Held 1516.
Matth. 7, 15-23.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. By their fruits you shall know them. Can you also gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? So every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, and a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore you shall know them by their fruits. Not all who say to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but those who do the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not taught in your name? have we not cast out devils in your name? have we not done many deeds in your name? Then I will confess to them: I have never known you; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.
(1) Here a question is raised that is well worth asking: how the false prophets can be recognized from the works, since they shine with many and great works, as the heretics and sectarians, who put on great and very good works and make use of them.
2nd The answer is, That there are two kinds of good works. First, those that appear to be fasting, praying, studying, preaching, watching, and wearing bad clothing, which is nothing more than the wool of the sheep to cover the ravening wolves. So also in the common proverb one says: You are not such a sheep as the wool you wear indicates. Which, however, is understood of feigned good works. Therefore the question is difficult: What is to be understood by the wool, that is, by the works, because the clothes of the sheep are their words, works and gestures.
3) Then there are other works of the inward and hidden man, which, though he does them well, yet he holds them in low esteem, and desires instead to be gentle, humble, loving, patient, faithful, and peaceable, as Gal. 5:22 states, since the apostle presents these fruits neatly and clearly. For such hopeful
*) Löscher I, 278 ff; Erl. A. opp. var. "ix. I, SS sq. D. Red.
Spirits, although they do their works by preparing the wool for their clothing, have nothing of truly good works, namely, of the patience that their perfect work has, and of the love that does not look at itself, but only at others. They seek their own in all things, and hold above what they themselves have chosen: they are hard and stubborn, easily provoked, impatient, belittling, judgmental and contemptuous of others, quarrelsome, stiff-necked, unbroken in mind, unpeaceful, short-tempered, uncouth, hard and coarse. They cover these vices and works of the inner man with sheep's clothing, that is, with bodily actions, offerings, gestures and ceremonies, so that they seem good and righteous both to themselves and to other simple-minded people. And these are the ones who act in a subtle way against the first commandment. But these shall be dealt with in another place (now we continue in what we have begun); for they demand a separate treatise, because there is no greater pestilence in the church today than the pestilence of these people, who say that one must do good, and yet do not want to know what is good or evil. For they are enemies of the cross, that is, of the goods of God, and of those who are pious before God.