From the possessed.
Matth. 8, 28-34.
And he came beyond the sea, into the region of the Gergesenes. And there met him two possessed with devils, which came out of the sepulchers of the dead, and were very fierce, so that no man could go by that way. And, behold, they cried out, saying: O JEsu, thou Son of God, what have we to do with thee? Art thou come to torment us before the time? And there was a great herd of swine by the pasture far from them. Then the devils asked him and said: If thou wilt cast us out, let us go into the herd of swine. And he said, Go your way. So they went out and entered the herd of swine. And, behold, the whole herd of swine rushed with a tempest into the sea, and were drowned in the water. And the shepherds fled, and went into the city, and told all these things, and how it had befallen the possessed. And, behold, the whole city went out to meet JEsu. And when they saw him, they besought him to depart from their border.
This story has a strange appearance, because Christ allows the devils to harm the people. One finds few of the stories. But the most important thing to see here is commodum verbi, how powerful the word of God is. Here we see two wretched people possessed by the devil. How does Satan have so much power that he alone has the street, that no one is allowed to walk here? Yes, he is such a master of this world that he can possess thoughts, hearts, bodies and goods. Satan is the infernal horseman of whom the poets have said that he rides the poor soul.
and conscience like his horse, and leads them wherever he wants from one sin to another.
2 There is no one who is able to resist the devil, except Christ alone, who is stronger than Satan, Luke 11:22. Jesus is not willing to drive him out; before he has his will, the devil cries out and cannot stand him, nor does he have any rest before Christ. So the devil rages and rages before he is attacked and stirred. Now when his word comes, he rumbles. So the devil himself must reveal himself, as
Luc. 2, 35: ut revelentur cogitationes cordium (that the thoughts of the heart may be revealed).
In Papatu it also happened that Satan set up clauses and pilgrimages to Rome, to Grimmenthal etc., where man and woman ran from their children to the field devils. For the devil possessed the people, and led them where he would. A right spirit does not make people so blind and unreasonable as to run from their children. Now when Christ comes with his gospel, the devil rumbles and incites all the devils together, so that princes and lords become furious. Signum (sign) that they were field devils. For there is nothing good in the conscience. For he who has run to Rome 1. seeks a mischief, 2. finds the mischief, 3. takes it with him. That's why it's all monkey business.
God often decrees that the devil possesses a man bodily, so that many shall see how he possesses our soul, if there is no faith in the heart. At the same time, as the devil is atrocious, he spouts fire, foams and grimaces; so he still does, he rages above all reason. Marcus Marcellus, Julius are wiser people than now our princes and heads; they do not want to listen to both parties, therefore the devil possesses them and blinds them, so that they run so horribly against the gospel. Pagan reason is better than the reason of the bishops. If they had sound reason, they would hear both parts and judge according to them. So they judge before they hear. It is nothing but the devil's work; he possesses reason, so that it cannot have its office. Just as the devil has a tongue that cannot speak, so they cannot use their reason.
Let us also not be too sure here and despise the devil. This spirit is powerful and wants to be despised. If you do not have Christ in your heart, you will have no effect on him. Therefore, give Christ great thanks that he has passed by here and has sounded his word. Hang on to the same. If he takes the word from you, it is the most terrible punishment of God. Gen. 6:3: "My spirit shall never judge them." God has also let them go. Luc. 17, 27.: Edebant, plantabant, etc..
(They ate, they planted etc.) In the book of the kings, every man did as he pleased; there it is not well. Now it is bad, when we see that there are still martyrs for the gospel; so it is still comforting. But if there be no evil, and we suffer nothing for it, then his spirit ceaseth to reign.
If the Spirit of God reigns in us, it awakens us always, even in the midst of our sins, and exhorts us to arise and call on Christ etc. Beware now, do not follow the crowd of the world, who would gladly keep the gospel if they did not lose their kitchen and income, as the Epicuri do here, who think neither of the pope nor of Christ. If Jesus gives goods, they can well suffer him; but if he does harm, as here, they say, "Troll yourself, Jesus, with the gospel. Therefore Christ shows nothing else here, but that the devil has full power over the body, soul and goods of the wicked, where Christ does not hinder him; therefore he can easily allow him.
Here let us see a sign that we have the word of our Lord God, which is always followed by repentance, as in the time of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; item in Actis sub Claudio (in Acts under Claudius); item in Jeremiah Cap. 44, 17. 18.: Since one served the Reginae coeli (Queen of Heaven), the Diana, we all had enough; now is theure time. But God does this only because he wants to prove our faith, whether we can trust him or not; on the other hand, that the text Psalm 37, 19. should be true: In tempore famis saturabuntur (In time they will have enough), they shall have enough, all who rely on him.
(8) So they ran from the tower of Babylon in Genesis 11, wanting to make their name great and famous, and to defy all the world, and to be safe from all danger, water and fire. But how does God overthrow them? Not with bullets, horsemen or fire, but takes away their speech, so that no one understands the other; then the people divide themselves into the world, and make them not know God. So, under the pope, I complained to a monk or a priest about my distress, and
1566 L-19' 955. 35". 371. 372. Of the Profession of Peter, Andrew, Jacobi and John. W. XII, 2025. 2026. 1567
But he did not understand my anguish and distress; I could not understand his speech even when he interpreted many masses and pilgrimages to me. It did not help my conscience; therefore I did not understand his voice.
Now and then we understand one another and have comfort in our conscience; therefore he has understood my voice, and I his. And this is the highest grace of God, that one may understand another's word.
IN sermon.*)