At Elector Frederick of Saxony's funeral held at Wittenberg on
May 10, 1525.*)
The first sermon. First printing.
1. because it is God's good pleasure that our head should lie here, in which death all who earnestly acknowledge his members should die or be afflicted: therefore I have purposed to do as St. Paul teaches in such matters, and as he comforted his departed friends, so also comfort us.
(2) But those who do not recognize themselves as members of this Head and Lord out of their hearts will not receive much preaching or comfort here; but for us who are not ashamed of it, it will almost be necessary, even comforting. Therefore I will tell the text as it reads 1 Thess. 4, 13-18.
1 Thess. 4, 13-18.
But we do not want to keep you, brethren, from those who are asleep, so that you will not be sad like the others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, God will also bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. For this we say unto you, as the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the future of the Lord shall not appear unto them which sleep. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a shout and the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall always be with the Lord. So comfort yourselves with these words among yourselves.
Preface to this epistle.
(3) The holy scripture not only gives way, but also praises and praises those who mourn and weep over the dead. As the wise man says (Sir. 38, 16.): "Weep over your dead, for his life has come to an end"; and as we also read of the patriarch Abraham (Gen. 23, 1. 2. 3.),
When Sarah his wife had died and he lay before the corpse for some time in mourning, he arose and buried her. Thus you read (Gen. 50:1 ff.), when the holy Jacob the patriarch died, how his son Joseph caused great sorrow in the land of Egypt, and much greater sorrow when he was to bury him. These were holy men, full of the Holy Spirit, and yet they were grieved for the dead. As the children of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days, and again for Moses thirty days. So we read how great kings and saints grieved for the death of the saints,
God also speaks (Jer. 22, 18.) of the godless king Jehoiakim that he should not be mourned. That lamenting and suffering over the dead is praised everywhere in the Scriptures; as in the New Testament Christ, out of great love for Lazarum, also mourned and wept. (Joh. 11, 35.)
(4) And if this is true, that each one should take care of the dead, so that he may have a little friendship; so much more is praised where there were great rulers, as the heads and princes of the people of Israel, Moses and Aaron etc.
(5) In the same number we would have our head, if we were not so coarse and foolish. Since our head lies here, we should remember what we have lost, and what God has given us in this head and taken away again. It is very wisely said by the ancients that no one is to be praised, for he has well determined the end; for we are all full of infirmities. And even though we have much goods and may lie in ashes tomorrow, these goods will be darkened by infirmities until God takes them away. Only then do we open our eyes and recognize the lost goods, which do not shine brightly because of the infirmities. It will happen to us in the same way. Until now we have had such a head, through which God has given us peace, at which time there has never been any bloodshed. But this I do not ascribe to his powers, for they are not, but to God, who has looked upon us with the eyes of mercy and thus gifted us with them. Therefore it is not to be distressed that the person lies here and the body, for we must also go there: but rather it is to be lamented that God is so nearly cutting off this person and taking away our peace; that it is to be feared that because he breaks the vessel, he will also take away the treasure and the goods. We have to complain that much more damage is done to us than to his person, because at the end of his life he had this grace, that he is gone in the knowledge of the gospel, and with such words his hope is gone.
proves that we hope his soul will be eternally comforted.
(6) But we, who are his members and should have more need of his influence, are deprived of it and cut off. And just as we should give thanks for the grace we have had, so we may well grieve that it has been taken away, and yet hope and pray to God that he will give it to us longer and henceforth fill others also with this grace. This is the common lamentation of all of us, that we have lost the good prince; but the worst of all is that this head is falling away just now in these difficult and strange times, when the whole German land is in turmoil, that it is to be feared, if God does not come first, that the whole German land will be devastated. And it is an evil sign that He is taking it away at this very time when we should need it the most.
7 It is to be feared that because his death and this misfortune come together, he wants to indicate what he has in mind. For there has not been such a bright light of the Gospel in Germania as there is now: but because it is lazily and negligently accepted everywhere and persecuted by most parts, seducers and murderous spirits must now come, who blaspheme and desecrate it most of all; that it is not his fault that he is dead, but ours and that of the whole German country. Therefore God takes away the one who is in his way, so that he may make room for his wrath, which we have deserved. Otherwise, in his time, he has preserved us until now. As he sometimes helps a whole country for the sake of a pious man; as he did for the land of Syria for the sake of Naaman (2 Kings 5:1); as for Jehoiada the high priest, while he was alive, all was well and prosperous, but when he was dead, it was over (2 Chronicles 24:2). So also it is to be feared that God gave us happiness and blessedness and all good things through this man; but now that the obstacle is gone, which lifted our wrath, it is to be feared that we will not escape His wrath; as the prophet Ezekiel (Cap. 22, 30.) says: "I have looked for a man who is
put between me and her, but I didn't find one."
(8) This is the cause of our sorrow, because our head, a peaceful man and ruler, a quiet head, has fallen, and is now being taken away, when peace is breaking out. By this death we are to be struck, as it is to us, that we may humble ourselves, amend, be afraid, and accept the gospel; for the sword is drawn, and the ax is laid to the tree, where we do not strike at it. It behooves us to bear suffering, but Christians do not remain in such suffering. For this reason, St. Paul wrote these things for the comfort of those who grieve in this way. Now, as we have told the text, so let us also perform it with God's help.
But we do not want you to be restrained, brethren, from those who are asleep, so that you may not grieve like the others who have no hope.
(9) Here he does not forbid mourning, for at the end he will say, "With such words comfort one another"; and because he comforts and means to comfort, he will have found sadness, and will not forbid that it be there. But with one difference, which he adds, he divides the sadness into two parts: one is that of those who have no hope at all, who mourn because they have no knowledge of God, like the heathen who put their trust in a man; as if they had had a pious prince, on whom and his virtues they hung with all confidence, as those who know nothing of God; do not come so far that they would have known God, who had given them such things, or take them away again and punish them. Death took everything away and gave them nothing in its place; they could not atone for this damage. Therefore it was a sorrow without all hope; then all confidence in goods, in riches, in holiness, which falls away when the man lies. Such mourning, saith he, I would not that ye should have: but so shall ye mourn, that ye may endure your sorrow with consolation.
may give you a report. And now add what comfort it is: first of all, because of the person who sleeps. This is a comfort, that those who have known Christ are gone, though they had much goods, from which much good has come to us; we shall see them no more in time, but are now asleep. It is a sleep, do not worry that he will also suffer pain or be troubled like you, but rest and be silent; his virtues have moved into God and with God, who gave them to him, lie now and celebrate until the last day; then we will see them brighter and clearer than before, what reason, understanding, wisdom and strength were in him, through which God served us before; from this we will also have much more joy than before in his life.
010 And because it is so, others may mourn, but not hope; but Christians know that he sleepeth, and is not lost. And because he sleepeth, he must rise again, and enter into works. Therefore we know that these virtues and goods also shall come again, which he hath left, so that we would not wish that we had kept him. For then we shall see our prince again, what he was and what we were, and that not in man but from God, and how these goods all flowed from God into the head and from the head into us. The heathen are not able to do this, because they do not hope that the deceased friend will come again, but that the virtue and goods of the prince will be destroyed, which no one will know or see anymore. But with us it is much different. The garment is only for us, and a cloth, that is, the form of death, is in front of it; but the virtues of God are in it for a little while, then we will see them better than now, and will see each other again, not separated from each other, like the pagans who live without God.
On the other hand.
If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then God will also lead those who have fallen asleep with Him through Jesus.
(11) Here St. Paul mixes Christ's sleep and resurrection with our sleep and resurrection, and links them together, and makes a resurrection and sleep out of it; as he also does to the Corinthians (1 Ep. 15, 16): "If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not risen either. As if to say, "It is certain that the dead will rise, just as we are certain that Christ has risen. For we know that Christ died and rose again, sitting at the right hand of his Father; not that he sits up there for his own person, but, as it is written in Romans (Cap. 4:25), "Christ was given for our sins," that he might save us from sins, "and was raised again for our righteousness," that he might make us pious and holy.
(12) This is the use and profit of his resurrection, that it should not remain unfruitful, but work in us to make us free from sins and holy. If then we are holy, we are also justified by his resurrection: therefore we shall live, sin, death, devils shall not hinder us: for he that is holy, let him not be in sins and death. God, who is just, does not lay down punishment where there is no sin; as St. Paul says (1 Cor. 15, 56.): That death is the punishment of sin, and sin is the sting of death. For if there were no sin, there would be no death. Therefore he cannot let a man lie or die in death who is without sin and pious. But by the resurrection of Christ this is done, and worketh that he is free from sins; wherefore he also saveth him from death. And if he die, it is nothing but a sleep. If he falls with his body and sleeps, he must surely come forth and live again, as Christ did: because the guilt is gone, that is, the sin, the punishment, death, is also gone. But it remains a little hidden and is a sleep, that faith may have room. So he mixes Christ's resurrection and ours together, and finally concludes: "If Christ has risen, you must also rise; for his resurrection applies so that we also may rise. Otherwise he would not have died and
If he had not willed that we also should rise, he would not have risen again. Therefore he rightly concludes, "If the dead do not rise, neither has Christ risen, since Christ's resurrection occurred for the sole purpose that we also might rise.
(13) Therefore he that keepeth this article, and doubteth not, hath comfort enough, is strong and of good courage, and is able also to comfort others in death, as he comforteth himself. If Christ is risen, it does not have to be in vain and unfruitful; but where Christ goes, and God leads and is, there He also leads all who have fallen asleep in Christ. All of them will have to be resurrected, for Christ is a judge of the living and the dead. But they shall not all be led and set with Christ, when Christ shall be set, or that he shall give them that which he gave to Christ: but they only which are dead with Christ, and in Christ, the rest he will leave here: they also which are not asleep in Christ shall not be led with Christ. For this praise and glory, that they not only shall rise again, but also be led with Christ to where Christ abideth, is given to Christians only: to the rest the resurrection remains for a judgment, that they also may be given for judgment before the world in this sight.
14 This is the comfort, that we are not only assured, when we die and fall asleep, that we shall rise again; but also that we shall be led with Christ. It would be a great comfort if God now and then raised up our head again, that we should see the virtue and gift: but he will make it better, that we shall not see that alone which is now lost and laid in bed and covered up; but also how he will be led with Christ, since Christ is, that then he will be full of eternal life, full of light, full of understanding, full of joy, full of God and a Lord of all things. So, when Christ comes, he will take us out of the earthly realm and place us with him in an eternal kingdom, and we must sit with him so that we become children of God. So the Christians lose for a time the gift and goodness of God.
We will have the comfort that God has given us, but then we will have it much better. But faith is necessary; for he who does not believe will not have much comfort from this. Now, this faith must be given by God; the one who has it also sees and tastes it in his heart; otherwise it is a rotten, raw thing to him. For the thing is not put into the senses and eyes, but into faith and the word; and he that seeth it not here, shall not see it there.
(15) But there must be such a sleep, which is by the Lord Jesus. As if I now said to a tyrant who raged and raged against the gospel, who died denying Christ, I would say, "He dies not with Christ, but against Christ; but he who knew Christ dies with Christ, that is, he who knows that Christ died for us and rose again, and abides in this knowledge. If then I pass away in such knowledge, there is comfort; and though we are sinners, yet we believe that they have such virtue, and deny not the Lord, but go with their souls into the Lord, and into the word; which word swalloweth up all the sin that we have committed. There is no man who is otherwise partly a Christian who is not of some use, after God has thus distributed it, as it is written to the Corinthians (1 Ep. 12:7). Even if one is weak, sick and in bed, he is still useful for me to do my work on him: he is useful to me when I have need of him. Of the gifts I speak now. Some people are considered useless, but when they die they think, "Oh, if we had such a man now, who could advise us and help us in our affairs! So after death it is found that there is no one so small who does not have something to serve others, though it may be obscured by some infirmities, but after death it is seen. Whosoever therefore abideth in this knowledge hath hope, and is asleep with Christ. As you have seen in this man, who had both, and though he had flesh and blood, yet these gifts remained. But after death now so shall
we feel it, one will say: O would God that we had these gifts and these virtues! So one forgets the infirmity and the good is purified. And because he is different in the knowledge of the Gospel, on account of which he has suffered much these years, we hope that he has fallen asleep in Christ. Therefore he also has the advantage that he will carry it with him. And this comfort he leads, that we have lost nothing on account of his person; and he will lead us with him hereafter, and we shall be much brighter and clearer.
016 But this consolation is strange, and putteth us out of this world, and would that we had something in the meantime: but unless thou hast this consolation, thou shalt have a lord, as a heathen. Therefore let us be prepared; it is rather to mourn than to laugh. If we look upon the outward thing, it is well to pity after the outward man; and he also that feeleth not this hurt, must have a stony heart, or is not a right member: the pious shall well feel God's wrath in this.
(17) But how shall we do unto him, that he hath snatched away this head from us, lest the grace which he hath bestowed should fall upon us? Here it is necessary that we hold on to Christ and feel this way: Dear God, we have had peace for a long time, but we have been ungrateful, not recognizing this barrel and you in it; but now that it has been taken away, we recognize our guilt. If a war comes, we have deserved it, and still an Aergers, because of the works, which we have not yet recognized. He has given us honey for a long time, and now we will have to eat mustard; it has been good for us for a long time that we have sat so quietly: but peace is now lost with body and soul, land and people; but we hold on to it, so that we will soon have it again. If we die before then, there is no hope that it will come again, but it will come much more gloriously than it was before. In the meantime, we should ask God to give grace to those who will come after him, whether with thanksgiving to his goodness and with grace to his people.
We would like to turn away and endure the patience of his wrath, because disaster is now at our doorstep, and here lies the head that has kept the peace. Now the devil enters, and has it in mind that he washes away country and people in blood.
018 Wherefore I beseech you that we give thanks unto God, and confess our ingratitude, and pray for the authorities, that they thrust us not all into one heap. For if the authorities were thus put down, we would have no peace. God does not want the common rabble to rule; as he says to the Romans (Cap. 13, 1.): "All authority is from God." For this purpose he also gives his grace and gift. As can be seen, a ruler or captain, a prince, has more grace and virtues than a common man; although some abuse it, the gifts remain. But where the authorities are abolished, the worst boys will rule, who are not worthy to wash the bowl. The devil would like to abolish the ordinances, so that he would have room to carry out his evil deeds; if he succeeds, we are already lost. Therefore, we must fight more with prayer than with the sword. But let them know that whoever opposes the
(Rom. 13:2), that is, they will have a distemper, no, a distemper or a plague; as the word is also used to the Corinthians (1 Ep. 11:32): "When we are judged, we will be punished by the Lord. And this saying will do more than all the guns and spears, and the peasants will not escape this saying.
(19) But it is to be feared that the fulfillment of this saying will not remain too long, that the harm will become too great; but we must entreat God that the harm will not become greater. For the saying of Paul will remain true. But if they make Paul a liar to me, I will call them squires. Therefore it is not to be despised; even so the devil does not fear the sword at all, but rather our prayer. For this reason he is interfering in all places. For he knows that his punishment is not far off; therefore he would gladly that many should perish. And since we are aware of his mischievousness, let us cautiously pray that God will give his grace and assistance to the authorities to govern well, so that we may precede him, endure and abate his wrath, and mend our ways. May God help us! Amen.