First of all, the sick man complained that he was greatly tempted by the devil of faith, that because the illness was increasing day by day, and he and other people prayed for help, and yet there was no relief, he had to worry that God was ungracious to him and would not listen to his or other people's prayers, otherwise it would have to go to recovery.
In response to this speech, Martin Luther comforted him thus: "My dear brother, if we want to be Christians, we must get used to the fact that the devil always plagues us in the place where it would otherwise hurt, and generally attacks us where we are weakest. He also practiced such trickery in paradise. For he attacked not Adam, but the weak Eve at first, raining therefore always there, where it is wet before. Then you must remember, when he comes, that such thoughts are not yours, nor have they grown in your heart, but they are thoughts that the devil gives, and you must suffer them; he speaks into the heart in such a way that you think: I call upon our Lord God, but he does not hear, therefore he will not respect me, he is my enemy and not my friend, otherwise he would help.
(3) It is therefore necessary that you imagine God's word, that Christ has promised that He will certainly hear us; but that we want to order time, place, person, when, by whom and how He will hear us and help us - we should be most careful about this. For time, place, person are only accidentia (secondary things), which are in God's hand and we are not to know, but the substantia (essence) is God's grace and promise, which is undoubted and certain. Therefore, you should keep such promises and not let them be taken away from you, even if you do not know the time, place, person and other means how it will turn out.
4 If then you pray and it seems that out of your prayer
nothing; then turn here and make a distinction between your sickness and your faith, for you ever confess that you are a Christian and baptized into the death of Christ. Have good regard for such a profession and let it be your best comfort, for when you have come so far and realize that God gave you His Son and gave Him to death for you, against such a gift and grace all bodily pain and sickness shall be nothing, and if possible you would rather wish yourself a thousand times sicker before you should miss such a great treasure.
5 Therefore, learn this difference here and practice your dialectic and say: God's thought and will is that I should believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, for which purpose God has given me His Holy Spirit. For without the Holy Spirit I could not have such thoughts of Christ, that he, as I believe, was given to me by God and died for me; but for the testimony of such faith I was baptized and through such baptism became a member of his spiritual body.
(6) Therefore, if the devil's thoughts are against it, make this distinction and say: I have been baptized and believe in Christ, therefore what I ask in the name of Christ must also follow, that God will hear me, as Christ says, Jn. 16:26, 27: "I do not say that I will ask the Father for you, for he himself, the Father, loves you." But God has not freed me from suffering anything; He loves me for the sake of His Son Jesus Christ, as a father loves his child, but He tends to hide His love for a while, so that it seems as if He is angry with me and does not want to hear me.
7 This is His way of dealing with us, and is a right divine way, as the 97th Psalm, v. 2, says: "Clouds and darkness are around Him"; and in the 18th Psalm, v. 12: "His tent is dark around Him, and black thick clouds, wherein He is hid"; and
Paul, 1 Cor. 13:12.: "We see now through a mirror in a dark word, but then face to face." We cannot see under his eyes, but must look into his back.
8 Therefore, my dear brother, learn, you are now in such a school, where you are to learn the doctrine of faith, not speculatively (by contemplation) from the books, as before, but practically and in the work. It seems to you that God does not want you; this is in all people by nature, they fall into sin or suffer illness and unpleasantness, so this addition is always there, that one thinks that God is angry, and the devil also helps; when you want to start and pray in such distress, he always blows into the heart: oh, it helps nothing, it should ever get better.
(9) This is a challenge that you not only have, but I have to suffer it almost daily, and so do other Christians. How then shall we meet it? so that we think we are called to such a struggle. But he will not leave us alone for it, nor depart from us. For if we should not feel such temptation and burdensome thoughts, we would never know nor experience what Christ is. Therefore learn to rebel against such temptation, and say: My flesh thinks it is as if God is hostile to me and does not respect me, because he makes me lie down and be tortured so miserably. But I am a Christian and believe in Christ; I have this treasure, and should the devil be sorry for it; therefore I will take more comfort in this treasure than my sickness and misery should frighten me.
(10) If the devil did not strike so hard and attack the most important article of our faith, sickness and other temptations would not hurt so much; therefore learn how to meet him and comfort yourself, and say: If God lets me die in a moment, yet I will put my heart and trust in him, you devil shall not refuse me; for the fact that he has given me his Son is a sign that he does not mean me harm, but in the very best way.
(11) Now it is not possible that one could do such art as soon as; but how to
says: Oportet hic paululum studere, imo multum et diu studere: One must learn long by it. For look at Saint Job, who at first grumbles vehemently against God and says: Versus es mihi in crudelem: "You have turned me into a cruel man, and show your hatred against me with the strength of your hand", which is hard enough said to our Lord God. But still he picked himself up again and praised God as much as he had scolded Him before; this is the struggle that we Christians have to endure, because the devil will not let it go, he always wants to turn the physical and temporal suffering into an eternal one.
(12) Then we must get used to it and say: My Lord Jesus Christ lives, do not doubt it; and does not live alone, but I have been commanded to take comfort in his life, as Paul says, Rom. 5:10: "If we are reconciled to God through the death of his Son, while we were still enemies, much more shall we be saved through his life, if we are now reconciled. If your heart stands thus, it is a certain sign that Christ has begun to lay the right foundation in you, and you can therefore draw a certain comfort from the fact that God does not mean you harm, since you already have this from Him; but if you would not let yourself be comforted in this way, there is no other comfort to be found in such distress.
(13) Now from this comfort, which you have in the fact that God gave His Son to death for you and gave Him to you, you should spin other and more arguments (conclusions): Namely, first, that your sickness, and that you let yourself think that God is angry with you, is a sensitive (palpable) thing; but faith should not hang on that which one feels or senses, but on that which is insensible and, as Paul calls it, invisible, or, as he said above, which one sees as through a mirror and in the dark word. The holy sacraments, the baptism and the supper of the Lord Christ, and the Holy Spirit, who is in your heart and says: I believe in Jesus Christ, serve this purpose. You would not say such words, unless they had been
God with His finger and by the Holy Spirit written in your heart.
14 Therefore, my dear brother, learn and take comfort in the fact that you are not an Anabaptist, not a Turk, not a Jew, but still hold fast to the confession of Christ and would not gladly deny the man.
(15) Here the sick man answered: Yes, Lord, not gladly, he only holds me. The doctor said: "This is a great grace, for which you owe God more thanks than that you would complain because of your illness. Your mouth confesses Christ, your heart believes in Christ, that he has paid for you and is your Redeemer; these are certain testimonies - whatever the opinion of the illness may be - that you are a Christian and belong to the Kingdom of Christ; our dear Lord God only keep you in such confidence, then there is no need.
(16) As it is said of a virgin Megdilla, when she was challenged by the devil and had nothing else to defend herself with, she said: I am a Christian, therefore I will not follow. And is very well said, I am a Christian, fafset's all, where one understands it right. So you should do to him now, when everything that should comfort you is gone; the sickness increases, the help does not come; the more you pray, the worse it gets; so say: I do believe in Christ, I have ever been baptized, the gospel pleases me well, I am not hostile to the holy sacraments, I am not hostile to Christ either, but consider him to be the only beatifier. So if you hold fast to such faith, the devil will not be able to raise anything against you.
(17) But you must not think otherwise, for all his thoughts are directed toward bringing you out of this castle and possession, which is called "believing in Christ," but you remain in it and do not let yourself be brought out, saying, "I did not make the words myself, but received and heard them from Christ himself, so that God would hear us for his sake and make us blessed. Whether or not he now departs, I will let that happen; that is his way; he will not let himself be shut up and understood, as we would like; his dwelling place is in the dark. So now Satan comes and wants to persuade you, because God
If he does not listen to you when you would like him not to listen to you, resist and say: Hae sunt fallaciae accidentis, per quas vult amovere substantiam (that is: These are fallacies in secondary matters, by which the devil wants to take away the essence itself).
The devil would like to take away my certainty through uncertainty. For the fact that I believe in Christ, that he is my Redeemer and Savior, that is the substance and the certainty, and I rely on it and want to persevere with it, so that my illness and uncertainty, as God wills, will lead to life or death. For I know that when I have the main piece, not a grain or a nail shall remain behind, as Moses says, Ex. 10, 26.
Therefore, do not worry about the other accidences, and thank God that you have the main piece; the hour will come when the accidences must also be found, and probably in a better way than you can understand or desire now. But he who will not do this, and will look more to the uncertain than to the certain, more to the other than to this main thing, is fishing before the fish. Therefore, we should hold on to this comfort, God will not leave us; for the pledge he has given us, his Son, is too high and great, he will not leave it behind.
20 In addition to such comfort, we should also take it with us when the devil thus sets his thoughts on us, so that we will certainly believe that we are not alone in suffering such a challenge, but that the entire Christian church, of which we are members, also suffers with us and prays for us, for we are all members of one body.
(21) God gives you His Son, Christ the Son gives you His Word, Sacrament and Sign of Grace. So you are not alone in the challenge, but have so many brothers and sisters throughout the world, all praying with you and bearing the worm that ails you as a finger of Christ's body, and lamenting over it, saying, "Our Father, who art in heaven." There is not one Christian who says, My Father; they all say, Our Father.
22 For they also know that the devil has the fool's cap, the wrath of God,
1786 L- 64. 307-310. III. Main st. - 0. of the Father-Our esp. 7. ple. W. X, 2095-2097. 1787
But one must learn that everything that concerns faith is invisible. Whoever wants to make such invisible things visible, makes his sickness and misfortune double and finally loses the substance and the main consolation, as I said above.
Therefore, learn this theological dialectic well and say to the devil: Since you are raising me, this is not the principal nor the main thing, but an accident that can change today or tomorrow. For if God wills it, I can get well as soon as I got sick. This is the right substance and the main thing, that I am not hostile to my Lord Christ, but I believe, I believe it as weakly as I want, that he suffered for me and that I will certainly have life through him. I do not hold with the pope, Turks, Jews, who all persecute his word. Because the main thing remains for me, that life should be accepted for me, I do not want to contest the accidences in particular. So a Christian must make the distinction and hold fast that Christ is our hope, life, consolation and joy and will preserve us, just like the body, as God wills.
(24) And mark this also, if thou be thus weak, tarry not alone, but let some one speak with thee of Christ, or read something, that thou be not alone at variance with the devil. For he is such a disputer, that where he bringeth in the head, he presseth after with the whole body, as a serpent. Therefore do not let yourself be found alone, but take a brother to yourself, and let him talk with you about God and His will, as it is said in Matth. 18:20: "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there will I be in the midst of them."
(25) And it is certainly true that one alone is too weak for him, as I myself find; for it often happens that I need a little child to speak to me. This is what our Lord God allows to happen, so that we do not boast about ourselves as if we were strong and powerful enough, but so that the power of Christ and his word in us alone may be praised. And so it must often be said with one word
help me, who, to look at him, has not so much theology in his whole body as I have in one finger, so that I may know that my ability and art are nothing outside of Christ and his word; as he also says to Paul, 2 Cor. 12:9: "My power is mighty in the weak."
26 For God's power is not such a power that beats about with might and rumbles, but it goes along in great weakness, quietly and patiently, so that we must say: Lord, I am a poor man, I am in trouble, but nevertheless I believe in you, so be it to me; if you have forgotten me, you have forgotten me; if you are angry, be angry; but I will not be an un-Christian because of this and stop believing, but will hold fast to the fact that Christ died for me. I cannot lack this, even if everything else is lacking, because: Accidentia non tollunt substantiam (secondary things do not change the essence), the main thing, God's promise, must remain, even if everything is already in ruins.
(27) Let this knowledge be a great grace, that thou wouldest not willingly be separated from Christ and his church; and though thou feelest it not, yet believest it, and wishest that thou mightest abide therein. This, I say, is a great gift and grace; where it is, there it is well, let the body be as it will. For God will not let anyone who thus believes, believe it alike, however weak he may be. For he is not such a tyrant that he could not give credit to a good, strong Jnfirmität or weakness, especially in such distresses, where we alone and at the same time devil and our flesh is against us.
28 He could credit Peter with denying him three times, since he only recognized his sin and desired mercy, Matth. 26, 70. He will do the same with us, so let us not doubt. But let those complain and doubt who despise or persecute God's word; they ever have great cause to worry, and yet, as we see in the case of the pope and his bunch, they are still most certain to do so. Cause: the devil does them no harm, for he has them before. But you and others who would like to be pious
and are afraid of God and His judgment, which he does not yet have; but he would also like to have them; but how will he bring it about? By nothing else than by thinking that he wants to send so many accidents, coincidences and circumstances until he also tears away the substance and the main consolation.
29 But, my dear brother, remember and resist with confidence; for as St. John says, 1 Ep. 4:4, "He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world." The enemy shall challenge us, and make the battle sour for us; but he shall not prevail, but shall depart with shame. For our faith shall prevail, as John says in the first epistle of the fifth chapter, v. 4, 5: "All that is born of God overcomes the world, and our faith is the victory that overcomes the world. He that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God overcometh the world." Let the devil or the world be angry and grieve us as he will, but our victory shall be that Christ lives, as he himself says: "I live, and you also shall live," John 14:19.
030 This then is our consolation, and shall remain our consolation: for otherwise no man could bear the devil and his temptations; as we see in them that despair. But we know that we have one Lord, Jesus Christ, who is with us in his word; whom they will not hear, because they are able: after that, if they have need of him, they cannot or must not remember him, and judge only as they feel, and so pass away.
31 Therefore it is said: Fear God, or have God before your eyes and His word, and do not doubt that you belong to the Christian Church as a member of the body of our dear Lord Jesus Christ with us, and we with you. For we are all one body, washed from sins by the blood of our beloved Lord Christ, and by the Word and the holy ordinances we are all one body.
Sacraments to such communion and incorporated therein.
32. hold fast to such comfort, my dear brother, and with such spiritual joy, which the word alone shows you, soothe your pain and sickness, and do not let the devil into the closet, where the word of our dear Lord Christ and such comfort enters, but say to him subtly and dryly under his eyes, as Christ did, "Get thee out, devil, thou dost not belong in here, but my Lord Jesus Christ, who alone shall dwell here and rule with his word. For I have been baptized into him and belong to him, and I will abide in him and hold fast to him. If you do this, he will be at peace, and his heart will remain at peace. But if it happens that at times you forget such comfort and want to murmur, do not let it trouble you to despair about it; but get up again and hope that our Lord God will be so gracious as to grant you a good strong negation or denial, or even a blasphemy or blasphemy, if the struggle is too great. For such are peccata infirmitatis, sins of thy infirmity, and not sins of courage, as of the pope and of those who persecute the word. But if you were not afflicted with such sickness and pain, you would leave such murmuring on the way. But because there is sickness and pain, it hurts you; God knows this well and wants to make it good for you, if you desire it from your heart. Therefore, be confident that our Father in heaven will not abandon you. But we all share in our Lord Christ, the faithful shepherd of our souls. May He keep you in the right faith, and may He graciously work it out according to His divine will, as is best for His glory and your soul's blessedness, amen. May the peace of God through Christ be with you always, amen.