Translated by M. Georg Spalatin.*)
Preface.
1 The holy apostle St. Paul, when he wanted to describe to the Romans on the fifteenth the difference between Christians and consolation, said, v. 4: "My dear brethren, all these things which are written are written for our doctrine and instruction, that we through the patience and consolation of the holy scriptures might have hope. In which saying St. Paul publicly teaches that our comfort or consolation is to be sought and taken from the holy scriptures. But the Scriptures use two forms, shapes, and ways of consolation, giving us two images of things with the most
The most salutary moderation is mixed up, that is, the evil and the good things. As the wise Ecclesiasticus saith, Sir. 11, 27. "Thou shalt remember good things in time of calamity, and be mindful of calamity in time of happiness." For the Holy Spirit knoweth that every thing of men, so done, skillful, and great, is as done, and how great the remembrance of men hath prevailed in them of it. For what is considered trivial and small gives us little to send, either to love when it comes, or to pain, sorrow, and grief when we lose it. For this reason the saint
Tessaradecas or Consolation Booklet in 14 Chapters.
Preface to a new edition of this writing, improved by Luther.
Martin Luther.
I wrote this booklet in the beginning of the movement I had caused, namely to the Elector, Duke Frederick of Saxony, when he was dying of a serious illness; however, it was printed and published at the request of many. Since, however, it has been so distorted and mutilated in the many editions it has gone through that I myself can no longer guess at many of the missing words, I have restored the sentences as much as possible, but as I believe I first had them. Even now, I have not wanted to change or improve them, as I could; for I want to bear witness to my progress with this book and be at the will of my adversaries, so that they have something on which they can exercise their malice. It is enough for me if I please my Lord Christ and his saints; that I am detestable to the devil and his scales, I rejoice over it with all my heart and give thanks to my God.
Preface.
The apostle Paul, when he wants to characterize the comfort of Christians, says, Rom. 15, 4: "Dear brethren, all things that are written are written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." In this saying St. Paul clearly teaches that we must get all our comfort from the holy Scriptures.
The Holy Scripture, however, uses a twofold mode of representation to comfort us, in that it offers us comfort under two images of things united with each other in the most salutary moderation, namely, of evil and of good things, as the wise man Sirach says (11:27): "When it is well with thee, remember that it may be evil with thee again; and when it is evil with thee, remember thy good things. For the Holy Spirit knows that every thing appears to a man to be just as it is and just as great as the opinion which has taken hold of it in his conviction. For what is considered small and nothing makes even a small impression on us, be it of love when we receive it, be it of pain when we lose it. Therefore seeks
The spirit is to make every effort to bring and move man so that he will not be challenged and weighed down by the dwelling, respect and love of goods.
(2) And when he has accomplished this, all things are equal and without distinction to man. But since this demand is most often made by speech, by which the attention is transferred from the thing that troubles us to the thing that is absent or present, and yet gives us nothing to send for, we shall have comfort in the most reasonable way only through the holy Scriptures, which in unhappy days require us to look at present things or at future good things, and likewise in happy times require us to look at evil things.
(3) But that we may the better understand and comprehend these two images, we will give to each image seven particular parts. For the first image will have the evil things that are considered: first, the evil things within man; second, the evil things before man; third, the evil things after man; fourth, the evil things under man or in hell; fifth, the evil things at the left hand of man.
sixth, the evil things at the right hand of man; and seventh, the evil things above man, or the upper evil things.
The first distinction, from the inward evil things that are in the man himself.
(4) This is certainly true, whether a man feels it or not, that there is no pain, sorrow, or distress in a man so great that he feels the worst evil of the evil things that are in him; there are many more and greater evils and evil things in a man that he does not feel and sense. For if a man feels his evil, he feels hell, for he has hell in himself. Do you want to ask how and in what form? The prophet says, Ps. 116, 11: "Every man is a liar"; and Ps. 39, 6: "Every living man is all vanity." To be a liar and vain is to be empty or void of truth, and to have nothing in it. But to be without truth and without all things in himself is to be without God and to be nothing at all, and the same is to be in hell and to be damned.
5. therefore, when the Almighty God
the Holy Spirit with all zeal pulls man away from his preconceived opinion and feeling that he has of things. As soon as he has done this, all things are equal and the same to man. But since this subtraction takes place mainly through the Word, by which the feeling and conviction we have of something at present is transferred to something that either is not there at present or is not felt by us at present, we shall have consolation, with perfect right, only through the Scriptures, which call us in time of misfortune to contemplate the good we have at present or will have in the future, and likewise direct us in happy days to contemplate our evils.
But in order that we may understand these two observations and images all the better, let us take seven special views or points of view from each image. Accordingly, the first picture will have the evils, namely those that appear: first in us, second in front of us, third behind us, fourth next to us on the left, fifth next to us on the right, sixth below us and seventh above us.
[First image, of the evil things.]
Chapter 1. From the first point of view, which the image of evil presents to us, namely from the inner evil.
This is certain and true, whether man believes it or not, that no pain can be so great in man that it would be the worst evil that is in him; so many more and greater evils are in him than those he feels and senses. For if man felt all his evil, he would feel hell, for he carries hell within himself. You may ask: How can this be? The prophet says: "All men are liars" (Ps. 116:11); and again: "How vain are all men" (Ps. 39:6). To be lying and vain alone means to be devoid of truth and reality; but to be without truth and reality means to be without God and to be nothing; but that means to be in hell and to be damned.
Therefore, when God mercifully chastises us,
mercifully punishes us, he opens and puts us on the least evil or least evil things. For he knows this when he leads a man to recognize his evil, that he perishes and perishes in a moment, which he has also given to some men to taste, of whom it is said in the Holy Scriptures, 1 Sam. 2:6: "He leads them into hell and out of it again." Therefore, those who call bodily suffering a reminder of the inner evil or evil things that man has within him are correct. And St. Paul, in the 12th chapter, v. 6, to the Hebrews, calls it "fatherly discipline" or instruction of God: "For he scourges every son whom he accepts." Which he does because he wants to cast out the great evils by and with such scourges and small evils, so that we may not feel them one day, as the saying of the wise man says in chapter 22, v. 15: "Folly is bound up in the heart of the child, but the rod of discipline will cast it out."
(6) Is it not so, that the pious and faithful parents have greater sorrow, grief, and distress from their children, when they are thieves, or otherwise wicked, than when they are wounded? Yes, the pious parents sleep
their children themselves, so that they ever may not be evil. What is there to prevent that this true evil is not felt? Only that, as I have said, God has decreed that man should not perish when he sees his evil or inwardly evil things inwardly. Therefore, God hides them and wants them to be seen by faith alone, because He indicates them through the sensible or sensual evil; therefore, "in the time of evil things, be mindful of good things," Sir. 11:27.
(7) Behold, what a great good it is not to know and to know all evil. Remember this good, and the sensual or sensible evil will the less torment, afflict, and afflict you; and again, in the day of good things remember evil things, that is, because you do not feel the true evils, be thankful in the same sensibility and remember the true evils, so you would feel the sensual evil the less. Therefore it is obvious and evident that pain is always greater in man than pain, suffering and sorrow in this life. It is not that the whole evil is not present, but that the mention and contestation of the same evil by the
He opens us up and puts much easier evils on us than our true ones, since he knows well that if he would bring man to the knowledge of his real evil, he would be destroyed in an instant. But he also gave some to taste this, of whom it is said: "He led them into hell and out again" (1 Sam. 2, 6.). Therefore, those who call the bodily sufferings certain reminders of our inner ills, and the apostle calls them, Heb. 12:6.He does this, however, in order to cast out the great evils with these blows and smaller evils, so that they do not even have to be felt, as it is said in Proverbs 22:15: "Folly is in the heart of a boy, but the rod of discipline will drive it out of him. Pious parents are more sorry for their children if they are thieves or evil-doers than if they are wounded; indeed, they themselves beat and wound them so that they cannot be evil.
But what prevents this true evil of ours from not being felt? Only that, as I said, God has arranged it so that man would not perish if he saw the evil that pervades him. For God hides them, because He wants them to be recognized by faith alone, and therefore shows them only through a tangible evil. Therefore, "when you are in trouble, remember your good things. Behold what a great good it is not to know evil in all its extent! Be mindful of this good, and the tangible evil will torment you less. And again, "when you are well, remember your evil things," that is, since you do not feel the true evils, be grateful for this insensibility and take the true evils right to heart, and then it will happen that you will also feel the perceptible evil much less. It is therefore clear that in this life there is always a greater insensitivity in man than real pain, not because the whole evil is not there, but because through God's goodness the excesses are not felt.
The goodness of God does not burden the man to whom God hides it.
8 Therefore we see that those who have the grace to see their true evil deal with themselves in such an unkind and serious way that they consider everything they may suffer as nothing in their whole life, except that they may not feel their hell. So would every man do if he felt or sensed or believed in his inner evil. Then it will require of itself to it the external or outward afflictions, play therein, and never be sadder than when it does not have external afflictions, troubles, and temptations, as we know that some dear saints have done.
(9) Therefore, the first consoling image is for a man to say to himself: O man, you do not yet know and recognize your evil; rejoice and thank God that you are not forced to feel it. So the evil or affliction becomes light through the consideration and comparison of the greatest evil. And this is that the others say: I have deserved much worse and more evil things than hell. It is easy to say, but unpleasant to feel; and although this evil is quite hidden and inward
It is not a faith, yet it shows and gives its fruits almost sensitively in the day. And these are the fear and uncertainty of the frightened and fearful conscience, by which faith is warred against and contested, when man does not know or doubt whether he has a gracious God. And this same fear is so much more bitter and bitter, so much weaker is the faith, and if this weakness alone is considered worthy, because it is spiritual, then it far outweighs the physical weakness, which also makes it very easy, if it is diligently compared with the other and is ashamed.
(10) Further, among the inward troubles or evil things are all the troubles which the wise man Ecclesiastes describes, as he so thickly and often reports and indicates the vanity and temptation of the spirit. For how many counsels and misgivings do we have and take in vain? how many of our desires and appetites recede and are deceived? Oh, how many things we hear and see against our will! And the things that go according to our wish and will also happen against our wish and will. So nothing is whole and perfect. Also these evils and evil things are all so much greater, in so much higher and more state,
The first thing to be said is that there is no testimony and the feeling of it is not there, which God is hiding.
Therefore we see how those who are given to see their true evil immediately rage against themselves, how they regard everything they can suffer in their whole life as nothing at all, if only they are not allowed to feel their hell. So would anyone act if he felt or firmly believed his inward evil, he would voluntarily call up the outward evil, play in it and never be sadder than if he had no outward evil; as we know it has been with some saints. So with David in the 6th Psalm.
Therefore, the first consolation is to say to oneself: O man, you do not yet feel your evil; rejoice and thank God that you do not have to feel it! Then the evil will become light by comparison with this greatest of all; and it is this that some say: I have deserved far worse, yes, even hell ! - easy to say, but unbearable to feel.
And even though this evil is completely hidden, it still produces tangible fruits, namely, the fear and uncertainty of a frightened conscience, by which faith is challenged, in that man does not know or doubts whether he has a gracious God; a fruit that is all the more bitter the weaker the faith. And this weakness alone, if it were properly taken to heart, far outweighs the physical one, since it is spiritual, which also makes it quite easy by comparing it with the other.
Moreover, to the inner troubles belongs also all that miserable misery which the preacher describes, since he so often mentions the vanity and sorrow of the spirit. For how many resolutions do we make in vain? how many of our desires are thwarted? how many things do we see, how many things do we hear against our will? and even those things that go according to our desire still come against our wish; so nothing is whole and perfect. Then, all these evils are so much greater, the higher the
The honor and dignity of one who sits by reason of adversity must have greater and more trials, torments, afflictions and miseries than other people who also suffer such afflictions; so that the prophet in the 104th Psalm, v. 25, rightly said: that small, large and crawling animals, of which there is no number, are in the sea of this world, that is, that the trials are innumerable. So Job also calls the life of man a temptation in the 7th chapter, v. 1.
(11) And these inward evils or inward evil things are evil things nevertheless, because they are not felt and sensed, but because they have become contemptible through practice and constancy, and because by divine effect the remembrance and temptation in them have been consumed. Therefore they seldom remind us that we have not yet learned to despise them through practice; it is even true that we hardly feel and sense the thousandth part of our evils and evil things. Finally, it is also true that we do not judge, respect, feel or not feel our evils and evil things according to the truth and the matter itself, but according to the opinion and mention.
The other distinction, from the future evils and evil things of men.
(12) This will also make all present evils and evil things easier, lighter and less, if a man turns his mind to the future evils or evil things, of which there are so many, such and such great ones, that only the great one, and of the most noble movements, is given to the mind, which is called fear, which some describe as being an exhilaration or movement from the future evil; so that St. Paul also says to the Romans in 11 Cap, V. 20: "Thou shalt not be arrogant, but fear" or stand in fear. And this evil is so much greater, so much more uncertain, what it will be, and how great it will be, that there is also a common saying: There is no age or time of human life that is too old for scabies or wickedness; which is otherwise a childish, even an infantile evil. Thus no man is safe and free from any man's ills and troubles, but everything that one man suffers may also befall and befall another.
It is the state and the position in which a person finds himself, who must necessarily be driven around much more and harder by heat, curses and storms; as the 104th Psalm (v. 25) quite rightly says that in this sea of the world there are small, large and creeping animals, of which there is no number, that is, that the number of our temptations is infinite; but Job, Cap. 7, 1, also calls the life of man a temptation.
Now these are not evils because they are felt less, but they are merely dulled by constant practice and habit, and the sensation and conviction of them is removed by divine effect; therefore the less we have learned by habit not to regard them, the less they move us. It is so true that we hardly feel the thousandth part of our ills; it is so true, finally, that our ills are not judged, felt or not felt by us according to the reality of their essence, but only according to the idea and the feeling we have of them.
Chapter 2. From the second point of view of the image of evil, namely of the future evil or the evil before us.
It is no small relief for any present evil to turn one's attention to the future evils, of which there are so many, so great and terrible, that to one of these future evils alone is attributed that great and unique one of the more excellent powers of the mind, namely "fear," which some describe as being a being seized, an agitation of the mind because of a future evil, so that even the apostle speaks, Cap. 11, 20: "Be not proud, but fear." And this evil is all the greater the more uncertain it is how it will be and how great it will be, so that there is already a common saying: "There is no age that resists scabies;" which is an evil that otherwise only occurs in earlier youth or actually only in childhood. In the same way, no human being is free and safe from the ills of any other human being, but everything that one suffers can also befall the other.
(13) Therefore, all the histories and troublesome, miserable stories, all the time from the beginning of the world, all the complaints of the whole world, and that some have noted and perceived more than three hundred kinds of diseases by which the corpse of man may be afflicted. If then there are so many diseases, how many do you think are other unfortunate cases and afflictions of goods, of friends, and finally also of the mind, which is a noble subjection and ground of all evils and evil things, and a common receptacle of sorrow and evils, and the greater and more worthy the state, the more the power and susceptibility of evils increases.
(14) Therefore, because all things and things hang by a thin thread, we must fear poverty, dishonor, disgrace, and all kinds of troubles and temptations every hour, not unlike the sword that Dionysius of Sicily hanged over the head of the one he had summoned to his table. And what remains of such unhappy conditions and adversities, and does not happen to us, should all happen and be considered a gain and a great consolation of adversity.
and accident that has befallen us; so that you would be forced to speak with the holy prophet Jeremiah, Klagl. 3:22: "This is the mercy of God, that we have not perished and been consumed." For all the misfortunes and evils that have not passed us by have remained through the gracious prevention of the right hand of the most high God, which divine goodness and mercy fortify us everywhere with such great strength, as is proved in Job, Cap. 1, 10, 11, that it grieves the devil and the evils that they have been prevented. Therefore we see how faithfully and warmly God the Almighty is to be loved by us, as often as something unpleasant and burdensome is due to us; for the most kindly Father reminds us by this certain evil, to see how many evils would pass over us, which would be after us, if he did not defend and be for it. As if he wanted to say: The devil and the whole number and assembly of the evils wants to you and seeks after you, to rake you like through a sieve, Luc. 22, 31. "But I have put an end to the sea and said to him: Here your great bulges will come and be broken", as he tells Job in the 38th Cap., V. 11.
Here belong all the miseries and sad events of all times, here belong all the complaints of the whole world, here belong also that some have observed more than three hundred kinds of diseases by which the human body can be afflicted. But if there are already so many diseases, how many do you think there are other misfortunes that happen to us in our property, friend, and especially in our own soul, which is the real base and carrier of all ills and the only place of reception for the feeling of sadness and any suffering.
But the greater and more dignified the state is, in which misery, dishonor and all dishonor occur, the greater is the power and the sensation of evil; evil, of which this state, too, since it can occur quite unconscionably, must constantly be afraid at every hour, as of such that hang over it by a thin thread, like the sword that the tyrant Dionysius let hang over the head of his guest.
But if one of all these misfortunes does not befall us, it is to be regarded as a gain and serves as no small consolation for the- >
The only thing that really happens to us is the evil, so that we also have to exclaim with Jeremiah: "It is the goodness of the Lord that we are not completely destroyed! (Lamentations 3:22) For what has not happened to us is only because the right of the Most High, which surrounds us on all sides like a wall, has prevented it, and with such power - as is shown in Job - that even the devil and evil are greatly annoyed at having been prevented. From this we see how intimately we must love the Lord, as often as something happens to us, namely, because the all-good Father wants to stimulate us just by this one evil to look at the infinite number of evils that come upon us, all of which would be in store for us if He did not ward them off; as if He said: "Behold, Satan and the dark kingdom of the Evil One have desired to sift thee as wheat; but I have set a limit to the sea, and have said unto it, Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further; here shall thy proud waves rest," as it is said in Job, 38:11., says.
1832 D- 93 Tessaradecas. Booklet of consolation in all unpleasantness. W. x, 2142.2143. 1833
(15) And even if, by divine will, this evil does not come upon you, the evil called the greatest of all terrifying things will come, that is, death will actually and certainly come, although nothing is more uncertain than the hour of death. And this evil, death, is so great that we see that many people, even with and in the face of all the above-mentioned evils, would rather live than die after the change of these evils. And to all these evils the Scripture, which otherwise despises all other evils, assigns fear, saying, Sir. 7:40: "Consider the last things, and thou shalt not sin for ever."
Now behold, how many reflections, how many books, how many sages, how many remedies have been compiled, that by the remembrance and remembrance of this single evil one might deter men from sins, make the world contemptible, relieve and soothe the sufferings, temptations, and afflictions, and pacify the afflicted by comparing or disregarding such a frightful and great, but at times needful evil. For there is no one who would not prefer to suffer and endure all other hardships and misfortunes, if he could thereby avoid the evil of death.
would like to get rid of it. For even the saints feared this evil, and Christ, our dear Lord and Savior, feared it with awe and bloody sweat, Luc. 22:42-44, so that divine mercy has provided no other great thing to strengthen and comfort the fainthearted and despondent people in this evil, as we will see below.
(17) But all these evils are common to all men on earth, just as the good deeds of salvation are common in the same evils and afflictions. But people who believe in Christ have a new, special cause of their own to fear the evil to come, which undoubtedly surpasses all the above-mentioned evils, and is the very cause that St. Paul indicates to the Corinthians in the 10th chapter, v. 12, when he says: "Let him who stands see that he does not fall. So slippery is the way, so mighty is the armed enemy, Luc. 11, 21., out of our own ability, that is, through the hold and help of the flesh, and all the evil temptations and motions of the mind, surrounded with an infinite, innumerable host of the world, the pleasures to the right, and the repulsions and evil wills of men.
But even if by God's providence none of these evils should come, that which is called the greatest of all terrible things, namely death, will certainly come, and nothing is more uncertain than its hour. And indeed, this evil is so great that many people would rather live afflicted with all the aforementioned evils than die without these evils just once. And it is precisely this one evil that the Scriptures attach fear to, bypassing all others, saying: "Consider your last things, and you will not sin for eternity" (Sir. 7:40).
Now look here, how many reflections, how many books, how many methods, how many remedies have already been thought up and brought together, in order to remind us of this evil alone and thereby to deter us from sins, to make the world despise us, as well as to alleviate the suffering and to comfort the afflicted about it by comparing these sufferings with the so terrible and great, but nevertheless once necessary evil, death. There is no one who would not rather face all
He wanted to subject himself to evil, if only he could escape the evil of death. Even the saints were afraid of it, Christ only submitted to it with trembling and bloody sweat (Luc. 22, 42-44.), so that the divine mercy did not want to strengthen the fainthearted with anything greater than this evil, as we will see later.
But all these evils are common to all men, just as it is also the common good deeds of salvation that lie in these evils. Furthermore, Christians have something new and unique to them, to be afraid of the future evil, something that far outweighs all the above-mentioned evils. This is what the apostle means when he says in 1 Cor. 10:12: "Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall." So very slippery is the way, so very mighty the enemy, who is armed with our own powers, that is, with the supports he has in the flesh and all evil desires, who is surrounded by an innumerable army of the world: the pleasures and pleasures on the right and the repugnances
The left hand is the right hand, next to guile, so that he is most clever and ready to harm, seduce, and corrupt us in a thousand ways.
So we live that we are not for a moment sure and certain of our good fortune. St. Cyprian tells of so many evils in his epistle about dying, and teaches and says that one should wish for death as a quick and speedy emergency helper to get rid of all these evils, evil things, troubles and troubles. And truly, where there are good-hearted people who regard these infinite evils of hell worthily, we see that they desire life and death, that is, despite all the evils and adversities touched, they wish and desire to die, so that they may at the same time be redeemed and delivered from this evil of sin in which they are, as we said in the previous picture, and into which they may fall. And certainly, these causes are both the most reasonable movement, not only to desire death, but to despise all evil and adversity, and rather to suffer some evil easily, if God the Lord forgives anyone.
to be moved by it, for it is God's gift that one may be moved by it.
(19) For what true believer in Christ would not wish him not only to be sick, but also to die, who sees and feels that in his health he is in sins, and always wants to fall into more sins, and to fall daily, and thus to do without ceasing against the most loving will of his most loving Father? For St. Paul, moved by the heat of wrath and displeasure, to the Romans in the 7th chapter, v. 19, when he lamented, "that he did not do the good which he would, but the evil which he would not," cried out in a sublime voice, v. 24: "O wretched man, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" The grace of God, he says, through JEsum Christum etc. For man does not love God, his Father, who does not consider the evil of sin greater than the evil of death, because God has ordained death alone to finally change and cut off the evil of sin. Thus death is a servant of life and righteousness, as will follow.
The only thing that is not so important to us is the fact that we are not aware of the evil intentions of the people on our left, except for the clever cunning, so that he is highly gifted to harm, seduce and corrupt us in a thousand ways. We live in such a way that we are not safe even for a moment because of our good intentions.
St. Cyprian, mentioning many such evils in his letter "On Dying," teaches that death is desirable as a swift emergency helper who frees us from all these evils. And indeed, if men were of a good disposition to consider these innumerable dangers from the infernal realm in their minds, we would see how they regarded life and death, that is, all the above-mentioned evils, as nothing and only wished to be dissolved in order to be freed and delivered from this evil, the sins in which they stand, as is said in the previous point of view of the picture, and into which they can fall at any moment, of which we are now speaking. And indeed, these two causes ought to move us justly not only to desire death, but also to despise all evils with one another, much less to bear one evil lightly; if the
The Lord would give you the grace to be moved by it, because it is God's gift to be moved by it.
For what truly Christian man should not wish to die himself, let alone be sick, who sees and feels how he is in sins as long as he lives in health, how he can still fall into more and more sins at any time and also falls daily, and thus acts without ceasing against the most loving will of his most loving Father? That is why Paul, enraptured by the fervor of his unwillingness, when he saw how he did not do the good he wanted, but the evil he did not want (Rom. 7, 24.), exclaimed: "O wretched man, who will deliver me from the body of this death?" The grace of God, he answers, through JEsum Christum etc. For he does not yet love God, his Father, who does not consider the evil of sin to be greater than the evil of death, since God has destined death precisely to put an end to the evil of sin and thus to be a servant of life and righteousness, as will be discussed below.
The third distinction, from the past or backward evils of man.
(20) In this third image of man's past or posterior ills, the sweet and lovely mercy of God the Father appears above all others, which is able to comfort us in all our sorrows, afflictions, adversities and troubles. For no man feels the power and might of God more strongly, more salutary and more powerful over him than when he contemplates the years of his past life. That is why St. Augustine says: "If a man were given the choice either to die or to continue living his past life, he would choose death and dying, because he would see so much danger and evil, which he would hardly have escaped. This saying, if it is properly considered, is quite true.
21 For here a man can see how much he has done and suffered without the help and care of his flesh, even without and against his desire and will, on which he had such little thought, counsel, or remembrance before they were done, or because they were done, that after the work is done, he is able to repent to him.
whether amazed and must speak: Wherefore have these things come unto me, which I have never thought of, or ever thought much of? so that this saying is true, Proverbs 16:1: "Man foreknoweth, but God provideth and maketh it well" against man's foreknowledge and will, so that we may not deny by this that our lives, things and dealings have been guided and governed not by our prudence and caution, but by the wonderful power, counsel and goodness of God. There it is recognized and noted how often God has been with us, since we have neither seen nor felt Him.
22 Because St. Peter, 1 Ep. 5, 7, truly said: "God is careful for all of us. Therefore, even if there were no books or sermons, nevertheless, if our life, through so much adversity, adversity and peril, is led and endured, it proves to us sufficiently that the goodness of God is most salutary, present and most loving, as that which carries us far beyond our counsel, thought, sense and feeling, as if in His bosom and arms, and as Moses said in 32 Chap, v. 11, of the fifth book: "The Lord has kept him like the apple of his eye.
Chapter 3. From the Third Point of View of Evil, namely the Past Evil
or the evil behind us.
In this, above all others, shines forth in a very special way the sweet mercy of God the Father, which is powerful to comfort us in all our anguish; for no one feels the hand of God more powerfully over him than when he reflects on the years of his past life. St. Augustine also says: "If a man were given the choice of dying or living his past life over again, he would rather choose death if he saw the dangers and evils from which he had barely escaped with difficulty. A statement that is based entirely on truth, if it is properly considered.
Here one can also see how very often one does or suffers things without one's intention, without one's doing, without one's will, yes, probably even against one's will, which one thought about so little before or during their execution that one is surprised about it when they have happened, and then
So that the saying is also true: Man thinks and God directs; that is, He directs the matter in a completely different way and gives it a completely different outcome than man imagines; so that we cannot deny from this one already how our life and our actions are not directed by our prudence and precaution, but by God's miraculous power and providence and by His goodness. Here we see clearly how often God has been with us where we have not seen or felt it, and how true Peter said: "For He cares for us all" (1 Ep. 5, 7.).
Therefore, even if there were neither books nor sermons, our own life, when we consider how it is guided by so many ills and dangers, would already sufficiently show us God's all-ready and all-sweetest goodness, as He has carried us far beyond our thinking and feeling, as it were, in His bosom, as Moses says, 5. b. 32, 11.: "The Lord kept ibn.
I have kept thee in mine eye, and have borne thee on thy shoulder. And hence these reminders and admonitions in the Psalter, Ps. 143:5: "O Lord, I have remembered the days of old in all thy works, and I have considered the works of thy hands"; Ps. 77:4: "I will remember from the beginning thy wondrous works"; and Ps. 119:52: "I have remembered thy judgments and thy judgments, and I have been comforted." These and similar sayings are all to the effect that we should know that if we see that God has been with us at a time when we did not think or consider Him to have been with us, we should not doubt that God is with us at the time when we think that He is not with us. For He who has taken care of us in many hardships, troubles and adversities, will not leave us even in a small matter, whether we think He is leaving us; as He says in Isaiah, Cap. 54, 7: "I have left you for a moment and a little, and I will gather you together in great mercy" or gather you together.
23. if you now add to this the consideration of who had our care when we were
Who has taken care of us when we have been working, playing, and doing all the other endless business and trades in which we have not taken care of ourselves? or how great is the time in which we take care of ourselves? If the miserly man is diligent to obtain goods and money, he must of necessity put his diligence into seeking, contemplating, and trading. So we see that all our care, whether we want it or not, again comes to God alone, and we are hardly ever left to our own counsel, care and oversight, which God the Lord does to instruct us, to taste His goodness, and finally to see how great a difference there is between His care and ours.
(24) Thus it comes to pass that God sometimes causes us to be afflicted with a little sickness or some other adversity, trouble, or affliction, and pretends that He does not care for us in time, for He always cares for us, and yet prevents and helps time so that so many troubles and afflictions, which are due to us from all eternals, do not overtake us with one another.
like the apple of his eye, he led him around and carried him on his shoulders."
And this is also the basis of all those admonitions in the Psalter: "I remember the former times, I speak of all your deeds and tell of the works of your hands" (Ps. 143, 15.); "I will remember your miracles from the beginning" (Ps. 77, 4. ?); and: "When I remember your judgments, I am comforted" (Ps. 119, 52.). These and similar sayings are all to the effect that when we see that God has been with us even when we did not think it or even seem it, we should know that we may doubt all the less that He is with us even when He seems to be far away from us. For he who has taken care of us in so many troubles without our request will not leave us in the lurch even in a short trouble, though it seems so to us; as he says in Isaiah, "I have left thee a little while, but with great mercy will I gather thee."
And now, in addition to all of this, consider: Who took care of us during the many nights when we were asleep?
who was concerned for us as often as we worked, played, and were busy with all the countless pursuits in which we did not care for ourselves in any way? Or how great is the time in which we care for ourselves? Even the miser, while he is busy worrying about earning money, has to spend all his care on earning and doing. So we see how all our care, we may want or not, falls back on God alone, while we are hardly ever left to our own care. And yet the Lord only does this in order to bring us to the knowledge of His goodness, so that we may see what a great difference there is between His care and ours.
Thus it sometimes happens that God lets us be afflicted by a slight illness or some other evil and pretends not to care for us, while at no time does His care slacken, for at the same time He prevents the immense amount of evils that threaten us from invading us from all sides.
fall to try us, as his dearest sons and children, whether we will command, believe, and trust his care, which we have otherwise known and experienced in all our lives, and behold how utterly useless, incompatible, and impotent is our care; why then are we so anxious, wistful, and careful in a little while of a little adversity?
For what use are we to ourselves, what help are we to ourselves, or what would we like to help ourselves throughout our lives, if we cannot heal a few aches and pains of a leg even for the shortest time. And why don't we leave the care to God the Lord, who has delivered us from so many hardships and troubles with the testimony of life from Him, without our diligence and work? To know this and the like is to know the works of God and to consider His works, and by such remembrance and consideration to comfort ourselves in our troubles and adversities. But those who do not know this will fall into this saying of the 28th Psalm, v. 5: "Because they have not understood the works of God and the works of His hands, you destroy them and do not build them up." For they are ungrateful
bar all God's care, if He had all their life for them, who for a very little while did not hand over nor trust the care for them to Him.
The fourth distinction, from the lower evils.
(26) Hitherto we have seen nothing in all the afflictions we suffer, except that the divine gentleness, goodness, and mercy are so great, present, and gracious, that, among the innumerable afflictions, troubles, and adversities with which we are surrounded, surrounded, and wholly imprisoned in this life, scarcely a little of them, and yet are not always permitted to afflict and afflict us. So that any present trouble or affliction, so that we may be afflicted at the time, is nothing but a reminder of a great gain, so that God may honor us and not let us be oppressed by the great multitude of troubles, afflictions and adversities in which we are. For what miracle is it that a man is struck with endless and innumerable blows, and that the same man is finally wounded with a single blow? Yes, it
To test us as his dearest children whether we want to entrust ourselves to his care, which we have experienced so often throughout our lives so far, and to realize how useless and impotent our care is. What do we do for our protection, or what could we do with our whole life, if we are not able to heal a single pain of a limb, even for such a short time?
Why, then, are we so anxious about a single danger or adversity, and why do we not leave the care to him, who, as our own lives testify, has already snatched us out of so many adversities and saved us without any effort on our part? To know such things, I say, means to know God's works, to think about His works and to comfort oneself by their remembrance in adversities; but those who do not know it, fall into that judgment of the Psalmist, Ps. 28:5: "Because they do not regard the work of the Lord, nor the works of His hands, therefore He will break them and not build them." For they are ungrateful for all the care of God, so he
had her whole life for them, not wanting for a brief moment to leave him to care for her.
Chapter 4. The fourth aspect of evil, namely the infernal evil or the evil among us.
So far, in all the ills we suffer, we have seen nothing but how the infinite goodness of God is always so close to us that it always takes care that, among the innumerable ills to which we are constantly exposed in this life and in which we are formally imprisoned, we are hardly affected by a few, and even by these not at all times; so that any evil by which we are just challenged only reminds us of the great benefit with which God honors us by keeping the whole heap of evils in which we find ourselves from overwhelming us. What a miracle to be attacked by countless blows and yet to be struck by only One, if ever! Yes, it is already a mercy that we are not hit by all blows.
is a mercy that he is not hit with all the blows.
27 Therefore the first evil among us is death, and the other is hell. If we now consider the so various, ugly, cruel death, with which sinners are punished, we will easily see with what great profit we suffer much less than we deserve. For, O how many are hanged, drowned, strangled, or beheaded, who have perhaps done less sin than we! So that the same death and misery is held up to us by Christ, our Lord and Savior, as an image and mirror to reflect and see what we have deserved. For our Lord and Savior says, Luc. 13, v. 1 ff., when some told him that Pilate had some Galileans stabbed and sacrificed, he answers: "Do you think that these Galileans were the greatest sinners before all the Galileans who suffered this? No, I say to you, but unless you repent, you will all perish like this, as did the eighteen on whom the tower of Silva fell and slew them: Do ye think that they also
have been guilty before all men that dwell at Jerusalem?" For we cannot, nor may we think that lesser evils are due to us, if we have committed and practiced greater or equal sin. Nor will the justice and truth of God be unjust and false for our sake, who has decided to repay each one according to his works, if we do not appear to Him ourselves and have done the least with patient endurance of a small evil or affliction.
(28) But in hell and eternal damnation, how many thousands are there who have hardly the thousandth part of our sins? O how many virgins, children, and those we call the innocent are there? How many monks, nuns, priests, spouses, who have been of such a nature that they were thought to be, have served God all their lives, and perhaps fallen by a fall, will be tormented for eternity. Therefore, it must not be held here that there is some righteousness of God in any sin; for God hates and condemns sin in anyone in whom it is found. Do we not see here the immense mercy of God?
be hit, but it is a miracle that we are not hit by many.
The first, then, of the evils that are below us is death, the other is hell. If we consider the so manifold, so unworthy death of other people, so that they are punished as sinners, we will easily see in how much greater advantage we are, who suffer far less than we deserved. For how many are executed by the rope, by the gallows, by drowning, or even by the sword, who have perhaps committed far lesser sins than we have! so that their death and misery is also held up before our eyes by Christ as an image by which we are to see what we have deserved.
This is what the Lord says, Luc. 13, 1. ff., when he answered those who told him that Pilate had some of the Galileans killed during their sacrifice: "Do you think that these Galileans were sinners before all the other Galileans because they suffered this? I say: No; but if you do not mend your ways, you will all perish in the same way. Or do you think that the eighteen, on whom the tower of Siloam fell, and
slain them, were guilty before all the rest of the people that dwelt at Jerusalem? I say, No; but if ye amend not, ye shall all likewise perish." For we cannot think that we deserve lighter punishments than those who have committed greater or equal sins. Nor will the righteousness and truth of God become unrighteousness and falsehood on our account, who has decreed that each man shall be rewarded according to his works, unless we precede him and do him enough by patiently bearing a small evil.
But how many thousands are in hell and eternal damnation who have not even the thousandth part of our sins upon them? how many virgins, children, and those we call innocent are there? how many monks and nuns, priests and husbands, who, according to all judgment, have served God throughout their lives, but because they have perhaps only stumbled and fallen once, are now tormented for eternity! For we must not conceal it from ourselves here: the justice of God against any sin is only One; He hates and condemns sin uniformly in everyone where it is found. How wonderful
God's kindness, which has not condemned those who so often deserve damnation. For I beg you, how great is this, that we may suffer all our lives, compared to the eternal torment, which they deserve with a single sin? And yet we are free, and through divine forgiveness of many of our sins have remained unscathed. For the fact that we do not pay attention to God's good deeds, or pay too little and too diligently attention to them, is ingratitude and a hardness of insensible, insensitive faith.
(29) Therefore there are so many Gentiles, unbelieving Jews, underage children, who, if they had been given the grace that is given to us, would not be in hell but in heaven, and would have sinned much less. For this image Christ, our Lord and Savior, also presented to us in the Gospel of St. Matthew and said, Matth. 11:21 ff: Woe to you, Chorazim, woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miraculous works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, as they were done among you, they would long ago have done their penance in hairclothes and ashes. But I say unto you, that in the day of judgment it shall be worse for them of Tyre and Sidon than for you.
Woe to you, Capernaum, that you are exalted to heaven, for you would fall away to hell. For if the miraculous signs had happened in Sodoma, as they happened in you, they might have remained until this day. But I tell you, the earth of Sodoma will be worse than you on the day of judgment. Therefore we see how much and how much praise and love we owe to our most pious God in every adversity of this world, because there is hardly a drop of the adversity, misfortune and trouble that we deserve, which Job compares to the sea and to the sand or grain of the sea.
The fifth distinction, from the ills on the left.
(30) The evils or evil things on the left side are the great multitude of our evils and evil men. And by them we shall first see what evils and troubles they have not inflicted on our body, our reputation and name, our goods and souls, which they would have inflicted on us, if they had been able by divine will to bring them to us.
is the mercy of God, which we see here, that it does not condemn us, who so often would have deserved it! Dear, tell me, how much is it that we can suffer even in our whole life compared to the eternal punishment that the damned deserve to suffer for the sake of a single sin? However, we are free and redeemed from this, since our many sins are forgiven by God. But the fact that we do not pay attention to these benefits of God or only receive them coldly and frostily is vain ingratitude and a certain hardness of our unfeeling unbelief.
Moreover, the great number of unbelievers, pagans, Jews, children, etc., who, if they had been given what was given to us, would not be in hell but in heaven and would have sinned far less, must also be counted here. For Christ also holds this point of view before our eyes when he says in Matthew, Cap. 11, 21 ff: "Woe to you, Chorazim! woe to you, Bethsaida! if such deeds had been done in Tyre and Sidon as have been done among you, they would have repented beforehand in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, that it shall be
Sidon will be more tolerable at the last judgment than you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be cast down to hell: for if the deeds had been done in Sodom, which are done in thee, they stand yet this day. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom than for thee."
So we see what praise and love we owe to our most gracious God in every adversity of this life, which is hardly a drop compared to what we have earned and which even Job compares to the sea and the sand of the sea.
Chapter 5. From the Fifth Point of View of Evil, namely the Left Evil or the Evil to the Left Hand.
Here we have to imagine that great crowd of adversaries and evil men, and from this we see for the first time how many evils of body and goods, of soul and reputation they have not inflicted on us, which they had wanted to inflict on us, if God's gracious providence had not prevented it.
The higher the rank and the greater the regiment, the more enemies he has. And the higher one's rank and the greater one's regiment, the more he has such enemies, dangers, troubles, insults and challenges, in all of which one may notice, find and experience the most salutary and present help of God. Therefore, it is no wonder that we are sometimes touched by such adversities. We should also consider our adversaries and evil people's own misfortunes, not to rejoice in them, but to have compassion on them. For they themselves must also commonly be aware of the affliction and misfortune that we are waiting for, as is to be noted in the images mentioned above.
(31) But in this they are more wretched than we, that they are outside our spiritual and temporal society and fellowship. For the evil that we suffer is nothing compared to their evil, because they are in sins, in unbelief, in the wrath of God, under the authority of the devil, and are the most wretched, captive servants of the fear of God and of sin; so that, if the whole world were to deceive them, they would not wish for more evil and worse things. All this, if we look at it rightly, we would also see at the same time,
with what greater and milder grace of God we suffer in faith, in the kingdom of Christ, in the service of God, a small peril of the body, which we should hardly feel in such a great, rich abundance of the very best things. Also, the wickedness of our enemies and of wicked men should be so grievous, distressing and burdensome to a Christian and God-fearing heart, that it should consider its own burden as air and delight.
32 Thus St. Paul commanded the Philippians in the second chapter, v. 4 ff: "Let every man take heed to the other's piety and burden, and not to his own. For this ye ought to feel in yourselves, that in the Lord Christ JEsu, who, when he was in the form of God, counted not himself a spoil, but made himself empty, and took upon him the form of a servant." This is so much said: Our Lord Christ, with the most blessed and kindest will, put on our form, and proved and held himself in no other way in our troubles, than as if they had been his own, and even forgot himself and his good things, and emptied himself of them, so that he was found everywhere made in the likeness of a servant.
would have. And the higher the position a person occupies and the greater the scope of his office over which he is placed, the more he is exposed to such persecutions, intrigues, slander and temptations of his enemies. In all these adversities one can again see and experience how close the hand of God is to us. What wonder is it, then, if we are also once affected by one?
On the other hand, we must also consider their own hardships, not in order to rejoice over them, but in order to feel compassion for them. For they themselves are also exposed to the same adversities as we are, as can easily be seen from the foregoing points of view. But in this they are more miserable than we, because they are outside our physical and spiritual community. And the misfortune that we suffer is nothing compared to the fact that they are in sin, in unbelief, under the wrath of God, under the dominion of the devil, the most miserable slaves of ungodliness and sin, so that if the whole world were to curse them, nothing worse could be wished for them.
If we were to consider all this, we would also see at the same time how much greater is the merciful mercy of God toward us, since in faith, in the kingdom of Christ, under the rule of God, we suffer only a minor bodily harm, which we should not even feel in the abundance that we have of the best things; indeed, even this misery of theirs should be so dear to the heart of a Christian and pious man that he would consider his hardships to be vain pleasures. Paul also commands the Philippians, Cap. 2, 4. ff.: "Let not each man look to his own, but to the things of others. For let every man be minded as Jesus Christ was, who, though he was in the form of God, yet took upon him the form of a servant." 2c, that is, out of excessive affection for us, he took on our likeness and did not behave differently in our misfortunes as if they were his own, so that he did not take into account himself and his goods and emptied himself of them, in order to be found completely made like men, rejecting nothing that was human as alien to him, and
1848 loo. 101 Tessaradecas. Booklet of consolation in all unpleasantness. W. x, 2153-2155. 1849
He thought that all human things belonged to him, and so he alone was burdened and troubled with our ills.
By this image and mind the saints are moved to pray for wicked men, even for their own enemies, and to do all that Christ did, forgetting their own iniquities, grievances, or righteousness, and being diligent only to rid their enemies or wicked men of their evils, by which they are incomparably more tormented than by their bodily evils; as St. Peter writes of Lot in the other epistle in the second chapter, v. 8, V. 8, "that he dwelt among them which from day to day tormented his righteous soul with unrighteous works". Therefore, you see here how great the abyss of misfortune and affliction is, and how much cause there is to have mercy and compassion on them, and at the same time to forget our little misfortune, if the love of God is in us, and how God does not let us suffer anything against the afflictions they suffer.
34. but that our weights move us so easily is this cause, that the
The eye of the heart is not pure enough for us to see how great is the dishonor and wickedness of the man who lies under sin, that is, the man who is divorced and separated from God and possessed by the devil. Who is so hard, then, that he is not frightened by the wretched form of those who lie in front of the churches and in the streets, with their faces, noses, eyes and other limbs eaten away by pus and rot, so that his mind is afraid to think about them? who wants to keep silent, so that he might look at them properly. But what does God want to indicate by this miserable, cruel, frightening image of our flesh, and brotherly likeness, other than that He thereby opens the eyes of our mind, so that we may see with how much more frightening shape the soul of the sinner shows its pus and rot, if the sinner would live his life like a child of paradise, dressed in velvet, gold, roses and lilies. O how many great sinners are there in the world to be respected against the same frail, rotten people? Truly, these evils, because they are of immense size and without number, and are despised in our neighbor.
was filled and occupied with our ills alone.
Inspired by such an attitude and moved by this point of view of evil, the saints tend to pray for the wicked, even if they were their enemies, to keep completely to Christ's example and, not minding their own evil or their right, to be concerned only about how they might free them from their spiritual evils, by which they are incomparably more tormented than by their bodily evils; as St. Peter writes of Lot: "While he dwelt among them, they tormented his righteous soul day by day with their unrighteous works. Peter, 2 Ep. 2, 8, writes of Lot: "While he dwelt among them, they tormented the righteous soul from day to day with their unrighteous works."
So you see how great is the abyss of their misfortunes, how great is the cause to have mercy on them and to have compassion on them (as the love of God is in us), and at the same time to forget our little misfortune; on the other hand, how nothing at all it is that God makes us suffer in comparison to what they suffer. But that we are so little moved by this is because the eye of our heart is not pure enough to see how
great is the shame and misery of the man who is under sin, that is, who is divorced from God and possessed by the devil.
For who is so hard that he would not be filled with pity at the sight of those who lie at the doors of the churches and in the streets with emaciated faces, with corroded noses and eyes, the rest of their limbs full of stinking pus and slurry, so that the mind shudders at the very thought of it, let alone that our mind could bear the sight of them? But what else does God intend with these lamentable deformities of our own flesh and brotherly image than to open the eyes of our spirit, so that we may see in what much more frightening form the soul of the sinner displays its pus and rottenness, even if he himself may spend his life in velvet and gold, in roses and lilies, like a child of paradise. But how many sinners are there in the world after one of these unhappy people who have passed over into rottenness? Indeed, because we do not respect these spiritual evils, which are infinite both in size and number, in our neighbor, it happens.
They make our evils one, even the very least, one and the very greatest evil.
35 Our enemies must also be worse in physical evil because of necessity, for what can be pleasant, sweet and pure, joyful for them, if they have and obtain everything they want and desire, if their conscience may not be rested? There is no more cruel evil than the biting evil of the conscience; for the holy prophet Isaiah says, Cap. 57, 20. 21.: "The unrighteous are like the turbulent sea, which may not rest, and its bulge grows up into a breach and a woe. God the Lord says, "The ungodly have no rest." Therefore one sees in the same people this opinion, Deut. 28, 65-67.: "The Lord will give thee a fearful and a troubled heart, and diminishing eyes, and a soul consumed with grief, and thy life shall hang alike before thee: thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt not trust in thy life; thou shalt say, Fruits: Who shall give me the evening? and in the evening, Who shall give me the morning? because of the fear of thine heart, that thou mightest
be terrified, and for the sake of the things which thou shalt see with thine eyes."
36 And recently: Whoever with a right Christian opinion looks at all the evils of all evil men, whether they be enemy or friend, would not only forget his own evils and consider that he suffers nothing, but he would also have a fierce desire together with St. Moses, Ex. 2, 32 and St. Paul to die for them and to be rejected by the Lord Christ and erased from the book of life. 2, 32. and St. Paul, that it would be fitting for him to die for them and to be rejected by the Lord Christ and erased from the book of life, as it is written by St. Paul to the Romans in the 9th chapter, v. 3, V. 3, so that others might be saved. Christ our Lord burned with such love and fire when he died for our sake and descended into hell, leaving us an example or example and instruction, 1 Pet. 2:21, that we should also be so careful about other people's troubles and adversities and forget our own troubles, yes, be eager for our troubles and adversities.
The sixth distinction, from the evils to the right hand.
37. on our right side are our friends, in which subjects St. Peter teaches
that even a single, however slight, evil that afflicts us seems to us to be the sole and greatest of all.
But not only that; even in bodily misfortunes they must necessarily be in a much worse situation than we are. Dear, tell me, how can such people have a sweet taste and pure joy in anything, even if they had and possessed everything they could wish for, and yet their conscience cannot be at rest? There is no worse evil than the biting gnawing of an evil conscience, as Isaiah says, Cap. 57, 20. 21.: "The wicked are like a turbulent sea, which cannot be still, and whose waves cast out death and mischief. The wicked have not peace, saith my God." Therefore, one can also see in them what Moses says in the 5th book, Cap. 28, 65-67: "And the Lord shall give thee a trembling heart, and faint eyes, and a withered soul; and thy life shall be suspended from thee. Night and day thou shalt fear, and shalt not be sure of thy life. In the morning thou shalt say, Oh that I might live to see the evening; and in the evening thou shalt say, Oh that I might live to see the evening.
I want to see the morning! for fear of your heart, which will frighten you, and for what you will see with your eyes."
In short, whoever looks at all the evils of the wicked, whether they be enemy or friend, with the right impression of his mind, would not only forget his own evils and feel no suffering at all, but would also, with Moses and the apostle Paul, glow with desire to die for them, as well as to be banished by Christ and erased from the book of life, as Paul writes in Romans 9:3, so that they might be redeemed thereby. Christ also burned with this zeal and ardor when he died for us and descended to hell, leaving us an example that we too should be concerned about the ills of others, forgetting our own, and even having a heartfelt desire for them.
Chapter 6. On the Sixth Point of View of Evil, namely, Right Evil
or the evil to the right hand.
On our right side are our friends, through whose misfortune our misfortune is likewise alleviated.
In the first epistle of the 5th chapter, v. 9, that our affliction or repugnance may be alleviated, and says: "Resist the devil, and know that the same afflictions are suffered by your brethren who are in the world." Thus the holy Christian Church prays in her prayers that we may be moved by the examples of the saints and follow the strength of their suffering, singing also thus: "How much suffering have all the saints endured, that they may surely come to the victory of suffering!" From which words and songs of the Church we understand that the saints' feasts, memorials, churches, altars, names and images are therefore honored and reproduced, so that by their example we may be admonished and comforted to suffer the hardships they suffered. And if the dear saints are not honored in this way, the homage paid to them must be nothing without disbelief; as there are almost many people who honor all these things, as has been told, solely so that they may not suffer the evil that the saints learn to suffer by their example, example, and memory, and thus become unequal and unlike the saints whose celebration or feast they have for the reason that they should become like them.
38 But this comfort is most exquisitely dealt with by St. Paul to the Hebrews in the 12th chapter, vv. 4-11, saying, "Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, and fought against sin, and have forgotten the comfort which God speaketh unto you in the book of Proverbs in the 3rd chapter, vv. 11-12, saying, My son, thou shalt not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be weary when thou art punished of him: for whom the Lord loveth, he loveth not, V. 11. 12. and says: My son, you shall not despise the discipline of the Lord, nor grow weary when you are punished by him; for whom the Lord loves he chastises, but he scourges every son whom he accepts. Remain in discipline. For God is more merciful to you than to sons. For what son is he whom his father does not punish? Therefore, if you are outside the discipline to which all men have been given, you are illegitimate and not sons. Because we have had our physical fathers as instructors, and have been terrified and afraid of them, should we not rather be obedient to the spiritual father, or the Father, the Spirit, and live by his commandment? But any discipline or instruction in the present time is not considered a peaceful, but a miserable, sorrowful thing. But after that, it will be the most peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who, through
as Peter, 1 Ep. 5, 9, teaches: "Firmly resist the devil in faith, knowing that the same sufferings are upon your brethren in the world." So also the Christian Church prays in its prayers that we may be provoked by the example of the saints to imitate their strength in suffering, and sings: How much suffering have all the saints endured, that they may come safely to the palm of victory!
From these words and hymns of the Christian church we see that the saints' feasts, days of remembrance, churches, altars, names and images are celebrated and multiplied so that we may be inspired by their example to endure the same evils that they suffered. But where the saints are not celebrated in this way, their veneration cannot be without superstition, as there are many who celebrate the feasts of the saints only in order not to be allowed to suffer the evil, the willing endurance of which the saints teach as necessary precisely through their example and memory, so that they become completely unlike those whose feasts they celebrate in order to become like them.
But by far the most glorious treatment of this passage of comfort is given by the apostle, Hebr. 12, 4-11, where he says: "You have not yet resisted to the point of blood in fighting against sin; and you have already forgotten the comfort that speaks to you as to children: My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, and do not despair when you are punished by him; for whom the Lord loves he chastens, but he chastises every son whom he receives. If ye endure chastening, God beareth you children: for where is there a son whom the father chasteneth not? But if you are without chastening, which they all find; then you are bastards, and not children. Even if we have had our physical fathers as disciplinarians, and have shunned them, should we not be much more subject to the spiritual father, that we may live? And they indeed chastened us a few days according to their pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might obtain his sanctification. But all chastening, when it is there, seems to us to be not joy, but sorrow; but afterward it will give a peacefulness, a joyfulness, and a joyfulness.
they be practiced, give against it." Thus says St. Paul. Who should not be frightened by these words of St. Paul, in which he clearly concludes that those who are outside God's discipline are not God's children? Who then would be more strongly admonished and greatly comforted than he who hears that those who are loved by the Lord, who are chastened and punished, are the same children of God and that they are in the fellowship of all the saints? that even he who suffers is not alone. This strong reminder will also make chastening sweet and pleasant.
39 Neither is there any reason to excuse the fact that some suffer little and some great affliction and adversity. For every man is given affliction according to measure, and not according to ability; as it is written in the 80th Psalm, v. 6: "Thou wilt feed us with the bread of the ears, and wilt give us drink in the ears of the measure. 10, 13: "The faithful God, who will not let you be tempted and contested further and more than you are able, but with the temptation He will give the fruit, so that you will be able to suffer." The more the evil and the temptation, the more the help and the
The fact that the suffering, affliction, and challenge are so unequal appears and takes shape more than it is in truth and in fact, and in itself. When we consider St. John, the blessed Baptist, whose beheading in Herod happened today, we are all astonished that such a noble man, and likewise never a greater one, arose among the children of women, Matth. 11, 9. 11.A friend of the bridegroom, a forerunner of Christ our Lord, and greater than all the prophets, was not put to death in open court, at least not like Christ our Lord, with a fictitious cause, not even for the sake of the people, but in prison, because of the dancer, the daughter of the adulteress.
40. This ignominious death of some saints, and so despicably given life, with such an unworthy shameful manner, into the hands of the most shameful adulteress, shall alleviate and lessen all of our temptation, repugnance and affliction. Where has God been, who may have seen such wickedness? Where has the Lord Christ been, who has heard this and even seen it?
same fruit of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby." So far Paul.
Who should not be shocked by these words of Paul, in which he openly declares that those who are outside the discipline of God are not children of God? Who, on the other hand, could be more strongly strengthened and more effectively comforted than he who hears that those who are chastened are loved by the Lord, that they are His dear children, that they share in the fellowship of all the saints and are therefore not the only ones who suffer? Such a strong exhortation must even make chastening sweet to us.
Nor does the excuse apply here that some have to bear less, others more severely; for to each one the temptation is given according to his measure, not beyond his strength, as it is said in the 80th Psalm, v. 6: "Thou feedest us with tears of bread, and dost water us with tears in measure." And Paul likewise says (1 Cor. 10:13), "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above your ability, but will make an end of the temptation, that ye may be able to bear it." So where the evil is greater, there is
the outcome is all the more prosperous and the divine help greater, so that the inequality of suffering is only apparent, but does not exist in reality.
For do we not all feel ashamed of St. John the Baptist, whose beheading we commemorate on today's feast day, that we should wonder how such a man, greater than all those born of women, the only friend of the bridegroom, the forerunner of Christ, greater than all the prophets, has not risen from the dead, is not at least executed on a public sentence, is not at least accused on some cause, even if it would be only a fictitious one, as with Christ, and also does not have to lay down his life publicly for the sake of the people, but in the dungeon for the sake of a shameless dancer, for the daughter of an adulteress ? Truly, this only saint's shameful death and the fact that he had to give his life so shamefully, in such an unworthy way into the hands of that adulteress, his bitterest enemy, that alone should alleviate all our misery.
Where has God been here who could have done such a thing?
and the holy Baptist perish under it, as if he were unknown to God, to men and to all creatures. What then do we suffer that we should not boast of, yes, that we should not be ashamed of, if it is considered and compared to this death? Or, where will we end up if we do not want to suffer anything at all, because such excellent men have also suffered such shameful deaths undeservedly patiently, and the corpse after their death is presented and handed over to the enemies for mockery and contempt.
(41) "Take heed," says the Lord in the holy prophet Jeremiah, Cap. 49, 12: "those who have not had the judgment to drink the cup, they will drink it drinking, and you will be passed over innocent and unharmed? You will not be left innocent, but will drink drinking." Therefore, the hermit was right, who, after he had been sick every year, and once remained healthy for a whole year, was very sad and sorrowful and wept, because, as he said, God had forgotten him and denied him His grace, and had refused and rejected him. The chastening or punishment of the Lord is of such great need and salvation to all people who believe in Christ.
(42) But we see that what we suffer is nothing, if we consider the saints' torment, imprisonment, sword, fire, cruel wild beasts, and innumerable tortures; even if we consider, move, and measure the most severe and fierce persecution of the people who are with us, if they suffer from the devil; for they suffer much more in body and soul than we do. Now some speak: I lament that my suffering may not be compared to the suffering of the dear saints, for I am a sinner and not worthy to be compared to them. They have been martyred for their innocence, but I suffer for my sin; therefore it is no wonder that they have willingly and heartily endured all their suffering and affliction. O this is a word of great foolishness. For if you suffer for your sin, you shall rejoice that your sins are cleansed and taken away from you. Do you not think that the saints were also sinners? But thou fearest and art troubled, lest thou be like Herod and the left-handed thief. You are not like them if you are patient.
43. for what distinguishes and sets apart
Where was Christ here, who heard this and kept silent about it? He perished as if he had been unknown to God, to men and to all creatures; and we, what do we suffer now, in which we should not - I do not say: boast, but also ourselves - be ashamed, if one would compare it with the death of this saint? Or where will we remain if we do not want to suffer anything at all, while such men themselves undeservedly endure such an ignominious death, and their corpse after their death is still a mockery to the enemies. "Behold," says the Lord in the prophet Jeremiah, Cap. 49, 12, "those who were not guilty of drinking the cup must drink, and you should go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, but you must drink also."
That is why the hermit was right, when he once remained healthy for a whole year, while otherwise he became ill every year, he was saddened by it and wept, because God had forgotten him and had denied him His grace. So necessary and salutary is the discipline of the Lord for all Christians.
But we see how what we suffer is nothing at all when we consider the tortures, imprisonments, sword, fire, wild beasts and their other innumerable tortures of the saints; yes, when we even consider the severe and fierce persecutions that people who are living with us at present have to suffer from the devil; for there is no lack of such who suffer more and harder in spirit as well as in body than we do.
Here some say: "I lament that my suffering cannot be compared to the suffering of the saints, for I am a sinner and not worthy to be placed next to them. They suffered for their innocence, but I suffer for my sin, so it is no wonder that they endured everything with joy. This speech is quite foolish; for if you suffer for your sin, rejoice that your sins are purged. Or were the saints not sinners?
But you are perhaps afraid of being like Herod and the left avenger? You are not at all, if you have patience. For what distinguished the left and right thief from each other, because
the right and left avenger, because the patience? Are you a sinner? is right, because the right thief was also a sinner; but with patience he obtained the honor of righteousness and holiness. Therefore you cannot suffer anything but for righteousness or for sin. And the same sufferings both make a man holy and blessed, if he loves them. Therefore you have no excuse at all. Also, as soon as you confess that you are suffering repugnance for sin, you are righteous and holy, like the true thief. For the confession of sin, because it is the truth, makes a man righteous and holy, and as soon as and in the twinkling of an eye of the same confession he suffers not for sin but for innocence. For the righteous man always suffers no other way than innocently. But man is justified by confession of the suffering he deserves, that is, by confessing that he deserves his affliction, suffering, or burden with his sins, man is justified or vindicated. Therefore, your suffering is truly and worthily compared to the suffering of the dear saints, just as your confession of sin is truly and worthily compared to the confession or
the confession of the saints. For there is one truth of all holy men, one confession and confession of sin of all holy men, and one suffering of evils and abominations of all holy men, and one true, one fellowship of all holy and justified men in all things and through all things.
The seventh distinction, from the upper evils.
44 Lastly, one should lift up the heart on high and ascend with the bride to the mountain of myrrh, Gal. 4:6. This is our crucified Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the head of all the saints and the prince or chief of all who suffer, of whom many holy teachers have written many things and all things as they should be. The memory of this bride is praised in the Book of Songs, Chapter 8, v. 6, where it is said: "Set me like a seal or seal over your heart, and like a seal on your arm.
45 This lamb's blood, sprinkled on the flesh, repelled the smiting angel, Exodus 12:7, 13; from it the bride is praised. Therefore, that her hair is like the
patience and impatience alone? If you are a sinner, well, even the right avenger was a sinner, but through his patience he acquired the glory of righteousness and holiness. Do thou likewise. For you can only suffer either for sin or for righteousness; but both kinds of suffering sanctify and make you blessed, if only you take it upon yourself willingly and gladly. Therefore no excuse remains for you.
And finally, as soon as you confess that you are suffering deservedly for your sins, you are already righteous and holy, like the right avenger. For the confession of sin, because it is the truth, justifies and sanctifies, and therefore at the moment of confession you are already suffering no longer for sin but for innocence. For everything that the righteous suffers, he suffers innocently. But you have become righteous by confessing that you have sinned and thereby deserved suffering. Therefore your suffering is truly and rightly compared to the suffering of the saints, as truly and rightly as your confession of sins is compared to the confession of the saints.
Side is put. For there is but One Truth in all, One Confession of Sins by all. One suffering of evils in all, and One true communion of saints in all things and through all things.
Chapter 7. From the seventh point of view of evil, namely from the upper evil or the evil above us.
For the last, one should raise the heart on high and ascend with the bride to the mountain of myrrh. Here is the crucified Jesus Christ, the head of all saints and the prince of all sufferers, of whom many have written many things and all things, as is fitting. The memory of this bride is praised to us in the Song of Songs, Cap. 8, 6. where it says: "Set me as a seal upon your heart, and as a signet upon your arms." This lamb's blood, painted on the threshold, keeps the angel of death away. From this the bride is praised, that her hair is like the purple of the king (Hohel. 7, 5.), that is, her
The purple of the King, Gal. 7, 5, that is, their contemplation is red from the remembrance of the Passion of Christ our Lord. This is the wood that Moses was commanded to lower or throw into the waters of Marath, Exodus 15:23-25, that is, to dip into the bitter and bitter afflictions, and the same bitter has become sweet. For there is no suffering or affliction so bitter that this suffering of Christ our Lord did not make sweet, even death itself; as the bride says, Gal. 5:13: "His lips are lilies dripping with myrrh." What then is the likeness of the lilies and the lips, if the lips be red and the lilies white? Truly, the spiritual bride speaks in the same place with hidden speech, so that the words of Christ, our Lord and Savior, may be whitest and purest, in which there is no bitterness or unkindness, but only goodness, gentleness and sweetness. But these are the words with which he drains away or gives away the first, most noble and chosen myrrh, that is, with which he admonishes us and boldly leads and instructs us to death.
46 For these most pure, sweetest, and sweetest lips are capable of the most bitter death, like the first myrrh.
to take away all the stink of sin, to make it sweet, white and pleasant. How does this happen? This is how it happens: When you hear that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, the Son of God, by His most holy touch has consecrated and sanctified all suffering, even death itself, and has given away malediction, honored shame and dishonor, and made poverty rich, so that death is forced to be the door or entrance of life, malediction the origin of giving, and dishonor a mother of honor. How can you then be so hard and ungrateful and coarse, that you would not desire and love all suffering, of and with the most pure and most holy flesh and blood of Christ our dear Lord, dyed for your salvation and good, sanctified, made harmless, wholesome, given and blessed. For if Christ our Lord, by the touch of his most pure flesh, sanctified all waters, yea, all creatures, unto baptism; how much more hath he, by the touch of his most holy flesh and blood, sanctified all death, and all suffering, and all offence, and all defilement, and all dishonor, unto baptism of the Spirit, or of blood? As the Lord Himself says, Luc. 12, 50, about the same baptism of suffering:
Contemplation is red from the memory of the suffering of Christ. This is the wood that Moses was told to dip into the waters of Marath, that is, into the bitter sufferings, and they became sweet.
There is nothing that did not make this suffering of Christ sweet, even the death, as the bride says, Hohel. 5, 13.: "His lips are like the lilies dripping with the first myrrh." But what relation is there between lilies and lips, since the latter are red and the latter white? Of course, she is speaking only spiritually, that the lilies are his most sincere and pure words, in which there is nothing of cruel bitterness and ill-will, but only sweetness and mildness, and yet the first, that is, the best (bitterest) myrrh, namely, the bitterest death, is dripping and pervading. These purest and sweetest lips are powerful enough to make even the bitterest death, which, like the first myrrh, takes away all the stink of sin at once, sweet, glorious, white and pleasant.
How is this to be done? So: namely, by
You have heard how Jesus Christ, the Son of God, with his most holy touch has consecrated and sanctified all suffering, even death itself, blessed the curse, glorified the shame, and made poverty rich; so that death must be the door to life, the curse the author of blessing, the shame the bearer of glorification. How can you still be so hard and ungrateful that you would not wish for and love all the sufferings themselves, which are immersed in the most pure and holy flesh and blood of Christ, thereby sanctified and made harmless, blessed and happy for you.
For if Christ, by the touch of his most pure flesh, sanctified all waters unto baptism, yea, even the whole creation, how much more shall he, by the touch of the same his most pure flesh and blood, have sanctified all death, all sufferings, all calamities, all cursings, all reproach, unto the baptism of the Spirit or blood! As he himself speaks of this baptism of suffering: "I must first be baptized with a baptism,
"I rnust be baptized, and how will I be anxious until it is spent."
(47) See how the Lord is anxious, how fervent, how eager, how inclined to make suffering and death holy and sweet. For he has seen that we are terrified by suffering and affliction. He has seen that people are frightened and shy away from death. Therefore, as a most kind shepherd and most faithful physician, he has sought to put an end to our suffering and affliction, and has diligently endeavored that he should die, praising and making us imagine the suffering with his touch. Thus, the death of a Christian believer should be considered like the bronze serpent of Moses, Numbers 21:8, 9, which had a form like a real serpent, but still had neither life nor movement, neither poison nor bite. So the fools considered it in their eyes, as if the holy and righteous men had died, but the saints are at peace.
(48) So we Christians also are like unto them that die, and our death hath no other form than the death of other men: but the death of them is different, because death died unto us. So also others
Suffering is like the suffering of other people, but only with the form. For in them our sufferings are lifters of unhappiness, and that we shall henceforth have no more suffering, as our death is the beginning of life. And this is what the Lord says, John 8:51: "He that shall keep my sayings shall never see death." How will he not see death? For when he dies, he takes up life; so that before life, when he dies, he may not see death. For here the night becomes as clear, bright and lighter than the day, in that the light and the glow of the rising life is much clearer and brighter than the ceasing or ending death. And all this actually happens to those who believe in the Lord Christ, but this grace does not happen to unbelievers.
(49) Since we kiss, love, and honor our dear Lord's skirt, vessels, water jars, and all that Christ touches and uses, as most lovely sanctuaries, sanctified by His touch, why would we not much more want to avoid the torment, burden of the world, shame and dishonor, and death, not by His touch alone?
and how anxious I am until it is completed! (Luc. 12, 50.) You see here how much he fears, how anxious he is, how he thirsts to make death and all suffering holy and sweet. For he saw how we are frightened by the sufferings; he saw what a shudder and horror death inspires in us. Therefore, as the kindest shepherd and most faithful physician, he hastens to put a measure to this evil of ours, and is afraid to die and to make us willing to suffer by his touch.
So that henceforth the death of a Christian is to be regarded like the brazen serpent of Moses, which in all respects has the appearance of a real serpent, but is completely without life, without movement, without poison, without bite: "Thus the righteous seem to die in the eyes of the unwise, but they are at peace" (Wis. 3:2). So also we are like those who die, and our death has no other appearance than that of other people, and yet the reality is quite different, because death is dead to us. In the same way, all our other sufferings are like the bodies of those who die.
but only apparently; for in reality our sufferings are the beginning of the inability to suffer, just as death is the beginning of life. This is also what the Lord says in the Gospel of John, chapter 8, v. 51: "If any man keep my word, he shall not see death for ever." How is this possible, that he will not see death? Therefore, because he begins life in dying, he cannot see death before the life he beholds. For this is "the night that shines like the day" (Ps. 139, 12.), in that the light of the beginning of life is brighter than that of the fading death. This is only true for those who believe in Christ, but not for unbelievers.
If you already kiss, love and esteem the skirt of Christ, the vessels, the water jars, as well as finally everything that he touched and used, as the most precious relics, which he consecrated (consecrated) as it were by his touch; why would you not love much more the punishments, the evils of the world, disgrace and death, highly, highly and highly?
For in this sanctuary of suffering we gain victory and conquest over death and hell and all sin, but in the other sanctuary we do not gain victory and conquest in any way. For in this sanctuary of suffering we obtain the victory and conquest of death and hell and all sin, but in the other sanctuary in no way. Oh, that one might see the heart of Christ, our dear Lord, when He hung on the holy cross, striving and striving to kill death and make it contemptible, how fervent, willing, and kind He is to the fearful, stupid, desponding people who fear suffering, torture, torment, and death, torment, and death, accepted death and torment, and how gladly he brought or drank this cup or drink to the sick, that we also should not be afraid to take and do this drink, because we see that nothing evil, but good, met him out of it by the resurrection. Without doubt, by this means, the first myrrh, when it drips from the lips of the Lord Christ, will be praised to us in the most sweet and lovely way, like the shape, color and smell of lilies.
50. as St. Peter also says in the first epistle, Cap. 4, v. 1: "As Christ suffered in the flesh, or in his body, so shall ye be armed and kept with such thoughts." And St. Paul to the Hebrews, Cap. 12, 3. "Remember him that suffered such a rebuttal of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in mind." Therefore, if in the foregoing image we have hitherto learned patiently to suffer adversity, affliction, and adversity, placed below and beside ourselves, verily in this last adversity we, as those who are above and beyond ourselves, shall be exalted and raptured in Christ our Lord, and as those who are too much and too high for all adversity, and suffer all adversity only, but also love, desire, and seek it.
51 And as much as every man is of this opinion, mind, and spirit, so much less power and authority has the suffering of Christ our dear Lord in him, as is done in those who use the emblems of Christ our dear Lord against evil, adversity, affliction, and death, so that they may not suffer anything, or die, with the opinion and the intention that is the cross and death of Christ our Lord,
Who are not only consecrated by his touch, but also soaked and blessed by his most pure blood, and taken over with the greatest heartfelt, most anxious love? Especially since you are offered much greater merits, rewards and goods than in those relics, since in these sufferings victory over death, hell and all sins is conferred, but in those relics nothing of the sort.
Oh, if it were granted to us to see the heart of Christ, when he hung on the cross and refused to make death dead and meaningless for us, how fervently and kindly he embraced death and punishment for us who fear and tremble before death and punishment, how gladly he drank this cup to us who are sick, so that we too should not be afraid to drink, because we see that nothing bad happened to him from it, but only good in the resurrection: then without doubt this first myrrh, dripping from his lips and praised by the words of Christ, would become quite pleasant and sweet like the smell and splendor of lilies. Thus also Peter speaks, 1. Ep.
4:1: "Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind"; and Paul, Heb. 12:3: "Remember Him who endured such contradiction from sinners against Himself, lest you grow faint in your courage and cease."
Therefore, if we have learned from the foregoing points of view to patiently endure evil, insofar as it is among and beside us, then, according to this last point of view, in which we have already placed ourselves above and outside and have been drawn to Christ, and have thus become exalted above all evils, we certainly have the duty not only to tolerate them, but also to love them, to desire them, and to ask for them. And the more distant someone is from this attitude, the less the suffering of Christ has gained room in him, as is the case with those who use the signs and weapons of Christ in order to esteem themselves against evil and death, so that they may not suffer nor die, which is contrary to the attitude, the cross and death of Christ.
is completely opposed. Therefore, in this seventh image, all the evil, suffering, affliction and adversity that we have suffered must be drowned and consumed, so that they no longer hurt us, but love and please us, if this image penetrates into our hearts and settles into the innermost opinion and movement of the mind. And this is the first or foremost part of the table. Now follows the other or last part.
The other part of this panel.
52. seven images shall also be given to it, which are repugnant or contrary to the previous or first images. Among them, the first image is the internal good. The other image is the future good. The third image is the past good. The fourth image is the lower good, or the good below us. The fifth image is the good at the left hand. The sixth image is the good at the right hand. And the seventh image the upper good, or the good above us.
The first distinction, from the internal good.
(53) Who can tell the goods that every man has in his person?
and possesses? First of all, the adornments and gifts of the body, the beauty, the strength, the health and the powerful sensuality must be great. In addition, the noblest sex is also found in men, so that they can lead and do many great and special things, and are capable of doing excellent deeds, of which women are lacking. Now, what great thing is it if, through God's gift, you have used these very best gifts for ten, twenty, or thirty years, and are sometimes weak or sick for a day or ten, and suffer infirmity or discomfort? So also is a saying of the boys: It is to do with an evil hour. Item: A good hour is worth an evil one. What shall we do, then, if we take many good hours and do not want to suffer a few evil ones? Therefore we see with what great goods of God we are showered and with how few evils we are hardly touched, at least most of us.
(54) The most gracious God is not content with these goods, but sets before us wealth and the superfluous sufficiency of all things and goods, which are not ours in the least, and which are most precious to the people.
Therefore, according to this seventh point of view, all evil that we ever suffer must necessarily be sucked out and become null and void, so that we not only no longer grieve over it, but rather rejoice over it, when this image has penetrated into our heart and has settled in the innermost conception of our mind. So much for the first panel; now comes the second.
[The second image of the good things.]
The second panel also has its seven views or points of view, which are just opposite to the previous ones. The first of them is about the inner good, the second about the future, the third about the past, the fourth about the lower, the fifth about the left, the sixth about the right, the seventh about the upper good.
Chapter 1. From the first point of view, namely from the inner good.
Who would like to list only the goods that each person has in his person? How great
are first of all the gifts of the body! Shape, strength, health, liveliness of mind, to which is added, in the case of man, his noblest sex, which enables him to conduct both private and public affairs, as well as to perform the most glorious deeds, from which woman is excluded. Now what does it matter much if you had needed yourself of all these glorious gifts by God's gift for ten, twenty or thirty years, and only once of these one or ten days of trouble ? The wretches have a saying: It is a matter of an evil hour; and again: A good hour is worth an evil one. What then shall we do, who have received the many good hours and do not want to endure an evil even in one? We see, then, how we are showered with such great goods from God, and how little in comparison are the evils with which we are hardly touched, at least most of us.
But not content with these goods, God also adds riches, abundance of all things, if not to all, yet to many, and especially to those who are too weak,
Those who are too weak to endure evil, hardship and adversity. For, as I said before, to whom God gives too little good or body, He gives all the more courage; so that all things become equal, and that He is a just judge of all men. For much riches do not comfort so much as a joyful, consoling and glad heart and courage. God also gives some children the greatest pleasure, as they say, power, dominion, principality, honor, glory, good report, grace and favor. And if they can use these goods for a long time, they will easily know what to do in a small trouble or in a small affliction. But the goods of the mind are better than all the other goods, namely, understanding, art, knowledge, discernment, eloquence, prudence. In which goods God moderates the uniformity of his gracious, rich bestowal and clemency in such a way that, to whom he has bestowed more goods, he has not therefore withdrawn them from the others. For instead of touched goods, he has given greater ones, such as peace and tranquility, or happiness of mind.
55. but in all this shall be regarded with gratitude the very mildest hand
God, and our weakness, that we should not be surprised that in the variety and greatness of good things or goods there is sometimes a bitterness and distastefulness mixed in. For neither fried food without salt nor any food that is not grown or made with a bitter taste is pleasing to pleasure-loving people: so much so that the constant and certain sweetness alone cannot be endured in any way. So that the teacher was ever right who wrote: All pleasures, by their superfluous continuity, give rise to vexation. And who thus said: Pleasure is finally a work or displeasure. For this transitory life is so unpleasant and disgusting that it cannot make use of the good and happy states without mixing the evil or disgusting things, because of the superfluous sufficiency of the good things.
(56) Hence the saying, 'There must be strong legs to endure good days. I have often thought of this proverb, and I am surprised that it has such a wondrous and true meaning, that is, that people's desires and wishes are contrary to their own desires and wishes, and that people only want good days.
For, as I have said above, to whom God gives less in body and goods, He gives more in spirit, so that all may be equal and He may be the just judge of all. Also, great riches do not even provide the comfort that a cheerful spirit gives. Above this he also gives some children, and with them, so to speak, the greatest pleasure, power, rulership, honor, reputation, glory, favor etc.; and all this, if it is granted to us to enjoy longer, yes, even shorter time, should truly tell us what our conduct in a small evil must be.
The goods of the spirit, however: intelligence, skill, judgment, eloquence, prudence, these are much more glorious than all bodily goods. And in this, as in everything else, the impartiality of divine stewardship prevails, so that it did not prefer those to whom it bestowed more to others to whom it gave greater peace of mind or serenity of spirit in return.
In all of this, however, we must acknowledge with gratitude the so bountiful hand of God, and we must
We can console ourselves if our weakness should be surprised that in the quantity and greatness of all our good things there is also something bitter mixed in here and there; for even to people of good appetite no roast tastes good without salt broth, nor any food without a certain pungent taste obtained naturally or through spices. So much is all sweetness repugnant to us when it is offered to us constantly and without variety, so that even that poet has quite rightly said: "Every pleasure, if it lasts, awakens weariness"; as well as another: "In the end even pleasure becomes an effort"; for this life is incapable of enduring too great an abundance of pure good, and is therefore incapable of enjoying pure happiness without a purposeful mitigation by misfortune. This is the origin of the saying: It takes strong bones to bear good days. And as often as I thought about this saying, I wondered how wonderful and true the thought it expresses was, so that the will of men is against their own will when they have nothing but good days.
and when they have received them, they may endure the less than evil days. For what else does God show us in all this, but that even in the enemies of the cross the cross is miraculous, so that with the reverend sanctity of the cross one must not otherwise mix, moderate and sanctify all things, so that they do not perish. For the meat is preserved with salt, so that the worms do not get into it. Why then do we not most willingly and gladly accept this temperature or salt, sent to us by God? which, if it were not sent by God, our life, which cannot bear the pleasures and good days, would desire from Himself.
So we see that the wise man has truly said of God: "He who reaches from the end to the end with strength or firmness, and who has appointed and skillfully arranged all things and all things lovely," Wis 8:1. For when we look at these goods, we will find that this is also true, which Moses said in the fifth book, chapter 32, v. 10, 11: "He carried him on his shoulders and led him around and guarded him like the apple of his eye. So that we may shut the mouths of those who are ungrateful and say that this life is much more evil and wicked than the other.
I have seen that there is no lack of good things and innumerable benefits of sweetness, but only lack of those who have understanding, with the prophet who said, Ps. 33:5: "The whole earth is full of the grace of the Lord." Item, v. 24: "The earth is full of his praise." And in the 104th Ps., v. 24: "The earth is filled with thy possession." Ps. 92, 5: "O Lord, thou hast made me glad and rejoice through thy creature and creatures."
For this reason, we sing daily at Mass: Heaven and earth be full of your glory and honor. Why is that? Because there are many good things for which God is praised and glorified, but only by the people who see this perfection. For just as I said in the first illustration of evil things, that every man has as many evils or evil things as he has mention, opinion, or knowledge of them. So also, although there are so many good things that they surround and overwhelm us everywhere, they are not greater than they are held, respected, and valued by us. For all the things which God hath made are very good; though they be so done and skillful, yet are they not known of all men; as then the people were, of which the 106th Psalm saith,
days, which after all, if they have really attained them, they can bear less than the evil ones.
For what else does God intend by this than to show us how even in the enemies of the cross the cross is so wonderful that it must moderate and sanctify everything with its relics, so that it does not spoil, just as one salts meat so that it does not become rotten. Why, then, do we not gladly accept this relationship established by God, which our life, which cannot bear pleasure and goodness, should bring about of its own accord, if God did not send it to us? Thus it comes to pass that we realize how true the wise man said of God: "His wisdom reaches from one end to the other mightily and governs all things well" (Wis. Sal. 8, 1.). And if we consider these goods more closely, then it must also appear to us as truth what Moses, 5. B. 32, 10., said: "He carried him on his shoulders, he led him about and guarded him like the apple of his eye." With this we can shut the mouths of those who talk ungratefully: let it be in this life
there is more evil than good; because there is no lack of good and innumerable advantages of pleasure, but there is a lack of those who acknowledge this with the one who said: "The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord" (Ps. 33, 5.); and again: "The earth is full of His praise"; and in the 104th Psalm, v. 24: "The earth is full of Your goods"; and: "You delight me, Lord, with Your works" (Ps. 92, 5.).
That is why we sing daily at Mass, "Full are the heavens and the earth of your glory!" Why is that? Because there is a whole multitude of good for which he is to be honored, but of course only by those who see this fullness. For as we have said of evil things in the first point of view, that each one has only so much evil as he thinks or recognizes: so also the good things, although they penetrate us from all sides and overwhelm us, are nevertheless only there for us as far as we think and feel them to be. For all that God has made is very good, but it is not acknowledged by all, as were those of whom the 78th Psalm (Ps.
V. 24, says, "And they have esteemed nothing the covetous or worthy to see Promised Land."
(59) In this, a most beautiful, most artificial and most noble example is set before us by St. Job: who, when he had lost all his goods, said, Cap. 2, 10: "If we have received and taken good things from the hands of the Lord, why should we not also suffer evil?" Truly it is a golden word and a strong consolation in temptation, for not only did he suffer, but he was also challenged to impatience by his housewife, who said to him, v. 9, "Dost thou still abide in thine innocence? benedict the Lord, and die." As if to say, "It is evident that he who forsakes you is not God; why then do you trust in him, and not rather deny and malign him, and think yourself a mortal creature, and that nothing will come to you after this life? This and the like gives every man his wife (that is, sensuality) in temptation, for the sense does not taste the things that are of God.
(60) But all these goods are bodily goods, and so common that they may befall all men. But a Christian man has much better and more excellent goods inside.
and inwardly in him; that is, he has in him the faith of Christ our dear Lord and Savior, of whom it is said in the 45th Psalm, v. 14, 15: "All the honor and glory of the King's daughter is inwardly, in the golden hem or garment, surrounded with diversity." For just as I have said in the evil of the first image, that no evil may be so great in man that the very worst is the evil that is inward or internal in him. So, the very best and most excellent good that is in a Christian man, he may not see. For if a Christian man felt the same good, he would be ready in heaven, for the kingdom of heaven, as Christ says, Luc. 17, 21, is in ourselves. For, to have faith is to have the truth and the word of God; to have the word of God is to have the Creator of all things.
(61) And if it were made manifest to the soul what great goods these are, it would in a moment be separated from the body because of the superfluous quantity of sweetness. For this reason I have rightly said that the other goods or good things are like the remembrance and admonition of the goods that we have within us, which he indicates, commands, and specifies to us through them.
106, 24.) says: "And they respected the desirable land for nothing."
A splendid and instructive example of this point of view is offered to us by Job, who, after losing all his goods, said: "If we have received good things from God, why should we not also accept evil? (Job 2:10.) A truly golden word and a powerful consolation in temptation! And he not only suffered, but was also tempted by his wife, who said to him: "Do you still hold fast to your piety? Yes, bless God and die"; as if she wanted to say: "It is obvious that this is no God who leaves you like this; why do you therefore still trust in him, and do you not rather deny and curse him, recognizing yourself as a mortal, for whom there is nothing more after this life? Such and similar things are given to each one by his wife, that is, his sensual feeling, m the temptation; for the sensual man understands nothing of that which is of God.
But all these are bodily goods, which are given to all
But a Christian possesses other and much better internal goods in abundance, that is, faith in Christ, of whom it is said in the 45th Psalm, vv. 14, 15: "All the glory of the King's daughter is within; she is clothed with gold. For as we have said of the evil of the first viewpoint, there can be no evil in man so great that there is not in him much worse: so also the Christian cannot see the best of all the good that is in him. For if he felt it, he would immediately be in heaven, because the kingdom of heaven, as Christ says, is in us. For to have faith is to have the truth and the Word of God; but to have the Word of God is to have God Himself, the Creator of the universe.
And these goods are so great that the soul, if they were revealed to it, would burst the fetters of the body in an instant because of the overabundance of sweetness. Therefore, all the other goods that we have mentioned are, as it were, only commemorative signs of the goods that we have in our body.
Life does not allow them to be revealed and discovered to us. But these same great goods are graciously and mercifully restrained and hidden by God until they grow up into their full measure. Just as kind and faithful parents sometimes give their children shameful and small gifts, thereby stirring and moving the minds of their children to the hope of more gifts.
(62) However, these inward goods sometimes appear and come forth when the conscience speaks gladly of God with joyful trust and confidence in God, hears His word with sweetness and good will, and becomes willing and joyful to serve God with good works and to suffer evil and adversity. These are all indications that the infinite, innumerable, imperceptible, and immeasurable good is hidden there, which gives off these drops with a very small and small source; although it sometimes happens that such inner good is widely opened to contemplative souls, so that they sink that they do not know where they have been, as St. Augustine and his mother confess of themselves, and many others.
The other distinction, from the future good.
(63) To men who are not Christian men, little comfort may be given of the good things to come in their troubles, afflictions, and trials, because it is all uncertain. Although hope in this is a cause of great turmoil, by which we are moved to have hope by means of human comfort that things will get better. By this we are also commonly, even always, deceived and seduced to seek great things, things and deeds. As our Lord and Savior himself teaches in the Gospel of St. Luke in chapter 12, v. 18, 21 ff., about the man who said to his soul: "I will tear down and break my house and make it larger, and I will say to my soul, 'Rest, eat, drink, and live well, my soul; you have much goods for many years. But God said to him: O fool, they will demand your soul from you again this night, and what will be that which you have gathered and read? So is he that gathereth treasure for himself, and is not rich in God."
They are also mercifully hidden by God until they grow to their perfect measure, just as kind parents sometimes give their children ridiculous and insignificant things in order to entice them to hope for greater things from them.
But these inner goods sometimes also show themselves outwardly and come to the fore, namely, when the happy conscience rejoices in trusting in God, speaks gladly of Him, hears His word with pleasure, is eager and joyful to serve God, to do good works, to suffer evil etc. All these are certain signs of an infinite and immeasurable good hidden there, which allows these droplets and little bites to seep outwardly. And yet it also happens from time to time that especially contemplative souls are granted deeper revelations, so that they are completely enraptured and do not know where they have been, as St. Augustine testifies about himself and his mother, and so many others.
Chapter 2. From the second point of view of the good, namely from that of the future.
Good or the good in front of us.
Those who are not Christians can be given little comfort in their troubles from the good things to come, because they are uncertain about everything, yet that well-known expression of the life of the mind, which is called hope, causes a great deal of anxiety in this regard, in that it tells us to draw hope for improvement from the mutual comfort of people, but through this we are also very often urged to undertake great things in the uncertain, but are always deceived, as Christ shows in the Gospel, Luc. 12:18-21, in the case of the man who said to his soul, "I will break down my barns and build larger ones, and I will say to my soul, 'Dear soul, have rest now, eat, drink, and be of good cheer, for you have a great store for many years. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this very night thy soul shall be required of thee, and the vesture shall it be that thou hast prepared? So it is with him who gathers treasures, and is not rich in God."
(64) Though God has not so forsaken the children of men as not to comfort them with the opinion of averting evil or evil, and of obtaining and obtaining good. Although they are uncertain and insecure about the things to come, yet they are certain of hope, so that they may nevertheless sustain themselves; so that, if adversity befalls them, they may not despair, suffer adversity, and do even worse and more wicked things. For this reason also this hope is a gift of God, not that His opinion is that we should rely on it, but that by it we should be provoked, moved, and drawn to the right abiding hope that is in God alone. Therefore, God is patient to bring people to repentance, as St. Paul says to the Romans in Chapter 2, v. 4: "God does not allow anyone to be deceived by this deceitful hope, whether they would return to their senses, be converted, turn to God and hope rightly and truly.
But the Christians have over touched goods two times greater, the very greatest goods, which will certainly and actually be due to them in the future. But not otherwise than through death and suffering. For they also have a
Joy in the common hope that the present evil will finally come to an end, and that the good, which is contrary to the same evil, will be increased, although they do not care so much about it and do not esteem it highly, but only that their own good increases. But their own good is the truth in the Lord Christ, in whom they increase day by day. For this reason they live and hope. But above all this, Christians have two greatest things to come in death. The first is that through death the whole assembly of all the evils, troubles, and disgusting things of this life will be resolved and removed; as it is written in Ps. 116:15: "How precious and precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. And Ps. 4:9: "I will sleep and rest in peace in the Lord." And Weish. 4, 7.: "When the righteous is overtaken with death, he shall be in refreshment and delight."
On the other hand, death is the beginning of evil for the unrighteous, unchristian and unbelieving people, as it says Ps. 34:22: "The death of sinners is the most evil. And Ps. 140, 12.: "The unrighteous man will understand the evils in destruction." So Lazarus will be comforted, who has received his evil here, since the devouring
Thus, God has not completely abandoned the children of men, but comforts them with this feeling that evil will one day end and good will take its place; and although they must be uncertain about what will happen in the future, they nevertheless have a certain hope that sustains them, so that they will not fall prey to despair and cause themselves much trouble in order to escape a present evil. For this reason, the feeling of hope itself in women is a gift from God, not that God wants them to lean and rely on it, but that through it they would be led to that solid hope that relies on Him alone. For this reason He is longsuffering, that He leads them to repentance, as it says in Rom. 2, 4. And he does not let everyone be deceived by this deceptive hope right away, whether they will fall into themselves and then have true hope.
The Christians, however, have two other goods in addition to this good, and these are the greatest of all, which will certainly be granted to them one day, but through death and suffering. Although they also rejoice in that
They do not care so much about this, however, as that their real good will flow to them, namely the truth in Christ, in whom they increase from day to day, for whose sake they also live and have hope. But above this, I have said, they still have two future things, which will be given them in death.
The first good thing is that with death the whole sad spectacle of the sufferings of this life ceases, as it is written (Ps. 116, 15.): "The death of his saints is held worthy before the Lord"; and again (Ps. 4, 9.): "I lie down and sleep in peace"; and (Weish. 4, 7.), "The righteous, though he be overtaken by death, fo he is in rest"; while, on the other hand, to the wicked, death is the beginning of their evil, as it is said (Ps. 34:22.), "The death of sinners is very evil"; and (Ps. 140:12.), "Mischief shall take hold of a wicked, evil man unto destruction."
And the worshipper shall be tormented, because he hath had his good things and his days here, Luc. 16:25. Thus it comes to pass, that a Christian, whether he dieth or recovereth and liveth, is always well and blessed. It is such a blessed thing to be a Christian and to believe in the Lord Christ, as St. Paul says, Phil. 1, 21: "Christ is life to me, and dying is gain"; and to the Romans in Cap. 14, v. 7, 8: "He who lives lives to the Lord, and he who dies dies to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's."
67 Christ our Lord has obtained this assurance for us, that he died and rose again, that he might be the Lord of the living and the dead, able to secure us, and to make us free, free, and secure in life and death, as the 23rd Psalm, v. 4, says: "When I walk in the shadow of death, I will not be afraid of evil, for thou art with me. And if this gain of death creates, moves and endures little in us, it is a sign that the faith of Christ our Lord is weak in us, which weak faith does not sufficiently consider the dignity and gain of the good death, or does not yet believe that death is good, through superfluous prevention.
of the old man and the wisdom of the flesh, therefore we should strive to come to know and love the goodness, kindness and promotion of death.
(68) It is a great thing that death, which other men consider the greatest evil, becomes the greatest benefit to us Christians. And if Christ, our Lord, had not shown us this grace and benefit, he would not have done anything worthy of his own great, mild and kind presentation. For the work he has done is entirely divine. Therefore it is no wonder that he made the evil of death the very best thing. Because of this, death has died and passed away for the Christians, and has nothing frightening outside of its form, bad reputation, and larvae. Just like a slain snake, which still has its former frightening form, but in truth only the form and the appearance is there, and a dead and harmless evil. Yes, as it is written in the 4th book of Moses on the 21st, v. 8. 9, he ordered to set up a bronze snake, by the sight or appearance of which the living snakes died. So also, our death dies by the most confidential sight of the death of Christ, our Lord, and
So the poor Lazarus is comforted, who has received his evil here, while the glutton is tormented, because he has received his good here.
Thus it comes about that the Christian is always better off, whether he dies or lives. It is such a blessed thing to be a Christian and to believe in Christ. That is why St. Paul says: "Christ is my life and dying is my gain" (Phil. 1, 21.); and to the Romans on the 14th, v. 8: "If we live, we live to the Lord; if we die, we die to the Lord: therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's." Christ has provided this security for us by dying and rising again to be Lord over the living and the dead, powerful to make us secure and sure in life and death, as the 23rd Psalm, v. 4, says: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me."
But that this gain of death appeals to us so little is a sign that faith in Christ is still weak enough in us to appreciate the value and advantage of a good death or to believe that death is good.
The old man and the wisdom of the flesh, which are still all too alive in him, hinder him. For this reason, we should make every effort to come to the point where we can properly recognize and learn to love this benefit of death. It is a great thing that death, which is the greatest of all evils for others, becomes the greatest of all benefits for us. And if Christ had not shown this to us, what would he have done that would have been worthy of such a great sacrifice of himself? It is truly a divine work that he did, so it is no wonder that he turned the evil of death into the greatest good.
Accordingly, death is dead for the believer and has nothing more terrible apart from the form and the larva; not unlike a dead snake that still has its previous terrible form, but in reality only the outer form is there and a dead and now harmless evil; yes, just as God erected a bronze snake in Genesis 21:8, by the sight of which the living snakes perished, so also our death is annihilated in the believing view of
now no longer appears, but only a figure and form of death. The mercy of God plays so graciously with us weak ones, with these beautiful figures and forms, that after death has not had to be completely taken away, it at least makes a strength, ability and power empty and empty except for this form. Therefore it is called in the holy scripture more a sleep than a death.
(69) The other good of death, that it not only ends and cuts off the evils of the torment of this life, but is much better and more excellent; it also changes or puts an end to vices and sins, which makes death much more desirable, pleasant, and sweet to believing souls, as I have said before, than the first good touched upon. For the evils of the soul, which are sins, are incomparably worse and more evil than the evils of the corpse, and if we knew sin alone, they would make death most delightful to us: but if they do not make death delightful to us, it is a sign that we do not yet feel the evils of our souls sufficiently, nor do we feel them. Because this life is most dangerous, and the most slippery sin pursues us everywhere, and without sin we are in danger.
Therefore, death is the best thing of all, which frees and redeems us from these evils, troubles, and distresses, and cuts sin off from us completely. Therefore the wise man in the Book of Wisdom writes in the 4th chapter, v. 10, 11, 12, in praise of the righteous man "who has pleased God the Lord and has become dear to Him, and has been taken away from among the living, so that wickedness may not change his mind or that fiction may not deceive his soul. For the enchantment of vanity darkens good things, and the inconstancy of covetousness perverts the mind that is without malice. (Oh how true and mean all this is!) When he died in a short time, he fulfilled much time, because his soul was pleasing to God. Therefore he has honored to take him out of the means of unrighteousness."
Thus, death, which was a chastisement of sins to man, has become an end of sins and a beginning of life and righteousness to Christian people by the most kind and most gracious mercy of God. Therefore, he who loves life and righteousness must of necessity be the servant and workshop of life and righteousness, which is death,
Christ's death, and now offers only the mere appearance of death. Thus, through these beautiful images, the mercy of God demonstrates to us weak ones how death, because it cannot be taken away, has nevertheless been deprived of its power except for its outward form, which is why it is called more a sleep than a death in the Scriptures.
The second good of death is that it not only puts an end to the evil of the punishments of this life, but, what is even more excellent, it also puts an end to all infirmities and sins; which makes death far more desirable to Christian souls, as we have said above, than the good already mentioned, if otherwise the evils of the soul, namely the sins, are incomparably worse than the evils of the body. This alone should make death quite sweet to us, if we understood it rightly. But if it does not, this is a sign that we do not yet feel and hate the evils of our soul sufficiently.
So now that this life is so dangerous, in that
sin lies in wait for us on all sides and pursues us, and we cannot live without sin: so death is the very best good, because it delivers us from these dangers and cuts sin off from us completely. Therefore it is also said in the Wisdom of Solomon, 4, 10-14, in praise of the righteous: "Because he pleases God, he is dear to Him and is taken away from the life of sinners; and is removed, so that wickedness does not corrupt his mind, nor false teaching deceive his soul. For the delusion of wickedness darkeneth goodness, and the provoking of lust perverteth innocent hearts." - O, how true and commonplace this is! - "Taken away in a short time, he has fulfilled many years; for his soul pleases God well, therefore He hastens with him out of this evil life."
Thus, through the mercy of God, death, which was the punishment of sin for man, has become the end of sin and the beginning of life and righteousness for the Christian. Therefore, whoever loves life and righteousness does not like to be in front of their servant and minister,
not to shun nor fear, but to love; otherwise he will never attain either life or righteousness. But if any man be not able to do it, let him pray God that he may be able. For this reason we are instructed to say, Matth. 6, v. 10: "Your will be done", that we have not been able to do it of ourselves, who fear death more, and love death and sin with it, than we loved life and righteousness.
For the fact that God ordained death as a resolution and remission of sins may also be taken from the fact that He imposed death on Adam at the beginning, as soon as he had sinned, as a penance for his sins, and before He drove him out of Paradise, thereby indicating to us that death brings us no evil, but all good, because death is imposed in Paradise as a penance and atonement.Gen. 2, 17. For this is true, that through the envy of the devil death entered into the world, Weish. 2, 24. But this is a peculiar, noble and excellent goodness, that death, which has thus come upon the earth, has no place and power alone to harm, but that it is thus seized by
God, that He ordained him to a chastisement and a death of sin, so soon in the beginning of death. For this means that when he had prophesied Adam's death before in the commandment, he nevertheless did not remain silent after that, but put on death anew and moderated the seriousness of the commandment; yes, he did not even think of death with a single syllable, but only said: "You are powder or dust, and will become dust again, until you return to the earth, from which you were taken", Gen. 3, 19. 3, 19. As if he was already so resentful of death that he did not want to name it either, according to this saying in the 30th Psalm, v. 6.: "For wrath is in his displeasure, and life in his will." As if to say that if death had not been necessary for the eradication of sin, he would not have known or named it, much less put it on.
(72) Even the divine indignation against sin, which has wrought death, has armed and prepared nothing but death, so that here, according to the poet, one might see the cause of death perish and perish by his art, and sin perish from its own fruit, and perish by the death it has borne, like the poisonous death.
The only thing he can fear is death, but he must necessarily love it as well, otherwise he could never attain either life or righteousness. But whoever cannot, let him pray to God that he may, for this is why we are taught to say, "Thy will be done," because we are not able to do it of ourselves, who fear death and thus love death and sin rather than life and righteousness.
For that God ordained death for the destruction of sin can also be concluded from the fact that he imposed death on Adam immediately after he had committed sin, as an atonement for sin, and this before he drove him out of paradise, in order to show us that death does not work evil for us, but rather all good, because it was imposed in paradise as a penance and satisfaction. For it is true that death came into the world through the envy of the devil, but this again is a most glorious proof of the divine goodness that it not only did not allow the death that thus occurred to do any harm, but also determined it from the very beginning to be an atonement and the death of sin.
Because that's what it meant, that after he had given the
Adam had threatened death in the prohibition, yet he did not keep silent about it afterwards, but imposed death again, but in such a way that he softened the severity of the commandment, yes, he did not even remember with a syllable the death threatened earlier, but only said: "You are dust and shall return to dust"; and: "Until you return to the ground from which you were taken". (Gen. 3:19); as if even then he hated death, so that he did not dignify to name it, and after that saying: "His wrath lasts a moment, and he delighteth to live" (Ps. 30:6) he seemed to speak as if he had neither known nor wanted to name death, if it had not been necessary for the destruction of sin, let alone impose it. In fact, the divine displeasure against sin, because it has caused death, makes nothing else but death a weapon against it, so that one can see here how true the poet says that the instigator of death perishes by his own instigation, and sin perishes by its own fruit and is killed by the death it gave birth to, just as the viper is killed by its young.
The most beautiful spectacle is to see that sin is not destroyed by another's work but by its own. And the most beautiful spectacle is when one sees that sin is not destroyed by someone else's work, but by its own, stabbed with its own sword, and just as happened to Goliath, its head is cut off with its own knife, 1 Sam. 17, 51. For Goliath was a figure of sin, a terrible, cruel giant, before whom all men were terrified, except little David, that is, the Lord Christ, who alone slew him and cut off his head with his own sword, which was the very best sword, as we read in the first book of Kings, chapter 21, v. 9. Therefore, when we consider this joy of the strength of the Lord Christ and His gifts and grace, the evil will not afflict, torment and weigh us down because we see such great goods in such a great future evil.
The third distinction, from the past good.
The consideration of this good is easily taken from its counter image of the past evil. But nothing the less
I will add to this consideration a claim in which St. Augustine invents miracles and is masterful in the book of his confession, in which he most delicately recounts the benefits of God against him from his mother's womb, as does the excellent 139th Psalm, v. 1: "O Lord, you tempted me". Psalm, v. 1: "O Lord, you have tempted me"; who, among others, marvels at God's caution towards him and says, v. 2: "O Lord, you have understood my thoughts from afar, and have searched out my paths and my cords. As if to say, "All that I have done or wrought, and all that I have obtained, received, and possessed, I now see how I obtained it not by my own understanding, diligence, and effort, but by thy providence, which was long before. Finally, v. 3, 4: "Thou hast also seen all my ways before. Neither is there any speech in my tongue." Where then? "In thy power." We learn all this from our own experience. For when we consider our past life, we are astonished that we have thought, spoken, willed and done things that we could not have thought of before.
74 Oh, we would have done it much differently if it had been in our free will.
It is a glorious spectacle to see how sin perishes not by someone else's work but by its own, is stabbed with its own sword and like Goliath is beheaded with its own sword, 1 Sam. 17, 51. For Goliath also was an image of sin, which is a terrible giant to all, except to little David, that is, Christ, who struck him down alone and cut off his head with his own sword, for, as he says, there was no better sword than Goliath's; 1 Sam. 21.
So, if we consider these joys of Christ's power and His gifts of grace, why should we be tormented by a minor evil when we see such great goods in such a great evil of the future?
Chapter 3. From the third point of view of the good, namely from the past.
Good or the good behind us.
The consideration of this good is very easy to make according to the opposite point of view, the past evil; however, we want to give the consideration
tend to come to the aid of God. In this, St. Augustine is an excellent master in his Confessions, where he so magnificently enumerates the benefits of God, which he performed on him from his mother's womb on. The same is done in the 139th Psalm: "Lord, you search me" etc. Among other things, he marvels at God's wonderful providence over him and says (v. 2): "You understand my thoughts from afar; I sit or stand up, and you know"; as if he wanted to say: what I have ever thought, what I have worked, how much I will succeed and possess, I now see how it has not happened at all through my diligence, but through your care, which determined it long before. At last it is said (v. 3. 4.), "Thou seest all my ways before, and there is not a word on my tongue." Where then? In thy power.
This we also learn from our own experience; for when we reflect on our past life, must we not be amazed that we have thought, willed, acted, spoken in such and such a way as we could not even have foreseen? How completely different could
which we now understand and see that God's care is so present, strong and powerful, and that His care for us is and has been constant, that we have not been able to think, speak, will, or have in our will, only what God has given us. As it is written in the 7th chapter of Wisdom, v. 16: "In His hand are we and our speech"; and St. Paul, 1 Cor. 12, 6: "Who worketh all things in us." Why are we not ashamed of senseless, coarse and hard-hearted people, who have learned from our own experience and see that God the Lord has been so careful for us up to this hour and has given us all goods. And yet we may not hand over the care for us in a small affliction or present unhappy state to Him, and just act as if God had left us, or would like to leave us "with nothing". But it is different in the 40th Psalm, v. 18, where it says: "But I am a poor wretch, and the Lord is careful for me." St. Augustine says: "Well, how could he not be careful, since you are the one he wanted you to be? Let him take care of you who created you, who took care of you before you were.
have been created. But we share the kingdom in dominion with God. We admit to God, yet hardly insufficiently, evil and loose, that He created us, and subject ourselves to bear and have our own care, just as if God had created us and had so soon gone away, leaving us to govern ourselves.
Because our wisdom, counsel and misgivings prevent us from seeing this care of God for us, when at times many things happen to us according to our will and pleasure. Therefore, we shall return to our beginning with the 139th Psalm, v. 15.That is, you saw my bones in my mother's body, and made them when I was still unborn, when my mother did not yet know what was made in her, "and my independent being in the lower parts of the earth"; that is, the form or shape of my body in the lower parts of my mother was also hidden from you, because you made it. For the prophet does not mean by these words anything at-
we would have acted if it had been left to our free will! That which we now only understand, we now see how near to us God's care has always been, and how persistently His providence has been over us, so that we have neither spoken, nor willed, nor been able to think out anything except what He had given us, as it is said in the 7th chapter of Wisdom (v. 16.), "For in His hand are both we ourselves and our speeches"; and as Paul says, "He that worketh all in all."
We are ashamed of ourselves, we unfeeling and hard-hearted people, who, taught by our own experience, see how concerned the Lord has been for us up to this hour and has given us all the good things, and yet we cannot entrust to him the same care for us in a little momentary trouble! And this we do just as if he had left it to us or could ever leave it to us. Dear, no; but so it is said in the 40th Psalm, v. 18: "I am poor and miserable, but the Lord cares for me"; to which St. Augustine remarks: "Let him care for you who made you, who cared for you before you were. How should he not care for you who
because you are already what he wanted you to be?" But we want to share in the government with God; we concede to Him that He made us, and that too only barely and lukewarmly, but to us we arrogate the care for our own persons, as if God had indeed made us, but then immediately departed to leave us to our own hand and government.
If, however, our own wisdom and prudence prevent us from seeing this concern of God for us, since perhaps many things have turned out entirely according to our intentions and plans, let us turn our gaze back to ourselves with the 139th Psalm and say (v. 15.): "My bones were not hidden from you, when I was made in secret, when I was formed down in the earth"; that is, you saw my bones in my mother's body and formed them, when I was not yet, when my mother did not yet know what was going on in her; and my substance down in the earth, that is, the shape and form of my body down in my mother's bowels, was not hidden from you either, because it was you who formed them.
What does he want with these words other than to give us
The reason for this is that he wanted to indicate and show with this great example how much God has always been careful for us. For who can boast that he was involved in the maternal womb? Who gave the mother the care to nurse the child, to entertain it, to educate it, to love it and to show it all maternal faithfulness? since we have not yet felt the time of our life, and we neither knew nor thought anything about the pieces, that it would have happened to us in this way, if we did not see that such things had happened to other people. For all this was shown to us just as if we had been asleep then, yes, just as if we had been dead, and as if we had not yet been born, as far as our knowledge of it is concerned.
So we see how even in us the divine mercy and comfort are perceived. Nevertheless, we doubt or despair of it, as if God did not still care for us this very day. And if this experience does not instruct or move a person, I do not know what would instruct and move him. We commonly see this care of God for us in all underage children in the most powerful way.
So that so many examples of our imprudence and hardness should be a great shame to us, if we doubt that even the smallest good or evil meets us without special care of God. So St. Peter says in his first epistle at the 5th chapter, v. 7: "You shall cast all your care into the Lord, for he takes notice of you." And in the 55th Psalm, v. 23. "Cast upon the Lord thy care, and he shall feed thee"; and St. Augustine to his soul in the book of his confession: What standest thou on thyself, and yet standest not, cast thyself on the Lord, for he will not withdraw his hands that thou shouldest fall; and St. Peter in his first epistle on the 4th chapter, v. 19: "Wherefore even they that suffer according to the will of God, ought in charities to commend their souls to God, the faithful Creator."
Oh, if a man recognizes his God in this way, he will live securely, calmly and happily. The same man would truly have God, and would actually know that everything he encounters is done to him by the most merciful and kind will of God. Therefore, St. Peter's opinion is a
show by this exceedingly strong example how God has always taken care of us without us? For who can boast that he had a hand in forming us in our mother's womb? Who gave the mother the impulse of care, that she nursed us, caressed us, loved us and practiced all maternal duties, since we had not even come to the consciousness of our life? And finally, if we were not compelled by seeing all this in others to assume that it must have happened to us as well, we would not even know anything about it nor be able to remember it, since all this, as far as our knowledge is concerned, has been shown to us as if it had happened to sleeping, even dead, or rather not yet born persons. We would not even know anything about it, nor would we be able to remember it.
Thus, we see how the divine mercy and consolation accepts us without us. And still we doubt, or even despair, that God still cares for us today? If this experience does not instruct or convince us, I no longer know what could instruct or convince us. For we can see this concern in all the little children in the
The most obvious way before us, so that we should truly be ashamed, with good reason, to be so hard of mind and hard of heart in the face of so many examples that we still doubt that even the slightest good or evil could happen to us without the special providence of God.
So also St. Peter, 1 Ep. 5, 7. says: "Cast all your care upon him, for he careth for you"; and the Psalmist, Ps. 55, 23. says: "Cast thy care upon the Lord, and he shall provide for thee." And St. Augustine says to his soul in his Confessions, "Why standest thou on thyself, and yet standest not? cast thyself on him, he will not draw his hand from under thee, that thou shouldest fall"; and again it is said in 1 Pet. 4:19: "Wherefore they that suffer according to the will of God, let them commend their souls unto him, as unto the faithful Creator in good works."
Oh, if someone were to recognize his God in this way, how securely, how calmly, how joyfully he would live! Such a person would truly have a God, since he would know with certainty and certainty that everything he has and everything that happens to him, no matter what, has been and will be granted to him only through His most friendly will and providence.
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firm, constant opinion, since he says, 1 Ep. 5, 7: "God has care for you"; what can we hear more sweet and sweet than such a word? Therefore he says, "cast all your care into him." But if we do not do this, but are careful for ourselves, what do we do but refrain from hindering God's care, and make the time of our life sorrowful, laborious and anxious for us with much fear, worry, agitation? And yet it is all in vain, for we do nothing beneficial with it.
78. But as the wise man says, Eccl. 1, 14: "This is the vanity of all vanity, and a chastisement or affliction and burden of the spirit." For the whole booklet of Ecclesiastes speaks of this experience, because he almost subjected himself to many things and worries, and yet found nothing but the labor and toil of vanity and the torment of the spirit. So that he finally decides that it is God's gift if a man eats, drinks and is happy with his housewife, Ecclesiastes 5:18, that is, because he lives without care and God takes care of him. Therefore we should
Nor do we have any other care for ourselves, except that we are not careful for ourselves, and do not take God's care for us out of His hands. Everyone will easily take the rest from the counter-image of this future good, that is, from the future evil, as I said, and from the contemplation of the past life.
The fourth distinction, from the lower property.
(79) Hitherto we have seen such goods as are ours and within us. Hereafter we shall see goods that are in others and beyond us. Among which the first good is in those who are among us, that is, the dead and the damned. But one might wonder what good could be found in the dead and the damned. But the power of divine goodness is so great everywhere and in all places that perhaps good things can be seen even in the greatest adversities. If we compare the dead and the damned with us, we see our priceless goods and profit, as can easily be taken from the counter-image of evil things. For so great evils of the
Peter's saying remains firm: "He cares for us." What can we hear more sweetly than this word? "Cast ye therefore all, saith he, your care upon him."
But if we do not do this, but want to take care of ourselves, what else do we do but try to hinder God's care and at the same time make ourselves sad, troublesome and anxious the whole time of our life because of constant fear, because of all sorts and agitations? And all this in vain. For we do nothing at all to our advantage, but, as the preacher says, "All this is vain and pitiful" (1:14). Thus, this entire booklet (of Ecclesiastes) also speaks from this experience, how he tried so much for himself and still found nothing but toil, vanity and misery in everything, so that he comes to the conclusion that it is a gift of God if one only eats, drinks and rejoices with his wife (Eccl. 5:18), that is, if he lives without worry, leaving the care for himself to God.
Therefore, we should not be concerned about ourselves with any other concern than that we should not be concerned about ourselves and take away God's concern for us. For the rest, each one, as
The author is not only able to find more points from the comparison with the opposite point of view, but also from the contemplation of his whole past life.
Chapter 4. The fourth aspect of the good, namely, the lower good or the good among us.
Up to now we have considered the good in so far as it is our own and in ourselves; in the following we will consider it in so far as it is in others and outside of us. The first of these is the good in those who are below us, that is, the dead and the damned. But it may seem strange what good could be found in the dead and damned? But the virtue of divine goodness is so great on all sides that it gives good to be seen even in the greatest evils.
But if we first compare the damned with us, then we see the inestimable advantages we have, as can easily be taken from the opposite point of view of evil. For as great as we there the evils of death and
Death and hell we see in them, as much as we undoubtedly see our gain in us; and as much greater gains, as much greater will be the ills of the dead and damned; all of which is not to be despised with a light heart, for they noticeably praise to us the utmost mercy of God. It is also to be feared, if we will respect the little, that we will be found ungrateful and will be condemned together with the damned, but will be tormented all the more severely and harshly.
80 Therefore, the more we shall see the damned suffer and weep, the more we shall rejoice in the goodness of God toward us, according to the saying of Isaiah 65:13-15: "Behold, My servants shall eat, and you shall hunger. Behold, my servants shall drink, and you shall thirst. Behold, my servants shall rejoice, and ye shall have sorrow, and mourning, and reproach. Behold, my servants shall praise and leap up for joy of heart, and ye shall cry out for sorrow of heart, and ye shall howl for tearing of spirit, and shall forsake your name for an oath or vow unto my chosen ones." And as I have said, the examples of the evil dying and damned,
as St. Gregory also writes in the Dialogue, serve us as a reminder, benefit and piety of instruction and teaching, so that the man is blessed whom foreign dangers make careful and wise.
(81) This good, because it is not known to men, moves them little, and is not dear to the hearts of many; yet it is to be counted among the greatest goods of all, and is well known and approved by right-minded men. For the greater part of the whole of Holy Scripture is based on this opinion, as it speaks of wrath, of judgments and sentences, and of the punishments of God, which most salutary teaching and instruction the examples of the damned confirm for us. Which then will be strong, if we, being burdened with such afflictions, take their opinion upon us and let ourselves be thought of, just as if we were in their place and in their person. For thus they will move us, admonish us and remind us to praise the goodness and mercy of God, that it has protected and preserved us from such evils.
We also hold the deceased and the damned against God to see divine justice in them, and although this is difficult, one should be diligent in it.
The more we look at them in the light of hell, the greater are undoubtedly our advantages, yes, the greater are their evils. And all this must not be carelessly thrown to the winds, for it extols to us the great mercy of God above all things; and it is to be feared, if we pay little heed to this, that we, being found ungrateful, will be condemned at the same time as them or tormented even worse. Therefore, the more we see those who suffer and howl, the more we must rejoice in God's goodness shown to us, according to that saying, Isa. 65:13-15: "Behold, My servants shall eat, but you shall hunger; behold, My servants shall drink, but you shall thirst; behold, My servants shall rejoice, but you shall be put to shame. Behold, my servants shall shout for good cheer, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and howl for lamentation; and ye shall leave your name for an oath unto my chosen ones. "etc.
Finally, as already said, the examples of those who die evil and are condemned serve as a warning and a lesson, as St. Gregory also mentions in his Dialogues, so that
is happy, whom strange dangers make cautious. This is indeed a good, although it is not very close to the heart, because it is commonplace and well-known, since it is to be counted as one of the greatest goods of all and is experienced as such with no small impression by those who have a sensitive heart; for this is what the greatest part of the holy Scriptures refers to, namely all passages where God's wrath, judgments and threats are spoken of. And these teachings, which are so important for our salvation, are confirmed for us in the most salutary way by the examples of those unfortunate ones, which are especially effective when we think ourselves into the position and feelings of these unfortunate ones and put ourselves, as it were, into their place and person. For then they move and admonish us to praise the goodness of God, who has saved us from such a fate.
Then we also compare the damned with God Himself by looking at the divine justice in them. Even if this seems hard to us, we must nevertheless try it, because since God is a just judge, we must
For since God is a righteous judge, His righteousness must be loved and praised, and thus there must be joy in God, even at the time when He destroys wicked men in body and soul. For in all this appears the supreme and ineffable justice of God. For this reason also hell is full of God and of the highest good, not less than heaven. For righteousness is God Himself, but God is the highest good. Therefore, just as mercy, so also righteousness or the judgment of God is to be loved, praised, extolled and preached to the highest. Thus says the prophet David, Ps. 58, 11: "The righteous will rejoice, for he will see the avenger; he will wash his hands in the blood of sinners."
83. this opinion God also forbade Samuel in the first book of kings, in the 16th chapter, v. 1, to complain longer about king Saul, saying: "why do you complain so long about Saul, when I have rejected him not to rule and reign over the people?" As if to say: Dost thou so dislike my will, that thou setest before me the will of man? This is also the voice of praise and joy throughout the Psalter, Ps. 68, 6. Ps. 105, 13: That the Lord is
a judge of the widows, and a father of the fatherless. And that he will avenge the poor, and execute judgment upon the needy, that the enemies may be defiled, and that ungodly, unchristian men may be destroyed and perish, Ps. 86:17, Ps. 83:18, and many such things. Now if any man would be moved to have compassion on the bloodthirsty ways of men, which destroy righteous, pious, godly men and the children of God, and to have compassion on the multitude of unbelievers, he shall be found to have pleasure in their unrighteousness, And he was pleased that they had done evil, and therefore deserved to be destroyed with them, and like them, whose sin and unrighteousness he would have them remain unspotted, and would hear the saying in the other book of Kings, 19 Chronicles, v. 6. Cap. 6: "You love those who hate you, and hate those who love you." For so says Joab to King David, when he complained too much of Absalom, his unkind mortal enemy, and who sought his life and limb.
(84) Therefore, in this image, one should have a sympathy with all the godliness and goodness of all the saints, and with the righteousness of God, which the persecutors of the Christian saints have not been able to achieve.
one must also love and praise his righteousness, and thus rejoice in God even when he wreaks havoc on the wicked in body and soul, for in all of this his supreme and ineffable righteousness shines forth. Therefore, hell is also full of God and the highest good, no less than heaven. For the righteousness of God is God Himself, and God is the highest good. Therefore, His justice or judgment, as well as His mercy, must be loved, praised and glorified above all things.
In this sense David says: "The righteous will rejoice when he sees such vengeance and will wash his hands in the blood of the wicked" (Ps. 58, 11.). In this opinion the Lord forbade Samuel, 1 Sam. 16, 1., to mourn over Saul any longer, saying: "How long do you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him, that he should not be king over Israel? Does my will please you so much that you prefer the will of man to mine? And finally, this is also the echo of praise and joy throughout the whole world.
The Psalter says that the Lord is the avenger of widows and the father of orphans (Ps. 68:6, etc.); that He will avenge the poor and bring justice to the wretched, that the enemies will be put to shame and the wicked will be destroyed (Ps. 9, Ps. 10, etc.) and many other such things. But if someone wanted to have compassion on this blood race that kills the righteous, even the Son of God, and on the ungodly mob in foolish mercy, he would already be worthy as one who rejoices in their ungodliness and approves of what they have done, to perish in the same way with them, since he does not want to have their sins avenged, and would have to hear what is written in 2 Sam. 19:6: "You love those who hate you and hate those who love you"; for this is what Joab said to David when he mourned Absalom, his own murderer, too much.
Therefore, according to this point of view, we should rejoice in the entire piety of the saints and in the righteousness of God, which most justly punishes the persecutors of piety.
The Lord has punished his elect from them in the most righteous and cheapest way, according to the fear of God. So you see that not small but the very highest goods appear in the dead and damned, for on them is smelled all the saints' iniquities or insults, even your own grievance, if you are just.
What miracle is it, then, if God, through your present evil, avenges Himself on your enemy, that is, on the sin of your body? Yes, should you rejoice in this office of the most pious justice of God, which even without your pleading strangles, destroys and kills your greatest enemies, that is, the sin in yourself? And if you have compassion on this, you will be found to be a friend of sin and an enemy of the righteousness of God that is at work in you; for which you should take the utmost care, lest it be said to you, "You love those who hate you, and hate those who love you," 2 Sam. 19:6 Therefore, just as you should rejoice in the righteousness that deals earnestly with your sin, so you should rejoice in the righteousness that deals earnestly with sinners, who are the enemy of God and of all things.
Therefore you see that in the very highest adversities the very highest goods are seen, and that we may rejoice in the very greatest adversities, troubles and adversities, not because of the same adversities and troubles, but because of the very highest righteousness that avenges us.
The fifth distinction, from the good on the left ropes.
Here are all our enemies, the unpleasant and the repugnant, who are still alive. For in the next picture touched upon, of the past good, we have heard of our enemies, who are already dead, damned and compared to the devils. But these our enemies, who are still alive, are to be regarded in other ways and opinions. And their goods are to be considered twofold. First, that they have superfluous temporal goods, so that even the prophets were displeased, and they granted them such happiness. As it is written in the 73rd Psalm, v. 3 ff: "My feet are moved with difficulty, and my walks or my footsteps are lost with difficulty. For I hated the unrighteous when I saw the peace of sinners. And
punishes in order to free his elect from them. And so you see here not small, but the very highest goods shining forth on the dead and damned, namely the avenged innocence of all saints and with them also yours, if you are righteous.
What wonder is it, then, if God, through your present evil, also punishes and avenges your enemy, namely the sin of your body? Yes, you should rather rejoice in this ministry, through which the very best justice of God kills and destroys your very worst enemy, namely sin, even without your pleading. If you should have compassion on this, see to it that you are not found to be a friend of sin and an enemy of the righteousness at work in you, from which you should be most careful, lest it also be said to you, "You love those who hate you, and hate those who love you." Just as you should welcome with joy the righteousness that rages against your sin, you should also welcome it when it rages against sinners, the enemies of God and of all men. You
See, therefore, how in the greatest adversities lie the greatest goods, and we can rejoice in the highest adversities, not because of the adversities themselves, but because of the supreme goodness of righteousness, which avenges us in these adversities.
Chapter 5. The fifth point of view of the good, namely, the left good, or the good to the left.
Whereas in the foregoing we looked at our adversaries as they have already been damned and become devils, here we look at them as they are still in life. They are to be regarded with quite a different feeling, and there are two good things to be observed in them. First, they have an abundance of temporal goods, so that the prophets were almost envious because of them, as it is said in the 73rd Psalm (v. 2): "I almost stumbled with my feet, my footsteps almost slipped; for I was displeased with the glorifiers, when I saw that the wicked were so well off"; and later (v. 12): "Behold,
following, v. 12: "Behold, the sinners and the superfluous in the world have obtained riches; Jer. 12, v. 1: "It is true, O Lord, that thou art righteous when I deal with thee, but yet I will speak righteousness with thee: why is the way of ungodly men blessed? All they that live and act wickedly and dishonestly prosper and are happy." For the Lord, for no other reason, gives them so many goods in vain, and vitiates them, only to comfort us and show us how good, gracious and merciful he is to men who are of a right heart, as the 73rd Psalm, v. 1, says.
Since God is so good and pious toward evil men, how much more pious, kind and loving will He be toward the pious? Only that he does not afflict the wicked with any evil, but afflicts the pious with much evil, affliction and adversity, so that they recognize and acknowledge him as pious and good, not only in the present good things and blissful blessings, but also in the hidden and future goods, and speak with the Psalm mentioned, v. 28: "But it is good for me that I am attached to my God, and that I put my hope in the Lord.
". As if he wanted to say: "Even if I suffer something that I see them free and free, I am still confident that God is kinder to me than to them.
And so the visible goods and unfortunate welfare of wicked men are an excitement, stimulus and reminder for us to hope for the invisible goods and to despise the visible evils we suffer. Just as our Lord and Savior Christ, Matthew 6:26, 28, 30, calls us to look at the birds of the air and the lilies of the field and says: "Since God adorns and clothes the hay that is here today and will be thrown into the oven tomorrow, how much will he do and prove this to you of little faith! Therefore, out of the opposition of good things, which evil men have superfluously, and the adversity and affliction, which we suffer, our faith is exercised, and the comfort to God (which alone is holy) is prepared, so that all things must of necessity serve the saints and cooperate for piety, good and promotion, Rom. 8, 28.
The other good, which is much more wondrous, is that their evils are our goods or good things by divine decree. For though their sin be a vexation to the weak, yet to the strong it is the exercise of the
These are the wicked; they are happy in the world and become rich"; so also Jeremiah (12:1) says: "Lord, though I would be right with you, you are right; yet I must speak right with you: Why is it that the wicked prosper so, and the scornful have all the abundance?"
For why else does God pour out such an abundance of goods on them and squander them, as it were, than to comfort us and show us how good he is to the pure in heart, as the same 73rd Psalm (v. 1) says. He who is already good to the wicked, how much more will he be good to the good? Only that he does not afflict the wicked with any evil, but tries the good with many evils, so that they may learn to recognize that he is good to them, not only in the present, but also in the hidden and future goods. 28.): "This is my joy, that I hold on to God and put my trust in the Lord, Lord"; as if he wanted to say: "Even though I may have some
I trust that God is much more good to me than He is to them.
And so the visible goods of the wicked are an incentive for us to hope for the invisible goods and to regard the evil we suffer as nothing; just as Christ told us, Matth. 6, 26. 28., to look at the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, adding (v. 30.): "If God so clothes the grass of the field, which is standing today and tomorrow will be thrown into the oven, should he not much more do this to you, O ye of little faith?" Therefore, by comparing the good that the wicked have in abundance with the evil that we suffer, our faith is exercised and a comfort that alone is holy, namely comfort in God, is given; so even "all things must serve for the best to those who love God" (Rom. 8:28.).
The other, even more wonderful good thing is that, according to God's providence, what is evil to them is good to us. For even though their sins are an affliction to the weak, they are not good.
Virtue and cause of strife, and of greater merit. For blessed is the man who suffers temptation, for if he is tempted, he will receive the crown of life, Jac. 1:12. What temptation or temptation is greater than the multitude and number of the very highest examples and exemplars? For this reason the world of enemies is called one of the saints of God, because the world tempts us by its pleasures and ungodly works, moves us and draws us away from the way of God into its ways, as Genesis 6:2 says: "The children of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful, and they became His flesh. And in Numbers 25, v. 1 and following, it is written that the children of Israel fell with the children of Moab. So that it is good and wholesome that we should always be afflicted with adversity and affliction, lest we be offended by the adversities of the world, and faint, and fall, and sin.
90 Thus St. Lot of St. Peter is praised in his other epistle on the other, v. 7, that he suffered much evil from the most wicked idols, the sodomites, and increased in his righteousness under them.
That is why it is necessary that these adversities come, which bring about and give us the conflict and victory. But nevertheless "woe to the world because of the adversities", Matth. 18, 7. Since God therefore provides and decrees so many good things for us in other people's sin, how much more must we believe with all our heart that He will work something good for us in our own adversity and affliction, even though sensuality and the flesh do not consider it so. The world does not give us less good from the other side of its evil, which is repulsiveness. For those whom it cannot devour with its lust and imbibe with its sorrow, it dares to drive away from it by suffering and affliction and to chase away by evil and pain, and always practices either deceit and deceitfulness by the example of sinners, or cruelty by the torture of pain. For this is the strange unnatural thing Chimera, which has a lovely young woman's head, a lion's cruel belly and a poisonous serpent's tail. For the end of the world, with lust and whimsical and tyrannical rule, is poison and eternal death.
But for the stronger, it is an exercise in virtue and an inducement to struggle and greater merit. For "blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life" (Jac. 1:12). What is greater than the multitude of evil examples that are constantly given to us? Therefore, the world is also called one of the enemies of God's saints, because it tempts and challenges us by its enticements and ungodly works, and lures us from the way of God into its path, as it is said in Gen. 6:2: "The children of God looked upon the daughters of men as beautiful," and became flesh; and in Gen. 25:1 ff: "The children of Israel fell with the daughters of Moab."
It is therefore very beneficial that we are always afflicted by some kind of adversity, so that we do not take offense at the ailments of the world and fall, and thus, having become weak, sin. Thus Lot is praised by Peter, 2 Ep. 2, 7, that he suffered so much and violently through the evil examples of the sodomites that he increased in righteousness as a result. Therefore, such ailments must inevitably come,
which work in us struggle and victory; but woe to the world for the sake of sorrows (Matth. 18, 7.). If God provides us with such great goods in the sins of others, how much more must we be convinced with all our heart that He will work good for us in our own affliction, even if our feelings and flesh would think otherwise!
The world offers us no less good, if we look at the other side of its evils, namely the repulsiveness. For the people whom it cannot devour by its enticements and assimilate by its aversions, it seeks to drive away by suffering and to repel by the evils of punishment; but it is always intent either on trapping us by the example of sin or on raging against us by the torment of punishment. She is therefore like that chimera, that monster whose head is virginal and tempting, but whose belly is as hideous as a lion's, and whose tail is like a serpent and deadly; for the end of the world with its lust and its tyrannical rule is poison and eternal death.
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91. Therefore, just as God has decreed that in the sins of the world we shall find our goods again, so also the persecutions of the world shall not be in vain, but shall be decreed for us to take up our goods; so also that in that they refrain from harming us, they must serve us and create piety. As St. Augustine says of the innocent children whom Herod killed: "He could never have done them so much good by his will as he did by his hatred and unwillingness. St. Agatha also entered the prison with joy and said to the magistrate: "Unless you see to it that my body is well understood and handled by your executioners, my soul may not go to paradise. Just like a grain, if it does not come out of its husk and is threshed hard enough in the barn, it will not be poured onto the ground.
But what am I talking about here? For we see that all the holy Scriptures, all the books and sayings of the holy fathers, and all the deeds, things and works of the saints, agree to be of the greatest benefit to the believers in Christ, to be of the greatest benefit to them.
can be the most harmful. If one suffers it alone rightly; as St. Peter says in the first epistle on the 3rd Cap., v. 13.: "Who is he that harms you, if you are good followers?" And in the 89th Psalm, v. 23. "The enemy shall not prosper in him, neither shall the son of iniquity refrain from harming him." How is it that he does not harm, when he often kills and murders? Therefore, in that they do harm, they benefit and pacify us most of all. So we see that we dwell everywhere in the midst of good things, if we are wise and careful, and yet at the same time also in the midst of evils. Thus, through the mastery of divine goodness, all things are tempered, tempered, and tempered.
The sixth distinction, from the good on the right hand.
This is the church and assembly of the saints, the new creature of God, our brothers and friends, in whom we see nothing but good and comfort, though not always with the bodily eyes, for such they are in the antitype of evil things, but rather with the eyes of the spirit.
Just as God wants us to find our good in the sins of the world, so also their persecutions are not without benefit and in vain, but destined to make us grow in goodness, so that they are forced to benefit us by the very thing by which they want to harm us, as St. Augustine says of the little children murdered by Herod: "He could never have benefited so much by kindness as he benefited by his hatred." And St. Agatha, boasting, went into the dungeon as to a banquet, still jesting, "If thou didst not let my body be touched by thy executioners' servants, my soul could not enter paradise with the palm of victory ; just as the grain is not brought into the barn until it has been vigorously threshed out on the threshing floor and its husk removed."
But why do we mention such small things here, since all Scripture, the writings and sayings of all the Fathers, the deeds and works of all the saints agree with this matter, as is openly evident? and that those who are of most use to the faithful are those who are most harmful to them, so
Peter clearly states that they must bear them, 1 Peter 3:13: "Who is there that can harm you if you do what is right?" and the 89th Psalm, v. 23: "The enemies shall not overpower him, and the unrighteous shall not restrain him. But how is it possible that they do not restrain him, since they themselves so often kill? Because they do the most good through their harm. So we see that we live everywhere in the midst of good, if we are wise, and yet at the same time in the midst of evil; so strangely is everything arranged by the providence of divine goodness.
Chapter 6. From the sixth point of view of the good, namely from the right good or the good to the right.
This is the congregation of the saints, the new creation of God, our brothers and friends, in whom we see nothing but good, nothing but comfort, though not always with the eyes of the flesh - for so we have regarded them in the opposite aspect of evil - but
With spiritual eyes, even though their goods are seen, we should not despise and reject them, but consider that God comforts us with them. For the 73rd Psalm, v. 15, should not condemn all those who have riches in the world, and thus says: "If I said, 'Perceive that I have rejected the nation of your children,' that is, if I meant to say that all those who are rich, healthy and honored or worthy of honor are evil, I would also have condemned or rejected your saints, many of whom were rich, healthy and highly honored.
94. also teaches Sanct Paul Timothy, 1 Tim. 6, 17. that he should "command the rich of this world not to be proud and arrogant wisdom"; but has not forbidden them to be rich. The Scriptures also indicate that Abraham, Gen. 13:1, Isaac, 26:12 ff, and Jacob, 32:10, were rich; so Daniel and his companions were in great honor in Babylon, Dan. 2, 48. ff. Also his many kings in Judah were holy. Therefore Psalm touched had an eye on them and said: "When I have spoken, I have rejected the nation or the family of your children." For God also gives to His own the amount of these temporal goods to
their and other people's comfort. But these are not their own goods; indeed, they alone are a shadow and sign of the true goods, which are faith, hope, love, and other graces and gifts of God, all of which are meant by Christian love, and no man more than another. And this is the communion of saints in which we glory. Who then, even in great afflictions and adversities, should not rise up, believing otherwise, as it is in fact, that their goods are the goods and gifts and graces of all the saints? And likewise, that their adversity and affliction are the adversity and affliction of all the saints.
95 For this image is the most lovely, sweetest, and most gracious image, which St. Paul, speaking to the Galatians, Cap. 9:2, emphasizes and indicates with these words: "Bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ. Should it not be good for us to be in the place where, if one member suffers, as St. Paul says to the Corinthians, 1 Ep. 12, 26, the other members all share in suffering, if one is honored, the others all rejoice with it?
Therefore, when I suffer, I do not suffer alone, for Christ, my Lord and Savior, and all Christians suffer with me.
with the eyes of the spirit; although those goods that are seen in front of one's eyes are not to be rejected, so that we may learn that they too are intended by God for our comfort. For even the 73rd Psalm did not dare to condemn all who come into riches in the world, saying, "If I had also said so, behold, thereby would I have condemned all thy children that ever were"; that is, if I had wanted to call evil all who were rich, healthy, and in honor, thereby would I also have condemned thy saints, of whom many are among them. And also the apostle instructs Timothy (1 Tim. 6, 17.) to command the rich of this world not to be proud, by which he did not forbid to be rich. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were also rich, as the Scriptures report; and Daniel with his companions in Babylon were also in honor and dignity. With reference to such, therefore, the Psalm says: "If I had also said thus, behold, thereby would I have condemned all thy children that ever were."
God gives, I say, also to His own a fullness
of such goods for their and others' comfort. But these are not their real goods, but only shadows and signs of their real goods, which are: Faith, Hope, Love, as well as the other gifts of grace, which all become common through Love. This is the communion of saints of which we boast. And who should not be proud of this, even in great adversities, if he believes it to be true? namely, that the goods of all the saints are his goods, and likewise his adversities are also their adversities. This point of view is the most sweet and pleasant, as the apostle to the Galatians, Cap. 9, 2. paints it with these words: "Bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Shouldn't it be good to be there, where "when one member suffers, all members suffer with it, when one member is kept glorious, all members rejoice with it", as the same apostle says to the Corinthians, 1 Ep. 12, 26? Therefore, when I suffer, I do not suffer alone, but Christ and all Christians suffer with me, as he himself says:
As the Lord himself says. Zach. 2, 8: "He that assaileth you toucheth the apple of mine eye." So others bear my burden: of the same strength is my strength. The faith of Christianity comes to the aid of my stupidity; the chastity of others sustains and bears my impurity; the fasting of others is my gain; the prayer of others is careful for me. And finally, the members have such care for one another that even the dishonest members are covered, protected and honored by the honest ones. As St. Paul in the first epistle to the Corinthians, on the 12th, v. 22, 23, describes finely and well. So I can truthfully boast of other people's goods and virtue as my own goods, and then truly be my own, if I rejoice with them.
(97) Though I am shapeless, unclean, and impure, yet they whom I love and with whom I delight are beautiful, fine, and comely. By which love I not only make their goods my own, but also make them my own. Therefore, under their honor my shame and dishonor will be easily honored, by their riches my poverty and meagerness will be filled, and their merits will heal my soul.
Therefore, who can despair and despair in sins? Who should not rejoice in the chastisements, if he no longer bears his sin and chastisement? Or, if he bears them, he does not bear them alone, but with the help of so many holy children of God, yes, of our dear Lord and Savior Himself. Such a great thing is the communion of saints and the church of Christ.
98 And whosoever shall not think and esteem that all these things are so done and come to pass, the same is an unbeliever, and hath denied the Lord Christ and the holy Christian church. For even though one does not feel it, in truth it happens in this way. Yes, who would not feel it? For that you do not despair, that you do not become impatient, who is the cause of this? Your strength and ability? O, in no way, but the fellowship of the saints is a cause of it. Otherwise you would not suffer a daily sin, nor tolerate one word of a man spoken against you.
99. So near is the Lord Christ and the Christian church or assembly. And this is when we say, "I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church." For what is believing the holy Christian church, other than believing the fellowship
"He who touches you touches the apple of my eye". (Zach. 2, 8.). Thus my burden is borne by others; their strength is my strength. The faith of the whole church comes to the aid of my stupidity, the chastity of others bears the challenge of my lust, the fasts of others are my gain, the prayer of another cares for me; in short, the members among themselves care for each other in such a way that the more honorable also cover, serve and honor the dishonorable, as it is so beautifully described in 1 Cor. 12:23.
And so I can truly gloat over the goods of others, just as if they were my own. And they are in truth mine, if I rejoice and delight in them. I am therefore shapeless and ugly, but those whom I love, whom I applaud, are beautiful and shapely. And through this love I not only possess their goods, but I also make them my own, which is why under their honor my shame is easily honored, through their abundance my lack is replenished, through their merits my sin is healed.
Who, then, may still despair in sins? Who should not rejoice in punishments, since he now no longer bears his sins and punishments, or, if he bears them, does not bear them alone, but is supported by so many holy children of God, yes, by Christ Himself? Such is the greatness of the communion of saints and of the Church of Christ! But if anyone does not believe that this is really the case, he is an unbeliever, he has denied Christ and his church. And even if it is not felt, it is still so in reality; but who should not feel it? For that you do not despair, that you do not become impatient, who is to blame for this? Perhaps your virtue? Not at all; but the communion of saints, or you could not suffer even a venial sin, or bear a word of man against you. Christ and his church are so close to us.
That is what it means when we speak: I believe in the Holy Spirit, a holy, universal Christian Church. But what does believing in a holy church mean other than the communion of saints?
of the saints? With what then do the saints have fellowship or company? In good and evil things. For all things are common to them all, that is, when it is well with one, it is well with them all; when it is evil with one, it is evil with them all. As then this is indicated and signified by the sacrament of the altar or by the mass in the bread and wine. In which office we are called by St. Paul one body, one bread and one drink, 1 Cor. 10, 17. For who offends a little of the corpse, who does not thereby offend the whole corpse? What does the smallest toe of the foot suffer that the whole corpse does not suffer? What kind of benefit does the foot receive that the whole corpse does not enjoy? Now we are each a separate corpse. Therefore what another suffers, that also I suffer, and everything that happens to another, that also happens to me.
100 Thus says the Lord Christ, Matth. 25, 40, that it was done to him what was done to his least. Of whom who has received a little of the holy Sacrament is it not said that he has received the whole Sacrament? Of whom, who despises a small part of the Sacrament, is it not said that he despised the whole Sacrament? Therefore, so it is for us
If we are in pain and suffering, if we suffer something, and if we die, we should look here and firmly believe and be sure that it is not we, or ever we alone, but the Lord Christ and the whole Christian church with us that suffers, has pain, suffering and distress, and dies.
Our dear Lord and Savior Christ did not want us to be alone on the way of death, which all men fear and are afraid of, but we walk the way of suffering and death together with the whole Christian church. Yes, the Christian church or assembly suffers, bears and has the same affliction more and more severely than we ourselves. So that we may be able to understand with truth this saying of St. Elisha in the sixth book of the Kings, which he says to his fearful, stupid and frightened servant: "You shall not be afraid, for you are more with us and with us than with them. And when the holy Elisha prayed: O Lord, open the eyes of this child and let him see. So the Lord opened the eyes of the child and let him see. And behold, there was a mountain full of horses and chariots of fire around or near Elisha." Therefore this alone is conclusive for us, that
believe? In what then do the saints have fellowship? In that in good and evil things all things are common to all, as the sacrament of the altar is in bread and wine, since we are called by the apostle One Body, One Bread, One Drink. For who would injure a part of the body, if he did not injure the whole body? Or what can the outermost membrane of a toe suffer that the whole body does not suffer? And what feeling of well-being can be bestowed upon the feet that the whole body does not also enjoy? But we are One Body. What another suffers, that I also suffer and endure. What is good for him is good for me. Christ also says that it was done to him what was done to one of the least of his brethren (Matth. 25, 40.). Did not he who took the bread of the altar in some small portion take the whole bread? And is he not rightly said to have despised the bread if he has despised a small part of it?
Therefore, if we have pain, if we suffer, if we die, we should bear it in view of this and firmly believe and be certain that it is not we, or at least not we alone, who suffer, but Christ and Christianity suffers, endures, dies for and with us. Christ did not want us to be alone on the way of death, of which every man is afraid, but we walk the way of suffering and death in the company of the whole church, and the church endures more than we ourselves, so that we can in truth apply to ourselves the saying of Elisha, 2 Kings 6:16, when he said to his terrified servant, "Fear not, for there are more of them that are with us than of them that are with them. And Elisha prayed, saying, Lord, open his eyes, that he may see. Then the Lord opened the lad's eyes, and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." This alone remains for us to pray that our eyes may be opened.
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We ask God to open our eyes, so that we may see the holy Christian church around us with the eye of holy faith. Then there will be nothing for which we will fear and shun; as it is written in the 125th Psalm, v. 2: "The mountains are within his compass, and the Lord is within the compass of his people from this time forth and for evermore," Amen.
The seventh distinction, from the upper estate.
(102) Here I speak nothing of the eternal and heavenly goods, which the saints and blessed enjoy in the clear sight and beholding of God; or at least I speak of the same eternal and heavenly goods in faith, and by what means they may be comprehended by us. Therefore the seventh image of good things is our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of glory and honor, as he rose from the dead. Just as the seventh image of evil things or evils was Christ, our dear Lord and Savior, in the form in which he suffered, died and was buried.
103 And here we may and can see the highest joy of our heart.
and the lasting goods, and no evil or evil thing at all. For our Lord and Savior, "Christ Jesus, who is raised from the dead, does not die now. And death shall have no more dominion over him," Rom. st, 9. This is the chimney or flue of love and the fire of God in Zion, as the holy prophet Isaiah, Cap. 31, 9. For the Lord Christ was not only born to us, but "was also given to us," Isa. 9, 6. Therefore his understanding is my understanding, and all that he has wrought through his understanding is mine; as St. Paul famously said to the Romans on the 8th, v. 32: "How then should he not have given and bestowed upon us all things with him?" What then did Christ, our Lord, do with his resurrection? He destroyed sin, he raised up righteousness, he consumed death and gave life again, he conquered hell and gave us eternal glory and honor.
These are immeasurable and inestimable goods, so that man's mind can hardly believe that such great goods have been given to him. And just as Jacob, when he heard that his son Joseph ruled in Egypt, awoke from a heavy sleep,
If the eyes of faith are opened, so that we may see the church around us, then there is nothing more to fear, as the 125th Psalm says in verse 2: "The mountains are around him, and the Lord is around his people, from now until forever," amen.
Chapter 7. On the Seventh Point of View of the Good, namely, on the Upper Good, or the Good Above Us.
I am not talking here about the eternal and heavenly goods, insofar as the blessed enjoy them in the clear view of God, but I am talking about them only insofar as they can be comprehended in faith and in our imagination. Thus, this seventh point of view is Jesus Christ, the King of Glory, as He rose from the dead, just as He was the seventh point of view of the wicked, as He suffered, died and was buried. And here you can see the highest
Joy of our heart and our constant goods; here there are no more evils; for "Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death shall not have dominion over him" (Rom. 6, 9.). This is the hearth of God's love and fire, as Isaiah says (31, 9.), for Christ is born to us, but not only that, but He is also given to us (Is. 9, 6.). Therefore his resurrection is mine and with it all that he acquired with his resurrection. And "how should he not," exclaims the apostle, Rom. 8:32. with rejoicing pride, "how should he not with him give us all things?"
But what is it that he acquired through his resurrection? That he destroyed sin, established righteousness, destroyed death and restored life, conquered hell and gave eternal glory. These are immeasurable goods, so that the heart of man hardly dares to believe that they were given to him, like Jacob, Gen. 45, 26. ff., when he heard that his son Joseph ruled over Egypt, as it were from
He did not believe him until he showed him the matter at large and directed the chariots sent by his son Joseph, Gen. 45:26 ff. Truly, it is hard to believe that we, who are unworthy, would be given such great goods in the Lord Christ, if he had opened himself to his disciples with many words and, as it were, with many appearances, and finally taught us to believe such things by showing us the chariots and by experience.
105 And truly it is a marvelous, open chariot, that the Lord Christ has become in us the righteousness, the sanctification, the redemption, and the wisdom of God, as St. Paul says in the first epistle to the Corinthians in the first chapter, v. 30. For I am a sinner, but I am led in his righteousness which is given to me. I am unclean and unchaste; but his holiness is my sanctification, in which I am led lovely and well. I am a fool, but his wisdom leadeth and bringeth me away. I am a damned man; but his liberty is my salvation and the safest of all.
(106) Therefore, if a Christian man alone believes this, he cannot but be assured of the merits and all the goods of Christ our Lord.
We can boast of our dear Lord and Savior, as if it had been done and deserved by ourselves. Even the merits of Christ our Savior are our own, so that a Christian man no longer worries about anything, but waits fearlessly for God's judgment and sentence. Although the judgment of God is otherwise an unpleasant thing. It is such a great thing about faith, such great goods it gives us, such great worthy children of God it makes. For we may not be children in any other way, but we inherit his goods.
Therefore, a Christian man should say with good and full confidence, 1 Cor. 15:55, 56: "O death, where is your victory? O death! where is your sting, that is, sin? For the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin, the law, or commandments. But thanks be to God, who hath given us the victory through JESUS Christ our Lord." This is so much talk: The law makes us sinners, sin makes us guilty. Who then has overcome these two things, sin and guilt? Has our righteousness done this? Has our life done this? Oh no, but our Lord Jesus Christ, when He rose again from death and condemned sin and death, and His righteousness was given to us with-
He could not believe them until they told him again and showed him all the chariots that Joseph had sent him. It is so difficult to believe that we unworthy people have been given such great goods in Christ, if he had not revealed it to the disciples with so many words, as well as many appearances, in order to teach us through contact and experience, as well as through chariots, to believe this way.
Truly, he is the most lovely chariot, which was made for us by God for righteousness, sanctification, redemption and wisdom, as the apostle says, 1 Cor. 1, 30. For I am a sinner, but I go along in his righteousness, which is given to me; I am unclean, but my sanctification is his holiness, in which I go along very smoothly; I am foolish, but his wisdom drives me; I am damnable, but his freedom is my salvation as the most sure chariot; so that a Christian, if he only believes this, can be sure of the merits of Christ and all his goods.
He cannot boast of them in any other way than if he had done them himself. They are so much his own that he is quite sure about them and in this certainty he may already dare to expect the judgment of God, which is otherwise unbearable.
It is such a great thing about faith that it acquires such great goods for us and makes us such glorious children of God. For we could not be children if we did not inherit our father's goods. Therefore, let a Christian speak with confidence: "Hell, where is your victory? Death, where is thy sting?" namely sin. "For the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 15:55-57.) That is, the law made us sinners, but sin makes us guilty of death. Who has conquered these two? Our righteousness? Our life? No, but Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead, who condemned sin and death, who communicates His righteousness to us, His merits, and His glory.
He has given us his merit and laid his hand on us, so that we may be healed, fulfill his law and commandment, and overcome sin and death. Therefore, to God be glory, praise and thanksgiving forever and ever, amen.
(108) Therefore this most high image, into which we are now exalted, not only above all our evils, but also above our goods, and are now seated in strange goods, which were obtained by strange labor: when before we were in evils, which came without us by strange sin, and increased by our own sin. So, I say, we sit in the righteousness of Christ our Lord, by which he is righteous. For we are dependent on the same, by which he pleases God and is our mediator before God and intercedes for us and makes himself completely ours; and is therefore the most pious priest, forerunner and patron. Therefore, just as it is impossible that Christ should not please God in His righteousness, so it is impossible that we should displease God in our faith, by which we hope in the righteousness of Christ our Lord.
(109) Hence it comes that a Christian man is an all-powerful, all-able thing and a lord of all things, having all things,
owns and does, and is wholly without sin. And though a Christian man be in sins, yet of necessity they must not be sufficient to hurt and grieve; but are forgiven, because of the righteousness of Christ our Lord, which is impregnable, and all sin is exhausted. On which righteousness of Christ our faith relies, and firmly believes that Christ our Lord has done as I have said to them. For he that believeth not these things is deaf, and hath not heard those things which I have said unto him, neither knoweth the Lord Christ, neither understandeth he what the Lord Christ is for, and how he is to be used.
(110) Therefore this one image, if there were no other image, can and may provide us with such great comfort, if it is well considered with a diligent heart, that we not only bear no pain and sorrow in our afflictions, but also rejoice and glory in our temptations and afflictions because of the joys we have in our Lord Christ, and hardly feel our afflictions, troubles and adversities that we suffer. With which honor and glory give us our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, to instruct and give us eternal life, amen.
and lays His hand upon us, and thereby we are well, fulfilling the law and overcoming sin and death. Therefore, to God be glory and praise and thanksgiving forever and ever. Amen.
This, then, is the very highest spectacle, in which we are now exalted not only above our evils but also above our good, and are already sitting in foreign goods, acquired by foreign effort, which we lay in evils, which were likewise acquired by foreign sin, but increased by our own. We sit, I say, in Christ's righteousness, by virtue of which he himself is righteous, for on it we hang, through which he himself pleases God and represents us as mediator, making himself entirely our own as the best priest and overlord. Therefore, just as it is impossible for Christ not to be pleasing in His righteousness, it is equally impossible for us not to be pleasing in our faith, with which we cling to His righteousness. This is why a Christian is omnipotent, a lord over all,
who possesses everything and does everything completely without any sin. And even if he is in sins, they must not harm him, but are forgiven by the unconquerable and all-sin-exhausting righteousness of Christ, on which our faith rests, as he who firmly believes that Christ is to us just as we have described him. For he who does not believe this hears a fairy tale with deaf ears and neither recognizes Christ nor understands what he is good for or what his use is.
Therefore, even this one point of view, if there were no other, can fill us with such comfort, if it were only considered correctly and with an attentive heart, that we would not only have no pain over our afflictions, but would also boast in our afflictions of the joy that we have in Christ, in that we hardly feel our afflictions. With this glory may Jesus Christ our Lord and God fill us, blessed for ever and ever. Amen.
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Most Serene Elector, Most Gracious Lord, with this incompetent concern of mine, I humbly command E. C. F. G., as with a humble tribute
The fee and the drawing of my poverty,
E. C. F. G. Demüthiger Caplan, Brother M. Luther, Augustinian.
Decision.
With this my chatter, most noble prince and lord, which testifies how the service of my poverty is, I recommend myself, E. C. F. G., gladly ready to offer better, if the ability of my spirit would ever correspond to what I would like to offer. For I shall always be a debtor, just as any of my
May our Lord Jesus Christ, through His gracious kindness, keep us in good health for a long time and finally lead us to Himself through a blissful end. Amen.
E. C. F. G. submissive prayer brother Martin Luther, Augustinian at Wittenberg.