1 Petr. 4, 8-11.
Be therefore temperate and sober in prayer. Above all, love one another fervently, for love covers the multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without murmuring. And serve one another, each with the gift he has received, as good stewards of the many graces of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the word of God. If anyone has an office, that he may do it as of the ability which God has to offer, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
This piece is also an exhortation to Christian life and the fruits of the good tree, which is called a Christian, that is, one who through faith has redemption from sins and death, and has been placed in the kingdom of grace and eternal life, so that he may continue to live in this way, so that it may be felt that he has grasped this treasure and has now become a new man.
But he also tells of some good works, and especially in the first part he continues the exhortation he began in this chapter, that Christians should abstain from coarse things, from the carnal pleasures that go to excess in the world, from the wild, disorderly, pagan sow-life of gluttony, drunkenness, drunkenness, etc.; and exhorts them to be sober in prayer. For he wrote this epistle in part to those in Greece, among whom were the commoners also good fellows, who were only accustomed to feasting and being full; as we Germans are also blamed, and not without cause.
(3) In order that he may bring Christians from such vice to sobriety and temperance, he reminds them, as the apostles do in many other places, of their office and work, which is especially proper to Christians and the only right service of God, for which reason they are Christians and distinguished from all the rest of the world. This is to say: Christians should not lead such a pagan, nefarious life of gluttony, drinking, feasting and feasting; for they have something else to do, which is
*Called Exaudi. - This sermon appeared as a single print already in 1525. Cf. Erl. A. 8, 290.
D. Red.
is great: namely, first, that they become other people, and deal with God's word, by which they have and receive their new birth; second, now that they are born again, they have an enemy, that is, the devil and their own flesh (corrupted by the devil and filled with evil desires), since they must fight with it as long as they live on earth. Because they are placed in such office and battle, they must not be slothful nor sleepy, much less full and mad swine, who pay no attention to anything, nor think what they have to do; but be brave and sober, and always be skillful with God's word and their prayer.
(4) For these are the two kinds of weapons and weapons, that the devil may be beaten, and that he may be afraid of them: To diligently hear, learn, and practice God's word, to instruct, comfort, and strengthen himself with it; and secondly, when temptation and strife come, to lift up the heart to that same word, and to cry out to God and cry for help; so that both of these may go on forever, as an eternal conversation between God and man: either that he speak with us, as we sit still and listen to him; or that he hear us speak with him, and ask what we need. Be it so, then, that the devil is offended, and is not able to stand against it; therefore Christians should be equipped with both, so that their hearts may be turned to God for and against, keep His word, and pray with constant sighing an eternal Our Father. How then a Christian should be taught these things by temptation and adversity, so that he is always oppressed by the devil, the world, and the flesh, so that he always
must be at the forefront, watch and look where the enemy wants to him, which also does not sleep for a moment nor celebrates etc.
(5) Now this is what St. Peter says here, that a Christian is such a man, who also with eating and drinking keeps his body moderate and sober, and does not load and spoil it with excessive eating and gluttony, so that he may be brave, sensible and able to pray. For he who does not take care to be sober and temperate in his office or position, but is a drunken sow and a daily drunkard, cannot be skillful either in prayer or in other Christian things; nor does he serve any other purpose.
(6) Here it would be necessary to preach and admonish us desolate Germans against our gluttony and drunkenness; but where would we take the sermon that would be strong and powerful enough to ward off the disgraceful sow-life and drunken devil among us? For it is, alas, now even with cloud-breast and deluge torn in, and everything flooded, and goes daily, the longer the more, through and through in all classes, highest and lowest, that all preaching and exhortation is much too weak, and almost to be silent about it, as that would be in vain and not heard, but despised and laughed at: as then the apostles and Christ himself proclaimed that at the end of the world such would reign, and for this reason exhorted his Christians Luc. 21, 34. that they take heed lest their hearts be weighed down with eating and drinking, and the care of this life etc., lest that day come upon them quickly and suddenly like a snare.
Now we Germans, because God has so abundantly given us the light of the Gospel at this last time out of great grace, should also improve ourselves in this matter in honor of and thanks to God, so that we do not heap God's wrath and punishment upon us through this vice as well. For with such a desolate life, nothing else can follow but certainty and contempt for God, so that people, like swine, are like dead and buried in constant gluttony, and have no fear of God, nor can they concern themselves with divine things.
8 And if nothing else would help, we should nevertheless be moved by the shame that passes over us in other countries. For in the play, other nations (especially Welschland) have a great hope and defiance against us, that they call us the full Germans. For virtue is nevertheless with them, that they are not such drunken full people. The Turks, however, are true monks and saints in this, and so far from this vice that wine and all drink that makes a man drunk are forbidden to them by their Mahomet, and they are punished for one of the greatest vices among them. That is why they are better men of war than our full band, as they are always sober and brave, keep a close watch on their affairs, take counsel and strive as they attack us and gain more and more land and people, because we lie and sleep in our gluttony, as if we should prevail over them only by drinking and indulging.
(9) But what is the use of saying much about this, because it has now become quite a common country custom, and no longer only among the coarse, common, naughty rabble, in the villages among the peasants and in open taverns, but now in all cities and almost in all houses, and especially also among the nobility and at princely courts it goes over and over? I remember when I was young that it was a great shame among the nobility, and that noble lords and princes defended it with serious prohibitions and punishments; But now it is much worse among them and more than among the peasants (as it tends to happen when the great and the best begin to fall, that they subsequently become the "worst"), until it has come to the point that princes and lords themselves have learned this from their nobles, and are now no longer ashamed of it, and almost want to be called an honor, and princely, noble, civic virtue; And whoever does not want to be a full sow with them is despised, since the other beer and wine knights gain great grace, honor and property by drinking, and want to be famous, as if they had their nobility, shield and helmet from that, that they are more shameful drunkards than others.
10 Yes, what should be more to defend here, because it is also among the youth without
Shyness and shame are torn into them, which learn such things from the ancients, and so disgracefully and wantonly spoil themselves in their first bloom, unwept, as the grain is beaten by hail and downpour; that now several of the finest, most skilful young people (especially among the nobility and at court) are depriving themselves of health, body and life before the time and before they have reached their proper years. And how can it be otherwise, where those who are supposed to defend and punish others do so themselves?
Therefore Germany is a poorly punished and plagued country with this drunken devil, and even drowned in this vice, that it consumes its life and limb and also property and honor shamefully and leads a vain sow's life; so that if one were to paint it, one would have to paint it like a sow. Summa, in German lands there is nothing left but a small piece untainted by this vice; these are young children, virgins and women, who still have a little shyness about it: although one finds some naughty sows under the veil, but they still keep. For there is still so much discipline left that everyone must say: It is especially disgraceful when a woman gets drunk, that it would be worthwhile to trample her underfoot in the streets.
(12) By such an example we should learn to see our shame and blush a little before it; for when we see how badly they are treated, how much more should the men be ashamed of it, who should ever be more reasonable and virtuous? Just as St. Peter calls the female a weaker vessel than the male; that for this reason we should have more patience with them. For a man is given more and higher understanding, courage and constancy, therefore he should also be more reasonable and less of a sow; that in truth, even reckoning by reason, it is much greater shame for him to transgress in this vice. For the higher and more noble he is created and endowed by God, the more disgraceful such an unreasonable and sour life looks to him.
But what can we say? It has so completely gone wrong with us that no example of the
male virtue and honor in this piece less than in male persons, and only the few pieces of a good example are left in the female sex, which show us our shame and move up, where one is a drunkard. Moreover, we are the laughingstock and disgrace of all other countries, who consider us to be disgraceful, unruly swine, who only strive day and night to be full and mad, and no reason and wisdom can be with us. It would still be tolerated and overlooked if there were a little moderation in silence and drinking, or if someone accidentally had a drink too much at times, or became unenthusiastic or noisy after great work and toil; just as a woman must be forgiven if she has a drink more at a wedding than at home: But to pour into oneself all day and night without ceasing with heaps and to give out again, so that one is filled up again quickly, that is not the life and work of princes, nobility or citizens, yes, not of a man (let alone a Christian), but of a right natural sow.
(14) It is granted to you by God and by everyone that you eat and drink not only for necessity, but also for pleasure and joy, and that you are in good spirits; and you cannot be satisfied with such things, for you are such a sow and such an unwillingness, as if you were born to spoil beer and wine; as one now sees such excess with banqueting and gluttony in the courts of princes, as if they would like to conceal and kill everything in one hour. Hence it comes that both lords and princes and nobility are impoverished and the country must become vain beggars and perish, because God's gifts are so inhumanly spilled and wasted.
(15) Well, as I have said, this vice has, unfortunately, taken over to such an extent that it can no longer be resisted in the world; whether God's word would help a few and individuals who still want to be human beings and also like to be Christians; the rest of the people remain as they are, especially because the worldly government does nothing about it. And I think that, where God does not help with a country-
If the punishment will once ward off this vice (for otherwise it is unrestrained and unrestrained), both young children and female images will become sows; and the last day, when it comes, will find no Christians, but everything will go wet and full into the abyss of hell.
16 But let them that would be Christians know here, that this virtue also, to be sober and temperate, is to be seen among Christians; and that full swine are not to be reckoned among Christians, nor to be saved, unless they amend and cease; as also St. Paul clearly saith of such Gal. 5:19, 20, 21: "Manifest are the works of the flesh, which are: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, fornication, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, murder, drunkenness, eating, and such like: of whom I spake unto you before, and say yet before, that they which do these things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." There you hear that as little as a fornicator, adulterer etc. has inheritance in the kingdom of God, so little does a drunkard who lies in gluttony day and night belong to God's kingdom; so that you may know that just as idolatry, adultery etc. is a sin that excludes heaven, so also this gluttony is such a sin that prevents you from your baptism, forgiveness of sins, faith in Christ and your own salvation. Therefore, if you want to be a Christian and be saved, you must think that you live soberly and moderately; but if you do not respect this, nor think that you will be saved, then always go away and be an un-Christian and an un-man, as long as God wants you to suffer it.
If you were a Christian, and did not want to be moved by both physical harm and disgrace, into which you lead yourself, and not only deprive yourself of money and goods, but also shorten your health and life, and in addition are scolded and held in contempt before all angels and men, then you should be moved that God should tell you and command you by eternal damnation to desist from such unchristian conduct, or you should lose His grace and eternal blessedness. Dear God, how shameful and ungrateful we are, who have received so much from God.
are graced with his word, and redeemed from the tyranny of the pope, who also wanted our sweat and blood from us, and in addition tortured and worried our conscience with his law, so that we might also improve our lives a little in honor of the gospel and in praise and thanksgiving to God.
If there are still pious parents or God-fearing Christian rulers, they should try to reduce this vice a bit and punish their children and servants with severe punishment. And the pastors and preachers are obliged to admonish the people often and with diligence, with reproach of God's disgrace and wrath and damage, who follow this vice in soul, body and property, if it would help and move some, and not to let those, who persist in such a vice unholily and publicly and do not want to improve (and yet also boast of the Gospel), stand at the Sacrament or at baptism; but hold them for public unchristians, and speak of them as public adulterers, usurers, or idolaters; as St. Paul also commands. Paul commands this in 1 Cor. 5:11: "If any man be called a brother, and be a fornicator, or a covetous man, or an idolater, or a blasphemer, or a drunkard, or a robber, with him ye shall not eat" etc.
But there is nothing more to be said about this. We want to hear again St. Peter exhorting us to be sober, so that we can wait for prayer, as those who are now Christians and have left the world of pagan desolation; as he said shortly before this text v. 3: "It is enough that we spent the past time of life according to the pagan will, when we walked in lust, lusts, drunkenness, gluttony, drunkenness" etc., and are now called and ordained to fight against the devil through our faith and prayer; as he then repeats and clarifies this exhortation in Cap. 5:8, that they should be sober and watchful. And if you would ask, "Why is this so highly necessary? For this reason," he says, "your adversary the devil is walking around you like a roaring lion" around a flock of sheep, "seeking whom he may destroy.
gobble." Because you are such a people, he says, who are called to fight against such a mighty spirit, which has our souls in mind and is more greedy for them than any wolf of the sheep, you must think how you can resist him and remain before him; this is done only through faith and prayer. But that ye may pray, ye must also be sober and valiant: for with the melters and drunken sinners is reason buried, that they can regard no thing, neither are they able to do any good work: therefore also prayer and supplications are taken from them, and the devil hath won them, and devoured them when he will.
(20) We can still see how the Christians in the first church, when they suffered great persecution, were so diligent in this matter, and almost more than too willing, that they met daily, not only in the morning and evening, but also for several specific hours, and prayed with one another, often keeping watch and spending whole nights in prayer. Some of them did this so much that they sometimes did not eat until the fourth day, as St. Augustine says. This is a bit too narrow, especially since it was made an example and a commandment afterwards; but it is still to be praised that they were finely sober in the evening and in the morning and at all times: after that, when this ceased in the community, the troublesome people of the monks followed (who pretended to pray for the others), who kept the same hours and time, matins, vespers and others, but did not pray, but only murmured or murmured and lied. We still have the children's schools, by which evening and morning prayer is preserved; but it should also be done in this way in every Christian's house; for every householder is obliged to keep his children to pray the least in the morning and evening, and to command God all the troubles of the world, that he may turn away his wrath, and not punish as we deserve.
21 Thus we are taught rightly, and yet not greatly afflicted; and if we were forbidden to eat, drink, and be clothed for necessity, and also for honor and pleasure, only that
we do not become unfilial and swine, and so shamefully bury reason; which is sin and shame to a man, if there were no God nor prohibition. And indeed much less to be suffered by Christians, because even among the heathen and the Turks there is more virtue in this matter and we must be ashamed of them; to whom we ought to set such an example that they should be ashamed of us, and take the greatest care that no one should take offense at our lives, lest God's name be blasphemed but glorified; as St. Peter also admonishes at the end of this epistle.
(22) Now as it is said of sobriety, so it is also to be said of the other virtue, which is called temperance, which St. Peter here puts first. For they both belong together, except that temperance does not apply to eating and drinking alone, but is opposed to all untidiness and excess in the outward life, in clothing, ornaments, and whatever else is superfluous and excessive, since one wants to be too great and exquisite in front of and above the other. As now in the world also excess has taken the upper hand, that nowhere is there any more measure of overpowering costuming with clothes, weddings, inns, banquets, building etc., because no one remains in his measure any longer, but almost every peasant is like a nobleman, after which the nobility also wants to precede the princes; that also this virtue, as well as sobriety, is almost no longer to be seen among us; so even here the regiment, seriousness and discipline have fallen among us.
(23) Now here also is not forbidden what in such matters is fair and honest according to every man's standing, even for pleasure and joy. For St. Peter also does not want to be accused of unrighteous, rusty and dirty monks, or sour-faced saints with their hypocrisy and pretense of an excellent, strict life, so that they also do no honor to their own bodies, as St. Paul Col. 2, 23. says, and soon judge and condemn other people, where a virgin goes to the dance or wears a red skirt etc. For God can well suffer that (if you are otherwise a Christian), that you should be according to your
Only that it remains a measure and is called moderation, that is, not wanting to be seen out of all manner and discipline, unseen joy and pleasure, so that one can overdo it and waste everything uselessly; therefore, such mischief and harm must follow as God's punishment, treasuring, usury, robbing and stealing, until finally both lords and subjects perish one with the other.
But above all, have fervent love for one another, for love covers the multitude of sins.
(24) In the previous chapter he admonished Christians how they should live for their own person; here he now says how they should also live for other people, and herewith summarizes all the good works of the other table, which we owe to our neighbor, in a strong, brave little word, which he calls "fervent love. This also belongs to a Christian who must fight and pray against the devil, which is also prevented where there is not love and unity, but anger and unwillingness; as the Lord's Prayer also teaches: Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive etc. For how can they pray for one another if they do not care for one another's needs, but are enemies to one another and do no good? Therefore, where hearts are set on fire against one another, prayer is already laid down and extinguished; hence also the unbelievers, and what is in the papacy, however holy they want to be, cannot pray, because they are enemies of God's word and persecute the Christians. And whoever says the Lord's Prayer in anger, envy and hatred, punishes his own mouth and condemns his prayer itself, if he seeks forgiveness from God and does not think to forgive his neighbor.
(25) Now there should not be a bad, common love among Christians (as there is also among the Gentiles), but a hot, fervent love; and not only a smoke or appearance of love (which St. Paul calls a false or colored love, Rom. 12:9), but a real earnestness and fire that is not easily extinguished, but lasts and lasts; as among men.
and wife, and parents against their children. Where there is true conjugal love, fatherly or motherly love, it does not cease as soon as one is weak, infirm, full of sores or pestilence and fatally ill; but the greater the other's need and journey, the more the heart is moved and the more fiercely the love for the other burns.
(26) Such heartfelt love, as the apostles elsewhere call it, should also be among Christians, because they are all children of one Father in heaven, and brothers and sisters among themselves, and are also obliged to love their enemies (as they are also men, and of the same blood and flesh), and not to do evil to any man, but to help and serve everyone gladly where they can. This is the beautiful red robe, so that Christians may be adorned before all the world (above the pure white vesture of their faith, which they received in baptism), according to the example of Christ, who also against us, even while we were still enemies, wore such a red robe of love, being sprinkled with his own blood, and burning in the hot fire of the highest ineffable love.
27. And the apostles do this admonition for this reason: For they well knew and saw that among Christians there still remains much weakness and infirmity, even in the outward life, and that it cannot be so lived in the common life among men (as it is not so pure in any home between husband and wife), that at times words, deeds and works fall on one part, which offend the other and move it to anger; just as in the human body one member often bites another, or a man bites his own tongue, or scratches under the eyes etc. Whoever then wants to be such a strait-laced, obstinate saint, who cannot bear evil words or prayers, nor can he bear any affliction, nor hold it too well, is not fit for the people, nor does he know of any Christian love, and can neither believe nor practice the article of faith of forgiveness of sin in his life.
28 Therefore, a Christian does not have a lazy, cold, pale redness, but such a heated brown redness (which the Scriptures call coccum to
tinctam, Rosinroth, 2 Mos. 26, 1.), who can hold fire and be true, that she will not soon be indignant nor overcome with anger, impatience, revenge; but can bear and bite something, even if it happens to her too close and too annoying, so that she shows herself more and stronger in suffering and bearing than in doing.
29 Therefore St. Peter praises such love and says: "This is such a virtue, and it is so strong and powerful that it can not only bear but also cover the multitude of sins. He takes this saying from the Proverbs of Solomon, Cap. 10, 12, which the papists also pervert and interpret against the doctrine of faith, making the love of one's neighbor a work or virtue against God; they want to conclude from this that through our love our sins are covered, that is, forgiven and canceled. But we let the fools go; for it is clear enough from the text that it speaks of hatred and love among people, and does not mean our own sin, but other people's sin and transgression. For to cover our sin before God belongs another love, namely, of the Son of God, who alone is the sin-bearer before God, who, as John the Baptist says, bears and takes away our sin and the sin of all the world on his neck and shoulders, and through such love also gives us an example that we also (through love) should bear and gladly forgive other people's sin that is done against us.
(30) For Solomon sets against each other the two vile things, hatred and envy, and love; shewing what cometh of both. Hatred, he says, stirs up strife, but love covers up all transgression. For where there is hatred and enmity in the heart, it does not go away, it causes misfortune and strife; for resentment cannot refrain itself, it goes out and gives poisonous words, either in the back of the one who is hostile, or shows itself publicly against him in such a way that one sees that he does not grant him anything good; from this then follows reproach, cursing, biting and striking, and where he is not controlled, misery and murder. This is due to the fact that Junker Haß has such shameful poisoned eyes that he thinks of
He can see nothing in a man but what is evil; and where he sees such, he clings to it, broods over it, picks at it and eats at it, like a sow with its unclean snout in filth and stink. As one says to such a one: I mean, you looked at me in the back; that he can neither speak nor think anything else of his neighbor but the worst (although there is otherwise much good in him), would only like that everyone would also be hostile to him and speak the worst of him; and even if he hears something good of him, he must still interpret it as the worst. The other part is also embittered by this, so that it begins to hate, curse and blaspheme again; and so the fire burns, that all discord and misfortune must follow.
31. On the other hand, says Solomon, love is such a pure, delicious virtue that it neither speaks nor thinks evil of its neighbor, but also covers, not one or two, but the multitude of sins, or great heaps, and equal to a forest or whole sea full of sins, that is, it does not take pleasure in reflecting and tickling itself at the neighbor's sin, but acts as if it had neither seen nor heard it; or if she cannot deny it, she gladly forgives and corrects as much as she can; or if she can no longer, she bears and suffers it, but does not cause trouble or make evil worse.
(32) Hereby he confesses, as he also has seen and experienced, that where people live with one another, there is no lack of sin and transgression, that one does not always do what pleases the other, or does wrong publicly. And to teach us that he who would live among men (as we must live among ourselves in all classes; for the Scripture knows nothing of the peculiar unruly saints, who soon want to run away from the world, if it does not go a little according to their liking), must be guided by this, that through love he may bear and provide for the other, and cover his transgression, so that no further evil may result from it. For where one does not want to suffer or forgive and forget anything, hatred and envy must follow; which then causes vain strife and quarrels, so that we have no peace and tranquility among each other, even when one is in love with another.
and scratch each other, and thus make our life difficult and sour. For the fact that there is so much unpleasantness, strife and war on earth is nothing but the fault of the evil that we have no love for one another, but let the unpleasant hatred move us to anger and our own revenge when something is done against us, so that one person becomes an enemy of another rather than an enemy of evil, since one should love the other.
33. If you want to live as a Christian and have peace in the world, you must strive not to indulge your own anger and vengefulness as others do, but to overcome and subdue hatred with love, and to overlook and bear with it, even if you are greatly wronged and harmed: then you are a fine person who can do much good through gentleness and patience, quell and remove enmity and strife, and thereby also improve and convert others. But if thou wilt not do this, then thou mayest go, hastening and envying, or rumbling and rumbling with impatience, and seeking vengeance; but thou shalt have nothing of it, but strife and unrest, and though thou hast long complained and changed, running to and fro, yet thou shalt not find it otherwise, or thou shalt first have to blot out this text and prove the Scripture false.
This saying of Solomon about love was also considered by St. Paul, who praised such virtue in many words in 1 Cor. 13:5, 6, 7, where he says, among other things: "Love does not seek its own, it does not lust after, it does not seek harm, it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth; it bears all things, it endures all things, it believes all things, it hopes all things, it does not grow weary" etc. Behold, that is, as St. Peter calls it, a fervent love, which has such heat and fire, that it can consume and take away all evil, and give good in return, cannot be overcome nor suppressed, but passes through, and so much evil cannot be done to it, it nevertheless remains good and does good in vain.
35. this is and remains (differentia essentialis the right quality of love (where it is
(The love of a man who is righteous, and, as his nature and manner require, fervent), that he may not be embittered, nor cease to love, and to do good, and to forbear evil. And summa, love cannot be monkey nor anyone's enemy. So much evil cannot be done, it can bear it all; so much may not be sinned against it, it can cover it all; so high it is not angered, it can forgive it. For she does not do otherwise, as a mother does toward a child who is infirm, unclean, and naughty, which she does not see, even though she sees it, but is blinded by love, yes, she has such pure eyes, so that she sees the child as a beautiful fruit of her womb, given by God, that she forgets all infirmities and considers them nothing, yes, even excuses and adorns them, so that they must not be called cross-eyed, but love-eyed, if they are transparent, and even the wart must be good for them.
(36) Behold, this is to cover sin with love, a special virtue of Christians, which does not exist in the world, for it does not have, nor can it have, such love, even though it pretends to have and bears a great appearance and name. For however exquisite this virtue is, it must nevertheless also suffer such a pestilence that it is deceived, colored and counterfeited with false appearances and glitter, since no one wants to be thought to grudge and envy his neighbor, and can make himself friendly to everyone with words and gestures. Yes, as long as he is shown good and does what is dear to him; but if the love for him ceases a little and is angered by a word, he soon unties sackcloth and rope, complains and is angry about great injustice done to him, pretends that he is not guilty of suffering it, boasts and boasts about his great loyalty and love for the other, as he would have liked to share his heart in his body etc., and is now paid so badly that the devil should serve the people more. This is the love of the world, which does not mean love in deed, as St. John says 1 John 3:18, but love in word; there is no heart nor earnestness, but a mere will-o'-the-wisp, which shines, but is without fire, and lasts not, but is soon blown out with a breath of air, and is extinguished with a word. That makes,
that the world seeks only its own, and wants only to have served itself, and to receive good from others, but not to give back where it has to suffer and bear something for it.
37 Here you speak: How is evil not to be punished? What would follow from this if one were to suffer, cover up and tolerate everything that is evil? Would this give the wicked cause for all their will, and strengthen them in their wickedness, so that in the end no one would be able to remain before the other? Answer: It is often said who should be angry and punished, and to what extent or in what manner and measure. For it is true that the authorities in the country and every householder should be angry and punish and ward off evil; item, a priest and preacher according to his command, yes, also every pious Christian should admonish and punish his neighbor where he sees him sinning (as in a house one brother to another). But it is much different to be angry for evil and to punish out of command; and it is different to be hasty and revengeful, or to desire evil and not want to forgive.
38 It is not against love to be angry and punish when one sees one's neighbor sinning, for true love is also of the kind that it does not like to see one's neighbor's sin and disgrace, and would like to have it corrected. Just as a father and mother, when a child wants to be wilful and disobedient, quickly throws the rod at him, but does not reject him or become hostile to him, but seeks his correction, and when he is punished, throws away the rod: So you also may punish your brother who sins, says Christ, and be angry with him, so that he may know and say that he has done wrong, and if he does not amend, you may also report it to the church; but do not become hostile to him for this reason and bear evil grudges and hatred toward him. For true love, as I have said, must not be slothful and cold, so that it does not regard its neighbor's sin and ruin, but seeks to help him from his sins; therefore it must also have a fire here, so that it becomes red and angry, displeased, and grieved that its neighbor, whom it loves, does such evil against God and against itself; but does not become pale from
She does not hate or seek revenge, but remains in need, so that her heart is moved and overflowing with compassion and mercy for her neighbor. Even if she does not succeed with anger and admonition, so that she must turn away from him and consider him a pagan, she still cannot become hostile to him or do him harm.
39. Therefore, the anger and punishment of such love is much different from the anger, hatred and vengeance of the world, which seeks its own and does not want to suffer anything unless it is spoken and done to please it: But love alone is too angry with its neighbor; and even if it does not keep silent about evil or approve of it, it can still suffer and bear everything, forgive and cover up what happens against it, and leaves nothing undone that serves the neighbor's betterment, and can thus keep a pure difference between the two, that it is hostile to vice and yet loves the person.
Be hospitable among yourselves, without murmuring; and serve one another, each with the gift he has received, as the good stewards of the manifold graces of God.
40 St. Peter exhorted Christians in general to love one another properly; now he takes some pieces in which love should be shown outwardly among Christians, and especially he speaks of those who have special office and gifts in the church before others, so that they can be helpful to others; thus he directs all outward life and work of Christians to be done in love, which does not seek its own, nor benefit itself, but lives to serve the neighbor.
41) First, he says: "Be hospitable to one another"; this refers to the works of love in all kinds of bodily needs of the neighbor, that Christians should serve and help one another with bodily goods, especially the poor wretches who are strangers or pilgrims with them, or who come to them and have no house or farm of their own, that they may gladly share them, and let no one suffer hardship among themselves.
42. when, in the time of the apostles and in the first church, Christians were persecuted everywhere, driven away from their own, and now and then had to live in misery and wandering.
It was necessary to admonish the Christians both together and each one who was able to do so, so that such would not suffer need among them, but would be provided for; as it is also still necessary among the Christians that the real poor (not lazy beggars or vagrants) are called house poor people, or those who cannot feed themselves because of weakness and old age, be provided for and maintained. For this purpose, common boxes are to be arranged in the churches, so that alms can be given to such; as the apostles also ordered, Acts 6, 3. 6, 3. St. Paul also exhorts about such works of love in many places, as, Rom. 12, 13: "Take care of the needs of the saints" etc.
43 And these things, says St. Peter, are to be done "without murmurings". Peter, one should do this "without murmuring," not with displeasure and reluctance, as the world does, especially when it should give something to the Lord Christ, that is, to his breathing servants, pastors and preachers, or to their children, to whom it counts every morsel of bread in the mouth, and everything is burdensome and too much, where it should give a penny, otherwise it gives and pours to the devil with heaps; as one has hitherto given under the papacy to lazy, useless monks, and disgraceful bad boys, deceivers and seducers with heaps and willingly. This is the world's naughtiness and also God's just punishment, that it must not be worthy to give, when it should and could give, for the preservation of God's word and the poor church, that it must nevertheless give to other places, since no thanks are known to it. Christian love, however, should have this good nature, that it does good "without a murmur", and as St. Paul Rom. 12, 8. also says: "If anyone prays for mercy, do it with pleasure", that is, gladly and light-heartedly; item, 2 Cor. 9, 7.: "God loves a cheerful giver" etc.
44 Further, St. Peter speaks of the work of love in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are given to the whole church for good and profit, especially for the spiritual office or government; he wants them all to be directed so that one may serve the other. Admonish them to remember that what they have is all God's gifts, which the Gentiles do not respect, but live as if they were the gifts of God.
they would have life and everything of themselves. But they, the Christians, should know that they are obliged to serve God with it. But God is served when they need it for the benefit and service of the people, so that they may be improved by it and brought to the knowledge of God, and so that the church may be built up, strengthened and preserved, of which the world neither knows nor understands anything everywhere.
45. Therefore he says that such gifts, which are called the Holy Spirit or spiritual gifts, are to be used in Christianity as good stewards of the various graces of God, so that we may know that they are given to us by grace, not that we should exalt ourselves with them, but that we should be overseers of the house of God, that is, of His church, and that therefore the gifts are various and so distributed that not one has all kinds of gifts, but one has other gifts, office or profession than the other, and so linked and connected with each other that we must serve under each other.
46 And St. Peter wants to remind each one in particular to look at his position or office, and to faithfully wait and do what he has been given and commanded to do. For, as the Scriptures often teach, there is no nobler work than the obedience of the profession and work that God lays out for each one, that he may be content with it, faithfully serve his neighbor, and not go on grasping at that which is commanded or given to another, or presume and reach further than he is commanded; How much more frivolous, unfaithful spirits, and especially the hopeful, puffed-up heads and self-grown smarties do, who let themselves think they are so full of spirit and art that they cannot stay at their command, think they must rule everything, and what others do, master and outsmart; These are hostile people, who cause nothing but misfortune, and have no grace to do anything good, even though they might otherwise have fine gifts, because they do not need them according to their profession, nor to serve their neighbor, but only for the sake of their fame and advantage.
47 Therefore the apostle shows how God distributes His gifts in various ways, and says that they are various gifts: as St. Paul says
1 Cor. 12, 4. 5. also does this, since to each one is allotted and given a special gift, and with it a special office, for which he should use such gifts and remain with them until he is called to another; as St. Paul Rom. 12, 7. says: "If anyone has prophecy, let him wait for prophecy; if anyone has an office, let him wait for the office" etc. For it is not enough to have many special gifts; but grace also belongs to it (as he says here: "Many graces of God"), that it may please God, and give blessing and happiness to it, that a man with such gifts may well and usefully serve the church and do some good. Such grace is not given to those who do not wait in faith and according to God's word or command of their profession; therefore, St. Peter gives a beautiful rule as an example of how one should properly use such a distinction of the various gifts, saying:
He who speaks, that he may speak it as the word of God; he who has an office, that he may do it as of the wealth that God has given.
This is a very necessary teaching in the church, and if it had been kept until now, the world would not have been filled with the lies and seduction of the Antichrist; for a goal is hereby set for all those who want to be or do something in the church, however high their office and gifts may be, and the peg is put in how far they should go in it, so that they do not exceed the measure.
(49) He divides the government of the church into two parts: Teaching, or leading the word, and having an office, ruling according to the word and doctrine; and speaks of both, that one should always see to it that no one goes about such according to his own head and discretion or pleasure, but teaches and rules in such a way that it is and remains God's word and work or office.
50 For it is not so done in Christendom, as in the world's government, and the things that pertain to outward things and temporal goods, that men, according to their understanding and reason, may govern, make law and right, and command, punish, take, and give according to the same; but here is a spiritual government of consciences before God, and what is spoken, done, and given there.
The things that are taught, said or done must be done in such a way that one knows that they are valid and exist before God, yes, that they come from Him and flow from Him; so that one can say: God Himself said or did this; because in this house, where He rules and dwells, He should and will also, as the right master of the house, speak and do everything Himself, even if He needs man's mouth and hand for this.
Therefore, first and foremost in the teaching, both of preachers and listeners, it must be seen that there is clear and certain testimony that such teaching is actually the true Word of God, revealed from heaven to the holy first fathers, prophets and apostles, and confirmed and commanded to be taught by Christ Himself. For it is not to be suffered that one should deal with the doctrine in such a way as each one desires, or as seems good and fine to him, and rhyme it according to human understanding and reason, or play and juggle with the Scriptures and God's word, that it should be interpreted, directed, stretched, and patched up as it would please, for the sake of the people or peace and unity; for with this there would be no certain nor lasting reason on which consciences could rely.
52. Nor is it to be suffered that anyone who has a special standing before others, is holy and of a high spirit and mind (even if he were an apostle), should appear on his gifts and commanded office, and have power to teach what he pleases, and the hearers should be obliged to accept such, and rely on it that what such a man teaches must be right; as hitherto the pope with his conciliis has persuaded the world: because if he sat in the apostles' chair, had the highest office, and assembled the conciliis, they could not err, and everyone would be bound to believe and keep what they concluded and set.
(53) Against this, St. Peter teaches, and all Scripture forbids, that in this matter (concerning faith), no man or gift is to be looked to or regarded, but all things are to be regarded.
Examine doctrine and judge according to the clear and certain word of God, which has been given to us from heaven and has certain unanimous testimonies of the apostles and the church from the beginning; just as St. Paul speaks such a judgment against his false apostles, who boasted of the high apostles' disciples and insisted on the same person and reputation against him, Gal. 1, 8: "Even if an angel from heaven preaches another gospel, let it be condemned and cursed" etc.
54. So also in the office or government of the church; there also first of all the testimony should be that one knows that God has commanded and ordered such office; so that once again no one is allowed to order, command or do something by his own authority or pleasure, which should be considered a divine work or necessary for salvation, therefore and because he is called and appointed to such office; as the pope, by virtue of his ecclesiastical office, has taken upon himself to rule over all in the church, to command, to make law and worship, which each one is obliged to keep; but whoever wants to have and exercise an office of the church, must first prove and make it clear from the Scriptures that he has been commanded to do so by God, so that he can say: It is not I who have commanded this, but God; and the people, when they do so, must certainly be satisfied that they are not obedient to him, but to God.
55. if, according to Christ's command, as a pastor or minister, I administer the holy sacraments, or absolve, exhort, comfort, punish, etc., I can say: I do not do it myself, but Christ; for I do it not on my own authority, but according to his command and as he has commanded. This cannot be said of the pope and his group, who pervert the Lord's order and command in the sacrament, forbid the chalice to be drunk by the laity; item, make the custom of the sacrament or the mass a sacrifice for the living and the dead; besides which they have set up innumerable abominations, and besides, indeed, against God's command, with false worship, as, the dead invocation of saints and such idolatry, which the pope has raised up under the appearance and name of his office,
as if he had power and authority from Christ to order and command such things.
56. Secondly, it is not enough that the office or command is God's office and command; but one must also know and point out to the people that the power which is to create and work such an office is not man's ability, but God's work and power; That is, that such things are valid and come to pass (what and for what purpose the ministry is given and is to accomplish) not because I say or do them, but by virtue of the command or order of God, that he thus commands them to be done, and by such ministry, if it is in his command, will work and be powerful. In baptism, sacrament and absolution, one should not look at who or how pious, holy and worthy the person is who administers and absolves the sacrament etc. For nothing applies and happens because of the worthiness or unworthiness of the person who gives or receives it, but because God's command and order is there.
57 This means, as St. Peter says, that the power or authority that God gives, that is, does not happen and work by the authority of men or for the sake of men, but for the sake of his order and by his power; so that no one may defy or presume as if it were his authority and power (as the pope pretends with his keys and church authority), but that you may know that your office is powerful and that your actions or governance in the church are useful and beneficial, which God himself must give and work. But for this to happen, there must be, as has been said, God's word and testimony that He has commanded and commanded such things to be done.
(58) Therefore, it is hereby seriously commanded that no one in the church should presume to preach or do anything, whether little or much, small or great, out of his own authority, or some man's counsel and discretion; but whoever wishes to teach or do anything, let him speak and do it in such a way that he may first be sure that whoever speaks and does it is truly God's word and work, commanded by Him, or only leave his preaching and ministry in place, and in the meantime do something else. Likewise also the others, neither hearing, believing, nor accepting anything, for that which is given to them by God.
For God does not want to joke with His things, and the salvation of souls is at stake, which are thereby led into eternal harm and ruin, if this rule and command is not kept.
That in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ etc.
(59) This is the end, that all things should be done in Christendom, that no man should seek for himself power, and glory, and honor, and fame.
But God alone, who Himself calls His Church, and by His Word and Spirit governs, sanctifies, and sustains it, and for this purpose gives and bestows His gifts upon us, and does all this out of pure grace, solely for the sake of His dear Son, the Lord Christ; that we may give Him thanks and praise for such grace and unspeakable blessing, given to us without our needing it, and direct all our actions so that His name may be known and praised through it.