Dear friends, you know that the Passion is preached at this time; so do not doubt me, you will have heard many times what kind of Passion and suffering it was, also what God the Father ordered it to be, namely, that He wanted to help us through it, not the person of Christ. For Christ had no need of such suffering: but we and the whole human race had need of such suffering. That it should therefore be a gift and a gift that is given to us out of pure grace and mercy, for the sake of Christ. We do not want to deal with this part now, because I have often spoken about it.
(2) But because there are now and then many erroneous spiritual sects, which only profane the gospel, and blame us that we know nothing more to teach and preach than faith, as if we left the doctrine of good works and the holy cross and suffering without; saying also further that they have the right spirit which impels them to teach these things: let us now say from the example of this Passion alone what a cross we bear.
and suffer, even as we are to bear and suffer the same.
3 Therefore it must be noted first of all that Christ with his suffering not only saved us from the devil, death and sin, but also that his suffering is an example which we should follow in our suffering.
(4) And even though our suffering and cross are not to be raised in such a way that we would be saved by it, or earn the least thing by it, we are nevertheless to suffer according to Christ, so that we may be conformed to him. For God has decreed that we should not only believe in Christ crucified, but also be crucified and suffer with Him; as He clearly indicates in many places in the Gospels, Matth. 10, 38.He says, "Whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me"; item Matth. 10, 25: "Because they call the father of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they do it to the members of his household?
Therefore, each one must bear a piece of the holy cross and cannot be otherwise. St. Paul also says Col. 1, 24: "I fill up in my flesh that which is still lacking in the suffering of Christ. As if he should say: His whole Christianity is not yet fully prepared, we also have to follow, that nothing of the suffering of Christ is missing or lacking, but that it is all in one heap.
come. So every Christian must take care that the cross does not remain outside.
(6) But it should and must be such a cross and suffering that it has a name, and honestly presses and hurts; as there may be great driving honor and goods, body and life. Such suffering is felt well and is painful, for otherwise it would not be suffering if it were not very painful.
(7) Above this, it shall be such a suffering that we have not chosen for ourselves, as the spirits of the wicked choose for themselves their own suffering. It shall be such a suffering that we would gladly, if it were possible, be overridden by that which the devil or the world sends us.
(8) And then it is necessary to hold fast, and so to apply oneself, as I have said before, that we may know that we must suffer, that we may be conformed to Christ. That it cannot and may not be otherwise, each one must also have his cross and suffering. Knowing this, it is all the more gentle and easier to suffer, and one can comfort himself by saying, "Well, if I want to be a Christian, I must also wear the color of the court. The dear Christ gives out no other garment at his court; it must be suffered.
(9) This cannot be done by the fools who choose their own cross, but they are displeased with it and defend themselves with their fists. This, then, is a beautiful and praiseworthy suffering; yet they may blame us, as if we did not teach rightly about suffering, and they alone could do it. But we teach that no one should lay on or choose for himself a cross or suffering, but when it comes, that we bear and endure it patiently. But they err not only in that they have a chosen cross, but also in that they set their suffering so high, and give it great credit, and so blaspheme God, because it is not a right but a stinking and self-chosen suffering. But we say that we do not deserve anything with our suffering, and we do not put it into beautiful monstrances as they put theirs. It is enough for us to know that it is pleasing to God that we suffer.
so that we may be conformed to Christ, as I have said. So we see that the very same people who praise and teach so much about suffering and the cross know the least about neither the cross nor Christ, because they make their own suffering meritorious. Dear, there is no such thing, nor is anyone forced or compelled to do so. If you do not want to suffer in vain, without merit, you may leave it and deny Christ. The way goes out of the door; but you must know this, if you do not want to suffer, that you will not be Christ's court servant. So you may do what you will among the two, suffer, or deny Christ.
If you want to suffer, then the treasure and comfort that is promised and given to you is so great that you should suffer gladly and with joy, namely, that Christ, together with his suffering, is given to you and is your own. If you can believe this, then you may freely say, even in the greatest fear and distress, "If I suffer for the same length of time, then what is there against such a treasure, which my God has given to me as my own, so that I may live with him forever? Behold, then suffering would be sweet and easy, and would no longer be an eternal suffering, but a modicum that lasts for a little while and soon passes away, John 16:16; as St. Paul 2 Cor. 4:17 and St. Peter 1 Ep. 1:6 call it, and Christ Himself in the Gospel. For they see in the great abundant gift that Christ with his suffering and merit has become completely ours. The suffering of Christ is so powerful and strong that it fills heaven and earth and tears apart the power and authority of the devil and the hells, death and sin. If then you hold such a treasure to your temptation and suffering, it will seem a small loss to you compared to such a good, that you lose a little good, honor, health, wife, child, your own body and life. But if you do not want to respect such a great treasure and do not want to suffer for it, then always go away and leave it. He who does not believe will not receive such unspeakable goods and gifts.
(11) Furthermore, every Christian should therefore
that he may be sure that such suffering will be for his good, that Christ, too, for the sake of his word, will not only help us to bear such suffering, but will also turn it around and turn it to our good. By this, however, such a cross shall become more sweet and sorrowful to us, that our dear God will give us so much spice and water of rennet in our hearts, that we may bear all our temptations and sorrows. As St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 10:13: "God is faithful, and will not let us suffer more than we are able to bear; indeed, He makes an end even of our afflictions, that we may bear them." But it is true that when suffering and temptation are at their most intense, they are so pressing and oppressive that a person makes himself believe that he can no longer go on, that he must perish. But if you can then think of Christ, then the faithful God will come and help you, as He has helped His own from the beginning of the world. For it is the same God who has always been. This is also the reason why we suffer, since all the saints have suffered from the beginning. The whole world must bear witness to the fact that we do not suffer because of public disgrace or vice, such as adultery, thievery, murder, or any of the following: Adultery, thievery, murder, etc.; but for this we must suffer, that we may abide in the word of God, preach it, hear it, learn it, and do it. Since this then is the cause of our suffering, let it always be, we have the same promises and causes to suffer which all the saints have ever had. Let us then take comfort in these same promises and hold fast to them in our suffering and affliction, as we greatly need to do.
(12) So then, in our suffering, we should keep the greatest and most attention to the promises that our cross and trials will be turned to our good, so that we could never have desired nor thought of it. And this is just the part that makes a difference between Christians and all other people's sufferings and temptations. For other people also have their misfortunes and crosses, even though they sit for a while in the rose garden and enjoy happiness.
and good according to their will. When they are faced with temptation and suffering, they cannot console themselves, for they do not have the great promises and confidence in God that Christians have, and they cannot console themselves that God will help them to bear the temptation; much less can they trust in Him that such temptation and suffering will be for their good. So it is, as we see, that they cannot stand even in minor trials. But when it comes to serious matters, they even despair, kill themselves, or otherwise want to fly off the handle, so that the whole world becomes too narrow for them. So they can keep no measure, neither in happiness nor in misfortune. If things are going well for them, they are the most free-spirited, defiant and arrogant people you will find. If things go badly for them, they are even more beaten and despondent than any woman. As you can see, those who are now pawing, throbbing and defiant were so despondent in the peasant turmoil that they did not know where to stay. So it must go, if one does not have the promise and God's word. But Christians have their consolation even in the highest suffering and temptations.
In order that you may understand this with all the more hatred, I will give you an example in which you may finely see how the suffering of Christians is depicted and designed. You all know how St. Christopher is painted from time to time. You all know how St. Christopher is painted from time to time, but you should not think that there was ever a man whose name was like this, or who physically did what is said of Christophe; but the one who made this legend or fable was undoubtedly a fine, sensible man who wanted to paint such a picture for the simple people, so that they would have an example and likeness of a Christian life, how it should be directed and skilful; and he has thus finely captured and painted it. For a Christian is like a great giant, having great strong legs and arms, as the Christophe is painted. For he also carries such a burden that the whole world, no emperor, king or prince would be able to bear. Therefore, every Christian is called Christophorus, that is, a Christ-bearer, because he accepts the faith.
(14) But how does he feel about it? When one accepts the faith, he does not think it is a hard thing to accept; he thinks it is a little child, beautiful and shapely, and easy to carry, as happened to Christophe; for the gospel is first seen to be a fine, sweet, kindly, and childlike doctrine. As we saw in the beginning, when it began, everyone jumped at it and also wanted to be evangelical. So there was a desire and thirst for it, so that no oven was as hot as the people were at that time. But how did it go? It was the same as with Christophe; he did not know how heavy the child was until he came into the water, where it was deepest. So also with the Gospel: when it broke in, the waves went along, the pope, the bishops, the princes and the great servants sat down against it; there one felt first of all how the child would be so heavy to carry. For it comes so close to the good Christophel that he almost drowns because of it. As you see, it is also happening now, that on that side, which is opposed to the word, there are so many practices, little tricks, deceit and cunning, all aimed at drowning us in the water. There is such a dread and terror that we would fear to death if we did not have another consolation against it.
(15) Well, he who has taken Christ, the dear little child, upon himself must either carry him over through the water or drown him; there is no remedy. It is not good to drown; therefore we want to pass through the water with Christ, even if it looks as if we have to stay inside. We have the promise: Whoever has Christ, relies on him and believes that he can freely say with David, Psalm 27:3: "If an army comes against me, my heart will not be afraid; if war arises against me, I will rely on it. Let them thrash and throb, threaten and terrify, as they will; however deep the water, we will go through it with Christ.
(16) It is the same in all other things: When it comes, it wants to be too hard, be it sin, devil, death, or hell, or
our own conscience as well. Well, how shall we do to him? Where shall we run and protect ourselves? There is no other way for us to look at it, because it wants to fall completely to the ground and crumble; but on that part they are safe and proud, they think they already have it. I also see that dear Christophe is sinking, but he still comes out, because he has a tree to hold on to. This tree is the promise that Christ will do something special with our suffering. "In the world," he says John 16:33, "you will have tribulation and distress, but in me you will have peace"; item, St. Paul 1 Cor. 10:13: "We have a faithful God who helps us out of temptation, so that we can endure it." These sayings are sticks, yes, trees, where one sticks to, and lets the water roar and rush as it wants.
(17) Thus with Christophel they set before us an example and an image, that they might strengthen us in our affliction, and teach us that trembling and fear are not so great as comfort and promise. So that we should know that we shall not have rest in this life, if we bear Christ; but that in the trial we should turn our eyes from the present suffering to the consolation and promises: then we shall know that it is true which Christ saith, "In me ye shall have peace."
(18) For this is the art of Christians, which we all have to learn, that we look on the word, and put far out of sight all the afflictions and sufferings that are near at hand. The flesh, however, is not capable of such an art; it looks no further than the present suffering. For this is also the devil's way, that he puts the word far out of sight, so that one sees no more than the distress that is present; as he is doing with us now, he would like us to deny and forget the word altogether, and look only at the danger that lies on our necks from the pope and the Turk. If the game were to be played, he would drown us in misery, so that we would see nothing but such roaring and shouting. But this shall not be. For this is the way it is: If a man wants to be a Christian and
If a man is guided by his feelings, he will soon lose Christ. Only the suffering and the cross, as much as you always can, should be put out of your heart and mind; otherwise, if you think about it for a long time, it will become worse. If thou art in temptation and suffering, say thus: "Well, this cross I have not brought on and prepared for myself; it is the fault of the good word of God that I suffer such things, and that I have and teach Christ. So let it always be in the name of God: I will let him rule and fight it out, who told me of such suffering long before and promised me his divine gracious help.
Nineteenth, if then thou shalt give thyself into the scriptures, thou shalt feel comfort, and all thy cause shall be better, which otherwise thou canst not control by any means, by any means, or in any manner. If a merchant can be so bold as to go away from house and home, wife and child, for the sake of money and goods, and risk his life and limb for the sake of shameful gain, and still have no certain promise or assurance that he will return home to his wife and child in good health, he is still so foolhardy and daring, and ventures freely into such peril, without any promise. Can a merchant do this for the sake of money and goods? Fie on you, that we do not want to carry a small cross, and yet we want to be Christians, and for this we have the tree in our fists, on which we hold ourselves against the waves, namely, the word and the strong fine promises, so that we shall not be drowned by the waves. The same is the case with a horseman: he goes to war with so many spears, halberds and guns pointed at him; he has no promise to comfort him, only his mad mind; he still goes on; yet the whole life is nothing but a hard life and suffering. So do the papists, too: they do not spare themselves any effort or work, only to raise up their abomination and idolatry again. How many counsels have they made since the beginning of the gospel, and still today, one after another, they have all gone back and become ashes.
Now and then: nor do they let themselves think and are sure they want to sing out and suppress the word of God. So they go in with a loud foolhardiness.
(20) If merchants, merchants' merchants, papists, and other such servants are allowed to take such courage, to take on such a journey, toil, and labor, and to suffer, we should be ashamed of ourselves for avoiding suffering and the cross, since we know, first of all, that God has decreed that we should suffer and that it cannot be otherwise. Secondly, we also know our promise and promise, that although we are not as good Christians as we ought to be, and are both stupid and weak in life and faith, He nevertheless will defend His word, for the sole reason that it is His word; so that we can justly defy and say: If there were ten popes or Turkish emperors, I would see if they would all together defend this man who is called Christ. This they may well do, that they may set up a game that goes over their heads; but they will not break the word. And this shall and will be done, though we be weak in the faith. Now this is the right art, that in suffering and the cross we look to the word and the comforting promises, and give the same faith; as he says John 16:33: "In me you will have peace, but in the world tribulation." As if he wanted to say, "Travel and terror will certainly strike you under the eyes, if you accept my word, but let it come; such things will happen to you and befall you for my sake. Be of good cheer therefore, I will not leave you; I will be with you and help you. Let the trial be as great as it may, and it shall be light and small unto thee, if thou canst draw such thoughts from the word of God.
(21) Therefore every Christian should prepare himself so that he may protect and guard himself in the time of trial with the fine comforting promises which Christ our dear Lord has left us when we suffer for his word. But if we do not do this and abandon these comforting words when the cross comes, we will suffer just like the
Eve in paradise: she had God's commandment, with which she was supposed to have beaten the devil's suggestion and inducement behind her; but what did she do? She let go of the word, and worried herself with the thoughts, how it was such a fine apple; it would not have been much interested in the little thing; so she went away. And if one lets the word go, then it cannot happen otherwise. But if we abide in the word, and keep the same, we shall surely know that we shall come out fine, and shall prevail. Behold, these two things we teach when we preach of the passion and the cross. And he that blames us, as if we taught nothing at all of the cross, does us wrong. But this is not what we do, that we make our suffering meritorious to God. No, far, far away! Christ alone has done this, and no one else, and to him alone is the honor due.
22. Third, let us also see why our Lord God sends us such suffering. This is the reason why he wants to conform us to his dear Son Christ, so that we will be like him here in suffering and there in that life of honor and glory, Rom. 8, 17. 2 Tim. 2, 11. 12. As he says Luc. 24, 26: "Did not the Son of Man have to suffer and thus go to glory? But God cannot work this with us, except through suffering and temptation, which He sends to us through the devil or other evil people.
(23) The other cause is this, that although God would not attack and afflict us, yet the devil will; he cannot bear the word. Otherwise he is by nature so malicious and poisonous that he can neither suffer anything good, and he is sorry that an apple grows on a tree; it pains and angers him that you have a healthy finger; and if he could do it, he would tear apart everything that is there and throw it into one another. But he is not so hostile to any thing as to the good word. And that is why he can hide himself among all creatures, but the word exposes him, that he cannot hide himself, and shows everyone how black he is. Then he resists and bars himself, and pulls the rulers and the bishops to the ground.
The word draws him to the light anyway. But it does not help, the word still draws him to the light. Therefore he does not rest; and because the gospel does not want to suffer him, he does not want to suffer him again, so he lifts himself up. And if our Lord God did not protect us with His angels, and we could see the devil's cunning, plots and deceit, one would have to die from the sight alone. So many guns and cannons he has pointed at us. But God forbid that they should not strike.
24 Thus the two heroes come together, each doing as much as he can. The devil always brews one disaster over the other, for he is a powerful, malicious and restless spirit. It is time, then, that our dear God should also receive his honor. For the word that we speak is a weak and wretched word; and we who have it and practice it are also weak and wretched people, and carry the treasure in earthly vessels, as St. Paul says in 2 Cor. 4:7, which can easily be broken and shattered. Therefore the evil spirit does not let himself be disturbed by any effort, and confidently tries to break the pot, because it is so under his nose that he cannot suffer it. The first thing to do is to extinguish and dampen the little spark with water and fire. Then our Lord God watches for a while and puts us between the door and the hinge, so that we learn by experience that the small, weak, wretched word is stronger than the devil and the gates of hell, Matth. 16:18. Let them storm the castle, the devil with his followers; but let them only storm, they shall find something there that shall drive out their sweat, and yet they shall not win. For it is a rock, as Christ calls it, that cannot be won. So let us suffer what is coming to us, so we can experience that God wants to help us, to protect and shield us against this enemy and all his followers.
25 Third, it is also highly necessary for us to suffer, not only so that God may prove His glory, power and strength against the devil, but also so that the precious treasure we have, if there is no other reason, may not be used.
who is distress and suffering, only snores and makes sure. As we see and, unfortunately, it is too common that many now misuse the holy gospel in such a way that it is a sin and a disgrace, as if they were so freed from all things by the gospel that they should do, give and suffer nothing more. Our God cannot control such wickedness, except through the cross: He must train and drive us in such a way that faith increases and grows stronger, and we thus bring the Savior deeper into ourselves. For as little as we can escape eating and drinking, so little can we escape temptation and suffering. Therefore we have to be plagued by the devil through persecution or some other secret stake that penetrates our heart, as St. Paul also complains in 2 Cor. 12:7. Because it is better to have a cross than to be without one, no one should be afraid or frightened. You have a strong promise to comfort you, and the gospel cannot come forth in any other way than through suffering and the cross.
(26) Lastly, the suffering of Christians is more noble and more precious than the suffering of all other men, because Christ, having put himself in suffering, has also sanctified the suffering of all his Christians. Aren't we poor great people? We went to Rome, Trier and other places to visit the sanctuary. Why do we not let the cross and suffering be dear to us, which was much closer to Christ and touched him more closely than any garment on his body? It did not touch his body alone, but his heart. So then, through the suffering of Christ, the suffering of all his saints has become holy, because it is covered with the suffering of Christ. Therefore we should not accept all suffering as anything other than holy, for it is truly holy.
Because we know that it pleases God so much that we should suffer, and that God's glory is displayed and seen in our suffering better than in any other thing; and because we are such people that we cannot exist without suffering in word and faith, and yet have the noble and precious promise that our cross, which God sends to us, is not a bad thing, but a precious and noble sanctuary, why should we refuse to suffer? He who does not want to suffer, let him go away and be a nobleman. We preach this only to the pious who want to be Christians; the others should not be led out. We have so much comfort and promise that he will not leave us in suffering, but will help us out, even though all men despair of it. Therefore, even if it hurts, you must suffer something else; it cannot all be the same. It is just as good, indeed a thousand times better, to suffer for the sake of Christ, who has promised us comfort and help in suffering, than to suffer for the sake of the devil, and without comfort and help to despair and perish.
28 Behold, this is how we teach about the cross; and you should also be accustomed to diligently distinguish the suffering of Christ from all other sufferings: that the latter is a heavenly suffering, ours is a worldly suffering; that his suffering does everything, ours does nothing, except that we be conformed to Christ; that therefore the suffering of Christ is a master's suffering, ours is a servant's suffering. And those who teach otherwise know neither what Christ's suffering is nor what our suffering is. Reason cannot do otherwise; it would like to court with its suffering, as with all other works, that it deserves something; for this reason we must learn to separate it. That is enough for now about the example of the Passion and our suffering. May God grant that we may understand and learn it, amen.