him. This is the right road that carries him to heaven.

(190) Oh, whoever would have respect for himself and his status, waiting for it alone, like a rich man of good works, should become that in a short time, so quietly and secretly that no one but God alone would be aware of it. But now we let all this go and run into the Carthusian monastery, one here, the other there, just as if the good works and God's commandments were thrown into the corners and hidden, when it is written, Proverbs 1:20, 21.It is written, Proverbs 1:20, 21, that the divine "wisdom crieth out her commandment openly in the streets, in the midst of the people, and in the gates of the cities; that it may be seen that in every place, station, and time, there are superfluous things, and that we see them not, and blindly seek them elsewhere. This is what Christ proclaimed, Matth. 24, 23-26: "If they say to you, 'Here is Christ,' or 'There is Christ,' do not believe it. If they shall say: Behold, in the wilderness is he, go not forth; behold, in the secret houses is he, only believe it not; they find false prophets and false Christians."

191. twenty-first: Again, obedience is due to the subjects, that they turn all their diligence and attention to do and let do what their overlords desire of them, not to let themselves be deprived of it.

Let another do what he does. Let him not think that he lives well or does good deeds, be it praying or fasting or whatever it may be called, if he does not practice them earnestly and diligently.

But where it happens, as it often does, that worldly power and authority, as they are called, would force a subject against the commandments of God or prevent him from doing so, then obedience goes out and the duty is already suspended. Here one must say, as St. Peter said to the rulers of the Jews, Apost. 5, 29: "One must be more obedient to God than to men." He did not say, "One must not be obedient to men, for that would be wrong, but to God more than to men. As when a prince would have a public unrighteous cause, he is not to be followed or helped at all; for God has commanded that we should not kill our neighbor, nor do wrong. Item, if he would give a false testimony, rob, lie or cheat and the like; here one should let go before property, honor, life and limb, so that God's commandment remains.

From the fifth commandment.

193 These last four commandments have their work in reason, that is, to take man captive, to govern him, and to make him a subject, that he may not govern himself, nor think well of himself, nor think anything of himself; but that he may humbly know and be led, that hope may be granted. These following commandments deal with the lusts and desires of man, even to kill them.

194 First, wrathful and vengeful desire, of which the fifth commandment says, "Thou shalt not kill. Which commandment has a work that comprehends much and dispels much vice, and is called meekness. Now this is of two kinds. The first is almost glittering, and there is nothing behind it, which we have toward our friends, and who are useful to us, and are worthy of good, honor, and favor, or who do not offend us, either in word or deed. Such gentleness is also found in unreasonable animals, lions and serpents, pagans, Jews, Turks, boys, and murderers,

wicked women. All these are content and gentle, if one does what they want, or leaves them in peace; and yet not a little deceived by such inept meekness, they cover and excuse their anger, so: I would not be angry if I were left in peace. Yes, dear man, so the evil spirit would also be meek if it had its way. The discord and the insult come upon you because it wants to show you yourself how full of anger and malice you are, so that you are admonished to work for gentleness and to cast out anger.

The other meekness is thoroughly good, which shows itself against the adversaries and enemies, does them no harm, does not take revenge, does not curse, does not blaspheme, does not speak evil of them, does not think evil of them, even if they have taken property, honor, body, friends and everything. Yes, where she likes, she does them good for the evil, speaks the best after them, remembers them best, prays for them. Christ says, Matth. 5, 44: "Do good to those who harm you. Pray for your persecutors and blasphemers." And Paul, Rom. 12:14, 15: "Bless them that despitefully do you wrong, and do not blame them, but do them good."

196 Secondly: Now behold this exquisite work, how it has come about among Christians that no more than strife, war, quarrels, wrath, hatred, envy, back talk, cursing, blasphemy, harm, revenge and all kinds of wrathful works and words rule everywhere with full force; and yet we go along with many holidays, hear masses, say little prayers, establish churches, spiritual ornaments, which God has not commanded, glittering so splendidly and exuberantly, as if we were the holiest Christians who have ever been. And so, through these mirrors and varnishes, God's commandment is brought low, so that no one may consider or contemplate how near or far he is from meekness and the fulfillment of God's commandment; for He said that not the one who does such works, but the one who keeps His commandments, shall enter into eternal life. Joh. 14, 15. 21. 15, 10.

197 Because no one lives on earth to whom God does not add a pointer of his own.

1378 L-16,208-210. B. Of the Christian faith in particular - third article. W. X, 1607-1669. 1379

The question is whether he is still angry, whether he could be kind to his enemy, whether he would speak well of him, whether he would be kind to him, whether he would do good to him, and whether he would do no evil against him. Come now therefore, whosoever shall ask what he shall do, that he may do good works, and please God, and be blessed. He shall take his enemy before him, make him steadfast in the sight of his heart, so that he may break himself, and accustom his heart to think kindly of him, to grant him the best, to care for him, and to pray for him; then, when the time is right, to speak well of him and to do good.

198. Try this piece, whoever wants to, if he does not gain enough for his lifetime, then he will prove me wrong and say that this speech was false. But if God wants this and does not want to be paid otherwise, what is the use of us doing other great works that are not commanded, and not doing this? Therefore God says, Matth. 5, 25: "I say to you, whoever is angry with his neighbor is guilty of judgment; whoever says to his brother, Racha, that is, gives an abominably angry, nasty sign, is guilty of judgment; but whoever says to his brother, Thou fool, that is, all kinds of abusive words, cursing, blaspheming, backbiting, is guilty of eternal fire." Where then remains the deed with the hand, as striking, wounding, killing, harming etc., if the thoughts and words of anger are so highly condemned?

199 Thirdly: But where there is thorough gentleness, the heart mourns all the evil that befalls its enemy. And these are the true children and heirs of God and brothers of Christ, who has done this for us all on the holy cross. So we see that a pious judge passes sentence on the guilty with pain, and he is sorry for the death that justice brings upon him. Here is a shearing in the work, as if it were wrath and disgrace. Gentleness is so thoroughly good that it remains even under such wrathful works, yes, it torments the heart most fiercely when it must therefore be angry and serious.

But we must take care here that we are not meek against God's honor and commandment. For it is written of Moses that he was the most gentle man on earth, Sir. 45, 4. and yet, when the Jews had worshipped the golden calf and angered God, he struck many of them to death, and so God was reconciled, Ex. 32, 28. So it is not fitting that the authorities should celebrate and let sin reign, and we should remain silent about it. I should not respect my good, my honor or my harm, and I should not be angry about it; but we must defend God's honor and commandment, and our neighbor's harm or wrong, the authorities with the sword, the others with words and punishments, and yet all with the sorrow of those who deserve punishment.

This high, fine, sweet work will be easy to learn if we do it in faith and practice it. For if faith does not doubt the mercy of God, that it has a gracious God, it will be easy for it to be gracious and favorable also to its neighbor, as high as it has realized itself; for we have realized ourselves much higher toward God. Behold, a short commandment is this, but a long great exercise of good works and faith is specified therein.

From the sixth commandment.

You shall not commit adultery.

In this commandment there is also a good work commanded, which comprehends much and drives away much vice; and it is called purity or chastity, of which much has been written, preached, and is well known to almost everyone, but it is not so diligently observed and practiced as is done in the other works which are not commanded. So even we are ready to do what is not commanded, and to leave undone what is commanded. We see that the world is full of shameful works of unchastity, shameful words, fables, and songs; and daily stimulation is multiplied by eating and drinking, idleness, and other trinkets. But let us go as if we were Christians, when we have been to church, kept our prayers, fasts and feasts, so that it may be done.

Now, if there were no more works commanded than chastity alone, we would all have enough to do with it, for it is such a dangerously raging vice. For it rages in all limbs, in the heart with thoughts, in the eyes with the face, in the ears with hearing, in the mouth with words, in the hands, feet and whole body with works. To force all this requires work and effort; and so the commandments of God teach us how great a thing it is for righteous good works, even that it is impossible for us to think of a good work out of our strength, let alone to begin or accomplish it. St. Augustine says that among all the disputes of Christians, the chastity dispute is the hardest, only because it lasts daily, without stopping, and it is rarely on top. All the saints have lamented and wept over it, as St. Paul, Rom. 7:18: "I find in myself, that is, in my flesh, nothing good."

(204) Secondly, this work of chastity, if it endures, leads to many other good works, to fasting and temperance against gluttony and drunkenness, to waking and rising early against laziness and superfluous sleep, to work and toil against idleness. For gluttony, drunkenness, much sleeping, sloth and idleness are weapons of unchastity, that chastity may be nimbly overcome. Again, the holy apostle Paul calls fasting, watchfulness, and work divine weapons for overcoming unchastity, Rom. 13, 13, 14, but as said above, these exercises do not go further than the curbing of unchastity, not the corruption of nature. Over all this, the strongest defense is prayer and the word of God, so that where evil desire arises, man may flee to prayer, call upon God's grace and help, read and contemplate the Gospel, and therein contemplate Christ's suffering. Thus says the 137th Psalm, v. 9: "Blessed is he who takes hold of the young of Babylon and crushes them on the rock," that is, if the heart with the evil thoughts, while they are still young and in the beginning, runs to the Lord Christ, who is a rock on which they are crushed and perish. Behold, every one with

They will find enough to do, and in themselves they will have many good works to do. But now it happens that no one needs prayer, fasting, watchfulness and work for this purpose; but let them remain works for themselves, which should nevertheless be ordered to fulfill this commandment and to purify it more and more every day.

(205) There are also some more things to be avoided, such as soft bedding and clothing, avoidance of other jewelry, female or male company, speech and face, and what else is conducive to chastity. In all this, no one can set a certain rule and measure. Each one must perceive what things and how much, how long they are conducive to chastity, so that he himself may keep and observe them; if he cannot do so, he must submit himself for a while to the rule of another, who will keep him until he himself may become powerful to rule. For this reason the monasteries were founded long ago, to teach young people discipline and purity.

206 Thirdly: In this work a good, strong faith helps very much, more sensitively than in almost any other; that also for this reason Isaiah, Cap. 11, 5, says, "faith is a girdle of the kidneys," that is, a preservation of chastity. For whoever lives in such a way that he takes care of all graces toward God, spiritual purity pleases him well; therefore he can resist carnal impurity so much easier: and certainly the Spirit tells him in such faith how he should avoid evil thoughts and everything that is detrimental to chastity. For the faith of divine grace, as it lives without ceasing and works all works, so it does not cease its admonition in all things that are pleasing or displeasing to God; as St. John says in his epistle: "Ye need not that any man teach you: for the divine ointment, that is, the Spirit of God, teacheth you all things," 1 John 2:27.

(207) But we must not despair whether we do not quickly get rid of the temptation, nor resolve to have rest from it while we live, and not receive it otherwise than as a stimulus and admonition to pray, fast, watch, work, and other things.

Exercises to subdue the flesh, especially to drive and practice faith in God. For there is not a delicious chastity which has quiet rest, but which is at war with unchastity and contends, without ceasing, to cast out all the poison which the flesh and the evil spirit throw in. Thus says St. Peter, 1 Ep. 2:11: "I exhort you to abstain from fleshly lusts and desires, which always fight against the soul"; and St. Paul, Rom. 6:12: "Ye shall not follow the flesh after the lusts thereof." In these and similar sayings it is indicated that no one is without evil desire, but should and must daily contend with it. Although it brings trouble and discomfort, it is a pleasant work in the sight of God, and our comfort and satisfaction is in it. For those who think they can control this temptation only set themselves on fire; and even if it stands still for a while, it comes back stronger at another time and finds nature more weakened than before.

The seventh commandment.

You shall not steal.

This commandment also has a work which contains many good works and is contrary to many vices, and is called in German "Mildness"; which is a work that is willing to help and serve everyone from its good. And contends not only against theft and robbery, but against all abridgment, which in temporal goods one may practice against another: These are avarice, usury, overcharging, overbilling, false goods, false measures, using false weights, and who can count them all, the nimble, new, sharp little fingers that multiply daily in all dealings, in which each man seeks his own advantage with the other's disadvantage, and forgets the law that says, "As you would have others do to you, so do you to them." If every man would keep this rule in mind in his trade, business, and commerce toward his neighbor, he would well find how he should buy and sell, take and give, lend and give for free, promise and keep, and the like. And so we look at the world in its

Being as avarice has the regiment in all commerce, we would not alone gain enough to create, should we feed ourselves with God and honor; but also receive a horror and dread of this dangerous, miserable life, which is so utterly overloaded with cares of temporal food and dishonest requests for it, entangled and imprisoned.

209 Secondly, for this reason the wise man says, Sir. 31, 8. 9: "Blessed is the rich man who is found without blemish, who does not run after gold and has not put his trust in the treasures of money. Who is he? Let us praise him for the miracles he has done in his life. As if he were to say, "No one or even a few are found; indeed, there are very few of them who notice and recognize such greed for gold in themselves. For avarice here has a fine, fine cover of shame, which is called nourishment of the body and natural need, under which it acts without measure and insatiably, so that whoever is to keep himself pure in this must truly, as he says, do miraculous signs or deeds in his life.

Now behold, he that will not only do good works, but also miraculous signs, which God shall praise and cause to please him, what can he think of much else? Let him take heed to himself, and see that he run not after gold, and set not his trust in money, but let gold run after him, and let the money of his grace wait, and let him love none, nor let his heart cleave unto it; so is he the right, mild, wonder-working, blessed man, as Job, Cap. 31:24, says: "I have never relied on gold, nor let money be my comfort and assurance"; and Ps. 62:11: "If riches flow to you, you shall never set your heart on them." So also Christ teaches, Matt. 6:31, 32: "We ought not to be careful what we eat or drink, or how we clothe ourselves, for God sees to it, and knows that we have need of it."

211. But some say, Yes, rely on it, do not worry, and see if a roasted chicken flies into your mouth. I do not say that no one should labor and seek food; but do not worry, do not be stingy, do not despair, he will have enough; for we are

In Adam all were condemned to work. For God says, Gen. 3, 19: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread"; and Job 5, 7: "As the bird is born to fly, so is man born to labor." Now the birds fly without care and avarice; so we also should work without care and avarice. But if you care and are stingy, so that the roast chicken may fly into your mouth, then care and be stingy, and see if you fulfill God's commandment and become blessed.

The third: This work is taught by faith itself. For if the heart is assured of divine grace and relies on it, how is it possible that he should be stingy and careful? He must be certain without a doubt that God will take care of him; that is why he does not cling to any money; he also uses his money for the benefit of his neighbor with cheerful gentleness; he knows well that he will have enough, however much he gives away. For his God, in whom he trusts, will not lie to him, nor forsake him, as Ps. 37:25 says: "I have been young and grown old; I have never seen a believing man who trusts in God - that is, a righteous man - forsaken, or his child gone after bread." Therefore the apostle calls no other sin idolatry than avarice, Col. 3:5, which makes it most evident that it trusts in God nothing, and does more good for its money than for God; by which trust God is truly honored or dishonored, as has been said.

(213) And indeed, in this commandment it may be clearly seen how all good works must go and be done in faith; for here every one almost certainly feels that mistrust is the cause of miserliness, but faith is the cause of gentleness. For because he trusts in God, he is mild, and does not doubt that he always has enough: again, because he is stingy and careful, he does not trust in God. Now as in this commandment faith is the master and driver of the good work of gentleness; so it is also in all the other commandments, and without such faith gentleness is of no use, but a careless spilling of money.

214. fourth: Here it is also to be known that this mildness is to extend to

to enemies and adversaries. For what good deed is it, if we are merciful only to our friends? As Christ teaches, Luc. 6:32 ff: "Even a wicked man does this to another, his friend"; and even the unreasonable animals are merciful and mild to their own kind. Therefore, a Christian man must go higher, let his gentleness also serve the undeserving, the wrongdoers, the enemies, the ungrateful, and like his heavenly Father, let his sun also rise on the pious and the evil, and rain on the thankful and the ungrateful, Matth. 5, 45.

Here it will be found how difficult it is to do good works according to God's commandment, how nature is bent, curved and writhing against it, which nevertheless does its own good, exquisite works easily and gladly. So take your enemies, the ungrateful, before you, do them good; then you will find out how near or far you are from this commandment, and how you will always have to struggle with the practice of this work throughout your life. For if your enemy needs you, and you do not help him if you can, it is as much as if you had stolen from him what was his, for you owed it to him to help. Thus says St. Ambrose, "Feed the hungry; if thou feed him not, thou hast strangled him, as much as is in thee." And in this commandment go the works of mercy which Christ will require at the last day, Matth. 25, 35. 36.

However, the rulers and cities should be concerned that the countrymen, Jacob's brothers, and other foreign beggars be forbidden, or that they be permitted with moderation and order, so that the boys are not allowed to go astray under the name of beggars, and that they are not allowed to commit usury, of which there is now much. I have said more about this commandment in the sermon on usury.

The eighth commandment.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

This commandment seems small, and yet it is so great that whoever is to keep it right must risk life and limb, goods and honor, friends and all that he has, and yet understands no more than the work of the

The small limb, the tongue, and in German it means to tell the truth and to contradict lies where necessary; therefore, many evil works of the tongue are forbidden in this.

218 To the first, those done with speeches, the other, those done with silence. With speech, when one has a wicked cause in court and wants to prove it with a false reason, to catch his neighbor with agility, to put forward everything that adorns and promotes his cause; to conceal and belittle everything that promotes his neighbor's good cause; in which he does not do to his neighbor as he would have done to him. Some do this for the sake of enjoyment, others to avoid harm or disgrace, so that they seek their own, more than God's commandment, excusing themselves thus: jura subveniunt: whoever keeps watch, justice helps him; just as if they were not as much guilty of watching out for their neighbor's cause as for their own; thus they wilfully let the neighbor's cause perish, which they know to be right. This evil is now so general that I fear that no judgment or trade will take place, and that one party will sin against this commandment. And though they are not able to do it, yet they have an unrighteous courage and will, that they would gladly perish their neighbor's good cause, and advance their own evil. This sin happens especially when the adversary is a great enemy. For one wants to take revenge on the enemy; no one wants to take the great enemy upon himself: and there is flattery and sweet talk; or ever silence of the truth. No one wants to wait for disfavor and unkindness, harm and danger for the sake of truth; and so the commandment of God must perish. And this is almost the rule of the world. Whoever would keep this rule would have his hands full of good deeds to do with his tongue alone. How many are there who, with gifts and offerings, keep silent and are driven by the truth that it is indeed a great, great and strange work in all places not to be a false witness against one's neighbor.

219 Secondly: Above this is another testimony of truth, which is greater still, by which we must fight against the evil spirits; and does not rise for any temporal thing,

but for the sake of the gospel and the truth of the faith, which the evil spirit has never suffered, and always causes the greatest among the people to oppose and persecute them, who can hardly be resisted. In the 82nd Psalm, v. 3, it says: "Deliver the poor from the power of the wicked, and help the forsaken to keep his right cause.

220) Whether this persecution has become rare is the fault of the spiritual prelates, who have not awakened the gospel, but have let it perish, and so have put down the cause for which such testimony and persecution should arise, teaching us their own law and what pleases them. Therefore the devil also sits still, because through the defeat of the gospel he has also put down the faith of Christ, and does everything as he pleases. But if the gospel should be raised up and heard again, the whole world would undoubtedly stir up and move again, and several parts of kings, princes, bishops, doctors, clergymen, and all that is great would oppose it and become furious, as has always happened when the word of God has come to light. For the world does not like what comes from God. This is proven in Christ, who was and is the greatest, most beloved, best thing that God has; yet the world not only did not receive him, but persecuted him more horribly than anything that ever came from God.

Therefore, as in his time, so in all time, there are few who stand by the divine truth and risk life and limb, goods and honor, and all that they have, as Christ promised, Matth. 24, 9: "You will be hated by all men for my name's sake"; item, v. 10: "Many will be offended at me. Yes, if this truth were challenged by peasants, shepherds, grooms and lesser men, who would not and would not confess and testify to it? But where the pope, the bishops, together with the princes and the kings challenge it, everyone flees, remains silent, hypocrites, so that they do not lose their goods, their honor, their favor and their lives.

The third: Why do they do this? Because they have no faith in God, they have nothing good in him. For where this confidence and faith is, there is a courageous, defiant, undaunted heart that stands up and supports the truth, be it neck or cloak, be it against pope or kings; as we see that the dear martyrs did. For such a heart is content and gentle with the fact that it has a gracious, favorable God. Therefore, it despises the favor, grace, good, and honor of all men, and lets go and lets come what does not want to stay, as it is written in the 14th Psalm: "He despises the despisers of God and honors the God-fearing," that is, he does not fear the tyrants, the powerful, who persecute the truth and despise God, he does not look at them, he despises them. Again, those who are persecuted for the truth's sake and fear God more than men, he clings to them, stands by them, holds sway over them, no matter whom it may displease; as it says of Moses, Heb. 11, that he stood by his brothers, regardless of the mighty king of Egypt.

Behold, in this commandment thou seest lately that faith must be the master of this work, that without it no man is bold to do such a work; so all works are in faith, as is often said. Therefore, apart from faith, all works are dead; they shine and are called as good as they may. For as no man doeth the work of this commandment, except he be steadfast and undaunted in the confidence of the divine grace; neither doeth he the work of all the other commandments without the same faith: that from this commandment every man may easily take a test and weight, whether he be a Christian, and whether he believe in Christ aright, and so whether he do good works or not. Now we see how God Almighty has not only presented our Lord Jesus Christ to us to believe in Him with such confidence, but also to believe in Him with such faith.

but also an example of the same confidence and good works in him, that we may believe in him, follow him, and abide in him forever; as he says, John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life." The way, that we may follow him; the truth, that we may live in him forever.

224. From all this it is evident that all other works that are not commanded are dangerous and easily recognized; As there are those who build churches, decorate them, make pilgrimages, and everything else that is so variously written in the spiritual laws, which has seduced and weighed down the world, corrupted it, made its conscience restless, silenced and weakened the faith, and as man has enough trouble with the commandments of God in all his strength, even if he omits everything else, and can never do all the good works that are commanded him; Why then does he seek others that are neither necessary nor commanded, and omits those that are necessary and commanded?

[The ninth nnd tenth commandment.]

The latter two commandments, which forbid evil desires, the lust of the body, and temporal goods, are clear in themselves, and remain without harm to the neighbor; even so they endure to the grave, and the controversy in us against them remains until death; therefore these two commandments are drawn by St. Paul into one, Romans 7, and set for a goal which we do not attain, and only remember until death. For no one has ever been so holy who has not felt evil inclination in him, especially where the cause and irritation has been present. For original sin is inherent in us by nature, which can be dampened, but not completely eradicated, without bodily death; which is also useful and desirable for its sake. God help us, amen.

Several treatises of good works can be found:

I. Part, 1. B. Mos., 18. Cap., § 171-177, of right good works.

- Gen. 19, chap. 82-91, of the works of the saints.

II. part, 1. B. Mos., 28. cap., § 206-222, of the vows, tithes and alms.

IV. Theil, Ausleg. der 22 ersten Ps.; 14. Ps., § 10-34, von guten Werken u. vom Glauben. - Interpretation of the 22 first Ps.; 15. Ps., an illustration of the faithful and pious.

Part VIII, I. Interpretation of the 14th, 15th and 16th chapters. Joh.; 15. cap., § 129-182.

Part VIII, Detailed Explanation of the Epistle to the Galatians. Explanation of the Epistle to the Galatians;

Cap. 5, § 142-290, on love and good works.

IX. Theil, XIV. sermon from the 1st ep. of St. John of Love, about 4, 16-21.

XI. Theil, Pred. am Sonnt. n. Ostern, von des Glaubens Frucht.

XII. Theil, Kirchenpost.; Pred. am 5. Sonntag nach Epiph., von dem herrlichen Schmuck der Christen.

- XXVIII Sermon on the 27th Sunday after Trinity, on faith and good works.

- XXIX. 21 Eccl.; 10 Eccl., of the fruits of faith.

- Church post; sermon on 1st Sunday of Advent, an exhortation to good works.

- Sermon on the 2nd Sunday of Epiphany, on the reason for the gifts and works of the members of Christ.

- Preaching on the 5th Sunday after Trinity, exhortation to the works that Christians should practice among themselves.

XII. Theil, Pred. am 3. Sundt. n. Ostern, eine Vermahnung Petri zu guten Werken.

- Preached on the 17th Sunday after Trinity, exhortation to good works.

- XIX Sermon on the Gospel on the 1st Sunday after Easter, about the works.

- XXX. 9 Eccl.; 7 Eccl. an exhortation to good works.

- XXXII Several sermons; 2nd sermon on the 1st Sunday after Easter, on good works.

XIIIb. Theil, 2. and 3. sermon on the 4th Sunday after Trinity, exhortation to good works.

XXII, Table Talks; 14th chapter, Of Good Works.

Here also in the dogmat.-polemic writings Wider the Papists, Sect. I, be read how Luther answers to those who blamed him, as if he wanted to completely abolish the good works, especially the writing Against the Armed Man Cochlaeus or Notice of Faith and Good Works.

19. of christian salvation.

VI. part, II. interpretation of a passage from the 23. chapter of the prophet Jeremiah, § 51 ff, about Christian freedom.

Part VIII, Explanation of the Epistle to the Galatians. Explanation of the Epistle to the Galatians;

Cap. 5, § 1-141, on Christian freedom. Freedom.

XI. Theil, 2. Pred. am 3. Sonnt. n. Trin., eine Lehre von christlicher Freiheit.

The following and more writings on Christian freedom, especially in external ceremonies, can be found in the dogmatic-polemical writings Against the Papists, II:

Sermon about the freedom of a Christian man.

Scripture on the use of Christian freedom.

Letter to Phil. Glüenspeiß from christl. Freedom.

20. of the church of god on earth.

I. Theils 1. B. Mos., 7. cap., § 64-81.

- Gen. 12, chap. 163-165, of Jacob's temple and church.

- Gen. 21, Cap. 86-106, of the true and false church.

- Gen. 21, chap. 184-193, of the Church of God.

II. part, 1. B. Mos., 25. cap., § 279-286, of the characteristics of the false church.

- Gen. 28, § 16V-178, of the Church of God and the Holy Sacraments.

- Gen. 32, § 198-215, about the church of God and its temptations.

-.1 B. Mos., 49th Cap., § 234-245, of the kingdom and church of Christ.

III. part, 2. b. Mos., 20. cap., § 1-12, of

the sacraments and signs God gave to His Church in the Old and New Testaments.

IV. Theil, Ausleg. der 22 ersten Ps.; 2. Ps., § 38 bis 44, von der christlichen Kirche und dem Reiche Chriti.

- Interpretation of the 22 first Ps.; 8th Ps., § 1-99, description of the kingdom and the church of Christ.

- Exegesis of the 22 first Ps.; 18th Ps., § 1-211, a hymn of praise to Christ and His Church on the victory received.

- Explanation of the first 25 Ps.; 23rd Ps., of the goods, so that God may shower His church. - VI Short Interpretation of the 23rd, 24th and 25th Ps;

23. psalm, a song of praise and thanksgiving of the church for the benefits that Christ has shown her.

V. Theil, Auslegung der vier Trostpsalmen; 94. Psalm, ein Gebet der Kirche GOttes gegen ihre Feinde.

VI. part, short exposition on the prophet Isaiah ; 26. 27. 35. 60. chapter, of the church of God.

XII. Theil, VII. Four sermons; 3. sermon on the 5th Sunday after Epiphany, about the church, if it still has the wicked among itself.

- XXII Sermon on the Ev. on the 1st Day of Pentecost, from the Church of Christ.

XII. Theil, XXXIII Some short sermons; sermon on the 20th Sunday after Trinity, a picture of the church.

XIII Theil, Pred. am Tag Petri und Pauli, § 21 ff, von der christlichen Kirche.

Xlllb. part, sermon on the 5th Sunday after Epiphany, a parable of the shape of the church.

- 2. sermon on the 20th Sunday after Trinity, from the Christian church under the likeness of a wedding.

XXII. part, Table Talks; Cap. 20, of the Christian Church.

21. of the resurrection of the dead.

Part VIII, VI. Interpretation of the 15th chapter of the 1st epistle to the Corinthians, about the resurrection of the dead. - VII. four sermons on the same 15th chapter, on the resurrection of the dead and the last trumpet of God.

XII. Two sermons on 1 Thess. 4; 2nd Serm., 2nd ed., on the resurrection of the dead.

XXII. part, 49. chapter, of the resurrection of the dead and eternal life.

22. of eternal life.

XI. Theil, 1. Pred. am 5. Sonnt. n. Trin., § 16 ff., von dem Glauben der ewigen Güter.

Here you can read about what is happening in this

The part is mentioned below at the 7th request, under the title: Of the hope of true Christians.