Second Sermon.
(1) This gospel sets before us two things, by which it exhorts to believe and strengthens faith. First, it shows that those who believe in Christ are also provided for by him in time and in bodily need, and have enough. Then, that he wants to help them much more in spiritual needs, so that he shows this to us in deed, as St. Paul 1 Tim. 4:8 says: "Godliness is useful for all things, for it has the power of healing.
*) This sermon is found only in d. D. Red.
The promise of both this life and the life to come"; just as the Scriptures are full of both promises everywhere.
He confirms the faith of temporal and physical help in that he gives St. Peter and his companions such a great fishing expedition, after they have tried all night in vain, caught nothing, and now can no longer provide or hope to catch anything. But he hereby keeps this order and rule, which he himself gave and taught Matth. 6, 33: "Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, so
the other will all be thrown at you." He follows this saying here and proves it by example and experience, when the people attack him with crowds to first hear his word, so that he must step off the land into the ship and preach to them. But since he has taught them, he will also continue to provide them with the necessities of life, because they suffer need and want.
(3) For though he came not for this, nor preacheth that he would take care of the belly, and supply it; yet he forgetteth not the same, when they seek his kingdom before. Therefore he takes care of the poor fishermen who have caught nothing with their toil and labor all night, but because they have lent him the little ship and let him preach and listen, he also provides them with such a rich haul without their worry and before they ask for it, so that they are taught enough and can well understand that they have such a master in him who cares for them and will not leave them if they cling to his word and remain his disciples.
(4) That he may also comfort his church, or people of the faithful, that he may provide for them, that they may yet find food and a place to dwell on the earth, though they be persecuted and cast out from all quarters, and be uncertain of their place and sustenance in the world; as, besides this and similar examples, many beautiful sayings say, such as Ps. 34:11: "The rich go hungry and starve, but those who fear the Lord have no lack"; and Ps. 33:18, 19: "The eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him, who hope in his goodness to deliver their souls from death, and to feed them in affliction"; item Prov. 10:3: "The Lord does not let the soul of the righteous go hungry" etc.
(5) He especially shows by this example how it is with those who are to give and help, and the way in which he is to give and help, namely, where it is like with these fishermen, where they have worked all night, and yet all effort and labor is lost, and no human counsel nor help can be hoped for any longer; as then Christianity is daily confronted by various
For without such trials, toil and labor, it is not possible, and must come to that, if Christ is to help, that there is despair of human counsel, comfort and ability: He comes with his help and thus proves that he still has and can give comfort, counsel, protection and salvation where we are lacking everywhere, and everything we have done, suffered and are still able to do is called nothing and lost; yes, that he also gives and helps more and more abundantly in such lack and inability than one could always accomplish with human strength, art and help.
(6) Again, he also shows that he does not want to forbid or to slacken the work and deeds that we are commanded to do; but he himself also calls his disciples to practice their craft, because he says: "Go up to the heights and do fishing. And so both are delicately set together and guarded, so that our works and deeds do not succeed.
7. For if labor and toil had helped them, they would have done it all night, and helped more, since they did more (and hoped to catch something sooner, since it was quiet and dark) than they do now, since Christ calls them to cast the net in the light of day, and yet felt so superfluous in one move on Christ's word; so that everyone may see and learn from this that work and toil never feed a man, no matter how great and unswerving it may be, but God's blessing and grace, and that it remains so, as they say in German: GOtt hat berathen; item: GOtt bescheret über Nacht; which sayings have come down to us from old pious people who have experienced such things well. As daily experience still shows, that many a man lets himself become bloody with anxious, hard work, and yet hardly earns his bread with it, and never gets out of debt and distress; while another, who does well and does not overdo himself, gets it abundantly and has it flowing to him, so that one must say: It is not because of the work, but because of God's counsels; as also the 127th Psalm v. 2 says: "God has counsels. Psalm v. 2. says, "To whom it is granted, it is given in sleep," as if to say, "It is in vain for you to labor day and night for this reason.
You will worry and toil until you bring about what belongs in a house, which may be a lot, but it is not in your hands and work, and nothing will come of it unless God Himself is the father of the house and gives it, that it may be called, given overnight; as the grain and all food on earth, yes, everything that all men may have or acquire, must be given by God.
8 For he proves this also in the case of the ungodly and unbelievers, how he lets many a wicked man, who has no regard for God, yet fill his house and yard, even showering them with temporal goods before others: not out of or from their toil and labor, but out of pure blessing; as also the 17th Psalm v. 14. says of such: De absconditis tuis repletus est venter eorum: "Save me from the people of this world," he says, "who have their portion in this life, whom you fill in the belly with your treasure," that is, with such goods as are your divine hidden treasures, of which no one knows where they come from, nor have them in his power, nor can create them for himself, but which alone are bestowed and given by you.
(9) By this Christ wants to provoke and strengthen Christians to faith, and to feed the sorrowful unbelief with its fruit, which is especially avarice and anxious care for the belly and this temporal life, which naturally clings to man as an inherent plague, which stirs and rages in the flesh with lusts of unbelief against the Spirit, as St. Paul Gal. 5:17 says. Paul says in Gal. 5, 17; and the devil hinders faith with his temptations and injections of distrust and doubt in God, and also the world with hatred, envy and persecution of the pious, whom it desires for good, honor, life and limb, and even wants to wipe its feet against them. On the other hand, I say, we see here both the power and the benefit of faith, which holds to Christ's word and rests on it; as St. Peter does here, saying, "Though we have labored all night, and have caught nothing, yet upon thy word will I cast the net." It is this faith that makes such a haul, so that he fills both ships; for without it he would neither have cast the net nor pulled a fish.
(10) Again, Scripture shows everywhere what harm is done by the avarice and care of unbelief, for it certainly cannot obtain anything from God that would be useful or comforting and blessed, and only deprives itself of God's blessing, so that it cannot be satisfied or glad of the bodily goods it desires, and cannot have a good or peaceful conscience. Therefore also Christ Matth. 13, 22. The care of this food is called thorns, before which the word of God cannot come to strength nor to fruit; and St. Paul interprets what these thorns are, 1 Tim. 6, 9. 10. and says: "Those who want to become rich fall into temptation and snares, and many foolish and harmful lusts, which sink men into ruin and damnation. For covetousness is a root of all evil, which some have lusted after, and have gone astray from the faith, and cause themselves much pain" etc.
(11) First of all, consider what good faith brings and creates. For in addition to having God's grace and blessing, faith also has the promise that it will have enough to meet its needs, and will make its heart good, calm and joyful, so that it may well be called the root of all good. Again, that unbelief with its worries and avarice shall also have this as a reward, that it is not improved by it, but must fall into various snares through many harmful lusts and desires, through which it gains nothing but eternal destruction, that it is also nothing but a root, since all misfortune follows from it.
12 These two things can be seen in the world, that those who are content with what God has given them have peace and quiet, go about their lives cheerfully and in good spirits, and still have their livelihood and need, so that they themselves must say: I have never gone to bed hungry in an evening; although it looks as if they have to suffer sorrow and lack, as happened here in St. Petro. They have this benefit, because they trust God and believe that they must not eat and scratch themselves with the thorns of belly care, nor hide and spoil themselves in them, but sit as among the roses in the garden of pleasure; as Solomon also says Prov. 15:15:
"A good courage is a daily prosperity. But the others, who put themselves under these thorns of covetousness and seek great good, have this also, that they are pricked and scratched for it, and must fall not only into various temptations and dangers, which would still be merciful, if it remained so; but also come into the ropes, so that they are caught, and so that they sink for it both into temporal and bodily ruin and eternal damnation, from which they cannot come again.
(13) Behold the daily examples of the people who also want to be Christians and boast of the gospel, how everywhere there is robbery, plundering, treasuring, usury, etc.., that even for the sake of a penniless penny they put God and their conscience aside; and as if that had not fallen low enough, they strengthen themselves and continue with defiance and iniquity, until they sink to the point that they also become hostile to God's word and cannot hear or see, and are so wretched and cursed that they cannot serve any state, nor can they do anything wholesome and good or useful that anyone might enjoy or be improved; they only cause harm, misfortune and misery to the land and the people. All this comes from that, says St. Paul, where one only seeks how to become rich.
For such miserliness and worries certainly come with it, since one wants to go high, to be great and mighty, and miserliness only wants to snatch everything to itself; it begins at first: If only I had this house, this field, this castle, this village, etc., and it grows and grows, and becomes a dragon's tail that pulls everything after it. And once avarice has taken hold, it daily brings a hundredfold anxiety to obtain more goods and money; there man's heart rages and waltzes with innumerable insatiable lusts and desires, which serve nowhere but his own destruction, and are only fruits of the fact that man has fallen from faith from one temptation and snare to another. For it is such a harmful plague that possesses man so completely that he can do nothing good or useful in his office or position, and never thinks to serve either God or people.
After that, when he has gathered much, he has no less trouble and worry how to keep and defend himself: he must try to get favor, friendship, and seek all kinds of ways so that he does not lose what is his; he falls into hatred, envy, and all kinds of troubles, from which he cannot escape, and there is nothing there, neither vain trouble and pain, as St. Paul says, of conscience, nor a loud hell, into which he has led himself. All this entails the sorrowful misfortune of the miser, who, without faith in God, thinks only to get rich by himself; for the plague and curse has already been pronounced upon him, that he can never have enough, and must have all misfortune and heartache in addition to that, which he has striven for to his eternal ruin and damnation.
(16) We see by daily experience what a shameful, cursed vice avarice is and what harm it does, especially in high offices and ranks, ecclesiastical and secular. For where the devil of avarice possesses the heart of a priest or preacher, that he only seeks how he may bring great goods before himself, as the rest of the world does: he is already thrown into the devil's jaws, like Judas the betrayer, that he might betray Christ with his word and his church even for the sake of a penny. How the pope, in order to maintain and strengthen his rule and wealth, introduced all kinds of idolatry and public abominations by force under the name of God and the church, and gradually led the souls to the devil in droves, in addition to which he drove the people with the false terror of his ban in such a way that no one was allowed to speak a word against it.
17) How harmful it is in the worldly government, when lords and princes are also entered with the shameful vice, and seek to snatch everything to themselves alone, forgetting their princely office, how they should help lands and people, because they are lords, that they may be praised and loved with honor and praise of all people, as fathers of their lands and people; do not pay attention to how God's word is promoted, the churches and schools are provided and supplied, and the people are taught rightly, or how the subjects are taught.
They let poor parish lords with their children, widows and orphans suffer injustice, violence and misery, meanwhile they deal with their registers and only seek where they can get money from, so that they can extend their excessive and useless expenses and splendor; And because there is nothing enough for them to do so, they exploit and exploit their poor subjects to the hilt, until they have led themselves into such trouble and hardship that they have to impoverish and ruin their lands and their people; or if they have already ambitious a lot and think they are well off, then, in order to carry out their plan, they get involved in all kinds of strange dealings and things, so that they finally end up in trouble and ruin as a punishment.
18. What a terrible plague and ruin is now being wrought on Germany by the shameful, cursed usury alone, which has taken such overbearing proportions everywhere that there is no defense nor taxation here, because even those who should defend it are in it themselves: since only everyone who is able to do so sucks the others dry with his money, and thereby puts God and conscience behind, and thus knowingly runs to hell with an evil self-condemned conscience, and brings upon himself the curse that has already been pronounced on the grievous avarice, that they should not enjoy their usurped wealth with peace and tranquility; but must either come to it themselves through God's punishment, or not be enough for their heirs. For it is for this reason that God's wrath and terrible punishment must fall upon such unchristian beings, as we, alas, have long deserved, and God is already sending us to the door with the Turk and other terrible plagues, so that He Himself may punish the unchristian beings by force, because we do not want to listen to His word and admonition.
(19) A believing heart can run away and escape from all these, if it lives in its state with a good conscience and fear of God, and is satisfied with what God has given it in peace and quiet; does not put itself in danger of temptation and snares, must not trouble itself with worries and fear, nor bite and scratch with other people through quarrels, quarrels, envy and hatred, and is a fine one,
blessed, useful man, who can serve and help many, and has favor and blessing with God and the people, so that his children's children will also have good and honor.
20 This example of the gospel should teach and admonish us, so that we may learn to believe and thus also come to experience such faith, that God provides for His Christians and gives them enough so that they may not afflict and condemn themselves with their care and stinginess. However, as I said in the beginning, one should also know where worry and avarice are forbidden, so that one should not let work stand still; as the world wants to reverse both here, as it tends to reverse all of God's word and order. It wants to worry and strive for where it can get money and goods, which is God's sole concern and which He has reserved for Himself; but it wants to let God take care of the work that it is commanded to do; indeed, it only wants to direct its worry and stinginess so that it may be relieved of the labor and sweat of its brow. Thus, God wants us to keep the work and leave the care to Him. Thus we would have done our part, and with brevity we might come to have enough without our care, with moderate and industrious labor.
21 For Christ, when he gives St. Peter and the fishermen, does not do as he might have done, that without their work and nets the fish should jump into the ship; but he tells them to go up and cast their nets, that is, to take up their trade, which they know and have learned and are accustomed to do, and to stand as fishermen. For he does not want the lazy, unfaithful idlers, who do nothing that is commanded them, and let hands and feet go. Teach then both that he will not give without our labor, and yet show us that it is not our labor's fault what we obtain, but God's counsel and blessing alone. Do the work, but do not rely on what you accomplish as if you had done it yourself.
22) In sum, our work and deeds do not create or give anything, yet they are necessary for us to receive what he gives us.
For the disciples must nevertheless put their hands to it, cast the net, and draw it where they will catch something, and stand as those who would do it: but yet confess and say that it was not their work; otherwise they might well have done it before without Christ. Therefore he lets them try and find out that they have to work all night in vain and for nothing.
This he teaches us by daily experience in all kinds of things, deeds, and government on earth: He often makes us work long and hard, so that we get tired of it, and yet do nothing with it, so that we also have to say and complain with St. Peter: "We have worked all night and caught nothing"; so that we do not rely on our work and become presumptuous, but know that he has to give it, so that it is called "crafted and given" and not made or acquired by our effort, art, or diligence.
(24) How much diligence, cost and effort father and mother often put into a son, to educate him to honor and virtue, with great hope and confidence, as if he should become, as they say, an angel, and yet, all the time, an unborn lost child comes out of it. Again, many a poor, miserable orphan, with little work and diligence, comes up and is educated, so that one has to wonder and say: It is not due to our diligence and care, but due to luck.
(25) What is the common complaint of the whole temporal government but about vain labor and toil, even where it is done in earnest, where there are people who want to rule and can rule well, and do not lack wisdom, understanding, power and authority; and yet they must learn, when they have ruled long, that they have done nothing with it. Yes, how often does it happen that the best suggestions, the wisest counsels and the most beautiful thoughts turn out in the most evil way, to harm and ruin, as the wisest rulers have always experienced and lamented such things; so that one should grasp and learn that God does not want to give happiness and prosperity through human wisdom suggestions and practices, where one wants to rely on them.
26 Therefore, the best advice would be to
The world would have a foolish, simple-minded man advise, that is, our Lord God (who has nevertheless also experienced something and knows how to govern), that each one in his office and regiment should direct his thoughts and suggestions badly so that he faithfully pursues and does in faith what he is commanded to do, and only does not put anything on his own suggestions and thoughts, but lets God take care of it; In the end, he would probably find out who does more and creates more, the one who trusts in God, or the one who wants to lead his cause out by his own wisdom and thoughts, or power and strength.
27 In the spiritual government of the church it is also like this, as it is especially shown in this history. Since I have been preaching and teaching for ten or twenty years, another may have accomplished more in one year, or one sermon may bear more fruit than many others; so that labor, diligence and effort are not sufficient, but the two must be together, so that each may do his part, and yet say with St. Peter, "My labor does not succeed unless you make it prosper. As St. Paul also says in 1 Cor. 3, 6. 7: "I planted, Apollo watered, but God gave the flourishing"; item: "He who plants is nothing, he who waters is also nothing", that is, he creates nothing with his work and effort, "but God who gives the flourishing" etc.
28. and summa, the whole human being and life is made in such a way that one must often have worked much and long in vain, until God gives prosperity to it: and yet the work shall not cease because of this, nor shall man be found without work; but from God the prosperity awaits, if he will give; as the Ecclesiastes Solomon 11, 6. says: "Sow your seed early, and do not leave your hand in the evening; for you do not know whether this or that will come to pass. etc.
29) The difference between when and where the work is useful and fruitful is also especially indicated here, namely, when Christ comes and is called to cast the net etc., that is, when there is faith that grasps his word and promise, and on it freshly and confidently
He does what he is commanded to do and waits for his help and blessing by invoking and praying. That is to say with St. Peter: Lord, I have done much, worked much, suffered much; but I know that I accomplish nothing with it, for where you yourself are present, giving strength and prosperity: therefore I will not continue on myself or my doing, but on your word, and let things be commanded to you. So it is done, and it is found in experience that where Christ is present, he gives more with little work and effort than anyone could have hoped for; for where he gives his blessing, it must not fail nor come off without little fruit.
(30) So here the disciples see and experience for themselves what a difference there is between the work they did all night before without the faith of Christ, and this, since there was no hope of catching anything, and yet now, in faith in Christ's word, it falls to them all at once. Therefore, no one can be blamed if our work and effort accomplish little or nothing, but only our unbelief or the weakness of our faith.
(31) But it is also true that Christ often delays his help and gift, as he does here and elsewhere, John 21, making the disciples work all night and catch nothing, so that it seems as if he also wants to forget his word and promise. But he also does this so that he may urge us to cry out for his help all the more strongly, and so that faith may learn to strengthen and hold fast, so that he does not doubt or cease to work, but always continues, waiting when and in what way he will give; For he will rule Christians everywhere in such a way that they must learn and experience that they will not be fed or helped by what they see or have done before their eyes, but by what is still invisible and hidden; for which reason he calls it, as said above in Psalm 17:14.His hidden treasures", that is, such blessings, help and salvation as we have not seen or grasped before, but are covered up in His word and grasped by faith.
(32) Behold, this is the first part of this gospel, for the teaching and comfort of Christians.
that Christ also provides for the bodily needs of his church, that it may be nourished and preserved, even if it comes into trouble when everything seems as if it wants to perish, and it seems as if it has done and suffered everything in vain. As it happens everywhere and at all times: where the gospel comes, it brings its poverty with it, and wants to be starved, blessed and poor; but nevertheless, at last, when the devil has made a little mess and has atoned for the world's gullet and food, Christ comes and says: "Nevertheless I am also a Lord on earth; for it is written Ps. 24:1.The earth is the Lord's, and all that is therein" etc.; item Ps. 8, 7-9: "Thou hast put all things under his feet, sheep and oxen of all kinds, and the wild beasts, and the fowls of the air, and the fish of the sea"; which must nevertheless also be obedient to this Lord, and also belong to Christ's kingdom, so that the world must nevertheless let him eat of it with his own.
33. but it must go first, as I said, hunger and lack, that is. St. Peter's empty barge and net, when they have worked long. But after such delay he gives them all the more abundantly: not a tub full (at which they were well satisfied), but the whole net and two empty ships full. Christ also does this so that faith in spiritual help may be strengthened. For this reason he shows this sign to St. Peter and the others whom he calls to the apostleship, not only so that they will believe that he will also provide for their belly, but also so that he will show his power and help for their ministry, so that it will not be in vain or without fruit.
The other part of this gospel is the high doctrine of spiritual distress and the struggle of the conscience, and what is the right consolation in it. For now that St. Peter sees this miracle of Christ and is so richly provided for, he begins to think what kind of man this man must be, and to contrast what he is. Only then does he come to great distress from this rich blessing, for he has never been in his flesh before.
He is now so poor and naked that he almost sinks to the ground in terror and calls Christ to depart from him. For he begins to feel his unworthiness and sin, and must confess himself and lament a poor sinner.
35 Here he is to become a different man himself, and greater miracles are to be performed on him than on the fishing boat; and only now does the preaching of Christ, which he did before from the boat, begin to work in him. For before he had listened to Christ like the others, but had not yet thought about what kind of person he was, nor had he thought about obtaining anything from him, either temporal or eternal, nor was he frightened by his sins. But now, when he becomes aware of the miracle and blessing, and learns through the present work what kind of man this Jesus is, he falls into the greatness of both the good and the person and his unworthiness, and is frightened because of his sins: for his heart tells him that he does not deserve such great benefits, but rather has earned wrath and disfavor from God; and he becomes afraid, not because of physical poverty, how he will be fed, for that he has now obtained; but how he will remain before God and this man, who shows such great benefits to unworthy sinful men.
This is the beginning and the way in which he wants to make St. Peter spiritually rich in eternal goods, so that he can also share them with others, even with the whole world. It is just as before, that he must first come into spiritual hunger and distress, that is, into terror and anguish of conscience, before he receives forgiveness of sins and comfort, so that both the ship and the world become too narrow for him, and he does not know where he should stay before Christ, whom he has not found terrible, but friendly and helpful.
And here you see what a poor, miserable conscience is, which begins to feel its sin rightly, how it wriggles, runs and flees before God, when He comes near to it, so that it would probably run through a hundred worlds; just as Adam also thinks to hide himself in paradise, since God speaks to him kindly in Genesis 3:9: "Adam, where are you? For such a heart and conscience is too stupid and timid, that it could also
alone and in himself, and flees even from a rustling leaf as from thunder and lightning; for he cannot bear the judgment of the law, which shows him his sin and God's eternal wrath. And it is of no use to comfort man by reproaching him for the benefits God has previously shown and done for him; instead, it frightens him much more, because he sees that he has only earned greater wrath through his ingratitude and sin.
(38) Yes, even those who have already received the comfort of Christ's grace through faith must always struggle with this temptation and terror. For the goodness and mercy is too great and abundant, and again, our heart is far too narrow and weak to be able to grasp and comprehend such great goodness and mercy in the feeling and sight of its unworthiness, but rather to be terrified of it. Therefore, God also gives us the grace to cover and conceal such things in the simple word and in great weakness.
39 But this is the unfortunate way of our nature, that wherever Christ comes to it with his grace and comfort, it shuns and flees from its Savior, whom it should run after naked and barefoot until the end of the world; it writhes and wriggles, seeks its own work, and would like to be pure and worthy enough beforehand and earn a gracious God and Christ through itself; as St. Peter means to seek peace and escape from sin by running from Christ and first wanting to find something in himself, so that he may be worthy to come to him. Peter thinks he is seeking peace and escaping from sin by running away from Christ and first wants to find something in himself, so that he will be worthy to come to him; and yet he only falls deeper into fear and trepidation until Christ pulls him out again with his word.
(40) But all this is done, and must be done, where the law alone is the doctrine and understanding, and Christ is not yet rightly or fully known through the gospel. For the knowledge of the law is naturally written and planted in the heart of every man, as St. Paul says in Romans 2:15, which teaches us what we ought to do, and blames us for our disobedience, and does this in many ways, not only with terrible signs and sensations of punishment, but also with the rebuke of the law.
God's wrath; but also from all kinds of gifts and works of God, which man sees and hears, which show him his sin and God's wrath, that he abuses them in contempt of God and disobedience; for he himself must conclude that those who are ungrateful to God for his gifts and goods are worthy of his wrath and condemnation.
41 Thus all God's benefits are vain such living sermons, where they strike a heart, of repentance, which lead man to the knowledge of his sin and thus throw him into terror, as St. Paul also says to the impenitent, hardened hypocrites: "Do you despise the riches of divine goodness, patience and long-suffering? Do you not know that God's goodness leads you to repentance?"
(42) Therefore it is nothing that our antinomians glean from this example: Let repentance be preached and done, not by the law, but by the gospel, or, as they call it, per violationem Filii (by the suffering of Christ); and they reverse the two pieces, revelationem gratiae and revelationem irae (the revelation of grace and the revelation of wrath), as if one should first preach and comfort by grace, and only then terrify with wrath: This is just blind and foolish preaching of such people, who do not understand what is either wrath or grace, repentance or consolation of consciences. It is all the preaching of the law, which preaches about our sins and God's wrath, be it as it may or when it may. Again, the gospel is such preaching, which shows and gives nothing but grace and forgiveness in Christ. Although it is true and right that the apostles and preachers of the gospel, as Christ Himself did, confirm the preaching of the law and begin with the same to those who do not yet recognize their sin, nor are terrified of God's wrath, as He says in John 16:8: "The Holy Spirit will punish the world for sin" etc. Yes, what is a more serious, more terrible display and preaching of God's wrath against sin than the suffering and death of Christ, His Son?
43. but as long as all this preaches God's wrath and terrifies man, it is still
not of the gospel nor of Christ's own preaching, but of Moses and of the law concerning the impenitent; for the gospel and Christ were not ordained nor given to terrify or condemn, but to comfort and raise up those who are terrified and stupid. And yet it follows from this that when the suffering of Christ falls right into a person's heart, he must see and feel in it the unbearable wrath of God against sin, and be frightened by it, so that the world becomes too narrow for him. As St. Bernard also testifies that it happened to him when he looked at the suffering of Christ and said: "Oh, I thought I was safe and did not know of the judgment and wrath that had passed over me until I saw that the only Son of God had to go on my behalf. For this image is so terrible that even the damned in hell will have no greater torment and feeling of God's wrath and condemnation than from this sight of the Son of God dying, which they have allowed to be lost to them; Just as Judas the betrayer, not wanting to hear the Lord Christ's friendly admonition and warning, nor to consider what he was doing to him, was at last driven into such terror by this sight that he preached the law and condemnation to himself, saying: "I have betrayed the innocent blood" etc. Matth. 27, 4.
44 Thus Peter preaches the law to himself about his sin and God's wrath, precisely because of this great good deed of Christ; for he cannot take anything from it but anger and terror because of his unworthiness toward God, for he does not yet have any other understanding in his heart than the law, which shows that God is hostile to sin and wants to punish it. But he does not yet know anything about the grace of Christ, which is given free of charge to all sinners through the gospel; nor could he have come to it, but would have had to despair in his terror, if Christ had not preached another sermon to him, so that he could comfort and direct him. For this doctrine and understanding a man cannot thus take of himself without the revelation of the Holy Spirit through the word of the Gospel.
(45) Therefore it is not right that unwise spirits should pretend that the law should not be preached in the New Testament, or that people should be terrified with God's wrath only through the gospel, if grace has been preached beforehand. For the gospel certainly does not preach wrath, nor does it lead into terror and fear; but comes only to comfort the conscience. This is the order which the Scriptures everywhere show and keep, that always before the consolation of forgiveness sin must be recognized and terror of God's wrath must be felt through the preaching or feeling of the law, so that man may be driven to groan for grace and be sent to receive the consolation of the gospel. Therefore, those who are still without all fear of God's wrath, who are secure, hard and unbroken, should only be admonished and driven to repentance most strongly with the dread and terror of it; that is, no gospel, but only the law and Moses should be preached to them.
46 Again, if there be such hearts in which the law has wrought its work, that they are terrified by the knowledge of their sins, and are blind and fugitive, there shall no more law be preached unto them, but the pure gospel and comfort shall be preached unto them. For this is actually the ministry of Christ, for which he came and preached the gospel to all poor sinners, and commanded them to believe it, that he would abolish and take away all the accusations, terrors, and oppressions of the law, and give them comfort instead; as he shows everywhere in the gospel and (Luc. 4, 18.) from the prophet Isaiah Cap. 61, 1. says: "The Spirit of the Lord is with me, therefore he hath sent me to preach the gospel, and to comfort all that mourn." Therefore I have often said that one should not let Moses rule in such consciences that are afraid in temptation and fear of God's wrath, but reject Moses with the whole law and do not want to listen to it.
(47) But this is also to be known, that the doctrine of the law, even in those who are Christians, must not be entirely abandoned; but because Christians are still so, that they still live in the flesh and blood, which is filled with sinful lusts, they are not yet Christians.
and therefore must remain in daily repentance, they still need such preaching and admonition, so that after receiving forgiveness of sin they do not become secure again, nor give place to the flesh against the Spirit, Gal. 5:13.
48 This is also the case with St. Peter. In this terror, he does not yet have any revelation or knowledge of grace and forgiveness of sins; but the revelation of wrath in him works and drives him to flee from Christ, which he would certainly not do if he knew him well. But Christ is now also at work with him, to make a true Christian out of him, and to make him know what is the right consolation of the conscience, by which the terror of the law is overcome, and which can lift a man out of the misery of sin into grace and blessedness, out of death into life, out of hell into heaven; therefore he must first also taste rightly what is the power of the law, which not Christ, but Moses, by the toe commandment, stirs up and works in his heart.
(49) Now behold how Christ so kindly comforts such a frightened heart and conscience: "Fear not," he says, "for from now on you shall see men. This is the right sweet voice of this Savior against all who are in fear because of their sin. For where such are, he will not put them further in fear and dread; but only badly removed from them all the terror of the law, and instructs them that they should not flee from him because of their sin, but rather run to him, that he may be known as the dear Savior, who comes not to cast away poor sinners from himself, but to draw them to himself, and to make them rich and blessed with comfort and help; as he also says Luc. 19:10: "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Item "Christ came into this world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief," says St. Paul 1 Tim. 1, 15.
60 Not only does he comfort the poor, frightened Petro with a kind word, so that he grants him his mercy and gives him absolution, but he also goes on to say
continues to strengthen such comfort with a great promise that he will give him much more and greater things than he received from him before, and do them with him, so that he may feel and experience his heart and love toward him. "Henceforth," saith he, "thou shalt see men." This means that he will be abundantly comforted and graced, so that he will not be frightened because of his unworthiness and sins, for he will not only have forgiveness of sins, but will know that God also wants to accomplish many greater things through him, so that he will also be comforting and helpful to others. It is too little and nothing, he will say, in the fishing that you have now done: you shall henceforth become much another fisherman, in another sea and with another net and ship; for I will place you in such an office, which shall be called catching men, that is, bringing souls, as far as the world is, out of the devil's power into God's kingdom. Then you shall become such a useful man, who can help all people as you are helped.
51 Let us therefore also from this gospel rightly know and understand Christ and the power of his consolation, that we both may comfort ourselves and others; that the consciences which are in distress and anguish may be taught and reminded not to run and flee from Christ, but rather to flee to him and wait for his consolation; for such fleeing and anguish is nothing else than to chase away from you your own salvation and happiness. For he is not there to frighten you, but to take away your sin and trouble from you; nor does he come to you and go after you to chase you away, but to draw you kindly to himself. Therefore you must not do him dishonor by driving him away from you, or by turning the comfort he brings you into terror and despair for yourself; but rather run to him with all confidence, and you will soon hear the comforting, joyful word: "Fear not," that he may speak into thy heart, and into the heart of all afflicted consciences, and absolve thee from all sins, and take away all terror; yea, that he will also more abundantly grace thee, that thou mayest be a holy, blessed, and useful man.
Become a man in his kingdom, who can also comfort other people and bring them to him, who, like you now, are also in need of comfort and grace.
52 Thus you see how man comes out of spiritual poverty and need, that is, obtains forgiveness of sins and peace of conscience, through this word of Christ, and in addition grace and increase of spiritual gifts, without any merit or worthiness of their own, but by the pure grace of Christ. Just as in the bodily miracle of the haul of fish, which they did not obtain for the sake of their labor, but were given no sooner than they had first lost their labor and toil and despaired of it. But still, just as he does not want to forbid the work there, but first tells them to cast their nets and make a haul, so he also does not want to stop the works here, even though St. Peter does not show mercy and forgiveness by doing so. Peter does not deserve grace and forgiveness with it; but since it is given for free, he nevertheless will not let him go without work and labor; yes, he first lays on him the office and work, that he should bring in other people, and gives him the comfort, because he lays out such office for him, that he will also give him strength and blessing for it; for "I," he says, "will make you a fisher of men." So both are rightly taught, the faith that earns nothing by works, and yet does all the works of its state and office according to God's word and command.
The interpretation of this story of St. Peter's fish haul was shown by Christ himself in his words: "From now on you shall see men"; that in it the spiritual regiment of the church, which stands in the ministry of preaching, is modeled. For the sea or water is the world, the fish are the people, the fist and the net with which the fish are drawn is the outward preaching office. For as the net is cast under the water, so the preaching goes among the people.
(54) But such a ministry is twofold: one which, without Christ, seeks to win men: that is the preaching of the law, which alone requires our works, and either presumptuous or unrealistic.
Holy makes, which in the wild wide water want to go free uncaught and not to come here; or which consciences, so without that are bare and weak, only frightened and chased from themselves.
(55) Therefore all the labor and toil of the whole night (of the law) is in vain and lost, until Christ comes with the other ministry, bringing with him the day and revelation of the comforting, joyful gospel, which enlightens the hearts with the knowledge of the grace of God, and then is called to cast the net and make a move. Wherever this is done by his word and command, it brings forth great and abundant fruit, for hearts are now willing and eager to come to the obedience of Christ's faith, even to press for it themselves and to lay down life and limb for it, as Christ says in Matt. 11:12: "From the time of John the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and those who do violence snatch it to themselves.
(56) This fish is so rich that one ship, which until now has been the church of the Jewish people, is not enough to bring it out and keep it alone; but they must also call on those in the other ship to help them, that is, the gathering and church out of the Gentiles, which has also been established and spread out by the apostles. And so both ships must be filled with one kind of preaching, that is, one kind of preaching and one kind of faith and confession.
(57) Above this abundance the net begins to break, and some fall out. This is what those who are not righteous still find in the Evan
They would rather sail in their own wild waters than submit to Christ; as especially among the Jews there were many who did not obey the gospel and contradicted it; and then all those who form their own sects and groups must not and cannot remain in the gathering of the church with the right group of God's people, but show themselves to be unrighteous, as St. Paul 1 Cor. 11:19 says: "They must remain in the gathering of the church with the right group of God's people, so that those who are righteous may be revealed. Paul 1 Cor. 11, 19. says: "There must be divisions and schisms, so that those who are righteous may be revealed." Therefore they must fall out, because the others are brought together out of the net, which are put into the two ships, and thus kept in the unity of the church, of the faith of Christ, so that they do not fall out again; otherwise they would be in the same danger that they would finally have to fall out with them, seduced by the other groups.
(58) And though the ministry of preaching, like the net, must suffer to walk in the water, and be wet through all the temptations and persecutions of the world, and be rent asunder, and not be able to profit and bear fruit in all: yet abundant power and fruit follow in them that remain and are kept. This is also our consolation, that we know we will not make all the people godly to whom we preach, nor will the ministry remain without persecution; indeed, many will fall out, even of those we think we have in the net, and yet Christ will bring and keep His own through our ministry.