(1) Although I have often preached and written about the sacrament and confession, yet because the time comes again yearly, which is ordained to be dealt with for the sake of those who want to take the sacrament, we must also repeat the same in the summary and speak of it again.
2. on the first I have often enough said how Christians are not bound to take the sacrament just on this feast, but
*This sermon appeared in many individual printings in 1524. Cf. Erl. A. 11, 164 ff. D. Red.
They have the right and the power to go whenever they want, for God has ordained the priesthood that the priests of the people should wait and attend to the Word of God and the sacraments every day. Therefore, it is unchristian to force people to take the sacrament at this time, in the case of mortal sin, as has been done in the past and is still done in many places. For the sacrament does not want and cannot suffer anyone to be urged and compelled, but seeks nothing else than a hungry soul that drives itself and is glad to be able to come to it.
it is not, which must be driven to it by the people.
For this reason the devil has ruled with full power and authority through the pope, whom he has driven to drive and force the whole world to the sacrament; to this also everyone has run as swine for the sake of the commandment. So that the Sacrament has been so greatly dishonored and disgraced, and the world has become so full of sin, that it is to be pitied. Knowing then these things, let us not be taken in by any commandment, but let us keep the liberty which we have from Christ. I say this for the sake of those who do not wish to go to the sacrament except at this time, and do so only for the sake of custom and common usage. Although there is no harm in going to this Easter feast, if the conscience is not bound to the time, but is free and able to take the sacrament.
(4) On the other hand, we must also speak of confession in the same way. First of all, it should be known that there are three kinds of confession in Scripture. The first is before God, of which the prophet David says Ps. 32:5: "My sin have I confessed unto thee, and my iniquity have I not hid. I have said, I will confess my iniquity before God against me; and thou hast taken away the iniquity of my sin." Soon before, in v. 3, he says, "Once I wanted to keep silent, but I fainted, as in the heat of the summer," that is, no one can stand before God unless he brings this confession with him; as the 130th Psalm, v. 4. says: "With thee there is mercy, that thou mayest be feared," that is, whoever wants to act before thee must act in such a way that such a confession comes from the heart, which thus says: "Lord, if thou art not merciful, it is lost, however pious I may be. All the saints must confess this, as it says in the previous Psalm, v. 6: "For this same sin all the saints will pray before you. So this confession teaches us that we are all equal boys and sinners, and as it is said: If one is pious, we are all pious. If anyone has special grace, let him thank God for it and not boast about himself. If anyone has fallen into sin, it is his blood and flesh, and if no one has fallen into sin, it is his blood and flesh.
fallen deeply, another who is now standing can also fall even more deeply. Therefore, as much as is ours, there is no difference among us, but God's grace alone separates us.
This confession is so highly necessary that it should not linger for a moment, but should be the whole life of a Christian, so that he may praise God's grace without ceasing, and make his life holy before God's eyes. Otherwise, as soon as I raise a good work or a good life, His judgment does not remain outside, which no one suffers; for no one can stand before it. Therefore, this confession must be made in such a way that you condemn yourself as being worthy of death and hellish fire; in this way you will know that God cannot judge you nor condemn you, but must be merciful to you. But we are not talking about this confession here.
(6) But the other is against the neighbor, and is confession of love, as the first is of faith; of which it is written in the epistle of Jacob, Cap. 5:16: "Confess thou thy sins one to another." This is such a confession, that if one has done wrong to his neighbor, he should confess before him, as Christ says Matt. 5:23, 24, 25: "If thou offer thy gift upon the altar, and there think that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave thy gift there before the altar, and first go and be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. And be ready for your adversary soon, while you are still on the way with him" etc. Here he demands from both sides that the one who has offended the other ask for forgiveness, and the one who is asked forgive the other. This confession is also necessary and commanded, like the previous one; for God does not want to be merciful to anyone, nor to forgive sin, but to forgive his neighbor as well. Thus faith cannot be righteous, but it must bear this fruit, that it forgives its neighbor and asks for forgiveness; otherwise man may not come before God. If this fruit is not there, then faith and the first confession are not righteous either.
7 The third is that which the pope has commanded, which is done secretly in the ears of the priests. This is not commanded by God, but the pope has forced the people to do it, and there-
586 m. 168-170. Sermon on Confession and the Sacrament. W. xi, 8vi-8oi. 587
besides so much form and distinction of sins, that no one can make it difficult; so that the consciences are driven and tormented, that it is lamentation and distress. But of this we say thus: God does not compel you to confess by faith toward Him or by love toward your neighbor, if you do not want to be saved or to have His grace; neither does He like you to go, and yet do it unwillingly and with unwillingness: but wants you to do it of yourself, with love and desire, from your heart. [So he does not force you to make a secret confession to the priest, if you do not want to do it yourself and desire absolution.] The pope did not pay attention to this, but proceeded as if it belonged to the secular regiment, since one must act with compulsion, did not ask whether one did it gladly or unwillingly; but straightway commanded that whoever did not confess in time should not be buried in the churchyard. But God does not ask whether you do it or not, if it is not done with pleasure. Therefore, if you do not like to do it, it is better to let it stand. For no one can come to God unless he comes with pleasure and free will, so no one can drive you there. If you do it for the sake of the commandment, so that you may be obedient to the pope, you do wrong. It is still going on in the world, that everyone runs to it only because it is commanded; therefore this time is rightly called the week of torture, that in it the consciences are tortured and tormented, that it is a lamentation, with harm and destruction of souls, and Christ himself is tortured much more shamefully than when he hung on the cross. Therefore, let us lift up our hands and thank God that He has given us such light. For even though we do not bear much fruit and improve ourselves, we still have a right mind. So it is much better to stay away from confession and the sacrament than to go to them unwillingly, so that our consciences remain unburdened.
8 So now we say of secret confession that no one is forced to do it;
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But still it is advisable and good, for the sake of this cause. For wherever and however often you can hear God's word, you should not despise it, but accept it with heartfelt eagerness. Now God has let His word go out through the whole world so that it fills every corner, so that wherever you go you will find God's word everywhere. Now when I preach the forgiveness of sins, I preach the right gospel. For the summa of the gospel is this: Whoever believes in Christ shall have his sins forgiven. Thus, a Christian preacher can never open his mouth; he must pronounce absolution. So the priest does above the altar when he says: Pax vobis, peace be with you; that is, I proclaim to you from God that you have peace and forgiveness of sins through Christ; that is also the gospel and the absolution. So also the words, so that he makes the sacrament: This is my body, which is given for you; this is my blood, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins etc. If therefore I should say, I will not confess, because I have the word in the sacrament; I should do as if someone said, I will not hear a sermon either; let the gospel resound and ring without ceasing through the mouths of all Christians. Therefore, wherever and whenever you can hear it, accept it with joy, lift up your hands and thank God that you can hear it everywhere.
(9) Therefore, when thou goest to confession in secret, thou shalt not take so much heed to thy confession as to the priest's word; and thus divide it. One is that which thou sayest; the other is that which he saith that heareth thee. That which thou doest thou shalt not think much of, but take heed to that which he saith unto thee, that he preacheth unto thee the forgiveness of sins in God's stead. Here it is the same, that he is a priest and in the office to preach, or otherwise a Christian: the word, which he speaks, is not his, but God's word; and God also holds about it as firmly as if he himself spoke. So he has put his holy word in every corner. Because we find it everywhere, we should receive it with great thanksgiving and not turn to the wind.
10. for in confession you also have this
Advantage, as in the sacrament, that the word is placed on your person alone. For in the sermon it flies into the congregation, and even though it strikes you, you are not so sure of it; but here it can strike no one but you alone. But shouldn't you be heartily glad if you knew a place where God wanted to speak to you Himself? Yes, if we wanted to hear an angel speak, we would probably run to the end of the world. But are we not great, wretched and ungrateful people, who do not hear what is said to us? The Scriptures testify that God speaks through us, and that it is as valid as if He spoke personally with His mouth; as when Christ says Matth. 18, 20: "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them"; item Joh. 20, 23: "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." God Himself gives absolution, just as He baptizes the child. And you want to say that confession is not necessary? For even though you hear it in the sacrament, you should not reject it, especially because, as has been said, it concerns you alone.
You also have the advantage that you can tell all your faults in confession and get advice about them. And if there were no other reason, and God did not speak there Himself, I would still not like to do without it for the sake of this piece, so that I can open up to my brother here and complain about what is wrong with me. For it is a miserable thing when the conscience is weighed down and lies in anguish, and knows neither counsel nor comfort. Therefore it is a noble and comforting work that two come together and one gives counsel, help and comfort to the other, and it is done in a fine brotherly and loving way: one discovers his illness, and the other heals his wounds. Therefore I would not do without it for the good of all the world. Although it should not be commanded, lest one make a conscience of it, as if one had to confess before going to the sacrament; yet one should never despise it, you cannot hear God's word too much, nor form it so deeply in the heart, it is still much better.
(12) Therefore I have said that the two, confession and absolution, which thou hearest, should be separated, that thou shouldest have the greatest regard for absolution, and not go to confession for the sake of the commandment, nor because thou wouldest do a good work by thy confession, and as if sins should be forgiven thee for its sake; but only because thou hearest the word of God and receivest comfort therefrom. Then reach out your ears, and let it come to you, as God speaks through man, and forgives your sin; to this then belongs faith. Our confession has hitherto been: when people were absolved, so many works were laid upon them, that they should do enough for sin; this should be called absolved, so that it is first bound. Sin is to be all gone through absolution; so they first impose on them to do enough for it, and thus force people from faith and absolution to their works. So they should have taught: Behold, the word that I say unto thee in God's stead, thou must take with a right faith. If thou canst not have faith, let thy confession stand; but not so that thou shouldest not go, if thy faith were too weak, and there ask for comfort and strength. If thou canst not believe, complain also to thy brother to whom thou wilt confess, saying, I feel well that I need confession and absolution, but find myself too cold and weak in faith for it. For to whom will you confess your affliction but to your God? But where can you find him but in your brother? he can strengthen and help you with words. That is rightly confessed, and God would that the whole world were only so far broken that everyone confessed that he could not believe!
(13) Let this be said of confession, that it should be all free, that is, that one should come to confession without being impelled by oneself. But what should one confess? Our preachers have given us many examples of the five senses, seven deadly sins, ten commandments, etc., to confuse our consciences. But this is how it should be, that you feel beforehand what weighs you down, and the sins that bite you the most and thereby weigh down your conscience.
590 n-173-175. sermon on confession and the sacrament. W. xi, eos-Ms. 591
You shall present them to your brother and confess them. Therefore you must not search long and search for all sins; only take before you those that occur to you and say, "Thus I am infirm and fallen, so I desire comfort and good counsel. For confession shall be brief. And if something comes to your mind that you have forgotten, you should not let it go astray; for you did not do it as if it were a good work and as if you had to do it, but so that you might be strengthened by absolution. Therefore, one should not worry about it, even though the sins are forgotten; if they are forgotten, they are still forgiven; for God does not look at how well you have confessed, but at His word and how you believe in it. Nor is absolution to the effect that some sins should be forgiven and some not; but it is a free sermon proclaiming to you that God is gracious to you. But if God is merciful to you, then all sins must be forgiven. Therefore, keep only to absolution and not to your confession; if you have forgotten something or not, let it go: as much as you believe, so much is forgiven you. Thus one must always defy sin and an evil conscience at the word of God.
II. the other part.
Fourteenthly, we must speak further of the holy sacrament. Before we said that no one should be forced to take it [for a certain time *], but should be left free; about this we still have to speak of both forms. So I said before that we should not henceforth give one form; whoever wants to have the Sacrament, let him go and get it. For we have now preached and practiced it long enough that it is not to be supposed that there is anyone who has not been able to understand it; but if anyone is still too coarse, or wants to be so weak that he cannot grasp it, we let him go, it is just as well that he stay away from it. If anyone should hear God's word for so long and let himself be taken in hand
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and yet always say, I do not understand: that would not be a good sign; for it is not possible that you should hear it so long and yet not be enlightened. Because you remain blind, it is better that the sacrament not be given to you. If you cannot grasp the Word, which is bright, clear and certain, do not grasp the Sacrament either. The sacrament would be nothing if the word were not. So then it has gone out into the world through and through, so that even those who are against it know it. But because they are not weak, but hardened and hardened, and set their minds against it, and yet hear that we prove our doctrine so clearly with the Scriptures, that they can neither answer nor oppose it, but remain with their Roman church, wanting to force us to follow them; therefore it is no longer valid to yield or suffer, because they want to defy us, and have a right to what they teach and do; so we want to take both forms, precisely because they want to resist us. Therefore, there is no more anger to be seen in these people. But if there were a place where the gospel was not heard, it would be just and Christian to make oneself even with the weak for a time, as we did at the first, when this thing was new. Now, however, because one sets himself against it and wants to deceive it by force, it no longer applies.
(15) It is also a good thing that God thus rules and ordains that this sacrament should not be without persecution, for he has instituted it to be the watchword and sign of Christianity, so that we may be known. For if we did not have it, we could not know where and which Christians were, and where the gospel produced fruit. But when one goes to the sacrament, one sees who they are who have heard the gospel; according to this one can also judge whether they live a Christian life. So this is a mark by which we are known, so that we also confess God's name, that we are not ashamed of His word. If now the pope sees that I go to the sacrament and take both forms according to the Gospel, then the testimony is there that I want the Gospel.
If he then begins to be angry and wants to strangle me, then it will be just as it was in the first Christianity, when the Christians also confessed God by this sign. Our bishops have forbidden both forms, [against Christ's order and command. *] If we now want to confess Christ, we must go and take both forms, so that it may be known that we are Christians and hold above the word of God. If we are choked about it, we shall suffer it; God will restore us to life abundantly enough. Therefore it is right that we should be persecuted for this; otherwise, if it were in honor, there would be no right confession. But so we remain in a right condition, that we have to wait for shame and disgrace, and even death, for the sake of the Lord, as it happened in the first church.
Sixteenth further, I said that it was not enough that thou shouldest go to the sacrament, but that thou shouldest be sure and know a protection for thyself, that thou mightest show cause and reason that thou doest right; that thou mightest be armed if thou wert attacked, and mightest protect thyself from the devil and the world with the word of God. Therefore you cannot go on the faith of another; for you must believe for yourself as well as I do; for you must also contend as well as I do. Therefore, above all things, you must know well the words that Christ instituted this sacrament, namely these:
On the night that Jesus was betrayed, he took the bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, "Take, eat; this is my body, which is given for you; this do in remembrance of me. In like manner also he took the cup after they had supped, and gave thanks, and gave it unto them, saying, Drink ye all of it; this is the cup of the new and everlasting testament, in my blood, which is shed for you for the remission of sins: as often as ye drink it, do it in remembrance of me.
These are words that neither they nor the devil can deny; we must stand on them. And let them gloss it over as they wish.
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If we do this, we have God's word clearly, which says: "The bread is Christ's body, given for us, and the cup of his blood, poured out for us. This is what he tells us to do, that we may remember him; so the pope has commanded that it should not be done in this way. Yes, they say, we are laymen and err, we do not understand and cannot interpret. So we say again: It is as much ours to interpret as theirs; for we are commanded to believe in God, and to confess the faith, and to keep all the commandments of God, as they are. For we have the very God they want to have. How then shall we believe, and not know nor understand His word? Since I am commanded to believe, I must know the words that I am to believe, for how can I believe without words? For this I must also stand firm on them, and know how to protect myself with them, and refute what is thrown out against them. So you can shut them up and close their mouths: My faith must ever be as good as yours, therefore I must ever have and know the word as well as you. As if here the evangelist says: "Jesus took the cup and gave it to the disciples, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood of the New Testament, which is being poured out for you'" etc. These words are ever clear enough, and is no one so gross as not to understand what is said, "Receive and drink ye all of it, which is the cup of the New Testament in my blood" etc. Therefore we say: Except they teach us that to drink is called something else, as the whole world is called: so we hold that we should all drink of the cup. Now let it be contrary to what may be, custom or concilia; but we say that God is older and greater than all things.
18. Item, these words are also clear: "This do in remembrance of me." Here tell me, who shall remember the Lord? Is it said to the priests alone, and not to all Christians? But what is his thought but to preach of him and confess him? If we are all to remember the Lord, then it must be given to us to take both, to eat of the bread and to drink of the cup: no one can ever deny this. Therefore it does not help,
that you put a lid on it and say that we should not know the words. If we are not to know, what are you doing? If you want to be a shepherd, you should be there to instruct and preach to me, and so you must confess your own shame with the lazy theidings and bite your own tongue that you may speak so brazenly against the truth.
(19) Thus you see how the words of the sacrament are to be grasped and held securely, for there is power in them all; we must all know them, understand them, and cling to them with faith, so that we can defend ourselves with them and beat back our enemies. If then thou wilt go to the sacrament, hear the words, and consider that there is the treasure, on which thou shalt stand and rely; for they shall be spoken unto thee. Matth. 26, 26. 28.: "My body is given; my blood is poured out," says Christ. To what end? That thou alone shouldest eat and drink it? No, but "for the forgiveness of sins". That is what you are concerned with; and everything else that happens and is said here is for the sole purpose of forgiving your sins. But if it is to be for the forgiveness of sins, it must also be good to overcome death. For where sin is gone, death is gone, and hell with it; where these are gone, all calamity is gone, and all blessedness must be there.
020 There is the great treasure, look up, and leave off the foolish work, that the high schools may go about and be troubled, how the body of Christ is there, and hid under such a small form; put such a miracle out of sight, and cleave unto the word, and seek to have the benefit and fruit of the sacrament, even this, that thy sins may be forgiven thee. Therefore, you must prepare yourself so that the words may strike you. This happens when you feel that your sin bites you and frightens you, that you are tempted by the flesh, the world and the devil. Here you are angry and impatient, now the avarice and worry of food etc. is attacking you; that you have many impulses without ceasing, and sometimes also rough pieces run along, that you fall down and
the soul is wounded; then you are a poor, miserable man, afraid of death, despondent and unable to rejoice; it is time and reason enough for you to go and confess and complain of your distress to God, saying: Lord, you have instituted the sacrament of your body and blood for this purpose, and have left it for us, that we might find forgiveness of sin; so I feel that I am in need of it: I have fallen into sin and am in fear and despair, I am not bold to confess your word, I have so many and so many infirmities; therefore I come now that you may heal me, comfort me and strengthen me etc.
(21) For this reason I have said that the sacrament should not be given to anyone who knows beforehand that this is the case for him, namely, that he should say what he lacks and then seek strength and comfort through the word and the sign. Whoever then cannot use it, let him stay away from it, and do not do as those do who torture themselves so much at this time when they go to the sacrament, and yet do not at all miss what they do. When you have taken the sacrament, go on and practice your faith. The sacrament serves this purpose, so that you can say: "I have publicly confessed that my sins are forgiven, and I have taken the public sign in my mouth; I can testify to this, just as I have publicly confessed it before the devil and all the world. Now when death and an evil conscience assail thee, thou canst stand upon it and defy the devil and sin, and so strengthen thy faith and make thy conscience glad against God, and so be improved from day to day, since otherwise thou remainest tragic and cold, and the more thou withdrawest thyself, the more clumsy thou becomest. But if you feel that you are clumsy, weak and without faith, where else will you get strength but here? If you wait until you become pure and strong, you will never get it, and the sacrament is of no use to you.
(22) This would be the proper use of the sacrament, so that consciences would not be tormented, but comforted and rejoiced. For God did not give it to be a poison and torture that one should be afraid of it;
as we have done through unlearned teaching, as if we should sacrifice our piety to God, and have hidden the words that are given to us for comfort and salvation, to strengthen the conscience, to refresh it, to make it joyful and free from all unhappiness. So it should be understood, and the sacrament should be regarded in no other way than that in it there is sweet grace, consolation and life. To those it is a poison and death, who go to it impudently, feeling no weakness, infirmity, or need that should drive them to it, as if they were pure and pious before. But there are those who recognize their infirmities, feel that they are not pious, and yet would like to become pious. So it is only because of such feelings; for we are all infirm and sinners, but we do not all confess it.
(23) Enough has been said about how to prepare for and keep the sacrament, to exercise and strengthen faith through the words in the sacrament that the body and blood were given and poured out for us for the forgiveness of sin. By which words is sufficiently indicated and expressed all the benefit, fruit, and use of the Sacrament, inasmuch as we partake of it for ourselves. The other part, which follows from the first, is called Christian love, which should also be respected. For we also owe it to ourselves to let the benefit and fruit of the sacrament appear, and to be able to prove that we have received it usefully. Now we see that it is received throughout the world in so many masses; but where do we see any fruit that follows?
(24) Now this is the fruit, that we may eat and drink again, as we have eaten and drunk the body and blood of the Lord Christ, and also speak these words to our neighbor: Receive, eat, and drink; that it be not a mockery, but an earnest, that thou shouldest give thyself with all thy life, as Christ did in these words with all that he is; as though he should say, Here am I myself, which am given for thee, the treasure I give thee; whatsoever I have, that thou shalt have also; if thou lack, I also shall lack; there hast thou my righteousness, and life, and salvation, that thou shalt not lack, but thou shalt not lack.
sin, nor death, nor hell, nor all misfortunes: as long as I am righteous and alive, so long shalt thou also be righteous and alive. He speaks such words to us; we must also grasp them and speak them to our neighbor, not only with our mouths, but also with our actions; namely, "Behold, my dear brother, I have received my Lord, who is mine, and now I have enough left and all fullness; now you also take what I have; all this shall be yours, and I will also present it for you; if it is necessary that I should die for you, I will also do it. This goal is set for us here in this sacrament, so that such proof may appear in us toward our neighbor.
(25) But it is true that we will not be able to become so perfect that one may put soul, body, goods and honor for the other; we still live in the flesh, which is so deeply rooted in us that we cannot give this sign and proof so purely. For the sake of this lack, Christ also instituted the sacrament as an exercise, so that we might get what we lack here; for what else will you do if you do not find it in yourself? You must also complain to him and say: "Behold, this is what I lack: you give yourself to me so abundantly and superfluously, but I cannot do the same to my neighbor; I complain to you, and ask that I may become so rich and so strong that I may also do it. And though it is impossible for us to become so perfect, yet we should sigh for it, and if we lack it, not despair, if such desire remains in us that we would gladly do it.
(26) But this is not the least part of love or devotion, if I can give away my pride. I can give my neighbor temporal goods and bodily service with my toil and labor; I can also serve him with teaching and intercession; item, that I seek him home and comfort him when he is sick or afflicted; feed him when he hungers; redeem him when he is imprisoned etc.: but this is the greatest of all, if I can bear my neighbor's weakness. But there will be a lack among us, that we will not be able to do it fully, as Christ did. He
is the pure bright sun, in which there is no mist; on the other hand, our light is barely lit as a straw against this sun. There is a glowing oven full of fire and perfect love; it is still satisfied if we only light a candle and stand a little as if we wanted to let love shine and burn. Now this is the lack that we all see and feel among ourselves. Let no one judge and say: This is not Christ; but behold, as he did in the gospel, when he so often causeth his disciples to err and stumble, and thereby maketh his wisdom to yield unto their foolishness, and to minister unto them; not condemning them, but tolerating their weakness, and saith unto them Joh. 13:7, 33, "Whither I go, ye cannot now come;" item, to Petro, "What I do, that now knowest thou not." Through such love He gives His righteousness, judgment, power, vengeance and punishment, and the right He has over us and our sin. He might well condemn us for our foolishness, but he does no more than say, "You do wrong, you know nothing;" but he does not cast us away, but comforts us. Therefore I say that it is not a small example of love that one can carry his neighbor when he is weak in faith or in love.
(27) Again, we are not permitted, though Christ deal so kindly with his disciples, that we should therefore approve of weakness or sin. For afterwards he says to Petro, "What I do now, you will know only later. Then he alone gave time to weakness and bore it. As if to say, "I will bear the lack of understanding and weak faith for your sake and spare you, provided you remain in this knowledge, so that you will still have to go far and think that you want it later; not that you will become lazy and too sure.
(28) Therefore, when we have received the sacrament, we should not let ourselves be sluggish, but be diligent and careful to increase in love and to take care of our neighbor's needs, and to reach out to him when he is in need and in need of help. If you do not do this, you are not a Christian, or ever a weak Christian, even though you are
you boast that you have received the Lord with all that he is in the sacrament.
29. But if you want to be sure whether you have gone to the sacrament fruitfully, you cannot do better than to be careful how you show yourself to your neighbor. You must not think about how much devotion you have had, or how good the words taste in your heart. They may be good thoughts, but they are not certain and you can miss them. But by this thou shalt be sure that he is strong in thee, that thou mayest take heed how thou standest against thy neighbor. If, then, you find that the words and the sign or sacrament soften and move you, that you are kind to your enemy, and take care of your neighbor, and help him to bear his sorrow and suffering, then it is right. Otherwise, if you do not do this, you will remain uncertain, even if you enjoy the sacrament a hundred times a day with great devotion, so that you also weep with joy; for such strange devotion before God is nothing, which is as dangerous as it is good. Therefore we must above all be sure of ourselves, as St. Peter says, 2 Peter 1:10: "Work diligently to establish your profession by good works." The Word and Sacrament are indeed certain in themselves, for God Himself testifies about them with all the angels and pious people; but it is still lacking in you whether you also give the same testimony. Therefore, even if all the angels and the whole world testify of you that you have taken the sacrament usefully, it is still much weaker than the testimony that you yourself give. But you cannot come to this, you only look at your being, whether it shines forth and has worked in you and produced fruit.
030 If then the fruit will not follow, and thou feelest that thou remainest as before, and takest not thyself unto thy neighbor, thou hast cause to stand therein otherwise: for it is no good sign. Peter also had to hear it, who was pious and wanted to die for Christ and do miracles. But how will you do it? If you still feel evil desire, anger, impatience, etc. then you have a need that drives you and hunts you to the Lord Christ, so that you can tell him.
You complain and say: I go to the sacrament and still remain without fruit. I have received such a great treasure, which remains lying and resting with me, I complain to you. If you have given me this treasure and bestowed it upon me, then grant that it may also bear fruit and create another being in me, that it may prove itself and show itself to my neighbor. If you now try a little to prove yourself, then you will become stronger and stronger and break out more and more every day.
For this life is nothing else than a life of faith, love and the holy cross. But these three are never perfected in us, because we live on earth, and no one has them perfected but Christ alone; who is the sun, and is given to us and set for us as an example, whom we also must imitate. Therefore there are always found among us some that are weak, and some that are strong, and some still stronger; these can suffer little, and others much; and so must all abide in the likeness after Christ. For this life is such a walk, in which one continues always from faith to faith, from love to love, from patience to patience, and from cross to cross. It is not righteousness, but justification: we have not yet come where we ought; but we are all on the way and in the way, and some are further and further along. God is pleased to find us in work and purpose. If he wills, he comes soon and strengthens faith and love, and sets us from this life to heaven in a moment. But because we live on earth, we must always carry one another as Christ carried us, so that none of us may be complete.
(32) Christ not only presented this to us in his own example and word, but also in the form of the sacrament, namely, in the bread and wine. We believe that under the bread and wine is the true body and blood of Christ, as it is. There we see differently and believe differently, in which faith is prefigured. For when we hear the word and take the sacrament, we have a bad word and work; nor do we take hold of the true body and blood of Christ.
we see in it the life and all good, in addition also God himself. So also love is depicted in these signs and figures. First, in the bread; for if the grains lie in a heap and are not crushed, each one is its own body and is not mixed with the others; but if they are crushed together, they all become one body. The same happens in wine. If the berries are not squeezed, each keeps its own shape, but if they are squeezed, they all flow together and become one drink. So that one can no longer say that the flour was in this grain, or the droplet in this berry; for each has crept into the other's form, and thus has become One Bread and One Drink. Thus St. Paul also interpreted 1 Cor. 10:17: "We many are one bread and one body, all of us partakers of one bread." We eat the Lord through the faith of the Word, which the soul takes and enjoys. So my neighbor eats me again: I give him my goods, body and life, and all that I have, and let him enjoy it all and use it for all his needs. Item, so I may my neighbor again, am also poor and miserable, and let him help and serve me again. Thus we are bound together, that one may help another, as Christ has helped us; which spiritually is called eating and drinking one another.
(33) Let this be said in addition to the sacrament, when we have gone, that we should then have regard for love, so that we may be sure for ourselves whether we have fruitfully received the sacrament, and may be able to prove the same also to others, lest we run to it, and yet always remain as before. Therefore, as I have said, we should give of our own devotion and thoughts to the nature of our neighbor and take the mirror before us, so that we may be serious about it. The sacrament should deal with us in such a way that it changes us and makes other people; for the words and works of God do not want to be idle, but to accomplish great things, namely, that we may become free and rid of sins, death and the devil, and that we may protect ourselves from no one.
Fear this thing, and yet again become servants of the very least man on earth, and not complain at all about it, but be glad that we may find someone who may help us, and let us be afraid that we have so much good and should not invest it.
34 If the sacrament does not accomplish this, it is to be feared that it will do harm. But even if it is not quite powerful, one should not throw away the imperfect and weak, but only those who are lazy and insolent, and think that it is enough that they have run and fetched the sacrament. You must become different and prove yourself, then you can feel through the sign that God is with you, then your faith will be certain and secure. For you can
I wonder if you will ever become more joyful and bold than you were before. Before, when we heard of death and thought of sin, the world wanted to become too narrow for us: now we no longer feel this, so it is not our own strength; because before we could not get there, since we also put more effort into it and wanted to help ourselves with works. Item, so you can also feel whether you are kind to the one who has harmed you, and have mercy on the one who is sick. So you can feel whether it produces fruit in you through your own life. If you do not feel this, then complain to God about your lack and need; as we must all do throughout our lives, since, as we have said, no one is perfect. That is enough for this time.