Second Sermon.
(1) In this gospel we are introduced to two peculiar persons, or two kinds of people, in the multitude called God's people, who want to be God's servants and come before him seeking righteousness. There are two kinds of righteousness that are found on earth: one that has a great appearance in the eyes of the world and of men, and yet is nothing in the eyes of God and is condemned; the other that is not recognized by men, and yet is called righteousness in the eyes of God and pleases Him. One is of the beautiful, trustworthy saint, the Pharisee; the other of the poor, humble, afflicted sinner, the publican.
(2) There we also hear two wonderful, strange judgments, utterly repugnant to human wisdom and the conceit of reason, yes, terrible to all the world: that the great saints are condemned as unrighteous, and the poor sinners are accepted, justified and canonized. But he speaks of such saints, as the text itself shows, who presume upon themselves to find righteousness in their own lives and works, which God must look upon; and again, of such sinners, who heartily desire to be rid of their sins and groan for forgiveness and God's grace. For it is not said here of the other great multitude in the world, who are like neither this publican nor the Pharisee, esteeming neither sin nor grace anything at all; but go thither safely and reprobately, asking after no God, heaven nor hell.
(3) As to the name of the two kinds of persons, Pharisees and tax collectors, among the Jews, we have heard enough before in other Gospels, namely, that the name Pharisees means the very finest, most honorable, most pious people, who with all earnestness have endeavored to please God.
*) The following sermon is found in d. D. Red.
to serve and keep the law; as St. Paul also boasts of himself that he was such before his conversion, Phil. 3, 5.
4. again, the name "tax collector" meant with them such a person, who lived in public sins and vices, served neither God nor the world, and only made a habit of robbing, toiling and damaging his neighbor; as such had to do in their offices, which they got from the Romans for a lot of money, where they wanted to enjoy them. And summa, they were such people, who were considered nothing better than public, unbelieving, godless Gentiles, even though they were Jews by birth; as Christ also compares them to the same Matth. 18, 17: "If he does not hear the church, consider him as a Gentile and a tax collector" etc.
(5) Now it is marvelous that Christ should put together such two persons, who are so very different from each other and so far apart; and it is even more marvelous, and also annoying, that he should pronounce such very different judgments: that he should condemn the Pharisee altogether, and justify the publican. Yet he speaks clearly of both, showing that he does not reject or condemn the works that the Pharisee praises here, for he wants to portray and paint him as a beautiful saint, with works that are not to be condemned or punished, but good and praiseworthy. Again, the tax collector cannot praise nor extol his life and works, as he himself must confess before God, condemn himself as a sinner and cannot think of any good work. And yet Christ searches them both out, examines and searches, that he finds nothing good in the holy Pharisee, even though he has many excellent works: not because of the works, which in themselves are not reprehensible, but because of them.
that the person is not good and full of impurity. Again, in the publican, who until now was a public condemned sinner, now finds a right good tree and fruit, although he does not appear with great works of the Pharisee. Therefore, let us look at both persons a little.
First of all, you must emphasize and adorn the Pharisee, as Christ himself paints him with his beautiful life; for here you hear such a man, who may stand before God and boast of his life before him (this does not have to be a false boast, but earnestness and truth), and thus refer to him himself and lead him to a witness, and wants to show himself before him and be found in the right worship of God, and give an account of his whole life: that it may be directed to walk in his obedience. Beginning with the first and highest commandment, he shows himself to be the one who worships the right, united God, and seeks His kingdom above all things and seeks His will; confesses that he has everything from God that he is and lives, carries it home to him and thanks him for everything that he has given him, but especially for this special grace and benefit, that he protects him from sins and disgrace, that he is not like the public sinners and tax collectors, and prays that God may preserve him in this and continue to give his blessing and good for it. There you see beautiful works of the first tablet and of all three commandments; for he also keeps the Sabbath, because he goes to the temple for this reason, since he wants to act and pray with God alone etc.
7 Then he goes on to the other table and cleanses his conscience before God and the world, so that he is not an unjust man, a robber, an adulterer, etc. like the great multitude of other people. There the other five commandments are all put together: that he is such a man who can boast before all the world that he has done no wrong, violence or harm to anyone, nor has he burdened or offended anyone against the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth commandment, and on this anyone who can accuse him of something else may offer defiance. In addition, he has also kept the sixth commandment, not broken marriage, nor lived in fornication, yes, even his body in the discipline and bridle.
He fasts twice a week; this is not a lying fast, as most of our clergy and monks do, but a real fast, as the Jews do, from morning until evening, when the sun goes down. In addition to not being an unjust person or a robber of his neighbor's goods or honor, he also gives a tithe of all that he has earned honestly and truthfully, thereby also rendering his obedience to God, so that he may give of all that God has given him for the preservation of the service of God and the priesthood, and does not retain or use any of it.
8. summa, there you see all the commandments in one heap, and a paragon of a fine, pious, and, as it seems before the world, godly, holy man, who is a mirror and example to all the world to praise; that it might well wish, and indeed be well to wish, and should stand very fine in the world, if one would have much of such people.
9. Now hold the other publican against this, and you will find nothing at all like the holy Pharisee; for even the name indicates that there cannot be much virtue nor honor in such, and no one can hold him for asking much about God or his commandments; and not only gives nothing of his own to God for his service, but in addition openly robs and steals from his neighbor; and in short, such a man, with his sinful life, is a publicly known example; just as the Pharisee also attracts him when he is completely deceitful, his conscience is beaten into the entrenchment, and nothing good can be hoped for in him.
Now, how is it that he is condemned by God and the tax collector is justified? Does he himself want to speak and judge against his law, according to which anyone who lives by it and is pious enjoys it and is preferred to those who publicly live in sin against it? Or how, is God such a man, who has pleasure in those who do no good work, but are nothing but robbers, adulterers, unrighteous? No; but there is here another, higher judgment than the world or blood and flesh understands, which goes deeper into it.
looks into the hearts of both of them and finds in the Pharisee a great evil, which corrupts everything that would otherwise be called good, as the evangelist calls it, relying on oneself and despising others.
(11) This is the reproach of this fine man, and the mischief that is great in the world. And God would that it had been this one alone, and had not left so many children and heirs behind him; for the whole world, where it is and has the best or something good, lies drowned in this vice; wills it and cannot leave it, where it knows something good about itself, it must presume it, and despise others who do not have it, that is, elevate itself above God and the neighbor; and thus just by presuming to keep God's commandment, it transgresses it, as St. Paul himself says of his Jews. Paul himself says of his Jews, Rom. 9, 31, that just by striving after the law of righteousness, they have not attained righteousness. What a strange thing it is, that those who diligently keep the law and have so much worship, are not the ones who keep it; as he also says Gal. 6:13, those who are circumcised do not keep the law etc. These are strange saints, who, even as they do the law, do not keep it, but transgress it. Who then are they that keep it?
(12) So also this Pharisee or his like, with his beautiful discipline and honor, which he has, which is ever a fine, glorious, beautiful gift, which must be praised and exalted in the world above all things on earth, as the highest gift of God, much more beautiful than all beauty and jewelry, gold and silver, yes, sun and light. This, I say, is judged here, that he is worse before God than any robber, murderer, adulterer etc. Where shall we go with this teaching in the great multitude of the world, which we ourselves condemn for its public contempt of God, and all wickedness against God and people, which also cries out to heaven, and takes such a high hold that the earth can no longer bear it.
013 Now I have said before, that there shall be no reproach nor condemnation here, because the Pharisee doeth the works of the law; else
one would have to condemn God's gifts and his own law and praise the contradiction of the same. But so I say that here the person is brought before God's judgment, and is found to be different from what the world judges: that although he has some beautiful, praiseworthy gifts, there is still a great stain on them, that he misuses such gifts and thus even corrupts before God. For here he is blamed for sinning against God and man in one sum and against the commandments of both tables. For in the first commandment, presumption is especially and supremely forbidden, that a man should not rely on himself or his gifts, nor take pleasure in himself; as this saint of works does, who therefore boasts and tickles himself of the gifts he has received from God, makes an idol of them, and worships himself as if he were the excellent holy man whom God alone must look upon and exalt.
14. This is already the highest sin and vice, so that he runs straight against God, but blind and obdurate, as an unbelieving pagan or Turk, who knows nothing of God, is without all repentance, yes, before great holiness wants to know of no sin, fears no wrath of God; misses to stand against it by his own work; does not even see that he and all men, also the true saints, with all their righteousness and life, do not stand before God, but are guilty of His wrath and condemnation, as David himself Ps. 130, 3: "O Lord, if thou wilt impute sin, who can stand?" And Ps. 143, 2: "Do not go into judgment with your servant, for before you no living person is righteous." Therefore he does not seek mercy or forgiveness of sins, nor does he make himself believe that he needs it.
(15) Therefore, because he runs so vilely against the first and highest commandment with shameful and abominable idolatry, presumption, and defiance of his own holiness, and here is no fear of God, nor trust, nor love, but seeks only his own honor and glory, it is to be reckoned that he keeps none of the other commandments righteously and from the heart, and all that he pretends to do with his prayers and worship of God is false and lies.
He is the one who serves God, who abuses and defiles God's name, who adorns his lies, and who incurs God's wrath and severe condemnation against himself; for God has said that He will not let him go unpunished who uses His name in vain. For what is it but that he blasphemes and scorns the high majesty, that he prays and says: "I thank you, God, that I am so holy and pious that I have no need of your grace, but find so much in myself that I have kept the law and that you cannot find fault with me, and so much that you have earned that you must repay and reward me for this in time and forever, if you want to keep the honor that you are a right, true God.
16 Likewise, behold, how he also rumbles into the other table, and rages again at his neighbor. For there is neither Christian love nor faithfulness, in which one could feel that he seeks his neighbor's honor or blessedness, or that he favors him; but he leads him badly, and even tramples him underfoot with his shameful contempt, and does not esteem him worthy of a man; yes, since he should help and save his neighbor, so that no harm or injustice befalls him, he himself does him the greatest injustice. For since he sees and knows that his neighbor sins against God, he does not think how to convert or save him from God's wrath and condemnation, so that he will be better; he has no mercy or compassion in his heart for the misery and suffering of a poor sinner; thinks that it is right and just for him to remain in condemnation and ruin; deprives him of all the duty of love and service that God commanded him to do, so that above all he might bring his neighbor from his sins and condemnation to God's kingdom by teaching, admonishing, punishing, correcting etc.Yes, and this is the most serious thing, he is glad and of good cheer that his neighbor is in sin and in the wrath of God. One can feel how much he loves God's commandments and how hostile he is to vice.
17. for what good can such a man be in God's kingdom, who can also rejoice, even tickle, and heartily delight in the sin and disobedience of all the world.
against God; and would he be sorry that someone was devout from the heart and kept God's commandments; that he would also unwillingly, if he could, help him with the least, or avert his neighbor's evil and damnation? What good should one seek or hope for from one who is also so wicked that he cannot grant his neighbor blessedness? The heathen themselves know of no greater wickedness to say, nor to paint a more wicked man, than he who is so hateful and envious that he only takes pleasure and pleasure in it when his neighbor is wicked; as some are so wicked that they themselves also gladly suffer harm, that only another may have a greater misfortune. Such devilish, infernal malice must be in no one so great as in such a false saint, who wants only to have honor before God and the world, and therefore to be pure and holy, so that the others are all stinking and filthy.
18. If one said of such a physician in physical matters that he wanted to be called a pious, honorable man, and if he came to a terminally ill person, that he should advise him and help him to get over his illness, he would do nothing else but laugh and mock the poor person: Who would consider such a man otherwise than the most desperate villain that the earth could bear, that he would not only withdraw his help from the wretched man in his greatest need, but also tickle himself at his misfortune and cool his little weary? How much greater wickedness is that of such a hypocritical saint, who sees his neighbor's soul lying in danger and distress of eternal damnation, since he would be guilty of risking his life and limb to help him out; and not only fails to do so, even if he could save him with a word and a sigh, but also imposes such on him and takes pleasure in it, and as much as there is in him, would like to be much deeper in damnation.
19. what should such a one do or grant to one who is his enemy or has done him harm, whom he also owes to love and to help, if he wants to do him good: how would he go out of there with anger, cursing, striking, so that he would also do good to the one who is his enemy or has done him harm?
He would not consider the murder of his brother as a sin, but as holiness, especially in him who did not want to consider him as pious and holy; as the pious fratricide Cain did to his brother and his children still do, as Christ Himself says of such: "The time is coming that whoever kills you will think he is doing God a service by doing so.
20 You will find just as little in such a man that he keeps one of the other commandments from the heart; for he would just as little prevent his neighbor's wife and child from remaining unharmed, or help to keep them in honor; yes, if it happened, he would also be glad and laugh in his fist, or if he had room for it, he would probably do it himself or ever help to do it. For that he shuns such and such publicly evil works, he certainly does not do out of love of virtue or obedience to God; and if he does not spare his neighbor's distress and sorrow, how should he spare his or his own honor? Much less would he lament or think to avert the neighbor's harm to his goods, so that his own would not be robbed, stolen, or otherwise spoiled; but rather rejoice in it and say, "Let it be done to him. I will not say that he should help him with his goods in his poverty or give them for free. So he would certainly not resist if he heard that his neighbor had been lied to and slandered by his good report, nor would he cover and adorn his dishonor with his honors; rather, he would be glad, and even help to lie to him and bank him in the worst way, as such saints especially like to do; as this one lies to the poor tax collector and other people before God, whom he cannot accuse with truth.
(21) Behold, then, what a vile and abominable devil is in such a beautiful saint, and can cover himself with a little semblance of some works that he does before men, and what he does with his worship, thanksgiving, and prayer, blaspheming and reviling the high Majesty with iniquity and defiance under his eyes, that with such vile vices he may boast before God, and therefore defy Him, as if He must take him for a hit man for it.
Or if he knew that he would not do so and would accept the poor tax collector on his behalf, he is inflamed with such anger and hatred against God that he might openly attack him in the mouth and say that he is not God but the devil from hell, and would gladly, if he could, throw him down from his throne and put himself in his place. And he does not want to be punished by anyone in this way, but rather to have done well, since he deserves more than all other blasphemers that God would have him swallowed alive by the earth in a moment.
(22) There you see what a man is and does, who is acting out of his own free will or nature's ability. For this Pharisee is set by Christ as the supreme example of what a man can do out of his own strength according to the law. And certainly all men by nature and Adam are no better, and just such vices show themselves in them, if they want to be holy before God and better than other people; that there is nothing but to despise God and all men, to have pleasure and joy, where one sins against God. Such are twofold, yes, many times worse than the tax collector and his like public sinners: Not only do they not keep God's commandment, but they also do not want anyone to keep it; not only do they not help anyone or do good, but they also rejoice in their destruction and damnation; and on top of all this, they adorn themselves and want to be perfectly holy, and may blaspheme and lie before the Majesty with a damned conscience, saying that they are not like other people and have kept God's commandment, so that heaven would crack before them.
23 Now look at this tax collector, who also comes to the temple to pray, but with much different thoughts and prayer than the Pharisee. For he has first of all the advantage that he must recognize himself a sinner, convinced and condemned by his own conscience, that he can neither boast nor be proud of anything before God or the world, but must be ashamed of himself;
and so the law struck his heart that he feels his misery and distress, terrified and afraid of God's judgment and wrath, sighing from the bottom of his heart to be rid of it, but finds no counsel anywhere, and can bring nothing else before God but vain sin and shame. Thus he is weighed down and oppressed, so that he cannot lift his eyes; for he understands and feels that he deserves nothing but hell and eternal death, and must condemn himself before God; as he beats his breast before God as a sign and confession of this. Summa, there is truly nothing here but pure sin and condemnation, and probably as great before God as the Pharisee's; without the latter not recognizing his sin, but still wanting to make purity out of it, the latter, however, feels his sin in such a way that he cannot stay in front of it, must confess that he angers God daily with his shameful ingratitude, contempt and disobedience for all His goodness and benevolence, that He has let him live until this hour; Therefore he cannot rely on himself, nor take comfort in his works, but must completely despair of himself, if he does not find grace and mercy in God.
(24) Thus he cannot despise any man, nor can he exalt himself above anyone, for he alone feels himself most deeply condemned, and considers all others more blessed and pious, and especially this Pharisee, who is full of filth before God. Summa, you see here already the beginning of a right repentance of such a man, who has heartfelt remorse and sorrow over his sin, and heartfelt desire to be rid of it, and seeks grace and mercy from God, thinking with all his heart to improve his life.
(25) But see here how this tax collector's word and prayer sounds when he says, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner! From where did he learn to speak thus before God, or how may he lead, order and place such words? For according to reason and human judgment it does not add up, and no man can force such a prayer from his own heart and thoughts, however briefly it is spoken. The words of the Pharisee: "I thank you, God, that I am not like others.
Men, unrighteous" etc., which a pious man may well speak, and ought to speak. For no one must be such a liar, who is not aware of anything, that he is guilty of a robber, adulterer etc.; but must speak the truth and not let the glory of a good conscience be taken from him, and must indeed be a pious man who speaks such things with truth. Again, even a prankster can speak these words: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" as they are probably spoken more by pranksters than by truly penitent, pious people. Yes, who else would speak them but a sinful, damned man? The verdict is still reversed here and wants to become wrong on both sides, turn and turn as you will.
(26) But it is, in essence, such a speech and example that belongs to the school and theology of Christians, as the world is called heretical. For as I have said, no reason will be able to rhyme together, nor will any man, however high, wise, learned he may be, be able to rhyme together what the publican rhymes together here, and summarizes and concludes a prayer entirely from vile words: "God, have mercy on me, a sinner!" Yes, it is, of course, the main art, which is completely beyond, and high and far above human understanding.
27. for it never sounded like this before, when God first let himself be heard and spoke to man. In Paradise, the Scriptures say that God spoke to man in Genesis 2:17: "At what hour you eat of the forbidden tree," that is, at what hour you sin against my commandment, "you will be put to death. At Mount Sinai, when God gave the Law, it also sounded like this, Ex. 20:5: "I, the Lord your God, am a strong Zealot," that is, an angry God, "visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. "etc. That one should know in short that sin is condemned and God's wrath and punishment is pronounced upon it. To this nothing sounds and rhymes at all, that such a sinful, condemned man should be allowed to come before God and pray: "Be merciful to me a sinner!" For the two, sin and mercy, are like water and fire against each other. Grace does not belong to sin.
but wrath and punishment. How then does this man come to the art that he can bring the two together and unite them, and for his sin may desire and call for mercy? This is more than knowing the law and the Ten Commandments, which the Pharisee also knew, and is another art, of which he knew nothing, and all men do not know of themselves.
This is the preaching of the good gospel of God's grace and mercy in Christ, which is proclaimed and offered to condemned sinners without any merit on their part. This tax collector must also have heard this, and the Holy Spirit must have stirred and driven his heart with it, since he felt his sin through the law, so that he came before God and made such a prayer that he certainly believed and believed as he had heard from God's word, that God would forgive the poor sinners their sin and be merciful, that is, turn away His wrath and eternal death from them for the sake of the promised Messiah, His Son. Such faith has thus tied and bound these two disgusting pieces together in prayer.
29 Now this preaching of the gospel is heard by many, and seems to be an easy art to say; but it is not so common as it is thought that every one can do it, and no one understands it better than the few who learn it and handle it, that they may believe and pray it even according to the publican. That is why the pious and hypocritical Pharisee is still in us, hindering and preventing us from doing it together.
(30) Yes, it must not be according to the outward, worldly nature and its piety, since one does not have to say or teach differently, for: to the sinner belongs not grace, but wrath and punishment, otherwise no one could live on earth and God would not be able to defend his majesty, if he did not keep over it, that sins would be punished and good works rewarded; for soon everyone would say: Let us only sin confidently, then we will have all the more grace. And yet all things are turned about in his spiritual kingdom, that he who is a wicked man is given grace and is pronounced righteous, and he who is a wicked man is pronounced righteous.
There pious is called, he is a rogue and is condemned.
(31) But this is why the judgment seat of God and the judgments of the world are two separate things, as far apart as heaven and earth. Before the world it must be thus: If thou art pious, thou shalt enjoy it; if thou art a thief, thou shalt be hanged on the gallows; if thou murderest, thou shalt have thy head cut off: over this regiment God Himself must hold, otherwise there would be no peace on earth. But in his own government, where he alone is lord and judge without any means, it is so that he alone is merciful to poor sinners; for there also nothing is found but vain sin, and before him no one is innocent, as the Scripture says.
(32) But this is also true, that sinners are not all alike, but that it is necessary to distinguish and define which ones belong to his judgment seat and to grace. For there are some gross and impudent sinners, robbers, murderers, thieves, scoundrels, fornicators, who do it so roughly and, drowned in sins, always continue, that they neither think nor ask how they may have a gracious God, going without worry, as if there were no need for them. To them St. Paul preaches 1 Cor. 6, 9: "Do not be deceived, fornicators, adulterers, idolaters, thieves, miserly people, robbers etc. will not possess God's kingdom." And Christ Luc. 13:3, 5: "I tell you, if you do not repent, you must all be lost." For such are not like this tax collector, because they go there without repentance and reprobate, and do not yet belong under God, but in the first world regiment.
33. Then there are other husks who want to imitate this tax collector, who also pray the Lord's Prayer; have heard these words that God wants to be merciful to poor sinners, also learn to imitate them, can beat their breasts, and pretend to be so humble and penitent with words and gestures that one should swear by them, yes, they themselves also swear by them, that they are just like this tax collector: and yet it is false and deceitful; for they are no better than that Pharisee, and God is also gracious to them as to him, so that they do not feel his wrath, and he does not shake them with shaking hands.
among them and punishes them, but lets them remain boys. These are called false Christians, or "mobs" and false brethren, of whom there are also a great number in our community. They can also speak the words and praise much of the gospel and God's grace, and profess to be poor sinners, but when it comes to the point where they are attacked and punished, they do not want to hear it or suffer it, and begin to be angry, saying that their honor is being attacked, that their conscience is being weighed down, or, if they can no longer do so, that they are practicing all kinds of evil treachery against the gospel.
These may pretend to be this tax collector with words and appearances, but in reality they are this evil-doer, the hypocrite; for they alone speak and present themselves in such a way that they must be considered pious, and no one may call them otherwise until God attacks them a little, whether by the devil, the world, or by his word; then they are so tender that they can suffer nothing everywhere, crying out about violence and injustice. etc. And summa, as they were poor sinners before, now they are pure saints, and so proud that no one can get along with their holiness.
35. The world is now full of them everywhere, especially of the great and mighty nobles and clergy; yes, even both burghers and peasants, who have learned this from our Gospel, that they want to accept and take comfort in the fact that God is merciful to sinners, and yet do not want to be punished by anyone, nor to be accused of being sinners; since they do it in such a way that God's word cannot be silent about it; they want to point out God's word, which punishes sin, to others, and say next to it, like this Pharisee: I am not like others, and whoever says it of me does me wrong. And if one begins to say to them what they do wrong, they pretend that one speaks against the authorities and gives cause for disruption etc. And summa, one should preach only what they like to hear; if not, it should no longer be called the gospel preached. And such people are like all false hypocritical saints, who can say themselves that they are poor sinners, but do not want it to be taken for the truth, because even if others say it, they cannot stand it.
(36) Well, these two types of people alone can rhyme the two pieces together: I am a sinner, and God is merciful to me. But the third, who should and would like to say it righteously, find it most difficult to say these two words at the same time from the heart and to combine such confession and absolution. For they have two strong obstacles in their way. On the one hand, there is still too much in us, as I said, of the old Pharisee, that we would like to be pious and righteous before God, and to be better than others; that would be gentle to the heart, and would be the sweetest joy that it could bring about; so we would all like to have God look at what we have done, and to please Him, and to thank Him for it in words, and to confess that such is His divine gift. But a stake has been placed here, and the way has been laid, just as the angel with the fiery sword has been placed before Paradise, so that no one may come to it, nor bring glory before God.
37. Again, on the other hand, where the publican must come before God with all his sins and shame, stripped of all his glory, nothing but full of filth: But there is fear and trouble, that he may take hold of this word "have mercy on me" and draw it upon himself; for there both his own stupidity and all men's wisdom, yes, the devil himself, by God's law, which he leads and drives here, since he should not bring man into distress and despair, again hinders and hinders much more strongly.
(38) Therefore, it is an art above all men's arts, indeed, the most marvelous thing on earth, that a man should have the grace to know himself truly to be a sinner, and yet to turn thus again, to put God's wrath out of his sight, and to be able to grasp vain mercy. For such a heart, which rightly feels sin, can neither think nor conclude anything else, but that God is ungracious and angry with it. Like Judas, when he saw that he had betrayed Christ to death, he immediately began to cry out against himself, and his reason and heart, as it is wont to do, placed itself before the eternal wrath and condemnation of God. No human heart can do that
For there is God's commandment and law that condemns you to death, and the devil drives and chases you to hell. How then is it possible to sum up such words of the publican against the law, against his own reason and feelings, which model nothing else to the heart but wrath and disgrace? Now no heart can confess sin unless it has the Ten Commandments, which alone show what sin is and why it is sin. Therefore the two disgusting things must go against each other at the same time: hearing the Ten Commandments, which condemn to death and hell; and losing them again, and working their way out, and so going out of hell to heaven.
39. Therefore let him who is able to learn learn this great wisdom and be a disciple of this publican, so that he may also be able to distinguish between these two things correctly, so that wrath does not remain or cling to sin, but that reconciliation and forgiveness take hold, that is, that he does not judge according to the understanding of men or the law, but rather grasps the consolation and teaching of the gospel through faith, which alone teaches this wonderful union: That he may not judge according to the understanding of men, nor according to the law, but may grasp the consolation of the gospel and the doctrine of Christ through faith, which alone teaches this marvelous union, that the two words may be joined together, which are farther apart than heaven and hell. For what else is it said: I am a sinner, because God is hostile to me and condemns me, and I deserve nothing but eternal wrath, curse and damnation.
40. Now if it comes to you that you feel this (for it does not happen here that one wants to force it out with breast-beating and with one's own works; but it comes to you, if the law hits you right, that will teach you to breast-beat and to humble yourself), where you now, I say, can do no more than to say thus: O, I am a sinner: then thou art lost; for the Ten Commandments drive and thrust thee badly to hell, that thy heart must say thou art of the devil, and God would not have thee, and begin to flee from him, and run, if thou couldst, through a hundred worlds, that thou mightest but escape. Here it is time for you to run the course in such flight and terror.
you turn and say: This is what my dear gospel and the pious tax collector teach me, that this is the highest wisdom in the sight of God, to know and believe that he is so minded and has established such a kingdom through Christ that he will be merciful and help the poor condemned sinners. And so you tie the two together in one word and confession: I am a sinner, but God is gracious to me; I am God's enemy, but he is now my friend; I would be condemned, but I know that he does not want to condemn me, but wants to save me and give me an heir in heaven. Yes, that is what he wants, and he has preached it to me and commanded me to believe for the sake of his dear Son, whom he gave for me.
Behold, in this publican you have a beautiful example of right Christian repentance and faith, and an excellent masterpiece of high spiritual wisdom or theology, of which the Pharisee, and what is like him, have never received either taste or smell. Moreover, you see the right fruits that follow faith, that he now leads a different man, different senses, thoughts, speech and works than before; gives glory to God alone and praise to His divine grace; calls and worships Him from the heart and in right trust in His word and promise; otherwise he could neither have thought these words nor prayed them: and thus performs right pleasant worship and keeps the right Sabbath. Now he also has such a heart, which is hostile to sin and disobedience, does not rejoice in them, but is sorry to him that he lived contrary to God's commandment, and now earnestly and wholeheartedly seeks to desist from offending, deceiving, lying, nor doing wrong or violence to anyone, and would like everyone also to live in this way.
This is the picture of this gospel, of the two kinds of people among those who are called God's people: one is the large group of the false church, who nevertheless have the appearance and name as if they alone were the most pious and holy servants of God; the other, the small group of those who are righteous members of the church and true children of God, although they do not have the glory and great prestige before the world. What now
You have heard enough about the difference between them, so that each one may know his own qualities and fruits, so that one may know the appearance and name of the righteous being.
43. Now therefore see that thou also follow this publican aright, and be like him, first of all, that thou be not a false sinner, but a true sinner: That thou be not a false sinner, but a true sinner, that is, not in words alone, but in reason and with all thine heart acknowledge thyself guilty before God of his wrath and eternal damnation, and so bring before him with truth this word, "poor me, a sinner; but in the same time also take the other word "have mercy on me" so that you can blunt the point and sharpness of the law, that is, turn away from you and reverse the judgment of condemnation that the Ten Commandments want to bring upon you.
(44) From this difference between two kinds of sinners on both sides, you can make such a correct judgment: God is ungracious and hostile to sinners, yes, to those who do not want to be sinners, that is, who are not afraid of God's wrath, but still go safely and want to be unpunished. Again, God will be merciful to the poor sinners who feel their sin, and accuse and confess themselves condemned before God's judgment. So that all this is turned around, even according to God's word and judgment, according to which the persons are: that these Ten Commandments win this gloss, and with their judgment pass over those who want to be called holy or not sinners, and do not think that such judgment will affect them; but the gospel and judgment of grace and consolation pass over those who lie in terror and fear of wrath.
45 Secondly, you must also be like the tax collector in this, that you cease from sins; for it is not said of him that he remains as he was before, but
went and brought home the grace that God had pronounced him righteous, as the text says: "This man went down righteously to his house" etc. These words do not imply that he remained in sins, just as he did not go to the temple and pray for this reason, for he who wants to remain cannot ask for grace and forgiveness, but he who prays in this way desires and desires to be justified and to be rid of sins altogether. You must also know this, so that you do not deceive yourself. For there are many who consider only that the tax collector, as a sinner, receives grace and forgiveness; but they do not think that God wants them to forget their sins and that the grace given must be strong in them from now on; they want to understand it as if God wants to make sinners righteous and blessed, since they remain in sins and unrighteousness.
46 Therefore it is necessary for Christians on both sides to fight against the devil and their own flesh, because when they begin to repent and want to become different people, they first feel the devil, how he stirs, hinders and resists, so that they should not continue, but remain in the old skin etc. Again, if they cannot prevent this, and turn against the devil to God and call upon him, he challenges them with pusillanimity and stupidity. There he makes the sins all too small, puts them all too far out of man's sight and heart, so that one despises them and does not desire grace, or ever refrains from repentance: here, on the other hand, he makes them all too big, so that he can blow out a fire from a spark, bigger than heaven and earth, so that one can hardly grasp forgiveness, nor bring the words: "God, have mercy on me!"that it is and remains a high art, and we may well consider this tax collector with his example as our master and doctor and learn from him, and call upon God that we may also reach the goal.