Sermon that you should keep the children to school.

July 1530.

To the honorable, careful Lazarus Spengler, syndicus of the city of Nuremberg, my special dear Lord and friend, grace and peace in Christ, our dear Lord and faithful Savior, Amen.

1. honorable, prudent, dear sir and friend. I have written a sermon to the preachers, who now and then exhort the people to keep their children in school; and it has grown under my hands and almost become a book, although I have had to restrain myself by force so that it would not become too large; so rich and full is such a subject. And I would like it to be of much use; I have had it published under your name.

I have no other opinion than that he should have more reputation and, if he is worthy of it, also be read among your citizens. For although I can well assume that your preachers will be diligent enough in this and know and promote the matters as people highly graced by God in such a way that they need neither my admonition nor report, praise God, it still does no harm that many agree with each other and encounter the devil all the more strongly.

(2) For it cannot fail that in such a great city, among such a great multitude of citizens, the devil also should not try his art and challenge some, that they should reject the Word of God and the

He despises schools, and especially because there are many causes, namely, the mercantile trade, to turn children away from school to the service of mammon; and no doubt his thoughts are directed to this, if he had made the word and the school despised in Nuremberg, he would not have succeeded in a small piece of his plot; because he would have set an example that would have a tremendous reputation in the entire German country and would certainly give a hard blow to all schools in other cities. For Nuremberg truly shines throughout Germany like a sun among the moon and stars, and what goes on there in the swing of things moves other cities quite powerfully.

But praise and thanks be to God, who long ago forestalled the devil's thoughts and gave an honorable, prudent council to found and establish such a fine, splendid school at great cost and expense, choosing and appointing the very finest people for it, that of course, I do not want to boast too highly, no high school before, even if it were Paris, was so well supplied with lecturers (teachers); as those who were raised with me in high schools must testify to me. For I know and have also learned their art, and can also still, alas! all too well. This may be a splendidly fine catorthoma (i.e. successful deed) and a virtue of such a famous city, and similar to a widely appointed (famous) wise council and honest (honorable), in which they have Christianly and abundantly provided for their subjects and promoted them with all faithfulness for their salvation forever and also for their benefit and honor in time; which work God will certainly strengthen with rich blessings and graces, the longer the more, even if the devil must resist it for a while. For he cannot be amused that such a fine tabernacle has been built for our Lord in this sun; he must drive clouds, mist and dust together and ward off everywhere so that such splendor does not shine far, or does not become dark; how should he do otherwise?

4 Therefore, I also hope that the citizens will recognize the loyalty and love of their masters and, by holding on to their children

They help to strengthen such work honestly, because they see that their children are cared for so abundantly and diligently without their costs and that everything is taken care of; especially if the preachers do it diligently. For where they do not do it, the common man is challenged and overpowered by Satan's thoughts, so that he easily falls away and cannot think about the matter before other business, what is the great benefit or harm here than a preacher can do. Therefore one must also have patience with them, where they are not obdurate and evil. For I know Nuremberg well, that there are, praise God, many fine Christian citizens, who gladly do what they should do, where they alone know it or are told to do it. Which fame they have not only with me, but also everywhere.

(5) There is nothing lacking here to fear, for an idol or idolater, I mean Mammon, who pulls his son out of school and pretends that if my son can count and read, then he can do enough, that one now has German books, etc., thereby gives a bad example to the other pious citizens, whom they then follow unawares to their detriment, in good faith, as if it were well done and must be so; which lack the preachers can well counsel. For a community, and especially such a city, must have more people than merchants, and also other people who can do more than arithmetic and read German books. German books are primarily made for the common man to read in the home. But for preaching, ruling and judging, both in the spiritual and secular state, all the arts and languages in the world are too few, let alone German alone, especially now in our time, when one has to talk with more and different people than with neighbor Hans. But such idolaters do not think of ruling, nor do they realize that where preaching and ruling would not be, they would not want to serve their idol even for one hour.

(6) I will believe that among so many people there is an idolater or some who do not ask whether the laudable city of Nuremberg would be honored or dishonored if

they alone would have their penny. But then again, one would not have to ask about such a harmful idol and let him go with his evil example and think against it: As great a glory as it is for such a city that an honorable council does so faithfully and honestly with the school, it would be such a great shame that the citizens should despise such faithfulness and good deeds of their masters and thereby make themselves partakers of the evil example and annoyance that would be given to all other cities, which could then say: Yes, that is how it is done in Nuremberg, where there are also people, why should we do it better?

(7) If you, idol, do not consider what is divine and honorable, and seek only your idol, God will still find people who do consider it. For, praise be to God, I have experienced many a city where the council has not been good at the word and schools, but so many devout citizens have been found who, with daily perseverance, have nevertheless prevailed upon the council to establish schools and parishes. Thus, if God wills it, the disgrace of Nuremberg for your sake will not be

I do not want the citizens to despise the schools that an honorable council establishes and maintains with such great loyalty and at such great expense, when in many lesser cities the citizens, as it were with contempt for the council, nevertheless manage to do so.

8 But where do I come with my gossip, dear lord and friend! I think it is the nature of this matter that one must wash much of it; but I hereby want to have gossiped in your name, with all your townspeople in this way, kindly ask you to hold it against me; and as you have done without this up to now and still do, to help lift and carry on such matters; for I mean it well, God knows that. May Christ, our Lord, strengthen and sustain you until that day, when, if God wills, we shall see each other joyfully in another form. For he who has given you so much to do in his work and word, as has been done until now, will also continue and complete all this; to him be praise and thanksgiving forever. Amen.

Your willing

Martinus Luther.

To all my dear lords and friends, pastors and preachers, who mean Christ with faithfulness, D. Martin Luther.

Grace and peace in Christ our Lord. My dearest lords and friends, you see before your eyes how the wicked Satan is now attacking us on all sides, both with force and cunning, manifoldly and putting on every plague, so that he may destroy the holy gospel and God's kingdom; or, if he cannot destroy it, yet hinder and hinder it in every way, so that it may not continue or gain the upper hand. Among his wiles, this one is almost the greatest - is it not the greatest - in that he thus deceives and deceives the common man, so that they do not want to keep their children in school nor educate them in the doctrine; gives them these harmful thoughts: Because there is no hope of monasticism, nunnery, priestcraft, as has been the case up to now, there is no need for scholars or much study, but one must strive to get food and wealth.

This may be a masterpiece of the devil's art for me, because he sees that he cannot do or create in our times as he would like, so he still thinks to have his way with our descendants, as he now prepares them before our eyes so that they should neither learn nor know anything; and so, when we are now dead, he has a naked, bare, defenseless people before him, with whom he may do as he wants. For where writing and art perish, what will remain in German lands but a wild, savage bunch of Tartars or Turks, perhaps even a pigsty and a pack of vain wild beasts! But he does not let them see such things now and blinds them masterfully, so that, when it comes to that and they have to see such things by experience, he then wants to laugh in his fist at all the lamentation and weeping, as they now can no longer, whether they would like to advise and help the matter, and have to say that it has lasted too long; and then would like to give a hundred guilders for half a scholar, since they are

now would not have given ten for two whole scholars.

3. And if it were hardly right for them, because now they do not want to nurture nor receive pious, honest, disciplined schoolmasters and teachers, offered by God, who educate their children to godliness, discipline, art, doctrine and honor with great work, diligence and effort, and with little cost and money; They shall get for it locates, bachants, coarse asses and dolts, as they had before, who with great expense and money teach their children nothing else but to be vain asses, and for this disgrace their wives, daughters, maids, and in addition be lords over their house and goods; as has been done before. Such shall be the reward of their great shameful ingratitude, into which the devil so cunningly leads them.

4 Because we, as pastors, are to watch against such and other evil deeds out of the duty of our office, we must truly not sleep here, in which there is so much power; but we must stimulate, admonish, provoke, incite with all our power, diligence and care, so that the common man does not allow himself to be so miserably deceived and seduced by the devil. Therefore, each one of you should take care of himself and carry out his duties so that he does not sleep here and let the devil deceive him.

Let the devil be God and Lord. For if we are silent and asleep here, so that the youth misses out and our descendants become Tartars or wild animals, it will be the fault of our silence and snoring and we will have to give a heavy account for it.

5. Although I know that many of you do this without my admonition, and that you do it better than I can do it, and I have previously sent out a special booklet to the city councils; However, if some have forgotten this or, according to my example, want to be more diligent, I have sent you this sermon of mine, which I have preached more than once to ours, so that you may see that I am also working faithfully with you in this, and that we are thus doing our part everywhere and are excused before God for the sake of our office. It is truly up to us now, because we see that even those who are called the clergy are taking up the cause as if they wanted to let all schools, discipline and teaching come to ruin or even help themselves to fall, because they should not keep their will to be free as before, which the devil also drives through them. God help us, amen. Date Wittenberg, 1530.

A sermon or sermon that children should be kept in school.

1. Dear friends, because I see that the common man opposes the preservation of the schools, and pulls their children completely away from the teachings and gives themselves only to the food and belly care, and besides this does not want to or may not consider what a horrible, unchristian thing they do with it and how a great murderous damage, to serve the devil, they do in all the world; I have taken it upon myself to make this admonition to you, if perhaps there are still some people who still believe a little that there is a God in heaven and a hell ready for the unbelievers - for all the world seems to think that there is neither God in heaven,

nor a devil in hell - and taught themselves to this admonition, and will therefore enumerate what is beneficial and harmful in this piece.

(2) First, let us consider the spiritual or eternal benefit and harm, and then the temporal or worldly. I hope that the faithful, and those who want to be called Christians, know almost well that the spiritual estate was established and endowed by God, not with gold or silver, but with the precious blood and bitter death of His only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. For out of his wounds truly flow, as they painted on the letters of old, the

Sacraments, and has truly earned it, that one has such an office in the whole world to preach, baptize, loose, bind, give sacraments, comfort, warn, admonish with God's word, and what more belongs to the office of the pastors. For such an office not only promotes and helps to maintain temporal life and all worldly statuses, but also gives eternal life and redeems from death and sins, which is actually its primary work; and indeed the world at large stands and remains solely for the sake of this status, otherwise it would have long since fallen to the ground.

But I do not mean the present spiritual state in monasteries and foundations with its celibate nature; for it has long since fallen from its first laudable foundation, and is now no more than a state for money and interest founded by human wisdom, has also nothing spiritual about it, unless they are not celibate, nor do they need it, they have other things for it, otherwise it is all vain outward, temporal, transient splendor; for they do not respect the word and preaching ministry. But where the word does not go, there must be bad clergy. But I mean the state that has the ministry of preaching and the service of the word and the sacraments, which gives the spirit and all blessedness, which cannot be attained with any song or vainglory, as there is the parish office, teacher, preacher, reader, priest, who is called chaplain, sexton, schoolmaster, and what more belongs to such offices and persons, which state the Scriptures truly praise and extol. St. Paul calls them God's stewards and servants, bishops, doctors, prophets, also "God's messengers to reconcile the world to God," 2 Cor. 5, 20. Joel calls them the Saviors, David calls them "kings and princes," Ps. 68, 13. Haggaeus, Cap. 1, 13, calls them angels, and Malachias, Cap. 2, 7, says: "The lips of the priest keep the law, for he is an angel of the Lord of hosts," as Christ himself calls them, not only Matth. 11, 20, when he called John the Baptist an angel, but also throughout the whole book of the Revelation of John.

4. that is why the ancients have such a status

very much avoided and shunned for the sake of its great dignity and height, that . They had to be forced and driven to it; although afterwards and until now there have been many who have praised such a position for the sake of saying mass, more than for the sake of preaching, which price and fame has grown so high until now that they have placed the priestly office and position of offering mass above Mary and angels, because angels and Mary should not be able to say mass, which a priest can do, and there has been a glorious thing about a new priest and the first mass, and blessed was the woman who had borne a priest; But the ministry of preaching and the word are the highest and most noble things, which are not held in such high esteem. And in sum, a priest was called who could say mass, even though he did not know how to preach a word and was an unlearned ass; this is almost the current spiritual state even today.

(5) If then it is certain and true that God Himself instituted and established the spiritual state with His own blood and death, it is to be well reckoned that He will honor it highly and not suffer it to perish or cease, but will preserve it until the last day. For the gospel and Christianity must remain until the last day, as Christ says, Matt. 28:20: "Lo, I am with you unto the end of the world." But by whom shall it be preserved? Oxen and horses, dogs and sows will not do it, neither will wood and stones; we men will have to do it, for such an office is not given to oxen or horses, but to us men. But where shall men be used, except among them that have children? If you will not bring up your child, neither will he, and so on no father nor mother give his child to our God, where will the spiritual office and state remain? The old ones who are in it now will not live forever, but die daily, and there are no others in their place. What will God say to this in the end? Do you think he will be pleased that we have so dishonored his divinely established office, which was so dearly acquired for his praise and honor and for our salvation?

And with such ingratitude, let them decay and perish?

(6) He hath given the children, and food for them; not that thou alone shouldest have thy pleasure in them, or bring them up to the glory of the world. It is earnestly commanded thee that thou shouldest draw them to the service of God, or be purely rooted up with child and all, that all things be condemned which thou puttest upon them; as the first commandment saith, "I visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation, of them that hasten me." But where wilt thou draw them to the service of God, when the preaching ministry and the spiritual state are fallen down and forfeited? and it is thy fault, which thou mightest have done, and received help, where thou mightest have left thy child. For if thou canst do it, and thy child is able or desirous to do it, and thou dost not do it, but hinderest it, dost thou hear it? then thou art guilty of the harm, that the spiritual estate is decayed, and neither God nor God's word abideth in the world. For as much as it is in thee, thou sufferest it to perish; and because thou wilt not add one child to it, even if thou hadst the world full of children, thou wouldest do so with all of them, that for thy sake the service of God would perish.

7. and do not help yourself that you would say: My neighbor keeps his son in school, I have no need etc. For your neighbor can also say so, and so on all neighbors; meanwhile where does God get people for his spiritual office? You have the people and can give them, but you will not do it, neither will your neighbor; so go to the ground as much as is in you. Because you have let your God's foundation and appointed office, so highly and dearly earned (acquired), fall into ruin and perish with such abominable ingratitude, you shall also be cursed again and, both in your children and in yourself, experience vile shame and sorrow, or else be so afflicted that you shall not only be damned here on earth, but also there eternally in hell with them; this you shall not lack; That thou mayest learn that the children are not so wholly thine, that thou needest not do God any thing; he will also be right in them, and they are more than thine.

[The first part.

Of the spiritual benefit and harm, so ans of the schools promotion or contempt arises].

8. And lest you think that I am speaking too harshly to you herewith, I will present both benefits and harms to you in part, for who can tell them all that you do, so that you yourself would have to say that you are rightfully the devil's own and justly condemned to hell eternally, if you find yourself guilty of this and do not improve; again, may you rejoice and be glad with all your heart, if you find yourself chosen by God to raise up a son with your goods and labor, who will become a pious Christian pastor, preacher or schoolmaster, and thus God Himself has raised up a special servant; yes, as it is said above, an angel of God, a right bishop before God, a savior of many people, a king and prince in Christ's kingdom, and among God's people a teacher, a light of the world. And who will or can tell all the honor and virtue of a right, faithful pastor, if he has it before God? There is no more precious treasure, nor noble thing on earth and in this life, than a right, faithful pastor or preacher.

(9) For thou thyself reckonest what profit the good ministry of preaching and the good pastoral care bringeth, which thy Son also bringeth, who faithfully leadeth such ministry; so that so many souls are daily taught, converted, baptized, brought unto Christ, and made blessed by him, and are redeemed from sins, death, hell, and the devil, and come unto everlasting righteousness, life, and heaven by him, that Daniel Cap. 12, 3. says, "that they which teach others shall shine as the heaven, and they which teach righteousness shall be as the stars for ever." For since God's word and ministry, where it is right, must without ceasing do great things and vain wonders, so must your Son also without ceasing do great and vain wonders before God, as raising the dead, casting out devils, giving sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf. To cleanse the lepers, to make the mute speak, to make the lame walk, if it is not physically possible.

it happens spiritually in the soul, that it is much greater, as Christ says, John 14:12: "He that believeth on me shall do the works that I do, and shall do greater works." Can a believer do this to individuals, how much more will a public preacher do this to and in a whole crowd? Not that he does it as a man, but his office, ordained of God, does it, and the word of God, which he teaches; for he is the instrument of it.

010 If therefore he do such great works and miracles spiritually, it followeth that he doeth them also bodily, or ever is a beginner and cause thereof. For whence is it that Christians shall rise from the dead at the last day, that all the deaf, blind, lame, and whatsoever afflictions have been in the body shall be put away, and that their dead bodies shall not only be comely and healthy, but shall shine as brightly and beautifully as the sun, as Christ saith? Is it not because they have been converted, believed, baptized and incorporated into Christ through the Word of God here on earth? As Paul says in Romans 8:11, "God will raise our mortal bodies for the sake of His Spirit who dwells in us. Who then helps men to such faith and the beginning of the bodily resurrection, without the preaching ministry and word of God, which your Son leads? Is this not an immeasurably greater and more glorious work and miracle than when he raised the bodily or temporally dead back to life, or helped the blind, the deaf, the mute, the lepers in the world and in a perishable state?

(11) If you were sure that your son should do one of these works in one man, namely, that he should make one blind man see, raise one dead man, take one soul from the devil. Shouldn't you dare with all your heart to educate him to such a ministry and work, and jump for joy that you have done such a great thing with your money in the sight of God? For what are all the monasteries and convents as they are now and in use?

with their own works against such a pastor, preacher or schoolmaster? Although they were founded by pious kings and lords for this noble work in the beginning, so that such preachers and pastors should be educated in it, now, unfortunately, through the devil they have fallen into the misery that they have become murder pits and vain foothills of hell to the ruin and harm of Christendom.

(12) Now, behold, thy son doth such works, not one alone, but many, yea, all of them, daily; and that which is best of all, in the sight of God he doth them; he esteemeth them worthy and high, as it is said, though men know it not, nor esteem it; yea, though the world call him a heretic, a seducer, a liar, a rebel, so much the better, and a good sign that he is a righteous man, and like unto his Lord Christ. Christ himself also had to be a rebel, murderer, deceiver, and thus be judged and crucified with the murderers. What would I care if I were a preacher, that the world would call me a devil, when I know that God calls me his angel? The world calls me a deceiver, as long as it wants, but God calls me his faithful servant and house servant, the angels call me their journeyman, the saints call me their brother, the believers call me their father, the wretched souls call me their savior, the ignorant call me their light, and God says yes to it, so be it; the angels too, together with all creatures. How beautifully has the world and the devil deceived me with their blasphemy and reviling? How great a gain has it made on me? How great harm has it done to me? the dear Lady.

(13) This is what has been said about the works and miracles your Son does for souls, to help them from sins, death and the devil. In addition, he does great and mighty works for the world, namely, he tells and instructs all classes how to conduct themselves outwardly in their offices and positions, so that they may do right before God; he can comfort the afflicted, give advice, settle evil matters, settle wrongful consciences, help to keep peace, reconcile and make peace,

430 n. 17, ssi-sss. 8. of the ten commandments in particular. Fourth commandment. W. x, "s-iss. 431

and of works without number much and daily. For a preacher confirms, strengthens and helps to maintain all authority, all temporal peace, controls the rebellious, teaches obedience, manners, discipline and honor, teaches fatherhood, motherhood, childhood, servanthood and summa, all secular offices and estates. These are the least good works of a priest, nor are they high and noble, that no wise man among all the pagans has ever known or understood them, much less been able to do them, nor has any jurist, high school, monastery, or convent known such works and been taught them in either spiritual or secular law. For there is no one who calls such secular offices God's great gifts or gracious order, but the Word of God and the ministry of preaching alone praise and honor them highly.

14 Therefore, if the truth be told, temporal peace, which is the greatest good on earth, in which all other temporal goods are also included, is actually the fruit of right preaching. For where this is done, war, strife, and bloodshed will cease; but where it is not done rightly, it is no wonder that there is war or constant unrest, desire and will to war and shed blood. As we now see that the sophists can do nothing but scream blood and breathe fire, shed blood of innocent priests for the sake of marriage; yet the pope and their own spiritual law themselves, when they punish such marriages severely, deprive the priests of the priesthood, but let them remain with body and goods and with Christian honors, much less do they condemn them to hell, nor do they consider them heretics; as all jurists and all the world must testify, and at the Diet of Nuremberg it was also decreed. But the blind bloodhounds have surrendered from preaching to lies, therefore they cannot stop killing, as the devil, their God, does, John 8:44, "who was a liar and a murderer from the beginning" and remains so.

(15) This is what it means to be served by a true priest, in body and soul, in goods and honor. Now see how he serves God, and what glorious sacrifices he makes.

For through his ministry and word the kingdom of God in the world, the honor, name and glory of God, the right knowledge of God, the right faith and understanding of Christ, the fruit of the suffering and blood and death of Christ, the gifts, works and power of the Holy Spirit, the right blessed use of baptism and sacraments, the righteous pure teaching of the gospel, the right way to chastise and crucify the body, and many other such things are preserved. And who could ever praise enough one of these things? And what else is to be said about how much he does by this, that he keeps so much strife against the devil, the world, wisdom and carnal conceit, brings so much victory from it, puts down so much error, fends off so many heresies? For he must contend and fight against the gates of hell and win over the devil, and does so; not he, but his office and word. These are all innumerable, unspeakable works and miracles of the preaching ministry. Summa, if one will praise God Himself, one will also praise His word and preaching; for it is God's office and word.

16 If you were a king, you should not think yourself worthy to give and raise your son, with all your goods, to such an office and work. Is not your penny or your labor, which you give to such a son, too highly honored, too gloriously blessed, too exquisitely invested, and better than any kingdom or emperorship is reckoned in the sight of God? On his knees should a man carry such a penny to the end of the world, if he knew that it should be invested there so gloriously and so richly. And behold, thou hast it in thy house and in thy bosom, whereon thou canst so gloriously invest it. Fie, and fie again, and fie to our blind and shameful ingratitude! that we do not see how splendidly beautiful service we do, yes, what great lords we could be before God with little doing, and with our own money and goods.

(17) The sophists reproach us that we Lutherans do not teach good works; yes, they are fine fellows, they do not understand each other badly.

on good works; are not these above-mentioned pieces good works? What are the works of all monasteries and convents compared to these marvelous miracles? It is a jackdaw's and a raven's fiddling, and not so good as the jackdaw's fiddling; for the jackdaws fiddle with love and pleasure, but they howl their fiddling with displeasure, like eagle owls and night owls. If we have spoken highly of the first mass and the new priests, and if father and mother and all their friends have been happy that they have raised a son to be an idle, lazy, useless mass priest, who has defiled God with his blasphemous mass sacrifices and lost prayers, and who has annoyed and tormented the world with a lewd life; how much higher should you rejoice here, if you had raised a son to this office, since you are sure that he serves God so gloriously, helps people so abundantly and beats the devil so chivalrously! Then you have sacrificed your child to God in a right and fine way, so that the angels themselves must consider you a beautiful miracle.

(18) Again, know what harm you are doing when you do the opposite. For if God has given you a child who is capable and skilled for such an office, and you do not educate him, looking only at his belly and temporal food, take before you the register set out above and go through it in its good works and miracles, and you will see and find what a little god and little herb you are. For as much as there is in you, you deprive God of an angel, a servant, a king and prince in his kingdom, a savior and comforter of men in body and soul, in goods and honor, a captain and knight against the devil, so that you concede to the devil and further his kingdom, so that he keeps the souls in sins, death, hell and brings much more into it daily, and is incumbent everywhere, the world remains in heresy, error, strife, war and strife and becomes worse daily; In addition, God's kingdom, Christian faith, the fruit of Christ's suffering and blood, the work of the Holy Spirit, the gospel and all worship will perish, and all devil worship and misbelief will prevail. Which all might have

and prevented, and also improved, where your child would have been drawn to it and come to it.

Nineteen How wilt thou stand, when God shall address thee in the bed of death or in the last judgment, saying, I am hungry, thirsty, a sojourner, naked, sick, a prisoner, and thou hast not served me: for that which thou hast not done unto the people of the earth, nor unto my kingdom, nor unto my gospel, but hast helped to oppress, and to destroy souls, that thou hast done unto me; for thou mightest have helped. I had also given you child and property; but you have wantonly let me and my kingdom and all souls suffer hardship and pine away, thereby serving the devil and his kingdom, contrary to me and my kingdom, so now be your reward, go with him into the abyss of hell: my kingdom of heaven and earth you have not helped to build and improve, but destroy and weaken; but the devil you have helped to build and increase his hell; so now also dwell in the house that you have built for yourself etc.

(20) How do you think you will not be suddenly attacked not only by drops, but by a downpour of sins, which you do not pay attention to now, and walk safely, as if you were doing well not to educate your child to doctrine? But then you will have to say that you will be condemned to the abyss of hell as one of the worst, most harmful people who have lived on earth. And indeed, if you were to consider it even now in life, you would truly have to be frightened of yourself; for no conscience can bear it when it finds itself guilty of the above-mentioned pieces; how much less can it bear it when such pieces all suddenly fall away, which cannot be counted? So that your heart will cry out that your sins are more than leaves and grass, and greater than heaven and earth, and you will say with Manasseh king of Judah: My sin is more than the sand of the sea, and my iniquity is great. etc.

(21) For this is what natural law says: He who can prevent harm and does not do so is himself guilty of such harm, as he certainly has the desire and will to do so,

and would do it himself, if he had cause or opportunity to do so. Therefore, such people are certainly as good as the devil himself, because they are so hostile to both God and the world that they help to destroy both the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of earth and serve the devil so faithfully. And summa, if one can rebuke the devil enough, one can also rebuke such people enough who hinder such work and office of God; for they are the devil's servants.

(22) Here I do not want to insist that everyone must educate his child for such an office; for not all boys must become pastors, preachers, schoolmasters, and it is good to know that lords and great people will not need children for this; for the world must also have heirs and people, otherwise the secular authorities would be torn apart. I am talking about the common people, who otherwise would have left their children to learn for the sake of their benefices and fiefs, and now keep them for the sake of food alone, even though they do not need heirs, and still keep them in school, regardless of the fact that the children are skilled and capable for these offices, and they could serve God with them without any hardship or hindrance.

23 Such capable boys should be kept for teaching, especially the children of poor people, for all monasteries and convents have endowments and interest for this purpose; although the other boys, even if they are not so skilled, should also learn to understand, write, and read Latin. For one needs not only highly learned doctors and masters in the Scriptures, one must also have common priests, who practice the gospel and catechism among the young and coarse people, baptize and administer the sacrament etc. Whether they are not fit to fight against the heretics, there is no power in it; one must not only have work pieces for the good building, but also filling stones: so one must also have sextons and other persons, who serve and help for the preaching ministry and word of God.

24 And if such a boy, having learned Latin, then learns a trade and becomes a citizen, he is to be treated as a citizen.

If such teaching does him no harm for nourishment, he can govern his house all the better and, moreover, is prepared and ready for the preaching ministry or parish office where it is needed. And especially in our times it is easy to educate such persons who are able to learn the Gospel and the Catechism, because now not only the Holy Scriptures, but also all kinds of art are abundant with so many books, reading, preaching, praising God! that one can learn more in three years than before in twenty; that even women and children can now learn more from the German books and sermons, I say the truth, about God and Christ, than before all the high schools, monasteries, convents, the whole papacy and the whole world have been able to do. But the common pastors and preachers must know Latin and may not do without it, just as little as the scholars should do without Greek and Hebrew, as St. Augustine speaks and sets the spiritual law himself.

25 Yes, you say: How if it comes to evil that my son should become a heretic, or otherwise a knave? for the learned are called the perverse etc. Well, you must dare; your diligence and work are not lost. God will still look upon your faithful service and count it as if it were well spent. You must dare; as he is doing in all other things to which you want to educate him. What was the fate of Abraham, whose son Ishmael did not succeed, nor Isaac's son Esau, nor Adam's son Cain? Should Abraham therefore have refrained from bringing up his son Isaac, and Isaac his son Jacob, and Adam his son Abel to God's service? How many wicked kings and people were there in the holy chosen people of Israel, who caused all misfortunes with heresies and idolatries and strangled all prophets! Should the priests of Levi therefore have let all the people go and educate no one to the service of God? How many were wicked priests and Levites among the tribe of Levi, whom God Himself had chosen for the priesthood? How many people does God have on earth who misuse all His goods and creatures? Should

Will he therefore forsake his goodness, and let no man live, or cease to do good?

(26) Neither do thou worry too much where thy son shall be fed, when he is given to teaching and to such divine office and service; neither hath God left thee therein, nor forgotten thee, lest thou shouldest worry or complain. He promised through St. Paul, 1 Cor. 9, 14: "Whoever serves the gospel shall be fed by the gospel." And Christ Himself, Matth. 10, 10: "A laborer is worthy of his wages. Eat and drink what they have." In the Old Testament, so that his preaching ministry would not perish, he chose and took the whole family of Levi, that is, the twelfth part of all the people of Israel, and gave them tithes from all the people, and over them the first fruits, all kinds of sacrifices, their own cities, suburbs, fields, meadows, cattle, and all that belongs to them. In the New Testament, see how abundantly in times past emperors, kings, princes and lords gave to such ministry as is now held by the monasteries and convents, surpassing kings and princes; he will not and cannot leave those who faithfully serve him, having promised himself too highly, saying, Heb. 13:5, "I will not leave thee nor fail thee."

(27) Also, count for yourself how many parishes and preachers' chairs, schools, and sextons there are, which are still sufficiently provided for in several parts, and are becoming empty every day. What are these but kitchens and cellars, ordered by God for your son, that he has already prepared his food before he needs it, and may not acquire it? When I was a young student, I heard it said that there were eighteen hundred parishes in the principality of Saxony. Where this is true, and to each parish belong at least two persons, namely a pastor and sexton, except what in cities are preachers, chaplains, assistants, schoolmasters and collaborators, that alone in such principality belong about four thousand learned persons, whose daily in ten years probably the third part die off. Now I would like to bet whether there would be four thousand students in half of the German country. Now I bet that barely eight hundred parishes in the principality

How many do you think there are in the whole of Germany?

28 I would like to see where one would take parish priests, schoolmasters, sextons for more than three years. If we do not do our best here, and the princes in particular are concerned that both boys' schools and high schools are properly arranged, there will be such a shortage of people that three or four towns will have to be assigned to a priest and ten villages to a chaplain.

The high schools in Erfurt, Leipzig and others are more desolate, as are the boys' schools from time to time, so that there is misery to be seen; and almost only the lowly Wittenberg must now do its best. And I think that the monasteries and convents will also feel such a lack. Should they have a good year, they will not sing it as high as they started it, even if they are still so curly, or should the persons have to suffer and worship in their capitols, of whom they would not have liked to be looked at before. Therefore, let your child learn confidently, there will be a lack of people rather than of goods; perhaps, when the world stands longer and God gives grace that the princes and cities do so, the goods of the monasteries and convents may also return to such a custom for which they were founded. And what need is there of much care for the belly? Christ stands and says, Matth. 6, 31. 32. 33: "Do not worry about what you will eat and drink, your heavenly Father knows well that you need these things; seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you. Whoever does not believe this, let him at least take care and die of hunger.

(30) Although it is true that some years ago many pastors suffered and still suffer great hunger, which must be blamed on the paroxysm*) in the world, that people are so wicked, ungrateful and stingy, and in addition persecute the gospel; so that God tries us whether we are righteous, and cannot be reckoned otherwise than as if it were about time.

*Paroxysm is the highest increase of a morbid condition, thus wants to say here that the world has reached the outermost level of the wickedness. D. Red.

of the martyrs, since the pious teachers also suffered great hardship and poverty, as Paul himself praises and Christ also proclaims, Matth. 9, 15: "When the bridegroom is taken from them, then they will fast. This is the right evangelical fasting.

The word of God has also seldom come to pass, a great time has come along; when, in Abraham's, Isaac's, Jacob's, Joseph's, Elijah's, Elisha's times, cruel trials were next to such great light of truth, and in the beginning of the gospel there was a great trial through the whole world, Apost. 11, 28. 11, 28. This must then be the fault of the dear gospel and God's word and not of the world's previous iniquity and present hardened ingratitude. So the Jews blamed all their misery on the teaching of Jeremiah, Jer. 44,16. ff. And the Romans, when they were destroyed by the gods, knew not to blame anyone, except that they had become Christians, against which St. Augustine wrote a great book, de Civitate Dei (of the State of God).

32 But let him who washes wash; the world is the world. As those became liars and perished, so shall these also become liars and perish, that Christ and his word may nevertheless remain. He sits firmly and high, as it is written, Ps. 110:1: "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand:" There he sitteth; let him that hath breath and is wicked pull him down. But as long as he remains seated there, let us also remain; what does it matter? And in sum, your child may easily have as much nourishment from the preaching ministry as from a craft; it would be a matter for you to seek great good, to make of your son a great lord before the world, as bishops and canons are. If you are of this mind, this speech does not concern you.

I am now speaking to the believers who honor the ministry of preaching and hold it in high esteem above all riches, as, next to God Himself, the highest treasure given to mankind, so that they may know how great a service they can and should do to God through it, as those who would rather be partakers of this work even with little goods than have the world's goods and lack them. These will well recognize that

the soul is more than the belly, and the belly may easily have enough and yet have to leave the rest behind. But those who seek riches will take all their goods with them and leave nothing behind, how can they lack? Let this be hastened and lately indicated in a part of this sermon, of the spiritual benefit and harm, which one has from the schools' preservation and contempt.

[The other part.

Of the worldly benefit and harm, so one has from the schools preservation and contempt].

The other part is to be of temporal or worldly benefit and harm. And first of all, it is true that the worldly authority or office is in no way comparable to the spiritual office of preaching, as St. Paul calls it. For it is not so precious and highly earned (acquired) by the blood and death of the Son of God as the office of preaching; neither can it do such great wonders and works as the office of preaching. For all the works of this state go and belong only to this temporal, perishable life, to preserve body, wife, child, house, goods and honor, and what belongs to the necessities of this life. Now as much as eternal life surpasses this temporal life, so far and high does the ministry of preaching surpass the temporal ministry; that is, like a shadow against the body itself. For worldly rule is an image, shadow, and figure of the rule of Christ. For the ministry of preaching, where it is as God has ordered it, brings and gives eternal righteousness, eternal peace and eternal life, as St. Paul highly praises it, 2 Cor. 4, 5. ff., but the worldly rule preserves temporal and transitory peace, justice and life.

(35) Nevertheless, it is a glorious, divine order and an excellent gift of God, who also established and instituted it, and also wants to have it preserved, as one cannot do without it in all things; and if it were not so, no man could remain before the other, one would have to eat the other, as the unreasonable animals do among themselves.

Therefore, just as the work and honor of the ministry of preaching is to make saints of sinners, the living of the dead, the blessed of the damned, the children of God out of the servants of the devil; so the work and honor of the government of the world is to make men out of wild beasts and to preserve men so that they do not become wild beasts. It preserves each man's body, so that no one may strangle it; it preserves each man's wife, so that no one may take her and ravish her; it preserves each man's child, daughter and son, so that no one may kidnap or steal them; it preserves each man's house and farm, so that no one may break into them or commit sacrilege; it preserves each man's fields, cattle and all kinds of goods, so that no one may attack, steal, rob or damage them. All these things are not among animals, nor would they be among men if there were no worldly rule; but men would certainly become vain beasts. Do you not think that if the birds and animals could speak and see the worldly rule among men, they would say: O you dear men, you are not men, but vain gods against us. How securely you sit, live and have all things, but we are not secure from each other for an hour, neither life, house nor food. Woe to your ingratitude, that you do not see how a glorious life all our God has given you before us animals!

Since it is certain that it is a divine creature and order, and that it is a necessary office and status for us humans in this life, which we can no more do without than we can do without life itself, since without this office this life cannot remain, it is easy to conclude that God did not command and establish it to perish, but wanted to preserve it, as Romans 13:4 and 1 Peter 2:13, 14 clearly state, that they should protect the righteous and punish the wicked. 13, 4. and 1 Petr. 2, 13. 14. that they should protect the pious and punish the wicked. Who will preserve it now, but we humans, who have been commanded by God and who truly need it ourselves? The wild animals will not do it, neither will wood and stones. But which people can preserve it? For

True, not only those who want to rule with the fist, as many now make themselves believe. For where the fist alone is to rule, it will certainly eventually become a beast, so that whoever overpowers the other, pushes him into the sack; as we see before our eyes examples enough of what good Faust does without wisdom or reason.

37 Therefore Solomon also says, Proverbs 8:14, 15, that wisdom must rule and not force, and speaks of it thus: "Both counsel and help are mine, both understanding and ability are mine; by me kings must be kings, and counselors must sit in judgment. And Eccl. 9:16: "Wisdom is better than armor or weapons"; and again, v. 18: "Wisdom is better than strength." All this is proved by all experience in all histories, that no force without reason or wisdom ever accomplished anything; so that even the murderers and tyrants, if they do not proceed wisely and take some rights, counsel and laws among themselves and before themselves, even though they are wicked, according to which they judge and use their fist and their force, they cannot remain, but become divided among themselves and perish from themselves. In short, not the law of the fist but the law of the head, not force but wisdom or reason must rule among the wicked as well as among the good.

38 Therefore, since our regiment in German lands must and should be governed by Roman imperial law, which is also our regiment's wisdom and reason, given by God, it follows that such a regiment cannot be preserved, but must perish where such rights are not preserved. Well, who wants to preserve it? Fist and armor do not do it; heads and books must do it, it must be learned and known what is right and wisdom of our worldly kingdom. Although it is fine when an emperor, prince, or lord himself is so wise and clever by nature that he can learn the law by heart, as Duke Frederick of Saxony and Mr. Fabian of Feilitz, whom I have experienced, were able to do, I will not name the living ones; but because such birds are rare and the example dangerous, also for the sake of others who are not able to do such things by nature, it is

If the common book law is better kept in steady rule, it has all the more prestige and glory, and does not need any miracle or special thing.

(39) Therefore the lawyers and scholars in this worldly kingdom are the persons who maintain such law, and thereby the worldly kingdom; and just as a pious theologian and a righteous preacher in Christ's kingdom is called an angel, a savior, a prophet, a priest, a servant, and a teacher, as said above, so a pious lawyer and a faithful scholar in the emperor's worldly kingdom may well be called a prophet, a priest, an angel, and a savior. Again, as a heretic or false preacher in the kingdom of Christ is a devil, thief, murderer, blasphemer; so a false, unfaithful jurist in the emperor's house or kingdom is a thief and a rogue, a traitor, an evil-doer, and the devil of the whole kingdom.

40 When I speak of lawyers, I do not mean only the doctors, but the whole craft, as chancellors, clerks, judges, advocates, notaries and what belongs to the law of the regiment; also the great Hanses, so called the counselors at court. For they also practice the work of the rights or office of the lawyers. And just as the word councilor is not far from the word traitor, so many of them are not far from the deed; they sometimes advise their masters with such loyalty that no traitor could betray them.

Now you see what a pious lawyer or jurist can do; indeed, who will or can count it all? For what God's work and order is, it always produces so many and great fruits that they cannot be told or understood. First of all, by means of his book, he preserves and helps to promote the whole worldly regime, emperors, princes, lords, cities, country and people, through divine order, as was said above; for all of these must be preserved through wisdom and justice. But who will praise this work alone enough? From it you have protection and shielding of your body and life against neighbors, enemies, murderers, then protection and peace of your wife, daughters, son, house, farm, servants, money, property, land and what you have; for all this is in the right.

The house is enclosed, walled, and well cared for. No books could ever express how great all this is. For who will say what an unspeakable good peace is? How much it gives and saves in a year alone, both?

Now your son can do all these great works and become such a useful person, if you keep him and let him learn, and you can share in all this, and thus invest your money deliciously. Would it not do you good and be a great honor if you saw your son an angel in the kingdom and an apostle of the emperor, as well as a cornerstone and foundation of temporal peace on earth? And all this is certain that God Himself considers it so, and in truth it is so? For although one does not become pious or blessed before God through such works, it is still a joyful comfort that such works are so pleasing to God and even more pleasing when such a man is also a believer and in Christ's kingdom; for in this way one thanks Him for His good deeds and offers the most beautiful sacrifice of thanksgiving, the highest service of God.

You would have to be a rude, ungrateful lump and cheaply chased by men among the animals if you saw that your son could become a man who would help the emperor preserve his empire, sword and crown, govern the prince's country, advise and help cities and countries, help protect many a man's body, wife, child, property and honor, and would not dare so much that he might learn and come to this. Tell me, what do all monasteries and convents do like this? I would take a faithful, pious lawyer and scribe's work for all priests', monks' and nuns' sanctity, where they are best. And if such great good works do not move you, God's honor and good pleasure alone should move you, since you know that you are thanking God so gloriously and doing such a great service, as has been said. It is ever a shameful contempt of God that we do not grant such glorious divine works to our children and put them only in the service of the belly and avarice, leaving them to learn nothing but to seek food, as the sow does with

We will have to be senseless, or we will not love our children. We will certainly have to be nonsensical or not love our children properly.

44. But listen further: How, if God wants it from you and requires your child to such an office? For you owe it to your God to help maintain such a position wherever you can. Now it cannot be preserved where boys are not kept for teaching and for the schools, there is no doubt about that; and in this position more skilled people are needed than in the preaching ministry, because it is necessary to keep the best boys here. For in the preaching office Christ does it almost entirely through his spirit; but in the worldly kingdom one must act from reason, from which the rights also came; for God has subjected such temporal rule and bodily being to reason, Genesis 2:19, and has not sent the Holy Spirit from heaven for this purpose; therefore it is also more difficult, because it cannot govern the conscience, and must, so to speak, act in darkness.

45 If you have a child who is capable of teaching and can keep him, but you do not, you go and do not ask where the worldly kingdom will remain, both with justice and peace, you do as much as you can against the worldly authorities, like the Turk, even like the devil himself. For you deprive the empire, principality, country, city of a savior, comfort, cornerstone, helper and savior, and because of you the emperor loses both sword and crown; the country loses protection and peace, and you are the man through whose fault, as much as is in you, no man may have his body, wife, child, house, farm, goods safe; but you sacrifice them all freely to the flesh bank and give cause for all men to become vain beasts, and finally one eats the other. You certainly do all this, especially when you knowingly take your child from such a wholesome state for the sake of the belly. Are you not a fine and useful man in the world, who daily needs the kingdom and its peace, and in return you steal your son from it and put him into avarice, striving with all diligence so that there will be no one to help the kingdom, justice and peace?

But if you yourself have and keep your life and limb, goods and honor through such a regiment, everything will go to the ground.

46 What do you think you deserve here? Are you also worthy to dwell with men? But what will God say to this, who has given you a child and property to serve Him with, and to keep your child for God's service? But is it not serving God to help maintain His order and worldly rule? Now you leave such service as if it did not concern you, or as if you were free before all men and not guilty of serving God, but to do with your child and goods as you please, so that God, both worldly and spiritual kingdom, fall into the abyss; Nevertheless, you need the kingdom's protection, peace and justice every day, and you want to have the preaching ministry and God's word ready for you and to have them serve you, so that God may be your servant completely free of charge, both with the preaching ministry and the worldly state, so that you may turn your child away from him without worry and teach him to serve mammon alone. Do you not think that God will say a benediction to your avarice and belly care once, that you spoil both, with child and with everything, here and there? Dear one, does not your heart shudder at such an abominable abomination of your idolatry, contempt of God, ingratitude, destruction of both, God's foundation and order, yes, of all people's harm and corruption? Well, I will have told thee and warned thee; see thou hear both. Benefit and harm you can do; do whichever you will, and God will reward you well.

(47) I will be silent here, how fine a pleasure it is for a man to be learned, even if he has no office, that he can read all kinds of things at home, talk and deal with learned people, travel and act in foreign countries. For what is such pleasure may move few people. But since you are so eager for mammon and food, see here how many and great goods God has bestowed on schools and scholars, so that you should not despise teaching and art because of poverty. Then see, emperors and kings must

446 n> -tW-410. B. Of the ten commandments in particular. Fourth commandment. W. x. si6-si8. 447

No prince is, he must have chancellors, lawyers, councilors, scholars and scribes; thus also all counts, lords, cities, castles must have syndicos, city scribes and otherwise scholars; is yet no nobleman, he must have a scribe. And that I also say of common scholars, where are the miners, merchants, tradesmen? Count how many are kings, princes, counts, lords, cities and towns etc. Where do you want to take learned people for three years, when the shortage already arises from time to time? I think, truly, kings must become lawyers, princes must become chancellors, counts and lords must become clerks, mayors must become sextons.

If we do not do this differently in time, we must become Tartars and Turks, or again an unlearned local or Bachant will become a doctor and councilor at court. Therefore I think that there has never been a better time to study than now; not only because the art is now so plentiful and cheap, but also because great good and honor must follow, and those who study at this time will be great people, so that two princes and three cities will compete for one scholar; For you look about you or around you, and you will find that countless offices await scholars before ten years have passed, and yet there are few who are educated for them.

(49) Not only is such a great good appointed by God for such schools and disciples, but it is also an honest, divine good; for it is earned through godly, honest standing with many glorious, good, useful works that please God and are called His service. On the other hand, the miser acquires his good by despising it - are they not also ungodly and sinful works - and by hostile works, in which he cannot have a happy conscience, nor can he say that it is called serving God. Now I would rather earn ten guilders with a work that is called worship than a thousand guilders with a work that is not called worship, but is only my own benefit and mammon.

50 They also have honor over such honest goods. For chancellors, town clerks, lawyers

And the people in their offices must sit with them, help, advise and govern, as is said above; and they are indeed rulers here on earth, though they are not so by reason of person, birth and station. For Daniel says that he had to do the king's work. And it is also true that a chancellor must carry out imperial, royal, princely works or business; a city clerk must do the work of the council and the city, and all this with God and with honor, for which God gives blessing, happiness and salvation.

(51) And what is an emperor, a king, a prince himself, if they rule not by war, but by law, but vain scribes or lawyers, if one speaks of them by the work? For they deal with the law, which is a legal and scribal work. And who governs land and people when there is peace and not war? Do the soldiers or the field commanders do it? I mean yes, it is the pen that does it. But what does the miser do with his mammon, which does not come to such honors and meanwhile soils itself with its rust-eaten money?

So the emperor Justinianus himself boasts: Oportet majestatem imperatoriam non solum armis decoratam, sed etiam legibus armatam esse etc. Imperial majesty, he says, must not only be adorned with armor or weapons, but also armored or armed with rights. Then behold, how adventurously this emperor reverses his words, that he calls the right his armor and the weapons he calls his ornament and adornment, wants to make his scribes also cuirasses and warriors. And this is truly fine talk; for the rights are also truly the right armor and weapons that preserve and protect the country and the people, indeed the empire and the temporal regiment, as is sufficiently said above that wisdom is better than might, and the pious lawyers are also the right cuirassirs who protect the emperor and princes. Many of these sayings could also be quoted from the poets and histories, but it would be too long. Solomon himself boasts, Ecclesiastes 9:15, "that a poor man saved a city by his wisdom against a mighty king. Not that I hereby want to give the warriors, soldiers, and what belongs to the dispute

448 D-410-412. sermon that children should be kept in school. W. x, si8-Z2i. 449

have broken off, despised or rejected; they also help where they are obedient, peace and protect everything with their fist; each has its honor from God as well as its order and work.

But I must also praise my craft once, because my neighbors have treated me so badly and want to be despised; just as St. Paul always praises his ministry, so that some think he does too much and is worthy of hope. Whoever wants to praise and honor Faust and the men of war will find enough to praise them; so I have also done it in other books, I hope, honestly and wisely. For I do not like the lawyers and scribblers who praise themselves in such a way that they despise or ridicule other estates as if they were the only ones, and no one else in the world is good but they; as the pokers (shorn) have also done up to now along with the entire papacy. One should praise all ranks and works of God as highly as one ever can, and despise none for the sake of another; for it is written: Confessio et magnificentia opus ejus: "What God makes is beautiful and fine," Ps. 111:3; and again, Ps. 104:24: "God is pleased with His works." And especially should preachers instill such thoughts in the people, and schoolmasters in the boys, and parents in the children, from their youth, so that they may well learn what ranks and offices of God are called or ordered by God. When they then know that they should not despise, mock, or speak ill of any of them, but should honor them all and hold them in high esteem. This pleases God well and serves peace and unity, for God is a great Lord and has many households.

(54) Again, there are some scribblers who think that the name "scribe" is hardly worth naming or hearing; so do not turn back, think: the good fellows must also have some amusement and pleasure. So let this pleasure be; you will still remain a scribe before God and the world; if they scratch for a long time, you will still see that they honor the pen in the highest way, put it on top of hat and helmet, as if they should confess by deed that the pen is the supreme thing.

In the world, without which they would not be able to fight or walk in peace, they would be much less secure; for they also need peace, which the emperor's preachers and teachers, the lawyers, teach and maintain. Therefore, you see that they put our tools, the pen, first, and they put their tools, the sword, around their loins; there it hangs finely and well for their work; it would not stand well on the head, where the pen must float. If they have sinned against you, let them atone with this, and forgive them.

55. But because I have just come to the conclusion that scribes are so hostile among many merchants; for they do not know or respect that it is a divine office and work, nor do they see how necessary and useful it is to the world, and if they were to see it, since God is before them, it would be too long delayed with all things; so you shall do: let them go and look around for fine pious noblemen, as Count Georg von Werdheim blessed, Mr. Hans von Schwarzenburg, Mr. Georg von Fronsberg, and the like, blessed; I will keep silent of the living; on the same refresh and comfort yourself and think: God honored the whole city of Zoar for the sake of one man Lot, and the whole land of Syria for the sake of one Naaman, and the whole kingdom of Egypt for the sake of one Joseph; why would you not also honor the whole nobility for the sake of many honest noblemen, of whom you doubtless have many before you? And when you look at them, you must think that there is no evil one left. How could the beautiful tree, the dear nobility, not also fall untimely fruit from it, and some should not also be worm-eaten or worthless? the tree is therefore neither damned nor evil.

56. Thus do the children of God. For God Himself spared the whole human race for the sake of One Man, who is called Jesus Christ. If he were to look at man alone, there would be wrath. But the preaching office and the worldly authorities should not do this, so that they would neither respect nor regard evil; for they are to punish the wicked, the former with words, the latter with the sword. I am now speaking to individual per-

The same applies to Christians, who must learn to distinguish between what is God's work and what is man's wickedness. There are many wicked people in all divine offices and ranks, but the rank is and remains good, however much people abuse it. There are many wicked wives, many false servants, many unfaithful maids, many harmful officials and councilors; but nevertheless, the status of women, servants and maids, and all offices, is still God's foundation, work and order. The sun remains good, although the whole world abuses it, one to rob, one to murder, one to do this evil, the other to do that evil. And who could do something bad, if the sun did not shine for it, if it did not carry and nourish the earth, if it did not preserve the air and if God Himself did not protect it? It is called and remains: Omnis creatura subjecta est vanitati, sed non volens (i.e. all creatures are subject to vanity, but without their will), Rom. 8, 20.

(57) Some think that the office of scribe is a light, small office, but to ride in armor, to suffer heat, frost, dust, thirst, and other hardships, that is work; yes, that is the old, common, daily song, that no one sees where the other's shoe pinches; everyone feels his own hardship and gazes at the other's good chamber. True, it would be difficult for me to ride in harness; but I would also like to see the rider again, who could sit still for a whole day and look into a book, if he should not worry, write poetry, think or read anything. Ask a clerk, a preacher, and an orator what work writing and speaking is; ask a schoolmaster what work teaching and educating boys is. It is true that the pen is easy to produce, and no other handicraft is better than writing, for it requires only the fittest geese, of which there are enough everywhere in vain; but nevertheless the best part, the head, and the noblest member, the tongue, and the highest work, the speech, which are in the human body, must serve here and do the most work, since otherwise in others either the fist, feet, back, or such members work alone, and . can also sing happily and

free joking, which a writer must leave well alone. Three fingers do it, they say of writers, but all body and soul work on it.

(58) I have heard it said of the praiseworthy Emperor Maximilian that when the great Hansa complained that he needed the scribes so much for messages and other things, he was said to have said: How should I do? they do not want to be used, so I have to take scribes? And further: I can make knights, but I cannot make doctors. I also heard from a fine nobleman that he said: I will let my son study, it is not a great art, hang two legs over a horse and become a rider, that he soon learned to me; and is fine and well spoken.

(59) Again, I have not said this in disdain of the traveling class, nor of any other class, but against the slackers, who despise all learning and art, and can boast of nothing but that they wear armor and hang two legs over a horse; though they seldom have to do this, and for it they have room, pleasure, joy, honor, and good enough all the year round. It is true that art is easy to wear, they say, and armor hard to wear; but again, to wear armor is soon learned; but art is not soon learned, and not easy to practice and use.

(60) And that I may put an end to this nonsense, we should know that God is a wonderful Lord; His handiwork is to make lords out of beggars, just as He makes all things out of nothing. No one will put an end to his handiwork, nor will anyone hinder him; he sings gloriously about himself in all the world, Ps. 113:5 ff: "Who is like the Lord, who sits so high and looks so low? who lifts up the lowly from the dust and lifts up the poor from the mire, so that he makes him sit among the princes, even among the princes of his people." Look around you in all kings' and princes' courts and in cities and parishes; what matters if this psalm does not rule with many strong examples in it? There you will find lawyers, doctors, counselors, scribes, preachers, who have been poor in general, and certainly all of them have been students, and have been

so lifted up and flown up by the pen that they are lords; as this Psalm says, and as princes help to govern land and people. God does not want born kings, princes, lords and nobles to all rule and be lords, he also wants his beggars to be there; otherwise they would think that noble birth alone made them lords and rulers, and not God alone.

61 It is said, and it is true, that the pope was also a disciple; therefore do not despise me the journeymen who say panem propter Deum (i.e. bread for God's sake) at the door and sing the bread song; you hear, as this psalm says, great princes and lords singing. I have also been such a party stallion and have taken bread from the houses, especially in Eisenach, in my dear city; although afterwards my dear father kept me with all love and loyalty in the high school in Erfurt and helped me by his sour sweat and work to get there; But nevertheless I have been a party stallion and, according to this psalm, have come so far by the pen that I now did not want to booty (exchange) with the Turkish emperor, that I should have his property and spare my art. Yes, I did not want to take the world's goods many times over in exchange, and yet I would undoubtedly not have gotten there if I had not gone to school and gotten into the scribal trade.

(62) Therefore let your son study confidently, and if he should go for bread in the meantime, you will give our Lord God a fine piece of wood, where he can carve a lord for you. It will remain so that your son and my son, that is, the children of common people, will have to rule the world, both in spiritual and worldly status, as this Psalm testifies. For the rich miser cannot and will not do it, they are mammon's carthouses and monks, they must wait for it day and night; so the born princes and lords alone cannot do it, and especially they cannot understand the spiritual office at all. So both regiments must remain on earth with the poor, mediocre and common people and with their children.

63 And do not mind that now the common miser despises art so highly and speaks: Ha, if my son can write, read and calculate in German, he can do enough, I will make him a merchant; they shall soon become so mad that they will gladly dig a scholar out of the ground ten cubits deep with their fingers; for the merchant shall not long be a merchant to me, where preaching and law are forfeited. I know that for sure, we theologians and jurists must stay, or they shall all perish with us, I will not miss that. Where the theologians turn, God's word turns, and they remain vain heathens, even vain devils; where the lawyers turn, law and peace turn, and they remain vain robbery, murder, outrage and violence, even vain wild beasts. But what the merchant will gain and win, where peace turns, I will then let his register tell him; and how useful all his goods will be to him then, where the sermon falls, his conscience shall well show him.

64. And it is especially annoying that such uncouth, unchristian words are spoken by those who want to be completely evangelical; they know how to master and overrule everyone with the Scriptures, and therefore do not grant God Himself or their own children so much honor or good that they would bring them to school, so that they might come to such glorious divine positions of serving God and the world, which they certainly see before their eyes, established, prepared and well provided with goods and honors; But turn them away, and cast them into the service of Mammon, since they have nothing certain before their eyes, and must be full of danger, both of body, of goods, and of souls, and moreover there is not, nor can be, any service of God.

65 Here I should also tell how many scholars one must have in medicine and other liberal arts, of which two pieces a large book would have to be written and half a year would have to be preached. Where would preachers and lawyers and physicians come from if grammar and other oratory were not available? They must all flow from this well. But it wants to become too long and too much for me now.

This is what I say recently: a diligent, pious schoolmaster or magister, or whoever it is, who faithfully trains and teaches boys, can never be rewarded enough and paid with any money, as the pagan Aristotle also says. It is still so shamefully despised among us, as if it were nothing at all, and yet we want to be Christians.

(66) And I, if I could or had to give up the preaching ministry and other things, would prefer no other ministry than to be a schoolmaster or a teacher of boys. For I know that this work is the most useful, greatest and best of all, next to the ministry of preaching, and I do not yet know which of the two is the best. For it is difficult to tame old dogs and to make old husks pious, for which the preaching ministry works, and must work much in vain; but the young little trees can be better bent and pulled, though some also break over it. Rather, let it be one of the highest virtues on earth to faithfully raise the children of strangers, which very few and almost no one does with their own.

That the physicians are masters, that can be seen before one's eyes, and that one cannot do without them, is well taught by experience; but that it is a useful, comforting, wholesome profession for the world, as well as a pleasant service of God, created and endowed by God, is not only shown by the work of the physician himself, but is also testified to by the Scriptures, Sir. 38, where almost an entire chapter speaks of physicians and says: "You should honor the physician, for you cannot do without him, and God has created him, for all medicine is from God. The physician's art brings him honor, and he is held worthy before the great lords. God created the medicine from the earth, and there is no sensible man who despises it. For as in the days of Moses the bitter water was made sweet by the wood; so also in this he willed to make known to men what medicine is able to do, and for this reason he gave such art to men, that they should praise his miracles. For with this the physician can alleviate all kinds of pain and make many sweet and good confections and ointments, of which

the sick are healed; and of such his works there is no number etc. Well, it is too much for me now, the preachers can write out all these pieces more abundantly and imagine to the people what damage and benefit they can create here for the whole world and our descendants, better than I can write it.

(68) I will leave it here and have faithfully exhorted and asked anyone who can help. For think for yourself how many goods your God has given you for free and still gives you daily, namely body and soul, house, farm, wife and child, plus worldly peace, service and use of all his creatures in heaven and on earth; above all this also the gospel and preaching ministry, baptism, sacrament and the whole treasure of his Son and his Spirit, not only without your merit, but also without your cost and effort. For you are not allowed to feed schools or parishes now, as you would be obliged to do according to the gospel, and you should still be such a cursed, ungrateful rascal that you would not give away a child who would be educated to receive such gifts from God; having everything and everything for nothing and not giving a drop of thanks, but letting God's kingdom and the salvation of souls perish and helping to push them to the ground.

69. Shouldn't God be angry at this? Shouldn't the time come? Should not pestilence, sweat, French and other plagues find us? Should not deluded people, wild, desolate tyrants rule? Should not war and strife arise? Should not evil reign in German lands? Should not Turks and Tartars plunder us? Yes, it would be no wonder that God would open both doors and windows in hell, and let vain devils snow and slag among us, or let sulfur and hellish fire rain down from heaven and sink us all into the abyss of hell, like Sodoma and Gomorrah. For if Sodoma and Gomorrah had had so much, heard so much or seen so much, they would certainly still be standing today. For they were not so wicked the tenth part as Germany is now; for they did not have God's word and preaching ministry, so we have it in vain, and face

than those who wanted to destroy both God, His word, all discipline and honor. And indeed, the spirits of the mobs begin to suppress God's word honestly; so the nobility and the rich also attack it viciously, to overthrow discipline and honor, so that we may become people as we deserve.

70 For that we have the gospel and the ministry, what is it but the blood and sweat of our Lord? He earned it through his fearful bloody sweat, earned it through his blood and cross, and gave it to us, and have done nothing for it, nor given anything for it. Oh, Lord God, how bitter and sour has it become for him? How kindly and gladly has he done it nevertheless? How much did the dear apostles and all the saints suffer over it, so that it might come down to us? How many have been killed over it in our time?

71 And that I also boast, how sometimes I have had to suffer death over it, and has also become so heartily sour to me, and still is, that I served my Germans in this. But all this is nothing compared to what Christ, the Son of God, our dear heart, has put into it; and shall now have earned nothing else with it among us, except that some persecute, condemn, blaspheme, and cast down among all the devils such an office that they have acquired so dearly; but the others pull off their hand, neither honor pastors nor preachers, nor give anything to it, so that it may nevertheless be preserved; And the children also turn away from it, so that such an office may soon fall to the ground and Christ's blood and torture be in vain, and yet they go safely to it, having no conscience, no remorse nor sorrow for such infernal, and more than infernal ingratitude and many unspeakable sins and vices, showing no fear nor awe of God's wrath, no desire nor love for the dear Savior for his sour, heavy torture, but wanting to be evangelical and Christians with such terrible abominations on top of it.

If it is to be like this in German lands, I am sorry that I was born a German or that I have ever spoken or written in German; and if I could do it before my conscience, I would again advise and help that the pope with all his power should be able to do it.

The Lord said that he would have to come upon us again with his abominations and would have to oppress, defile and destroy worse than has ever happened before. Before, when people served the devil and desecrated Christ's blood, all pockets were open and there was no measure of giving to churches, schools and all abominations; children could be driven into monasteries, convents, churches, schools, pushed and forced with unspeakable costs, so that everything was lost.

73. But now one should endow right schools and right churches, not endow them, but only maintain them in the building, because God has endowed them and given enough to maintain them, and we know that God's word is and that the right church is built, honoring Christ's blood and torture; there all the bags are closed with iron chains: There no one can give, and moreover also snatch the children away from it, and not grant them that they might be fed by the church, since we have nothing to give, and that they might come to such wholesome offices, in which they are also temporally provided for, without their doing, to serve God, to honor and preserve Christ's blood and martyrdom; but rather thrust them into the jaws of Mammon and trample Christ's blood underfoot in the meantime, and yet are good Christians.

I ask God for a merciful hour to take me away from here and not to let me see the misery that must pass over Germany. For I think that if ten Moses stood and prayed for us, they would accomplish nothing; so I also feel, when I want to pray for my dear Germany, that the prayer bounces back at me and does not want to go up, as it usually does when I pray for other things. For it will be that God will redeem Lot and sink Sodoma. God grant that I must lie and be a false prophet in this matter, which would happen if we were better and honored our Lord's word and his holy blood and death differently than has been done until now, and helped and educated the young people to the divine offices, as has been said.

(75) But I think that the authorities here are also obliged to force their subjects to keep their children in school, especially those mentioned above. For they are truly obligated to enforce the above-mentioned offices and

The state must maintain preachers, lawyers, priests, clerks, physicians, schoolmasters and the like, for they cannot be dispensed with. Can it force the subjects, if they are capable of it, to carry spears and rifles, run on the walls and do other things, if one is to get; How much more can and should she force the subjects to keep their children in school, because here there is a worse war with the wicked devil, who wants to suck out cities and principalities so secretly and empty them of capable people until he has drilled out the core and left an empty shell of vain useless people standing there, where he can play and juggle as he pleases; that is, of course, a city or country starved out and corrupted in itself without a fight before you look around. But the Turk does something else and takes the third child in his whole empire and drags it wherever he wants. How much more should our masters take some boys to school, so that the child is not taken from the parents, but is educated for their good and for the common benefit of the office, since he is given enough.

Therefore, he who is able to watch, watch here; the authorities, if they see a capable boy, let him go to school. If the father is poor, he should be helped with church goods. Here the rich should give their wills, as those have done who have endowed some scholarships; that would be right to the church your money. Here you do not deliver the souls of the dead from purgatory, but by preserving the divine offices you help both the living and the future, who are not yet born, so that they do not enter purgatory, yes, so that they are delivered from hell and go to heaven, and the living so that they have peace and a chamber. This would be a praiseworthy, Christian testament, since God would be pleased with it and would bless and honor you again, so that you would also have air and joy in it. Well, dear Germans, I have told you enough, you have heard your prophet. God grant that we may follow his words in praise and thanksgiving to our dear Lord for his precious blood, so leniently offered for us, and protect us from the terrible vice of ingratitude and forgetfulness of his benefits, amen.