(1) We will now leave the one part of this gospel, about the leper, and stay with the last, where the Lord Christ preaches about the centurion of Capernaum, who had a servant who was dear to him, and sent priests and Pharisees to Christ, asking that he would heal him (2c).
2. in this example, as the text clearly states
says, two miracles have happened or there is a twofold miracle. One that the Lord does; the other that the centurion does. For he says that Jesus himself marveled at the centurion because he had such strong faith. What this man, Christ, considers miraculous and praises, we should also consider miraculous; it is a strange herb to him, and such a wild thing that is not common, that a centurion should have such faith.
3. and is such a miracle not to be glossed over, as the common gloss says, he has ver-
He was astonished, that is, he presented himself as one who is astonished; it was not presented and uncolored in him, but it was a real astonishment and seriousness, as another man is astonished about a thing. For it has often been said that Christ's humanity should not be shortened or lengthened, but that he should remain a true natural man, who had such eyes, nose, and all the faculties, item, such thoughts, as another man, that he was able to mourn, wonder, and rejoice in the same way as we do; for he had not only the body of a man, but also the whole soul: therefore he was in earnest when he marveled at the centurion.
4th Now from this" follows such a difference among the miracles or wonders, that much greater is the miracle, which he counts as a miracle, than which we count as a miracle. People count it a great miracle that he made the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the lepers to be clean, and it is true that these are miraculous signs; but he counts the miracles that are done in the soul much greater than those done in the body; therefore, as much as the soul is better and more than the body, so great and so much greater is this miracle that he counts as miraculous than the others that are done in the body.
(5) Two miraculous works have therefore been performed here*, and have remained so, and will remain so until the last day, that Christ performs miraculous signs daily and forever. He does them seldom, as he did seldom on earth; for he did not make many blind people see, nor did he heal all the sick, but left many blind and unhealed. And what if he had made a shock or two see or hear, or even raised the dead? For such signs happened only so that the Christian church might be founded, established, and accepted with baptism and the ministry of preaching, that it might be established.
(6) For this is what God has always done, when He wanted to remove old teachings and establish new ones, to confirm them with miraculous signs; but when they were established and accepted, He also ceased to perform miraculous signs. When he was executing the children of Israel, he performed many miraculous signs,
That they passed through the sea, and gave water out of a rock, and daily man from heaven, etc. until they came into the promised land. And when they were come in, the same ceased, and they had to dust the sacks, and eat the flour of the land: for the former signs were wrought for the sole purpose of bringing them into the land; and when this was accomplished, the miraculous signs also had their part. Therefore such miracles and signs are not eternal, nor are they common; for he has no interest in them, but does them for our sake, that Christianity may begin to believe.
Now that Christ has been accepted with his baptism, and idolatry has ceased, so that kings and princes, who were Gentiles before, now bear the name of Christ, he ceases to perform miraculous signs, which were done before, to eradicate idolatry and to plant faith; therefore it must not be asked now why such miraculous signs are no longer performed. For why or for what purpose should they be done, since the doctrine is now certain and confirmed? And if one would now demand more such signs, this much would be said: I doubt whether the baptism, sacrament, yes, all the doctrine of the gospel is right; which has now long since been accepted and so powerfully confirmed that such miraculous signs have ceased.
8. But the signs, which he considers miracles, go on and remain forever, as there is the faith of this Roman captain at Capernaum, whom he calls Centurion; For the Roman regiment was everywhere organized in a certain way and number, everything was divided up in a fine order, and the soldiers were appointed in all cities, with their order, so that it was known how many soldiers belonged to them, or how many each one had under him; as, a tribune had three thousand, a centurion a hundred soldiers; so that the soldiers could soon be brought together when and how many one wanted. Such a weibel or centurion was also this one, who had a hundred servants under him. Now, with this the miracle happens, that Christ himself wonders, and is just the sign and miracle, which must go on until the last day, which does not have the appearance and name, as other signs, which one sees and grasps, as, the blind see.
1182 D is, 171-173. on the third Sunday after Epiphany. W. xn, 1511-1516. 1183
or to make the deaf to hear; and though it be not a miraculous sign, yet it is a marvel, and a great marvel, that a man should have such fine, strong, right faith; wherefore he praiseth and commendeth as with this centurion's faith, as it were a wonder above wonders.
(9) For behold, how he expatiates and magnifies. There is a Gentile man, as all the soldiers were, not circumcised and without the law of Moses, bad as another Gentile, and yet he has such faith before Christ comes, that he built the Jews their church, as they themselves boast of Luc. 7, 4. 5. They go to Christ beforehand to ask him, saying: "He is truly worthy that you do good to him, for he loves our people and has built us the schools," that is, the church and the preaching stand where Moses is taught. He had not done this out of his Roman faith, but God had sent him to be placed in the city with a centurion, and there he heard the Jews teach the Ten Commandments, preach Moses and the prophets, and through such teaching he was caught and became a fine, pious man, and such a virtuous heart, which has all the virtues that belong to faith; And not only is he pious, but he also has a servant (such a servant will probably have had more), whom he especially loves, and has certainly also been a pious servant. For where the master of the house is pious, he will certainly hold his servants to be pious as well, or not suffer them to do evil in public, and to believe and live against him. Thus it is also read of the centurion Cornelio, Acts 10, that he was godly and God-fearing with his whole house, and God showed him a face and sent to him the chief apostle Peter; that it was to be wondered at the time of such people, who had no kinship with the Jews and were only guests with them, and yet heard with them and learned more of the faith than they themselves. So also another centurion, who stood by the cross of Christ, together with his soldiers, suddenly became devout and believing, so that he openly and unashamedly spoke of the crucified and dead Christ.
Christ preached: "Truly this one was the Son of God" etc. Marc. 15, 39.
(10) Therefore, first of all, it is to be wondered at that he, being a Gentile and uncircumcised, is and remains a sojourner among the people, and does not accept the law of Moses, and yet is so pious that he promotes and helps to preserve God's word and service, builds schools and preaching booths. Secondly, because he is in the position that is considered and held before the world as a damned unholy position. For what is a soldier but a public robber and murderer, as some have written and said? Just as before that time they themselves thought that what went to war was of the devil, and they also went there willingly, as reckless people who would never come to grace, robbing, burning and murdering in such delusion that they could not lead their state with God; as I myself have heard from some, when one talked to them, why they led such a shameful life, whether they did not think what would follow afterwards? Yes, they said, whoever would think of it would never have to go to war, and thus willingly forsake the kingdom of heaven and all graces and run straight to hell. Well, such a man was this centurion in the damned state (as our clergymen and with them the holy Pharisees have held it), nor has he such faith that he is praised as a special example, yes, put to shame of the whole Jewish people.
(11) And this, as I have said, is a fine faith. For behold, as he stands, he has drawn and received such a humble thought from the Lord Christ that he does not think himself worthy to go to him and look at him; and yet Christ was a poor despised man, whom the Jews hardly thought worthy to deal with, thinking that he should be glad and esteemed highly if they had once invited him as their guest. And the latter considers himself so lowly in comparison to him that he thinks: "Oh, how may I come before this man, I am a heathen and a man of war, as he is not worthy that I should see or hear him.
12. therefore he sends a message to him
for the sake of his servant, whom he loved, the most learned and honorable in the city, as if he were with us, chaplain, pastor, master or doctor, and commands them to ask him for his servant: not that he should come to him, but only that he should make his servant well. And when they go and gloriously advertise their message that he will come, for he is well worthy, and Christ is willing to come to him, and goes with them, when he hears that Christ himself is coming, he sends other messengers on the way, pleading and saying, "Oh no! What am I, that he should trouble himself to come? If it is enough for him to say a word, I have had enough.
Are these not humble thoughts and hearts, which he himself does not know? That is, a faith that is worthy of praise, as Christ also praises it, which throws itself so low that it also considers itself unworthy to see Christ, and would gladly be deprived of sight: only that necessity compels it to send to him, not for itself, but for its servant, and asks no more than that he speak a word. What is this said: "Speak just one word" etc.? How does he know that this Christ, who was so despised by his Jews, has such power? For though he has not yet come so far in believing that Christ is truly God and man in one person, as is revealed hereafter, yet he believes that God is in and with Christ, for he gives him such power that when he speaks a word, the sickness must depart and cease. That is, a divine power given to Christ; that was enough to believe at that time. It would have been something else, that he would have thought him to be a common pious man; but now he thinks him to be the one who does such a divine work, and God is in him, that he can work such a thing, and work in such a way, that he may not do a hand to it, nor come to it bodily; but if he alone speaks a word, it is certainly accomplished. And the very faith that holds Christ so high makes him so humble that he cannot think: Oh, I would like to see him and have him as a guest etc.; but thinks with vain humility: God Himself must be in this man;
What he wills, that he does; therefore I and my house are not worthy that he should come to me.
14 This is given to Christ enough of such a person, as of a heathen and a man of war, that he is a mighty lord over all calamities, pestilence, fever, sickness, etc. because he lets say to him: Speak but a word, and my servant's gouty infirmity is subject to thee, and must depart, though thou never comest to him. So he becomes mighty under the hand of the Lord Christ, death and the devil with all his power; and he begins to argue, and becomes a theologian: "Shouldn't you be able to do this? For I am under other men's power, the Roman emperor and governor Pilati or Herodis' subject, and am set over soldiers; nor, if I say a word to one, Go thy way, or to another: Come hither, etc., so much happens with the one word that he stirs, and goes or comes; and concludes from this: "Well, dear Lord, can I poor man, under other authority and rule, with one word stir up my servants, so that they must go and do what I say: should you then, as one who has such high divine authority, not be able to do with one word what you will?
(15) Behold, who hath put such reasoning and wisdom into the heart of this unlearned heathen man of war, that he should find such a similitude, and be so true? For it is also a great thing in truth, that one man with one word can stir up a hundred or a thousand men; this he grasps, and with it concludes mightily: "Can I stir up my servants with one word, and make them run, or walk, or stand: what shouldest thou not do, who hast much greater power, and art subject to no man (as I am), but all things must be subject to thee, much more than my servants are to me, whom I cannot hinder, lest they run from me, or be opposed to me.
This is said so beautifully and Christianly that it would be enough for someone who had been a doctor for four years. Therefore Christ also praises and glorifies his faith so gloriously, and lets it be seen what he likes or dislikes, what joy and pleasure he has in the miracle where it happens; as it is then.
1186 L- is, 17S-177. on the third Sunday after Epiphany. W. xii. 1549-1551. 1187
must happen where the gospel goes. So drink to him that this centurion has such fine, sincere, arid faith that he begins to wonder: What shall I say of a man of war, born a heathen, uncircumcised, a sojourner among this people, and not respecting our worship? He shall be so wise and learned, that he shall preach to me that I should preach to him, and do wonders to me rather than I to him? And so he looks behind him at his Jews, and holds them against this heathen, and becomes out of measure unhappy at them; as if he should say, Fie; this doeth a heathen unto me; what do ye that are my people? I would like to hear or see one among you who could preach like this, even believe like this; yet I find no such faith in all Israel.
17. And if he would be found in Israel, it would not be so surprising; For they had good faith when they had so many holy patriarchs and prophets before them from the beginning as an example and stimulus, and were showered with miraculous signs, because God had so wonderfully led them out of Egypt and brought them into the land, and afterward had so often wonderfully helped them and given them victory, and had so many excellent promises and all kinds of benefits from God, that they should have believed, because they were so overwhelmed, yes, covered with miraculous signs. Therefore, even if they all believed and their faith was still so great, it would still not be such a strange faith as this centurion's; for he can neither attract nor boast of any, neither father nor miraculous sign, or anything that should move him to it; but is the first beginning and spark in his house that lights the fire, therefore his faith is much more strange than the others, even if it were also great. Christ is so pleased that he, who could not be provided for, has such great faith; as he also says elsewhere that the angels in heaven rejoice much more over one sinner who repents than over nine and ninety righteous men etc., Luc. 15, 7. For it is not to be wondered at that the righteous are righteous, than that sinners become righteous; for those have already had their faith before.
Beginning: but this is a wonder, that this one believes, who is yet a Gentile, and believes stronger than his own people.
18 But this, that he says: "I have not found such faith in Israel", is to be distinguished (so that we do not even throw away the old glosses), that he did not mean his mother Mary and the apostles by it; because he speaks per synecdoche thus:
The great multitude, who are called my people Israel, who boast of the fathers, miracles, temple and worship, inheritance and sonship etc.; there he speaks, I do not find such faith. And that he speaks of the same, the text itself gives afterwards, since he speaks: "The children of the kingdom will be cast out" etc., which cannot be understood by the virgin Mary, apostles and the faithful among the Jews etc. So he wants to say: Is it not sin and shame of this people that they have such great honor from God, all the fathers, patriarchs and prophets, both of whom have exhorted and provoked them to believe with God's word and with their example, in addition to which they are so showered with miraculous signs, and yet they do not want to believe; and this one, who comes so bare and naked and is nothing but a Gentile, sits such fine strong faith.
(19) Therefore he is justly reproachful and angry with the Jews, who had such great cause to believe, and yet did not believe, and with the Gentiles, who have no cause to believe first; therefore he also passes a terrible judgment on them: Ye have the temple, the scriptures, the name and ministry of God, fathers and prophets, signs and wonders, and all these things together; and are ye children of the kingdom, to whom is given the kingdom and priesthood of God, and is promised Christ and his everlasting kingdom: but I say unto you, that there shall be an abominable return unto you, that ye shall lose that which ye have, and ye which are the children of the kingdom shall become the children of perdition.
20 Thus you see, how happy and of good cheer he is about the centurion's faith, how angry he is about this people's stubborn unbelief, who have seen and heard so many miracles, that he herewith pronounces their final judgment to be taken from them.
All that they have, and the kingdom to others; as he also says in the parable of the husbandman, Luc. 20:16, "He shall come and kill those husbandmen, and shall give his vineyard to others, which shall give him his fruit in due season. It is terrible to hear that those to whom it is promised, and who are their children, are cast out, and others are put in, to whom nothing is promised, nor do they belong.
(21) Why is it that the Jews believe so little and turn away so little? Nothing else, but the hostile vice, which is called excess, akedia; for they were so accustomed from their fathers to the great and many miraculous signs, and so overwhelmed with God's word, that it was not new to them. But to this centurion it is all new; for he had lived until now as a raw heathen, who knew nothing of God, and is glad that he also learns something of God and His Word. How gladly he listens and learns, and there come together both a good cook and a hungry stomach, a good fresh drink and a thirsty tongue. The Jews, however, are so full and drunk that they lick their chops and go overboard. Just as we now, unfortunately, see that it is the same for our people, and we must fear that we will not fall into the same judgment. Other people, who are outside of us and do not have this, cry out for it, grab greedily for it, and pick up with joy the crumbs that we throw away, and to them it is like sugar. We, who have it so abundantly and fully, have long since become full and weary, so that no one recognizes another as a Christian.
22. well, I have warned often enough, and I know that God will have excused us poor beggars (the preachers), and no one can blame us for not having said it, because we have preached it enough.
I have preached, written, sung, painted and in all kinds of ways driven and blued; whoever wants to accept it, let him do it, whoever does not want to, let him leave it. Whoever accepts it, I will answer for him, but whoever does not, let him answer for himself; no one may stand for me, nor do or leave anything for my sake. If many people accept it, then the more lies on my neck, which I must carry; that I would suffer for my person, that no one would accept it, then I should give answer for no one.
(23) But I warn everyone to beware, for we see that we are becoming weary like the Jews, and are so full that the flour tastes bitter to us, like the mouse; but we will also see that it does not go without punishment, for Christ threatens us with this, just as he did the Jews: "I tell you truly, you are full and weary, and do not want it anymore; but I will find people who are hungry and thirsty, and will gladly accept it. For I fear that the devil will cast out the gospel among us also, not with the sword, nor with violence, as the pope did with his multitude, but with want and hunger.
(24) Therefore, let him that will speak and be counselled see that he be found with this captain or centurion, and not among the children of the kingdom, who think that they have assurance, and cannot lack it. But it is very soon that the devil leads you away from the gospel; when this happens, you have already fallen out of the kingdom into darkness, and know neither your God, your preacher, nor your brother and neighbor anymore, just as the Jews, who saw and heard Christ and had him with them, yet neither saw nor knew him. Well then, I have done my part and warned often enough faithfully, God grant His grace, amen.
1190 D- 1g. 173-181. third Sunday after Epiphany. W, XII, 1SS4-ISL6. 1191
Another Sermon on the Last Piece of the Previous Gospel
And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way, and it shall be done unto thee according to thy faith.
(1) This saying is also well to be remembered, and very comforting to all who would be Christians, that he puts so purely and simply on faith, and says no more badly than: As thou believest, so be it done unto thee, and so put it in general; as if he should say, Not in this case only, but as thou believest, if thou wouldest ask more than for this servant, or if there were much greater need, and only believedst, so shouldst thou have it. Praise faith, then, as he who does so much that he will gladly give not only this piece, which he still holds in low esteem, but if it were much more, even all that he would ask. This is the word and also the thing of which the gospel preaches, and of which it is to be acted in Christendom, and yet no man can bring to the people, nor even to our own hearts.
(2) First of all, therefore, let these words be understood as a common sentence or doctrine of faith, wherein it is decreed and promised to every man, saying, As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. Then we will soon become one in this matter, and we do not need a mediator or an intercessor, a prince or a lawyer, or even an angel from heaven. So, he says, I will teach you to know me well and to know how you should be helped, if you only believe. For God has presented and given us everything through his dear gospel, just as he painted himself in the image, which is the word of life, as St. John 1 Ep. 1, 1 calls it, and says that we have seen and felt him in it. Where the word is, he wants to say, there is my heart and will, and as you should see me face to face, so you see it in my word, there I paint myself to you as I truly am. In this picture and in no other you see rightly how you could see me in majesty. Now it is necessary that you grasp such a picture well
And as a good mirror give right sight; for after that the mirror is, so it catcheth. Therefore see that thou catch me aright; I lack not, neither am I false with mine image: but where the mirror is false, there am I not rightly caught. Therefore, as thou formest me, so hast thou me. If thou formest me aright, thou hast me aright; that is, As thou thinkest, so shall it be done unto thee.
3 This centurion formed him to be a comforting, friendly man, and Christ presents himself and speaks just as he formed him, and quickly answers him, "Let it be so, as you believe. Both his faith and Christ's heart are right together. For he who can speak and believe in this way catches the right image, so that God must say, "This is an image that is like me; so I created Adam in my own image, so that my image was in his heart, just as I myself am; for he bore my image and became my image himself. So also, when we grasp such an image, says St. Paul 2 Cor. 3:18, he reflects or paints himself in our heart, so that from day to day we are transfigured more and more into the same image, until it becomes perfect, which will happen on that day; but here it must begin to be reflected and formed, so that we learn more and more to understand how he is formed and minded toward us.
4 Now he does not present himself otherwise than as the gospel shows, that he is a merciful Savior, who gladly helps and benefits, desires and demands no more than that one only believes. Wherefore if I believe, I am the true image, which is like unto him: for as my thoughts and heart are, so is he minded; and again, as he is minded, so think I, and so believe. That is why St. Paul compares faith to a mirror or painting, so that it is caught in the heart, just as in a pure mirror a living image is shown, so that no difference is to be seen, and just as seen in the mirror, it is seen in the mirror.
How it moves, lives and does everything, as in the living being. Therefore it is said: As you believe, so you have it; that is so much said: As you judge me in the heart, so I am also; I present myself to you rightly, and am not differently minded than how I present myself, but you look at it, that you grasp me rightly.
(5) So the image is right and ready, but there is effort and work to catch and grasp such an image rightly, for we have now become a shameful, corrupt mirror. Adam was created to resemble God, as the scripture Genesis 1:26 says: "He made him in His image, to be like Him," therefore he looked like Him. With what? With the fact that his heart did not think otherwise than: He created me and is my dear Father, who gives me everything. There he knows of no wrath, sin or misfortune, but sees and feels all life, peace and sufficiency. And just as he thinks, so he has, that there is truly no wrath, but all is fatherly love.
6th But when the devil came, he caused heartache, and corrupted the image, and put a mask over it, and reversed the word, and thus he spake: Do you think that it is true that God is your dear Father, and that He is as merciful and good as you think? If he loved thee, he would let thee eat of this tree also: but he is afraid thou wilt be too wise, and become like him: therefore see thou that he meaneth thee neither well nor good. Fie on you for the painful painting and forming in the abyss of hell; there he loses the image that God has painted, and forms himself according to the image that the devil has painted, gets a larva with hideous horns before his eyes, which he follows, and no longer thinks of God in the same way as before, but the antithesis; The image had been broken, and life followed it in the same way, so that he hid himself and fled from God as from an enemy, whom he had loved before and was full of joy and hearty confidence in him; but now, when he hears it, paradise becomes too narrow for him and he cannot stay in front of it; and as God's word was vain life to him before, now it is vain poison and death to him. Who makes here so suddenly such a different heart, mind and thoughts?
Of God? No one, because the sorrowful spirit, which makes his image crazy, even darkens and erases it in his heart.
(7) Therefore it is and remains as said: as he is painted or an image is made of him, so he is; that is, as man believes, so it happens to him. Therefore, all idolatry and false worship have come from the beginning and still come from painting and forming God as painters paint the devil, with long horns and hideous fiery eyes etc. Such an image would certainly be found in all monks' hearts if one were to cut it open; for such a one cannot think otherwise, neither thus: Oh, I am a sinner, and God is angry with me and will condemn me to hell; how shall I do that I may atone and reconcile God? So I must go shamed and have a stranglehold on me, etc. so that he will be merciful to me. This means almost as that charcoal burner says: You are my gracious lord, the devil, because once upon a time a monk suddenly appeared to him in the forest and frightened him so that he fell down before him.
(8) Therefore it is always thus, As thou hast believed, so hast thou; if thou hast made me right, thou hast made me right. For myself I remain the same, but you see whether you want me to be right or not. If thou makest me a god unto thee, thou hast a god: if thou makest me a devil, thou hast me also so; and so walkest in the world. All the shameful things that painters think of to paint the devil come from man's thoughts and false delusions about God; for man's heart is by nature such a corrupt and torn mirror that it no longer knows or understands anything about God and His will, so it must run and flutter with its own thoughts, so that one paints God in this way and the other in that way: and put on him so many different colors and clothes and form him so strangely that if it all came together in one heap, it would be the most hideous picture, the like of which would never be seen or painted. And so he must make a shameful devil's larva out of his divine image, without all his guilt; for he always remains the same and the same mind for himself, but that you do not fast him in this way, that is of the
It is the devil's fault that you have such an image, and your fault that you follow such a devil's guile, and therefore you must also harm him as you respect him. As when thou liest at death's bed, and wilt not believe his word, but art painting to thyself, Alas, he will not have me, I must go to hell, etc., and so leadest thou away; so is it also with thee, and is no one's fault but thine own unbelief, that thou lookest not on him as he is represented in the word; wherefore he cannot help thee, and must let thee go, and say: As thou believest, so be it done unto thee: if thou fearest hell, thou must go in.
9th Again, if thou lookest rightly on Christ, and fastest his word with faith, and thus standest thine heart: I am a poor sinner, and thou knowest it, my dear Lord: but thou hast set thee before me in the form of thy dear Son JESUS Christ, that thou wouldest be gracious unto me, and forgive me sin, and know not wrath and condemnation, and cause me to believe these things, and not to doubt them: and I will trust in them, and joyfully go my way. etc.See, then you have grasped the right image, and must not inquire further, nor gape toward heaven, how God is disposed toward you, or worry and fear how it will go for you; but here you hear the word and heart of the Lord Christ: As you believe, so be it done to you; and have it ready, as it is painted in your heart. For, as I have said, he hath not painted it in thine hand, nor before thine eyes, but in thine heart, with the word which he saith, As thou believest, that he could not more fully present it unto thee.
(10) Would you like to know what God in heaven thinks of you? Ah yes, dear Lord, you say, if you would send me an angel or a saint from heaven! No, not so, saith Christ, thou shalt have no angel nor man for this, neither shalt thou find it anywhere, neither in heaven nor on earth, but reach into thine own bosom, under thy left teat, and there shalt thou find it, that is, behold, thou hast right faith; for thus it is said, As thou hast faith, so hast thou it etc. So that he could not more finely resolve the question that is in every man's heart, how God is disposed toward him, than to instruct him in his own heart.
(11) Yea, sayest thou, if I should ask my own heart for this, I am lost; for this telleth me no other way, neither that God is ungracious to me, because I am nothing more than a sinner, and worthy of hell. Answer: There is no luck, so who has formed and painted you hot? This is just the unfortunate image that makes an idol out of God, yes, an awful, horrible devil, and takes away his divine honor and form, which is similar to him and in which he has vain pleasure and joy, and gives him in return vain, awful and horrible devilish lavae and hellish dragons. Therefore paint him first rightly, as he is in himself, and make such an image that is like him, which is called thus: I forgive you your sin through my dear Son, Christ, crucified and dead for you, etc. so that no sin may condemn you, no death devour you, no hell devour you, etc. if you keep to him alone. This is my mind and heart, and to confirm it I have caused my Son to preach and to perform miracles, and to shed his blood and to die.
012 Behold, when thou lookest on him thus, thy spirit is fashioned like God, and his heart, image, and countenance stand righteous and living in thine heart, saying unto thee, This is my child, whom I will not cast into hell, but will give to heaven: for as he believeth, so shall it be done unto him. He believes that I am his Father and forgive sin, so it is right and shall remain so. Therefore, everything depends on our renouncing the false image alone, and grasping the divine image rightly and remaining with it; for he has formed himself rightly, and has done everything he should: but it is up to us not to put a hideous potter or scarecrow in our heart for him, but to paint him rightly as he wants to be, and has presented himself; if not, then we blaspheme and desecrate his name, and commit, above other sins, the greatest idolatry.
13. for he does not want to make such an image of himself that he will not be merciful to sinners and forgive sins, even though he wants that one does not sin and is disobedient etc. But when a man is fallen and lies in sins, he does not want that one adds sin to it, and does not want that one does not sin.
think that he will forgive sin, but think: I have sinned, and well deserve that you punish me with pestilence, death and all misfortune; this I will gladly suffer, but therefore do not pervert nor defile your image, which you yourself present to me, but let it remain pure, that you are my gracious God, even though I am a sinner and suffer death and all kinds of misfortune for good etc.
(14) Behold, this is the text that teaches how to rightly conclude and discuss the supreme question of God and His will, so that one may no longer lament or desire such things: Oh, if I could know how I should believe or do that God in heaven would be gracious to me; how I would be so heartily glad, and gladly do and suffer both what I should. For here you have it in one word in the clearest possible way, only do not worry any further about God, how the erroneous spirits climb up to heaven, and want to search and fetch from above what God has decided about them, and often fall down their necks over it; but thus it is said: As you believe, so it is, not: As you seek or think it above. If thou believest aright, thou hast him truly, as thou holdest him, a gracious God and Father; and again, if there be not right faith, and thou puttest on him a mask, thou must have him so that he terrifieth thee, and chasest thee into hell; not that he be so in himself, but that thou model him so, and make a devil of a God.
(15) Yea, sayest thou, how shall I do otherwise, for I feel that I cannot believe thus, and I must paint him as my heart and thoughts, or as the devil pretends, and cannot help it? Answer: Come, then, that thou mayest know these things, and say, Lord, I cannot, alas, form thee aright in my heart; therefore help, and grant that I may know thee aright, and become thine image; even as he saith to Christ in the Gospel Marc. 9:24, "I believe, dear Lord, but help my unbelief." etc. For all the saints, prophets and apostles cry out in this way, and no one has ever been so great as to complain about it and have to pray for it, as the prophet David asks in Ps. 25, 4. 5: "Lord, show me your ways and teach me.
Thy ways, lead me in thy truth, and teach me" etc.; item Ps. 86, 11: "Show me, O Lord, thy way, that I may walk in thy truth; keep my heart in the one, that I may fear thy name." So that they may show us that it is not so easy for us to believe or to grasp such an image, but that it is God's work and gift alone, and that He bears our weakness and lack of understanding and keeps us in good stead, if we only start to believe and stay with the Word; as He Himself says in the prophet Isaiah Cap. 49, 15. He says: As a mother carries her child and cares for it, so will I carry you etc.
For it does not happen so quickly that a child in the womb is soon born into the world, but is slowly formed, eyes, ears and all limbs one after the other, until a whole, perfect, living man becomes. So it is here also with us still unformed that God must always work through His Word and Spirit so that we increase in faith from day to day until we become perfect, and as St. Paul says in Gal. 4:19, "until Christ gains His right form in us," and must always reflect ourselves in the same image so that we may grasp it perfectly and become like Him. And if the devil often makes a crack or stain in it, it must be swept and purified again and again until it becomes pure and complete. So man is called born again, and not only that, but also perfect, as St. Paul says again in Eph. 4:13, in the measure or fullness of the perfect age of Christ. Therefore, we must strive daily to act and pray in accordance with God's word, so that we may grasp and retain the right comforting image of God as our gracious Father and Savior.
(17) Behold, this is what the Lord Christ meant by this, that he hath set the thing so near to us that no man may inquire or search any further, and nowhere can it be found so well and so surely as in every man's own heart, though he hath also abundantly and beautifully formed himself in all creatures; but nowhere better nor clearer, neither in thine own heart, that thou shouldest think thus of him,
as he paints himself in his true image for you, against the false, idolatrous, broken and corrupt image that the wicked devil first imagined Adam to have and that naturally resides in everyone's heart. For this is why he also came
and gives his Word and Spirit to tear away and destroy such devil's image with hideous horns and glowing eyes, and instead bring the right, lovely, fatherly image of God into our hearts, Amen.