Yesterday in the Gospel you heard about faith and love. Faith consists in recognizing that Christ alone is our way to the Father, and no other. Thus the apostle ascribes to faith a justifying power. The other is that we also do the same works that Christ did for us. And so much for yesterday's gospel.
2 The office of a priest is to preach and pray. For Paul says (1 Cor. 4, 20): "The kingdom of God does not stand in words, but in power. And so 2 Thess. 2, 11. says that God punishes such people by letting preachers of error come to them. Thus Paul says (Eph. 6, 12.): "We do not have to fight with flesh and blood" etc.
(3) Do not be anxious about providence. For he hath given thee his commandments; therefore exercise thyself in faith, and
*) Held in Zwickau. D. Red.
in love etc. This is what God demands of you. But leave the providence to God. For he does not want you to know these things, nor to be his counselor.
4 We say of baptism that the faith of the church comes to the aid of little children, according to the example of Scripture, since each is bound to serve the other. We see this in the Gospel of the gout-ridden man who was let down through the roof, to whom the faith of others brought about the recovery of Christ. Is 55:11: "My word shall not return empty," that is, from the mouth of the one who spoke or preached it.
Here he read the Gospel of the little children whom Christ called to come to Him. (Marc. 10, 13-16.)
This is also read about the little children who are to be baptized. Therefore, baptism is necessary and in no way to be despised, because we are saved by faith alone.
can be baptized. He who can obtain baptism and does not, despises it, since the outward sign of Christ's promise should in no way be despised or thought less of, but should be accepted with thanksgiving. God wants both great and small to be baptized, just as he wants his word to be preached to everyone.
5. whether to pray for the deceased?
Here he first spoke of the wandering and appearing spirits, which are true devils, and seduce us to all kinds of works, as there are: Vigils, Masses etc.; and God does not want the dead to be asked, Deut. 18, II.
and Isa. 8, 19. 20.: "According to the law and testimony." So ask the law and the testimony of the Scriptures.
We therefore do not know what the situation is with the dead. But whether one should pray for them, that is another question. In the Old Testament we read that the dead have appeared. But I say that some have been made alive who were neither in hell nor in heaven. But whether it is the same with all of them, there is reasonable doubt. So you are free to pray for them, or to let it stand. Thus Augustine prays for father and mother in the book "Confessions". So we can also pray without danger etc.