V. 1-4. Take heed to your alms, that ye give them not before men, to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Now when you give alms, do not sound the trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, that thine alms may be hid; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Until now, the Lord Christ has punished the false doctrine and interpretation of the Scriptures, by which alone people were led not to sin with their fists, but by which the heart inwardly remained unclean, and has shown and cut out the right understanding of the Scriptures and the Law. But now, according to the doctrine, he also attacks the life, and punishes their good works, and lets them
1) In the old editions: "false".
Therefore, nothing good, neither doctrine nor works, since they, as holy people, taught the Scriptures daily and did good works, so that they were considered the best core of the whole Jewish people and the holiest on earth, and all the world had to look at them as their mirror and example, according to which they should live. As until now one has not known to look for the right doctrine and life anywhere, except in our clergymen, priests and monks; and yet now also are punished by the gospel, that everyone sees that they have neither taught nor lived rightly, but have deceived and deceived themselves and the people.
(2) Now this is a vexatious sermon, which comes into the world in such a way that, in short, it makes nothing right or good for such holy people, so that it deserves to be made an enemy of, and does not want to suffer in the world. But the Holy Spirit does not shrink from this, but continues, as his office is, wherever he comes, to punish both; as then one must be punished with the other. For this is true, where doctrine is not right, it is impossible that life should be right and good.
The only thing that must be done and done according to the doctrine, but what is done and done according to it, are vain deviations and aberrations, and so much the worse, that nevertheless the appearance and delusion always remains, as if it were the right, divine doctrine, which is wise and leads to heaven, and the works have the name that one calls them good, and yet sees no further than the fist. As they thought it was enough, and lived well, if they only did the works, gave much alms, fasted and prayed, regardless of how the heart stood against God; and in addition they had the disgraceful deceit and filthiness about them, that they did it only for the sake that they 1) would be seen by people, and would have honor and glory from it before the world. For this reason Christ reproves and even rejects it here.
(3) And first, he punishes their almsgiving, which is the best of all outward works. For it is nothing else than helping the poor and needy, and does not only mean a piece of bread given to a beggar at the door, but all kinds of charity and all kinds of good works toward one's neighbor. For the word "alms" is derived from the Greek word eleemosyna, which means mercy; as we also call works of mercy. Therefore the Scripture also praises such works above all others, even those done against God, as sacrifice, prayer 2c. As Christ Himself says [Matth. 9, 13. 12, 7.] from the prophet Hosea [Cap. 6, 6.ft "I delight in mercy, and not in sacrifice." Item Is. 58, 3. ff. He punishes them for their suffering with fasting and mortification of the body, and demands such works that they should do good to the poor, feed the hungry, clothe the naked 2c. How is it then that he here punishes the Pharisees for such good works? Answer: He does not punish the work, but their opinion and request in such work. For the work itself would be good in itself, but that spoils it, that they smear their filth on it, because they only seek their glory and honor before men with it, not for the sake of God nor the neighbor.
1) Wittenberger: only.
for the sake of it. Therefore, he makes a short, firm judgment that all such alms, however great, much and delicious they may be, are in vain and lost.
(4) Who thinks that such vice and misconduct is so common in the world, and mostly among the very best, and how few there are who do good works without such a request for worldly honor or favor? Take all the alms done in the whole papacy, and count how many you find that are not given to such opinion? Yes, the world never comes to know what it is to give alms. For we are all so skilful that if people never began to praise us, or to give us honor, thanks, and favors, everyone would soon withdraw his hand. For if the pope had said to the princes and benefactors, "My lords, I will not give you a penny for all your endowments and alms," what do you think they would have given or endowed to churches and otherwise? Not one stone would they have led to it, nor would they have had it laid. As one sees now, because one teaches rightly and exhorts to such works, that one should give for God's sake, out of a pure and simple heart, without any request for one's own honor or merit 2c., there is no one who wants to give a penny. But before, when there was praise and honor, there was almsgiving, endowments and wills. And even though this helped a lot, so that people thought they were earning heaven with it, this was not the right reason, but actually the reason Christ says here: "That it was held high in the eyes of the people and praised. Otherwise it would not have been considered that it was done for the sake of God or the kingdom of heaven.
(5) As I have said, this is evident when people are now being enticed and exhorted to do such good works, and it is made as delicious as it can be, that it is heartily pleasing to God, along with all the angels in heaven, and He wants to reward them a hundredfold, but no one wants to go there yet. What is lacking? Only that one should no longer have praise and honor, thanksgiving and reward before the world. Because the head is cut off, the body will not follow. But if the head were to come to life again, then
Soon it will be in full swing again, as it was before: When a rich prince gave so much to a monastery, they all came and said: Deo Gratias! and promised to earn it with their prayer and worship. This had to be shouted out on all the preachers' chairs and all the world had to say: O, this is a delicious work! Thus it has gone through and through in the papacy, although there may have been 1) few of them whom God has found righteous. 2) Behold, this is a certain indication that such things were done solely to merit thanksgiving, honor and praise.
(6) Moreover, you also have this sign that such saints soon become angry and withdraw when they feel ingratitude or contempt. For if they did not do it from the cause, they would not be indignant about it, nor refrain from it, but would go on and say, "I did not start it for that reason, nor did I leave it for that reason, but I will do it for God's honor and pleasure, even if no one says a good word to me about it. But if you say: I have done so much to this one, it is already forgotten and there is no gratitude in the 3) people 2c. I would gladly have given him the heart in the body; but because I see that it is to be lost, and has shown itself so ungrateful, and [oll have done] toil and labor in vain, so I would have him hellish fire, that I would give him a penny or the bark 4) of the bread. See, there the rogue looks out, and shows with your own words, why you do it, namely, that you are to be acclaimed and celebrated and honored as a god. As can now be seen from some great scoundrels, how they can be angry and reproachful if they are not always thanked or told what they like to hear, so that they even defy princes and lords and want to have everyone captured.
(7) Behold, this is the shameful evil of good works, and the common plague of all the world, that no man doeth any good thing without such a request of his own. For the world cannot come out of delusion and mind, nor suffer and overcome ingratitude. Therefore also the
1) "wohl" is missing in the Wittenberger.
2) Wittenberg and Jena: have.
3) "den" is missing in the Wittenberger and in the Erlanger.
4) Erlanger: Rings.
Monks come who have run into the deserts because they were too weak to suffer such things, that they should be in the world, helping everyone and doing good, and get nothing but contempt, harm, insult and ingratitude for their reward. But what devil makes you do such works, thinking that you are trying to earn the world's honor and favor, which is uncertain and can soon fall and turn, and do not invest it better, namely in God, since it cannot be lost to you, who wants to repay you abundantly, both here and there? And it serves thee well, because thou art such a rascal, and seekest nothing more than that men should worship thee, and thereby make thee a god; 5) so he may well let the world and devils deal so with thee, that they may take away the godhead from thee, and cast it into the mire, where it shall lie. For because thou mayest sit God in his throne, 6) and take hold of his glory, he shall bring thee down again with equity, that thou mayest have all shame to thank for the stolen glory.
(8) Therefore it is a shameful thing about the world, whether it be pious or wicked, it is not fit for anything. For it either wants to be a public devil with evil works, or wants to be God himself with good works. And yet it cannot suffer any of them. Therefore, no one can do a good work unless he is a Christian. For if he does it as a man, he does it not for God's sake, but for his own honor and pleasure; or, though he pretends to God's honor, yet it is a lie and a forgery.
(9) Christ therefore teaches how to give alms properly, saying, When thou givest alms, thou shalt not sound a trumpet before thee, and make a great noise, that a whole city may know and speak of it; as in our country, when a donation is made, all the bells are rung: but when thou givest alms, give it so that thy left hand may not know what thy right hand is doing. This is not said in any other way than as St. Paul used to say Rom. 12:8 and otherwise, "He who gives, let him give simply." But to give simply means that he does not give his honor or favor,
5) "you" is missing in the Jena.
6) "may" - subordinate yourself.
Seek gratitude or reward with it, and look upon no man, whether he be ungrateful or not, but freely give what he will. Just as God gives daily and lets his sun shine, regardless of the grateful or ungrateful, as if he saw no one. That is, a simple heart and mind that neither seeks nor desires anything else, but looks only to God's will and glory.
(10) Such simple alms are not found in the world. For their giving is such that the right hand gives, but the left hand draws to itself. This is called a "giver-taker," 1) as the children mock one another, so given that one takes ten times more for it. As one who gives a drop of water and drinks a bottle of wine. For she gives in such a way that she wants to have the honor that is immeasurably greater than all money and goods, and buys you with one party, 2) that she thereby has an eternal prisoner in you, with life and limb and what you have, yes, even God Himself as well.
011 Therefore saith Christ, When thou givest alms with thy right hand, see that thou seek not to take more with thy left hand; but put it behind thy back, and let them not know that it is called a simple giving, and not a taking; or that it is so given, that they ought to owe thee ten times as much, and to celebrate and worship thee for an idol. As our disciples do now; when they have served one with a florin or two, they want to buy and bind him in such a way that he must let everything be gold that they speak and do, and must not say a word to them without what they like to hear. Dear man, if you can sell your parties in this way, you are not a corrupt merchant.
(12) Therefore let every man beware of these vices, and take heed to himself, lest he also be found among them. For there are few people who realize it, and even those who think they are pious and full of good deeds are twice as bad as others. Thus God is especially hostile to this vice, and
1) Cf. Walch, St. Louis Edition, vol. XIX, 1405, note I.
2) i.e. a begging piece.
can suffer it less than to take from the neighbor publicly and do wrong, than to give, and to spoil the good work so shamefully that you make yourself an idol, and bind and imprison the neighbor more heavily than anyone else. But so it goes; where right doctrine lies low, and yet everyone pretends to great piety, there also follow such good works, which have nothing but a vain appearance, and do twice more harm than public evil works.
013 But if any man say, What shall become of it, that he saith the alms shall be hid? Shall it then be rejected, if it be proclaimed and shewed to them that shall take and receive it? Answer: No; you must see where Christ is speaking, for he looks at the heart and mind; namely, if it is given or given for the purpose of seeking honor and glory, it is of no use in the sight of God, although many poor people would be helped by it. But this is called almsgiving given in secret, where the heart does not reveal itself, and wants honor and name from it, but is so minded that it gives freely to it, nothing respected, although it has no appearance before men, 3) nor praise, indeed, is despised and disgraced by everyone; so it is called done secretly and only before God, although it is done publicly before all the world. For it is covered with this simplicity of heart, which neither inquires nor considers whether God gives thanks or ingratitude, good or evil. For so I see it not, though other men see it. As I and others in our preaching ministry must do, we do not care whether we please people or not, but rather expect contempt, ingratitude, persecution, and all kinds of misfortune for it.
14 For every good work must wait, and be tried and tested, that it may stand, and be found righteous, which other glittering hypocritical works do not. Summa: Whoever wants to be a Christian must be so skilled that he neither does nor leaves a good work for the sake of the people, but for the sole reason that he may live with his own goodness.
3) Wittenberger: Fame.
Let him serve God with his office, status, money, property, or whatever he has, can, and does, and do what he can in his honor, even if he never earns any thanks on earth. For it is impossible that even the smallest work that a pious man does could be rewarded here, if he were crowned with gold and given a whole kingdom. Therefore he should think no further than to take food and drink from it, and wait for no reward from the world, which is not worthy to pay or reward a good work, even that it should recognize and honor a true Christian. And even though she knows him, she is not so pious that she would thank him. Since it was not begun for her sake, let it not be left for her sake, but let it be commanded to God, who will repay it abundantly, not secretly, but publicly, before all the world and all the angels.
15 Where there is no such understanding and courage, one cannot do a good work, but becomes impatient, makes trouble for himself, and lets the shameful ingratitude of the world overcome him, so that such a good work is spoiled and lost. And it is found that it was not done for the sake of God, but for the sake of men. And I myself, if I did not know this, would have long given the world a vacation and let it go to the devil before it should hear a word from me. But it is not for her, but for our dear Father in heaven, for whose love we want to 1) preach praise and honor and do good 2) because otherwise all the world is hostile to him, and most shamefully 3) despises and blasphemes him, and does everything it can that is contrary and annoying. And we take comfort that he is still alive when all the world has perished; and because he has said and promised that he will reward and recompense it, he will not lie to us. Seek it, and thou shalt find it, that thou lack not. Let this be said at the beginning in general about almsgiving and all other good works, as a Christian should be skillful in his heart 2c.
1) Erlanger: to.
2) Wittenberger: too good.
3) "him" is missing in the Erlanger.
V. 5. 6. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites, which love to stand and pray in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward there. But when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and shut thy door, and pray unto thy Father in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
(16) After almsgiving, or doing good to one's neighbor, this work also belongs to a Christian, that he pray. For just as the need of this life demands that we do good to our neighbor and take care of his needs; for this is why we live on earth with one another, that one may serve and help the other: so, because we are daily in all kinds of danger and need in this life, which we cannot avoid or turn away, we must also always call upon God and seek help, both for ourselves and for everyone.
(18) For here Christ punishes and rejects all their prayers, which they practiced with all diligence, for the sole reason that they were not able to pray.
4) "an" is missing in the Erlanger.
How much more are our clergymen's prayers to be condemned, who seek nothing but to fill their bellies with them, and no one would say the Lord's Prayer to them if it did not carry money? And if they have done it in the best way, they have murmured or sounded a bag of words, even without heart, mind and faith, like the bells or organs. They have had the honor and glory of being the only ones to pray; but the others, as those who deal with worldly matters, cannot pray nor serve God; but they must pray in our stead, that we may make them lords with our money and goods.
(19) How necessary prayer is, however, is not to be told here; we should indeed feel it ourselves, because we live in the flesh and blood, which is full of all kinds of evil things, and we have the world with us and against us, which causes us all sorrow and heartache, and puts on so much trouble, and the devil is everywhere around us, who awakens innumerable sects, mobs and seductions, and drives us to unbelief, despair, etc., that there is never an end, and we cannot rest, because we are surrounded by such enemies, who do not cease, that there will never be an end, and that we will not have rest, because we are surrounded by such enemies, who do not cease, because they have beaten us down, when we, as single poor people, are much too weak for so many enemies. Therefore God says in the prophet Zechariah, Cap. 12, 10, that He wants to give His own the spirit of grace and prayer, so that they, 1) because they are thus in the field, will be preserved, and will be able to defend and protect themselves against the evil, harmful spirit. Therefore it is the very work of Christians who have the Spirit of God, that they not be idle and slothful, but always praying and not ceasing, as Christ teaches elsewhere.
020 Now therefore the power is, that it may be a righteous prayer, and not a hypocrisy, as their prayer and ours hath been hitherto. Therefore Christ instructs them to pray rightly, and shows them how to do it, namely, not to stand and pray publicly in the streets, but to pray at home in their closets alone, 2) in secret, that is, in the presence of all.
1) "they" is missing in the Erlanger.
2) "at home ... alone" is missing in the Wittenberger.
Put away the false pretense that they want to pray something for the sake of reputation and fame or the like. Not that it is forbidden to pray in the street or in public (for a Christian is not bound to any place, and may pray anywhere, whether in the street, in the field, or in church), but only that it be not done for the sake of people seeking honor and enjoyment. Just as he does not want to forbid the trumpets or bells for alms, but he punishes the addition and the wrong opinion with these words, so that they are seen before the people.
(21) Therefore, it is not necessary that one should always go into a closet and shut oneself away. Although it is fine for a person to pray alone, since he can freely and unhindered pour out his prayer to God and speak words and prayers, which he cannot do in front of people. For although prayer can be done in the heart without all words and offerings, it helps to awaken and ignite the spirit all the more; it should be done in the heart almost without ceasing. For a Christian always has (as I said) the spirit of prayer with him, so that his heart is in such constant groaning and supplication to God, whether he eats, drinks, works, etc., for his whole life is directed to spreading God's name, glory and kingdom, so that whatever else he does must all be done under prayer.
22. nevertheless (I say) the outward prayer should also go beyond this, both in particular, as that each one in the morning, in the evening, and over the table, and when he has time, should say a blessing or Our Father, faith or psalms, after which also in general, when one comes together, acts God's word, and gives thanks to it, and calls upon him for common need; this should and must be done publicly. And a special place and time are appointed for this purpose, when people come together; this is a precious prayer and a strong defense against the devil and his plots, because the whole of Christendom is united there. And the stronger it goes, the sooner it is heard, and the more it is answered.
3) "den" is missing in the Erlanger.
4) "Prayer" is missing in the Erlanger. Wittenberg: "law".
It is more creative, as it also now creates much good, resists and prevents much evil deception of the devil, which he should otherwise cause through his members, so that what now stands and remains, both in the spiritual and worldly regiment, is preserved through prayer.
(23) I have often said and acted elsewhere concerning the things and qualities that a right prayer should have; namely, that I repeat it briefly: that we be driven to it, first, by God's commandment, who has earnestly commanded that we should pray. Then, his promise, in which he promised to hear us. Third, that we may consider our distress and misery, which oppresses us and lies on our necks, that we may well bear it, and pour it out freshly before God, at His command and commandment. Fourth, that we pray on such God's word and promise with right faith, certain and undoubted that He will hear and help us. And all this in the name of Christ, through whom our prayer is acceptable to the Father, and for his sake gives us all grace and good 2c.
24 Christ also shows this here with the little word, when he says: "And pray to your Father in secret" 2c. And afterwards more clearly, as he puts the words: "Our Father who art in heaven" 2c. For this is so much taught, that our prayer should be directed to GOD, as to our gracious, kind Father, not as to a tyrant or 1) angry judge 2c. Now no one can do this unless he has God's word that he wants us to call him Father, and that he has promised to help and hear us as a father; and that he also has such faith in his heart that he may cheerfully call God his Father, and ask out of heartfelt confidence, and rely on such prayer as surely answered, and wait for help.
(25) But none of these things are in that Pharisaic prayer, which thinketh no further than how the work is done, that they may be seen therewith as holy men that love to pray; or, like our monks and priests, that they may fill the belly thereof. Yes, they have come so far away from it that they should be seen with
1) "Tyrants or" is missing in the Wittenberg.
such 2) faith that they considered it foolishness and presumption that one should boast that his prayer would be pleasing to God and answered. And so, even though they prayed, they put it all on pure 3) adventures, and thus grievously angered God by unbelief and misuse of His name, contrary to the first and other commandments.
26 Therefore learn here that no right prayer can be made without such faith. But if you feel weak and stupid (as flesh and blood always resist faith), as if you are not worthy or skilled and fervent to pray, or doubt whether God has heard you because you are a sinner, then keep the word and say: Even though I am a sinner and unworthy, yet here I have God's commandment that I pray, and His promise that He will graciously hear me, not for my worthiness, but for the sake of Christ the Lord. With this you can cast out thoughts and doubts, and cheerfully kneel down and pray, not considering how worthy or unworthy you are, but your need and his word, on which he calls you to build. Especially because he has also presented to you the words and put them into your mouth, how and what you should ask (as follows), that you may cheerfully let such prayer go up through him and place it in his bosom, so that he may bring it before the Father through his worthiness 2c.
V. 7-13. And when you pray, do not babble much, as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard if they speak much. Therefore, do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask. Therefore you should pray: Our Father in heaven. May your name be hallowed. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) "Such" is missing in the Wittenberg.
3) i.e. to the unknown.
4) "den" is missing in the Erlanger.
(27) Just now [vv. 5, 6] he rebuked their false opinion in prayer, that they also sought their honor and pleasure from men in the work that is directed solely against God, that one should call upon him and ask him for help in our distress and temptation. Here he also rebukes the unkindness of prayer, that they think that praying is a lot of words and babbling, and calls it a pagan way, and a loose useless babbling, as of those who think that they shall not be heard. For he saw that this would happen, and that such abuse would also 1) remain in Christianity, 2) as it was already with them, that one would make a loud work out of prayer, which one regarded according to size and length, as if it were deliciously arranged with it, and thus instead of a right prayer, it would become a loud babble and chatter, which the heart never experiences.
(28) As we see, it happened in monasteries, convents, and the whole clergy, who had nothing else to do in their state, except to spend so many hours every day, and at night too, blowing their horns and making themselves tired with reading and singing. And the more they could do it, the holier and greater the service was called. And yet among them all there was not one who did a righteous prayer full of heart; but all were in the pagan delusion, as if one had to cry and murmur pagan, himself and God, tired; as if he could not or would not hear otherwise. They did nothing else with it, but lost time uselessly, and, like donkeys, blew their nose with prayers.
(29) Therefore they themselves have said that no work is harder than praying. And it is true that if you make prayer into a work or labor, you put your body to reading or singing for so many hours in a row that no day laborer would rather choose one day to thresh than two or three hours in a row just to move his mouth or to look straight into a book. Summa, their praying is not
1) "also" is missing in the Erlanger.
2) Wittenberger: to be.
3) Erlanger: "in which" instead of "among them".
It was not a sighing or a desire of the heart, but a purely forced labor of the mouth or of the tongues; that if a monk has read or murmured his times for forty years, he has not prayed one hour from the heart in all of them. For they never think to present a need to God, but do not think otherwise, because they must do it, and God must look upon such toil and labor.
(30) But the Christian's prayer, when he goes in faith to God's promise and presents his need from the heart, is easy and does not require any work. For faith has soon said what it desires, yes, with a groaning that does the heart, and cannot be recovered nor expressed with words, as St. Paul says [Rom. 8:26]. The spirit prays, and because 4) it knows that God hears it, it must not lead such a perpetual laundering. Thus the saints in the Scriptures prayed, as Elijah, Elisha, David and others, with short but strong and powerful words; as one sees in the Psalter, in which there is seldom a psalm that has a prayer over five or six verses long. That is why the ancient fathers said: do not do it with many long prayers, but praise the short prayers, where one sighs up to heaven with a word or two; which one can do often and much when he reads, writes, or does other work.
The others, however, who only make a buffalo's work out of it, can never pray with joy or devotion, but are glad that they have only done their washing. As it must be, where one prays without faith and need, the heart cannot be present. But when the heart is not with us, and the body has to work, it becomes heavy and disheartened. Just as in bodily work, whoever does something unwillingly sees how hard and sour it becomes; but again, where the heart is cheerful and willing, it is never aware of the work. So also here, where one is serious and is happy to pray, a man neither knows nor feels work or trouble, but only looks at his distress, and has sung and prayed out the words before he turns around.
4) "because" is missing in the Wittenberger.
5) Erlanger: Lust.
sees. Summa, one should pray briefly, but often and strongly; for God 1) does not ask how great and long one prays, but how good it is and how it goes from the heart.
32 Therefore Christ says, "Your heavenly Father knows what you need before you ask," as if to say, "What are you doing, thinking to cover him up with your long washing, so that he will give you what you need? You must not persuade him with words or teach him at length, for he knows beforehand what you need better than you do. Just as if you were to come before a prince or a judge who knew your cause better than you could tell him, and you wanted to make a lot of noise to tell him about it, he would laugh at you, or rather become unhappy with you. We also do not know, says St. Paul Rom. 8, 26, how we should ask; that if he hears us and gives us something, he gives it so that we can understand and hope [Eph. 3, 20]. For this reason he sometimes lets us ask something that he does not give as soon as we ask, or does not give at all, since he knows well what is necessary and useful for us or not; which we ourselves do not see, and in the end must ourselves confess that it would not have been good for us if he had given us according to our request. Therefore we must not teach him nor pretend with our long talk what and how he should do for us; for he wants to give so that his name will be sanctified, and his kingdom and his will will be promoted and continue 2c.
(33) But sayest thou, Why then dost he suffer us to ask and to present our affliction, and givest it not unasked, because he knoweth and seeth all affliction better than we ourselves? He gives the whole world daily so much good for nothing, as sun, rain, grain, money, life and limb, 2c. Therefore no one asks him nor thanks him, because he knows that it cannot do without light, food and drink for a single day; how then is he called to ask for it? Answer: For this reason, of course, he does not call it that we should teach him with our prayers what he should give, but that we should recognize and confess what goods he gives us, and will and can give much more;
1) Erlanger: er.
so that by our prayer we teach ourselves more than him. For in this way I am turned back, so that I do not go like the wicked, who do not recognize such things nor give thanks for them; and so my heart is turned to him and awakened, so that I praise him and give thanks, and in my need have recourse to him and wait for help from him. And everything serves so that the longer the more I learn to recognize him, what kind of God he is. And because I seek him and knock on his door, he also wants to give more and more abundantly. Behold, this is a true bitter, not like the other useless washers, who babble much, but never recognize it. But he knows that what he has is God's gift, and he says from his heart, "Lord, I know that I cannot provide or preserve for myself a portion of my daily bread, nor protect myself from any need or calamity; therefore I will wait and ask it of you, as you have called me and promised to give, as you who have met my need without my thoughts.
(34) Behold, such recognition in prayer pleases God well, and is the right, highest and most delicious service we can do to Him, for thereby His glory and thanksgiving are given to Him, which belongs to Him. The others do not do this, but snatch and devour all God's goods like swine; take one country, city, house after another; do not think about it, that they once look at God; meanwhile they want to be holy with their great, many sounds and noise in the church. But a Christian heart that learns from God's Word that we have everything from God and nothing from ourselves, accepts this in faith and practices that it can provide everything to Him and wait for it from Him. Thus prayer teaches us to recognize both ourselves and God, and to learn what we lack and from where we should take and seek it. From this we become a finely perfect, understanding person, who is able to be and keep himself right in all things.
35 Therefore, since Christ has punished and rejected such false and vain prayer, he goes on and himself presents a fine short form of how and what we should pray, in which all kinds of distress are included that should drive us to
that we may remember them daily in such brief words, and that no one may be excused for not knowing how or what to pray. And it is a very good practice, especially for the common man, child and servants in the house, that one prays the Lord's Prayer daily, both in the morning and in the evening and over the table, and also otherwise, so that in it one can present all kinds of distress to God in common. But since the Lord's Prayer is sufficiently explained in the Catechismo and elsewhere, I will leave it at that, and not make a new gloss here.
(36) It is, of course, as has often been said, the very best prayer that has come on earth 1) or that anyone can come up with, because God the Father has put it through His Son and put it into His mouth, so that we may not doubt 2) that it will please Him exceedingly. But soon in the beginning he also reminds us of both his commandment and promise with the word "Our Father" 2c., as he demands such honor from us that we should ask of him as a child full of his Father, and want to have confidence from us that he will gladly give us what we need. Thus it is also concluded that we may boast that we are his children through Christ. And so come in his commandment and promise, and in the name of the Lord Christ, and stand before him with all confidence 2c.
Now, the first, second and third requests concern 3) the highest goods that we have from him; namely, first, because he is our Father, that he may have his glory from us and that his name may be held beautiful and honorable in all the world. By this I include in one heap all false faith and worship, and all hell, all sin and blasphemy, and pray that he may put a stop to the blasphemous faith of the pope, Turks, ruddy spirits, and heretics, as all profane and desecrate his name, or seek their glory under it. This is a short word, but in the sense it goes as far as the world is, against all false doctrine and life. Secondly: After we have his word and right doctrine and worship, that
1) Erlanger: kommet.
2) Wittenberger: on.
3) Erlanger: "meets.... an."
His kingdom also be and remain in us, that is, that he rule us in such doctrine and life, and thereby protect and uphold us against all power of the devil and his kingdom, and that all kingdoms that rage against it go to ruin, so that this kingdom may remain. And thirdly, that neither our will nor that of any man, but his will alone be done, and that what he thinks and counsels continue, against all the designs and schemes of the world, and what strives against this will and counsel, though all the world be beating and strengthening itself in multitude to maintain its thing against it. These are the three most noble pieces.
(38) In the other four petitions we come to the need that concerns us daily for the sake of this poor, weak, temporal life. First, we ask that he give us our daily bread, that is, everything we need to sustain this life: food, a healthy body, good weather, house, yard, wife, child, good government, peace, and protect us from all kinds of plagues, sickness, pestilence, evil times, war, and rebellion. 2c. After that, that he may forgive us our trespasses besides, and not look upon the shameful abuse and ingratitude of the world 4) for the goods which he daily gives us so abundantly, and therefore not deny and deprive us of the same, nor punish us with disgrace, as we deserve, but graciously forgive us, whether we also, who are called Christians and his children, do not live without sin 5) as we ought. 6) Thirdly: Because we live on earth in the midst of all kinds of temptations and troubles, being hindered on every side, and not only outwardly by the world and the devil, but also inwardly by our own flesh, so that we cannot live as we ought, nor stand a day in the face of so much danger and temptation; we pray that he will keep us in such danger and trouble, that we may not be overcome and felled thereby. And lastly, that he may finally help us out of all misfortune altogether, and when the time comes for us to depart from this life, grant us a merciful, blessed hour. So
4) "of the world" is missing in the Erlanger.
5) Lhne Sünde" is missing in the Erlanger.
6) Wittenberger: should.
we have recently placed all physical and spiritual distress in his bosom, and with every word we have gathered the whole wide world into one heap 2c.
39 But there is a little piece added to the text, so that it concludes the prayer with thanksgiving and a common confession, which means: "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. These are the proper titles and names that belong to God alone. For the three things he has reserved for himself, which are called judging, righting, and glorifying. No one shall judge, or rule, or have the upper hand, except God alone, or those whom he commands to rule, as his servants. In the same way, no man shall exercise justice with another, or be angry and punish, apart from those who have the office, because of God. For it is not innate to men, but given by God.
(40) These are the two which he here calls the kingdom or dominion, that all authority may be his; and after this, the power, that is, the consequence of justice, execution, that he may punish, cast down the wicked, and protect the pious. For he who punishes does it as if in God's stead, and everything goes out of his power, so that justice is administered, protected and preserved. Therefore no one shall avenge himself nor punish himself, for it is not his office nor his ability, nor does he succeed; as he says [Deut. 32:35], "Vengeance is mine, I will repay." And elsewhere it drieth [Matt. 26:52.], "He that taketh the sword himself to avenge himself shall be punished with the sword."
41. so glory, or honor and fame, is God's alone, so that no one can boast of anything, wisdom, holiness or wealth, except through him and in him. For if I honor a king or prince and call him gracious Lord, or bow the knee to him, it is not for his own sake, but for God's sake, as he who sits in majesty, in God's stead. Thus, when I show honor to Father and Mediator, or to those who are in their place, I do it not to men, but to the divine office, and honor God in them; so that where there is authority and power, to him also belongs honor and glory.
42. and so his kingdom, power and glory go in the whole world, that he alone rules, punishes, and has the prize in the divine offices and states, as father, mother, lord, judge, prince, king, emperor 2c., although the devil sets himself against it through his own, and himself wants to rule and exercise power, take vengeance and punishment, and have his glory alone. Therefore we ask primarily for his name, his kingdom, and his will, as these alone are to go, and all other names, kingdom, 1) power and will are to fail. And so we recognize that he is supreme in all these three things, and the others are his instruments, through which he does and accomplishes these things.
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
This is a strange addition, but nevertheless very delicious, and if someone would be surprised how he comes with such an addition from this one piece: "Forgive us our trespasses" 2c., he could just as well have attached such a piece to the other one, and say: Give us our daily bread, as we give to our children; or, lead us not into temptation, as we tempt no one; deliver us from evil, as we save and redeem our neighbor. And yet there is no piece that has an addition like this. And may it be considered that the forgiveness of sins is to be acquired and earned by our forgiving; where then would our doctrine remain, that forgiveness comes through Christ alone and is received by faith? Answer to the first: He especially wanted to make this request, and to tie the forgiveness of sin to our forgiveness, so that he linked Christians to it, that they love one another, and let this be their main and most important thing, next to faith and forgiveness received, that they also forgive their neighbor without ceasing. They should also forgive their neighbor without ceasing. That as we live toward him in faith, so also toward our neighbor through the
1) Wittenberg and Erlanger: and.
Love, that we do not offend and grieve one another, but think that we always forgive, even if we have been wronged (as must often happen in this life); or know that we have not been forgiven. For where anger and resentment lie in the way, it corrupts all prayer, so that none of the former things can be prayed for or desired. Behold, this is called making a firm and strong bond, that we may be held together, that we may not be divided among ourselves, and cause divisions, factions, and sects, where we would otherwise come before God, pray, and obtain things, but bear with one another through love, and remain one in all things. If this happens, then a Christian man is perfect, as he who believes and loves both. Whatever infirmities thereafter remain in him shall be consumed in prayer, and all shall be forgiven and given.
44 But how does he put forgiveness on our work with these words, saying, If you forgive your neighbor, you shall be forgiven, and again 2c? Does this not mean that forgiveness is based on faith? 1) Answer: The forgiveness of sin, as I have often said, happens in two ways: First, through the Gospel and Word of God, which is received inwardly in the heart before God through faith. Secondly, outwardly through works, of which 2 Petr. 1, 10. says, when it teaches about good works: "Dear brethren, be diligent to establish your profession and election" 2c. He wants us to be sure of this, that we have faith and forgiveness of sin, that is, that we prove the works, so that the tree is felt by its fruit, and it is evident that it is a good tree and not a rotten one. For where there is a right faith, good works surely follow. So a man is both outward and inward, pious and righteous, both before God and men. For this is the consequence and fruit, that I may make myself and others sure that I have right faith, which otherwise I could not know nor see.
45 So here also the outward forgiveness, which I show by deed, is a sure thing.
1) Wittenberger: put.
Sign that I have forgiveness of sin with God. Again, if this is not shown to my neighbor, I have a sure sign that I also do not have forgiveness of sin with God, but am still in unbelief. Behold, this is the twofold forgiveness; one inwardly in the heart, which alone hangs on God's word; and outwardly, which breaks forth, and makes us certain that we have the inward.
46 Thus we distinguish works from faith, as an inward and outward righteousness, but so that the inward righteousness is there beforehand, as the stem and root, from which good works, as fruits, must grow; but the outward righteousness is a witness of it, and, as St. Peter [2 Ep. 1, 10] says, certificatio, an assurance that it is certainly there. For he who has not inward righteousness does not do outward works. Again, if the outward signs and evidence are not there, I cannot be sure of them, but deceive both myself and others. But if I see and feel that I gladly forgive my neighbor, then I can conclude and say: I do not do this work by nature, but feel differently through God's grace than before.
(47) Let this be answered briefly against the sophists' babblings. But it is also true that this work, as he calls it here, is not a mere work, like others that we do of ourselves, for faith is not forgotten in it. For he takes such a work and puts a promise on it, that it may be called a sacrament with good honor, to strengthen faith by it. In the same way, baptism is also to be regarded as a work that I do when I baptize or am baptized; but because God's word is involved, it is not a bad work that is valid or creates something for itself, but a divine word and sign to which faith is attached. So also, our prayer, as our work, would neither count for anything nor create anything; but it does, that it goes in its commandment and promise, so that it may well be considered a sacrament, and more a divine than our work.
48 I am talking about the fact that the Sophists
2) Wittenberger: from.
3) Wittenberger: that's right.
Only the works that we do are regarded as mere, without God's word and promise. Therefore, when they hear and read such sayings that refer to works, they must say that man, by his deeds, 1) deserves them. But Scripture teaches us that we should 2) not look to ourselves, but to God's word and promise, and cling to it with faith, that if you do a work out of the word and promise, you have a sure sign that God is gracious to you, so that your own work, which God has now taken to Himself, should be a sure sign of forgiveness to you 2c.
Now God has presented us with various ways, paths and ways by which we can take hold of grace and forgiveness of sin, such as, first of all, baptism and sacrament, item (as now said), prayer, item, absolution, and here our forgiveness, so that we are abundantly provided for and can find grace and mercy everywhere. For where would you seek it more closely than in your neighbor, with whom you live daily, and also have daily cause enough to practice such forgiveness? (For it cannot fail that thou shouldest not be offended much and often) so that we have not only in the church or with the priest, but 4) in our life a daily sacrament or baptism, one brother to another, and each at home in his own house. For if you take the promise through this work, you have the very thing that you receive in baptism. How could God grace us more abundantly than by hanging such a common baptism on our necks and binding it into the Lord's Prayer, which each one finds in himself when he prays and forgives his neighbor? so that no one has cause to complain or excuse himself that he cannot come to it, and that it is too high and too far for him, or too heavy and expensive, because it is brought home to him and his neighbor at the door, or even placed in his bosom 5).
1) Wittenberger: probably.
2) "we" is missing in the Wittenberger.
3) "ant" is missing in the Erlanger.
4) Erlanger: middle.
5) In the Wittenberg and Jena editions, the form is "bösem" (English: bosorn); in the original Erlangen edition, "bösen. - "wird" at the end is missing in the Wittenberg.
(50) Behold, if you look at it, then, not according to the work itself, but according to the word that is attached to it, you will find in it an excellent and precious treasure, that it is no longer your work, but a divine sacrament; and a mighty great comfort, that you will come to the grace of forgiving your neighbor, even though you could not come to other sacraments. This should move you to gladly do such a work with all your heart, and thank God that you are worthy of such grace; you should run after it to the end of the world, and consume all your possessions for it, as we did before for the fictitious indulgence. He who will not accept this must be a shameful, cursed man, especially when he hears and recognizes such grace, and yet remains so crooked and stiff-necked that he will not forgive, so that he loses both baptism and sacrament and all other grace at once. For they are all bound one to another, that whosoever hath one, he shall have them all, or keep none. For he that is baptized must also receive the sacrament; and he that receives the sacrament must also pray; and he that prays must also forgive 2c. But if thou forgive not, thou shalt here have a terrible judgment, that thy sins shall not be forgiven thee, though thou be among the Christians, and shalt enjoy the sacraments and other things with them, but shall be the more hurtful and damnable unto thee.
(51) And that Christ might the more provoke us to it, he hath also used finer, kinder words, saying even thus, "When ye forgive men their trespasses," 2c. not saying their wickedness and malice, or wantonness and iniquity, 2c. For he calls an error such a sin, which is more from infirmity or ignorance than from malice. Why does he do this, that he so belittles and minimizes the neighbor's sin, when we often see that some sin willfully, out of pure iniquity and evil will? Therefore he does it, that he may put away thine anger, and soften thee to forgive gladly, and sees more in it, that he may make thy heart sweet and kind, than that he may make sin as great as it is in itself.
52. for it is and shall be so great in the sight of God.
that it is worthy of eternal damnation and excludes heaven, even though it is a small sin and only an infirmity, if he does not recognize it or forbids it. But of me and thee he will not regard sin, as it is not his due to punish sin, but to forgive it; so that thou mayest think, though thy neighbor hath done wickedly against thee, yet is he astray, captive, and blinded of the devil. Therefore thou shalt be so pious, and have mercy on him rather than on him who is overcome of the devil, that it may be a great and unpardonable sin on account of the devil, 2) who gives him such things, but on account of man it is called a fault and an infirmity. Just as Christ Himself did against us when He prayed on the cross: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" [Luc. 23:34]. This has ever made our sin small and insignificant, which in itself is the greatest sin that ever happened on earth. For what greater sin can be committed than that God should most flagrantly torture and kill His only Son?
(53) But you must interpret such a fault and infirmity in such a way that the neighbor who has sinned against you may recognize it and seek forgiveness and amend. For I have said that there are two kinds of sin: one that is confessed, which no one should leave unforgiven. The other, which is confessed, no one can forgive, because it does not want to be sin, but to receive forgiveness. Therefore also Christ Matth. 18, 18, when he speaks of forgiving or binding, he puts both parts together, loosening and binding, to indicate that one cannot loosen the sin that one does not want to let be sin nor have forgiven, 3) but should bind it in the abyss of hell; but again, which one confesses, one should loosen it and lift it into heaven 2c.
(54) Now as it is in the office of the keys, so it is with every Christian toward his neighbor. Who, if he should be willing to forgive anyone who hurts him; but where he who has hurt him, 4),
1) "to" is missing in the Erlanger.
2) "half" is missing in the Wittenberger.
3) .Haben" is missing in the Wittenberger.
4) Thus the Wittenberg. Instead of the words: "the one who injured him", in the Jena and Erlangen: "he".
If a man does not want to recognize the sin or remit it, but continues to do so, you cannot forgive him; not for your sake, but for his own, because he does not want to be forgiven. But as soon as he admits guilt and desires forgiveness, it shall all be given, and absolution shall quickly follow. For since he punishes himself and lets sin fall so that no sin remains with him, I should let it fall away much more; but if he keeps it himself and does not want to let it fall, I cannot take it from him, but must leave him in it, as he himself makes an unforgiven sin out of a forgiven one. Summa, where he does not want to recognize himself, one should weigh down his conscience to the highest degree, and show no mercy, as he wants to be the devil's own. Again, if he confesses sin and absolves you, and you do not forgive him, you have brought it upon yourself to condemn you.
55 So Christ also will have sin confessed, that he may yet call it a fault. Not to deny that it is wrong, nor to charge thee that thou shalt approve it as rightly done, but not to let it be right nor good; unless it come to pass that it became a vain sin, and so small that it is called only a fault. So that thou mayest say to thy neighbor, Though I cannot praise it, and it is wrong; yet because thou knowest thyself, and now thy heart is different, and hath no evil against me, I will gladly let it be given as a fault and oversight, and forget all wrath.
If you are now so minded toward your neighbor, God will also show Himself to you again with such a sweet, kind heart, and make your great, grave sin, which you have done and are still doing against Him, so small that He will only call it a mistake when you recognize it and ask for forgiveness, as He is more inclined to forgive than we ourselves can provide for Him. Now you should buy such a heart from God with your life and limb, and run after it until the end of the world; as one has run after it under the papacy, and has toiled for it with so many works. Now such a heart is offered to you here, and it is presented and given to you free of charge, just like baptism,
Gospel and all its goods; and get more than you would with all your works and the works of all men. For thou hast a certain promise, which doth not lie with thee, neither doth it confess thee, that all thy sins, though they be many and great, shall be as small in his sight as human daily infirmities, which he will not reckon nor remember, if thou hast faith in Christ. For as other sacraments come and go through the Lord Christ, so also our prayer is heard and we have certain forgiveness; that we have not earned it, but all things have been purchased through him and given to us, that he always remains the one mediator through whom we have all things, that also the promise, placed on this work, is valid through him alone.
Now you see why Christ added this to the prayer, so that he might bind us firmly together and keep his Christianity in unity of spirit, both in faith and love, so that we might not be separated for the sake of sin or infirmity, 1) so that we might not lose faith and everything. For it cannot be otherwise, there must be much offence among us daily in all ranks and dealings, speaking and doing against one another things which we do not like to hear and suffer, and which give rise to wrath and dissension. For we still have flesh and blood in us, which does what it is wont to do, and easily lets slip an evil word, or an angry sign and work, so that love is hurt; so that forgiveness must be and go with Christians; just as we may also forgive God without ceasing, and must always keep to the prayer: Forgive us as we forgive. Without being such hopeless people that we always see a mote in our neighbor's eye rather than the beam in our own eye, and throw our sin on our back. For if we should look at ourselves daily from morning till evening, we would find so much in ourselves that we would forget others, and be glad to come to prayer.
V. 16-18. When you fast, do not look sour like the hypocrites, for they disguise their
1) Wittenberger: treumen.
They shall shine before the people with their fasting. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face, that thou appear not before men with thy fasting, but before thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
(58) As he punished their almsgiving and prayer, so 2) he punishes their fasting. For these are almost the three good works which all the others include: The first, all kinds of good deeds toward one's neighbor. The second, that we accept all kinds of need, both common and our own, and present them to God. The third, that we mortify our bodies. But as they have shamefully abused almsgiving and prayer, seeking not God's glory but their own, so they have also abused and perverted fasting, not to keep their bodies in restraint and discipline, nor to praise and thank God, but to be seen of men, and to have a name that one should wonder and say: O these are excellent saints, who do not live like other common people, but go along in gray skirts, hanging their heads, looking sour and pale 2c. If they do not go to heaven, where will the rest of us stay?
(59) He does not mean to reject or despise fasting in itself, any more than he would reject almsgiving and prayer, but rather to confirm and teach the proper use of them: so he also means to correct fasting, so that it may be done according to right usage and right opinion, as a good work should be done.
60) But it has its origin with the Jews that Moses had imposed on them to fast in autumn, on the feast Expiationis, approximately fourteen days after each other [2 Mos. 30, 10. 12. 3 Mos. 23, 27. 28. 25, 9]. This was the common fast that they all kept at the same time. Now the Pharisees had their special fasts, that they might do more and be more holy than others. For those fasts were not made for them to keep before
2) Erlanger: so.
The people were not seen by others, because it went through all the people; and what goes on in general, no one can boast of particularly. Therefore they had to fast much more specially, so that they would be seen as much higher and more spiritual than common people. Therefore they also boast in the Gospel against Christ, "Why do the disciples of the Pharisees fast so often, and your disciples do not fast?" 2) [Matth. 9, 14Z For this they made a difference with gestures and signs, so that one should know when they fasted; they disguised their face so that they did not wash nor adorn themselves, but looked sour and gloomy, and were so serious that one had to say and sing about it 2c. 3)
(61) Christ therefore cometh, and smiteth such fasting to the ground, and straightway teacheth the contrary, saying, If thou wilt fast, fast so that thou shalt not look sour; but wash and anoint thy face, that thou mayest look fine and merry, as on a feast day; so that no difference may be seen nor perceived between thy fasting and thy feasting. For this was the manner of the Jews, that they sprinkled themselves with delicious waters, and watered the hanpt, that it smelled from the whole body, when they feasted or wished to be merry. If dn so fast, between you and your father alone, then you have fasted rightly, that it pleases him. But this is not a prohibition, that one may not go on a fast day in little clothes or unwashed; but the addition is rejected, that one does it for the sake of fame, and locks the eyes of the people with such special gestures. Otherwise one often reads, when one has fasted, that one has put on sacks and sprinkled ashes on the head; as, of the king of Nineveh, together with the whole city [Jonah 3, 5. ff.], but that was another fast, which taught them their distress and misery.
62) Now, from the first fast we also took our great fast, and kept it for fourteen days at first, and after that it became more holy, and we stretched it out into four weeks, until at last it was extended to forty days.
1) Jenaer: the.
2) Erlanger: "u. s. w."
3) "u. s. w." is missing in the Wittenberg.
days. However, they did not stay with this, but set two days of fasting every week throughout the year, Friday and Saturday, and finally the four gold fasts, 4) or emergency fasts; these were, nevertheless, still common fasts. Above this, the Advent found some special saints, who also made a fast out of it; without what the monks kept in monasteries, and after that each one chose some special saints, over the common feasts, until it came so far that all this was considered nothing, if each one did not make his own 5) fast.
Now such fasting all in one heap is not worth a penny. For the first old fathers may well have meant it well and kept it well, but it soon became overpowered 6) and corrupted with filth, so that it was no good. But it also happened right to him. For as it is a true human practice with the strange many fasts, so it has also fallen into a 7) shameful abuse. For I may freely say that I have never seen any real fasting among the papacy, as they call it fasting. For what kind of fast is it to me, if one prepares a meal at noon with delicious fish, seasoned to the best, more and more splendidly than usual at two or three times, and the strongest drink with it, and sits with it for an hour or three, and fills the belly so that it is full? 8) And that was still mean and low, even with the most strenuous Möuchen. But the holy fathers, the bishops, abbots, and other prelates first attacked it severely, at once with ten and twenty dishes, and in the evening so much refreshment that some threshers could manage with it for three days. It may well be that some prisoners or poor and infirm people, for the sake of poverty, have had to fast; but for devotion's sake I know of no one who has fasted.
4) i.e. the Quatember days, also called "Weih-" and "Frohnfasten", cf. tz 68.
5) "one" is missing in the Jena.
6) Wittenberger: blended.
7) "one" is missing in the Erlanger.
8) In the old editions: "donet." The Latin edition offers: ut tmr^iat quoqus (it should probably be turheißen) - that he is full, bristles. Compare Walch, St. Louis Edition, vol. XIX, 416.
much less fast now. For they 1) have now, my dear papists, all become well Lutheran, that you no longer think of fasting, meanwhile let on our part poor parish priests suffer hunger and sorrow, and keep a proper daily fast in their place.
64. Because this fasting is much worse than the fasting of the Jews and Pharisees (who fasted rightly and truly, without seeking their glory; but ours, under the rain of fasting, has been nothing but food, and is not called fasting, but mocking God and the people; with the shameful addition that they made a distinction of food, and forbade some of it, so that it would only be called fasting if one did not eat meat; but because the best fishes are eaten with the most delicious lamb. 2) and spices, and the strongest wine), therefore I have advised, and still advise, that such fasting be trampled underfoot, as it is done to God's loud mockery and shame, that it grieves me that such mockery should be practiced and suffered in Christendom, and that God should be deceived with the larva, that such a life, eating and drinking to the best of one's ability and filling the belly, should be called fasting and a good work.
Now this is a gross, impudent, shameful deception, which the Scriptures cannot punish, but any peasant, even a child of seven years, can grasp and understand. But over it there is also the shameful abuse (which also corrupts the right fasting), that one has sought great merit with God, than to atone for sin, and to reconcile God; as they have imposed such fasting for repentance in the absolution. That is, fasting in the name of the devil, and Christ was beaten in the mouth and trampled underfoot; that for the sake of abuse, I would rather allow, if evil should be done, that one should 3) be full and mad, and rather see a full sow, if I am to see an unflattery, than such a saint, who fasts most strenuously for water and bread.
66. the abomination of all monks' teachings and books, of all popes' books, of all
1) Wittenberger: es.
2) Latwerge - sauce, broth, sauce.
3) Jenaer: "yes".
They are so full of sermons that they know of no other fast when they do it in the best way. I will keep silent that they also exalt so highly the gross, shameful lying fasts, of which I have now spoken, and have thereby 4) founded and confirmed the idolatry of the saints, and no one is healthy who has spoken a word against such abuses. Therefore I still say that in the whole papacy I have never in my life seen any fasting that was truly Christian fasting, but only shameful fasting and food instead of fasting, and in addition all idolatry and hypocrisy, so that one has made a nose at God and deceived the people. Therefore, let us learn here what a true fast means.
There are two kinds of fasts that are good and praiseworthy; one may be called a secular or civil fast, commanded by the authorities, like another order and commandment of the authorities, not demanded as a good work or service of God. For this I would like to see, and to advise and help, that emperors or princes make such a commandment that one day or two in the week one does not eat meat or have it on sale, as a good, useful order for the country, so that one does not eat up everything, as is happening now, until at the end the time must become precious and nothing is to be had. After that, I also wanted that at certain times of the week, once a week, or as it seems good to them, they should not eat in the evening without a bite of bread and a drink, so that they would not consume everything with constant eating and drinking, as we Germans do, and learn to live a little moderately, especially as young, full, strong people do. But that was supposed to be a worldly way, subject to the authorities.
68 After these fasts there would be a spiritual common fast that we Christians should keep, and it would also be fine to keep a common fast for several days before Easter, item, before Pentecost and Christmas, and thus divide the fasts into the year. But by no means to make a service out of it, as to earn something with it, or to propitiate God, but as an external Christian discipline and exercise.
4) Erlanger: also.
For the young and simple-minded people, that they may learn to observe the times and to distinguish them throughout the year, as four consecration or joyful fasts 1) have been kept until now, when everyone observes them. For it must be that some times are set apart and marked out as fasting days and holidays for the common people, for the sake of the preaching and remembrance of the most important! History and Works of Christ 2c. So that no special worship is sought, but only a day of notice, according to which one could grasp the whole year, and know how one is in time. So I would also like to suffer that one fasts in this way throughout the year every Friday 2) evening, as being set aside for a special day. But such fasting I cannot nor will not do, unless it would be accepted beforehand in harmony. Behold, thus the Christian church would have enough to fast for itself that we should not be blamed for despising and even rejecting fasting. 3)
(69) But this is not yet the true Christian fasting that Christ means, which is particular to each one, and is done in such a way that, if it is to be called true and Christian fasting, it is not enough that you eat nothing in the evening, which is only a part of it, and the very least, but it is in it that you discipline your body and keep it moderate. This applies not only to eating, drinking, and sleeping, 2c., 4) but also to idleness, all kinds of joyful play, and everything that may be good for the body, so that one may care for and maintain it. Now this is called fasting, when one breaks off and abstains from all these things, and only for the purpose of keeping the flesh in check and humble; as Scripture interprets fasting to be, and calls it affligere animam, to hurt the body 2c. so that it does not take on any pleasures, good days, joys. This was the fasting of the fathers of old, who did not eat or drink all day long, slept little, and went away as if they were suffering, and broke off everything from the body, as much as nature might have suffered.
1) The same as gold fasting, § 62.
2s Wittenberger: Feirtag.
3) "gar" is missing in the Wittenberger.
4) "u. s. w." is missing in the Wittenberg.
70 Such fasting is not found much now, especially among our clergy, monks and priests. For the Carthusians, who nevertheless want to lead the strictest life, do not do so, even though they may make a pretense of walking in hard clothes, but nevertheless eat their belly full of the best food and drink, and live without any care in the most gentle way. No, it is not a matter of deceiving and cheating; it is a matter of humbling the body and taking from it everything that lusts and pleases it. And even if they fast rightly in all things, the devil's abuse is that they base their holiness on it and want to gain something special from God with it. Therefore, even though fasting is the best thing to do, it should not be relied upon. For there may well be a secret mischief hidden under it, against faith or love, just as the prophet Isaiah, Cap. 58, 4 (as mentioned above [Cap. 5, § 186]), punishes such fasting, so that they hurt their bodies, but at the same time they tormented and afflicted their guilty 2c. So Christ also condemns the fasting of the Pharisees; not that they did not fast rightly, but that they sought their glory and honor in it 2c.
Therefore, it takes a great deal to make it a good work and to please God. For he does not want anything everywhere, that you want to court him with your fasting as a great saint, and yet bear hatred and anger toward your neighbor 2c., but, if you want to fast rightly, think that you are a pious man beforehand, and that you believe and love both rightly. For such work does not concern God or neighbor, but our own bodies 2c. But this will nowhere follow. Therefore I may well say that I have seen no true fasting. For otherwise all fasting is only half and piecemeal, and a loud deception, since one breaks off a meal for the sake of appearances, but otherwise tickles the body daily; without what may now be the case with some pious preachers and pastors in the villages and elsewhere, who have to do it out of necessity, and suffer scorn, ridicule and all plagues for it, and have no morsel of bread from anyone. There is neither pleasure, nor adornment, nor gentle days; these are they who go astray in the world.
and no one knows them, of whom the world is not worthy (as the Epistle to the Hebrews, Cap. 11, 37, 38, says). But let the Carthusian monks and our rabble in their hard shirts and gray skirts open their eyes and their mice, and let it be said, "Oh, how holy these people are!
72. See, this is what I call the right fasting of the Christians, because one hurts the whole body and forces it with all five senses, so that it must leave and do without everything that is good for it, whether willingly or out of necessity (but that one accepts it gladly and suffers), One eats fish or meat, but nothing more, because the dear necessity demands that the body not be spoiled or made unfit by it, but be kept in constraint and work, so that it does not become idle, nor lazy and horny. But I do not dare to undertake such fasting, nor do I want to impose it on anyone. For every man must look to himself here, and feel himself, because we are not all alike, that no common rule can be laid down for it; but every man, when he is 1) strong, and feels that the flesh is in need, according to that he should begin and break it. For it is set against the lust and irritation of the flesh alone, not against nature, and is not bound to any certain rule or measure, time or place, but should always go when it is necessary to keep the body in check, and so accustom it that it may suffer hardship if it came to the necessity that it had to do so. And let him be free to do as he pleases, that he may not be judged by laws, as the pope has done. Just as prayer cannot be measured out, but must be left to the discretion of each person's devotion or need. So also not the alms, to whom, or if, or how much one must give, as forced by necessity and law.
(73) But so far is the common rule for all Christians, and every man is commanded to live temperately, soberly, and chastely; not for a day or a year, but daily and chastely.
1) "he" is missing in -er Wittenberger.
always, which the Scripture calls sobrietatem, sober living. That, even though they cannot keep all the fasting, they may go so far as to keep food, drink, sleep, and all the necessities of the body in moderation, that they may do it for necessity and not for excess and wantonness, and not live as if it were for the sake of eating and drinking, dancing and jumping. But whether anything is sometimes done about it out of weakness, that is included in the article called forgiveness of sin, like other daily afflictions.
. Above all, see to it that you are devout and a true Christian beforehand, and that you do not serve God by fasting, but that your worship is only faith in Christ and love for your neighbor, that you wait for what is required of you. If this is not the case, then let fasting be the more important. For fasting is only for the purpose of putting the body to work to cut off its desire and causes of desire from within, as faith does from within the heart. That is enough said about fasting.
(75) Now we must also consider the words which Christ gives to all these three things, almsgiving, prayer, and fasting, that they should be hidden, and our Father, who sees into the hidden things, will reward them publicly. For it is a necessary comfort for Christians who do such works righteously, because in the world it certainly happens that their work is desecrated and covered up and hidden in such a way that no godless person can see it, and even if he sees it, he does not recognize it with open eyes. As if we set ourselves as an example of what we do and create by the grace of God, no one sees it, and the whole world reproaches us no differently than those who despise and forbid prayer, fasting, and all good works, and who cause unhappiness and discord 2c. But how we pray, both publicly and secretly, they shall not see, though they hear it, and would stand by and take hold of it publicly, as we help to peace and all good 2c. For God has ordered it thus, as the Scripture says [Isa. 26, 10.], that in short no wicked person shall see God's glory, that is, everything that God speaks
and does; as also Isaiah Cap. 6, 10. says: "harden the heart of this people, and let their ears be thick, and blind their eyes, that they see not with open eyes, nor hear with their ears, nor understand with their heart, and be converted" 2c.
(76) So it is with us, both with our doctrine and life. For I do not think that our gospel is hidden from them, but that it has been heard so that they all see and hear it, otherwise they would not rage so angrily against it; nor can they see it, and with them it must not be called the gospel, but damnable heresy. They also see the fruits of it in us and our good works, 1) which we also show against them as our enemies, and humble ourselves before them to the highest degree, offering peace and all good things, and for this purpose faithfully pray for them; yet they are not worthy to recognize this, but for this very reason must persecute us all the more grievously. So they also do not see our fasting, as our preachers willingly suffer hunger and sorrow, that they may serve the people 2c. But if they fast with a good cowardly collation, and three or four sermons, 2) that is a delicious thing and great holiness; just as our prayer must mean nothing compared to their babbling and howling in the churches.
(77) Behold, therefore, the whole Christian life must be and remain hidden, and cannot come to any glory, nor have any appearance or renown in the sight of the world. Therefore let it go, and do not accept it, even though it is hidden and well covered and buried, so that no one sees it or respects it, and be content that your Father above in heaven sees it, for he has sharp eyes and can see far into the distance, even though it is covered with a great dark cloud and buried deep in the earth, so that the life of all Christians is directed solely to God's eyes. For nothing else comes of it, we live as we please, and do it as well as we can, yet we cannot please the world, nor do it justice and thanks, and shall not be worthy to be helped by it and to do it good.
(78) Therefore, again, we must give her leave, and send her home to the devil, and
1) Jenaer: [not".
2) Galrede - jelly.
on such sayings comfortingly defy, and sing: Let go, the world has a stupid mind 2c. It is enough that we do it in honor and favor of the one who sees it, and we will neither do nor leave anything for her sake. God grant that she may give thanks or reproach, be angry or laugh; we will not make her any different than she has ever been. What shall we then wrestle for honor or thanksgiving, which is not to be exalted? but let it be to the wicked, who wear rosaries on their necks, howl in the choir day and night, eat vain fish and stinking oil 2c. and do vain works: they shall have the honor and glory of her, as they both are worth and belong together, as cattle and stall, to the devil in the butt. For as the works are, so shall their praisers be, that one shall praise another.
(79) This is one piece of comfort, that we know that the world is not worthy of us, but [we] have another in heaven who looks upon us and our work. The other is that he says, "Your Father, who sees in secret, will repay you publicly," so that it will not remain with the seeing alone, but will also be repaid, and not secretly, but publicly, so that all the world will see with its eternal shame. Therefore let him do it, he will bring it to light, so that it will not remain in darkness on earth and in the sight of men; as also the 37th Psalm, v. 5, 6, teaches and comforts: "Command the Lord thy ways, and hope in him; he will do it well, and will bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and make thy cause clear, that it may shine as the dear sun in the noonday." See how the dear martyrs were so shamefully killed, and yet now shine forth in such a way that all the world is a mere stink in comparison. Thus John Hus was condemned before our time, so shamefully as never to be heard of, and his name (as they thought) eternally interpreted; nor does he now shine forth with such honors that his cause and doctrine must be praised before all the world, and the Pope's thing lies in the mire in the most shameful way.
80 Let us also now remain shut up and hidden; but the time will come when God will draw us forth, and our cause and nature will shine forth.
before the eyes of all the world, even here in this life. But much more glorious on that day, when some poor man will come forth, and with his fruits and good works will disgrace the whole ministry and 1) world, that his thing will be all light and clarity, but that thing will be all filth. Only that we keep Christ's word, and neither turn to it nor let it be challenged, whether we are now mocked and put in darkness by the West, but look to him, and do all things for his sake. For God's work and Word cannot remain behind, but must come out into the light, however deeply it is buried, so that I myself have often been amazed when I have seen the Pabstics, how the devil has led the dear Gospel into a dunghill and puddle through the Pabst's abominations, and buried it so deeply that I thought it was not possible that the truth should come forth more and more under so much seduction of the masses, purgatory, and innumerable other abominations, 2) nor did it have to come forth just when it was at its deepest, and they thought that their thing should now stand forever.
(81) So it was with Christ himself, when they had put him under the earth, and thought that they had buried him so deep that no one should sing or speak of him any more; then he flashed forth, and shone through his word so powerfully that they all fell to the ground forever. Therefore we can be sure, because we have his word, that our teaching and work must come to light and be praised before the eyes of all the world, even though it is now hidden. Unless God Himself must remain in the dark. Behold, this is the comforting promise, given to us for admonition, that we practice righteous good works and do not fret if the world does not see it, for it is too blind; and as little as it recognizes God, so little can it recognize His word and work. And it shall never come to see what a great thing it is for a baptized child, or a Christian who receives the sacrament and loves to hear God's word; but must regard it as a bad water bath, or piece of bread, and a useless
1) Wittenbergers: the.
2) "Abomination" is missing in the Erlanger.
Chatter. So she does not see what he does who fasts or prays properly. Therefore we command him who can see it, and hope that he will disgrace the blind, mad saints with their great, glittering being, so that they now obscure the life and work of Christians.
V.19-21. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume them, and where thieves dig and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves neither dig nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
(82) First, he has punished their false interpretation of the Ten Commandments, and purified and purified the corrupt and obscured doctrine; then, against their false, glittering works, he has taught the right, good 3) works, so that both the Ten Commandments may be rightly understood and the works righteously done. Now he begins to warn against the temptations that hinder this teaching, and he does this almost thoroughly until the eighth chapter, and he will do it well out of all measure, as a master of excellence, who omits nothing that serves to keep us in the right doctrine and life.
83 And first, he takes before him the great and beautiful vice called avarice. For these are almost the two most harmful plagues that always follow where one teaches the gospel and wants to live by it. First, false preachers, who corrupt the doctrine; then miserliness, which hinders the good life. As we see now, after the gospel is preached again, that the people are much more stingy than before, scratching and clawing as if they would even die of hunger, who before were walking in blindness as if they were strengthened, having preached to them what every man dreamed, and giving what they should, with heaps, so that they themselves did not see nor complain what they were missing; But now, because their eyes are opened, that they may see how they ought to live, and to do right good works, they watch their penny so closely, and stint as if every man would gladly give to the world.
3) "good" is missing in the Wittenberger.
I cannot interpret it in any other way, nor reckon where it comes from, because it must be a louder plague from the wicked devil, who always throws in this shameful vice of hindering the light of the gospel. For the gospel gives us the consolation that we shall not only live forever there, but also have enough to eat here, as Psalm 8:7, 8 says, that Christ shall be King and Lord over all the earth, having in his hands sheep and oxen and all the beasts of the earth, so that he will not let us die of hunger. Now we know this, but we ourselves are still much deeper in avarice and the care of temporal food than before, and we want to lack and run out everywhere, and cannot give the tenth part to God in honor of what we have previously spilled into the devil's mouth.
84 Christ also showed and said this in many more places. When he sends his apostles to preach, his greatest concern and warning is that they beware of the two, false doctrine and avarice, and commands them harshly that they should take no provisions with them on the way, nor care what they eat and drink [Matth. 10, 9], so that they (as said) are the two most harmful things in Christianity, by which it is even corrupted, spiritually, the faith through false doctrine, physically, the fruits through avarice. Therefore it is necessary to preach and warn when doctrine and life have been established, that we take care to stay with it and not be led away again by a false interpretation of the Scriptures; then beware of avarice, lest it creep up on us and take us by stealth, so that we set our date in time, that we have enough here, as if it had been set.
For it is an annual, clinging evil, and can also make a fine appearance and beautiful thoughts, that it also deceives the Christians, and no one can know himself safe from it. For when they see how they fare in the world, which afflicts them in every way and does not allow them a morsel of bread, so that they have to die because of it, just as the poor preachers are now suffering grief and hardship, then they are challenged.
That they also think how they can get something and bring it before themselves, so that they can remain in the world until they even fall into worldly care and avarice, and over this fall and lie down their preaching ministry, and some even abandon the gospel.
For this reason Christ begins to preach with many words against the great idol Mammon, and paints him in the most shameful way 1) that one should beware of it, and says first: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust devour them, and where thieves dig for them" 2c. Then he gives to the treasures on earth three finders, namely rust, moths and thieves. These are shameful guardians, if one puts them over treasures. God has arranged it so that where there is treasure, there must also be such companions to guard it, like sparrows or rats and mice with the grain. For there is nothing of better value, because we do not really need money and goods, but are attracted to ourselves by the tiresome avarice, and no one gives to the other, nor gives to the other. 2c.
Not only moths and rust, which eat clothes or iron and bronze; nor mice and rats, which are caught in traps; nor only thieves, who secretly clear out boxes, but also the great, living moths and public thieves, as the great iron-eaters and scavengers at court, who can empty a prince's floor and bag, and finally rob him of everything he has. So also in cities; not only do they enter a citizen's house, but they also secretly suck a city dry with usury and racketeering in the marketplace, and wherever they can. In short, where there is money and goods, there must also be moths and thieves; and everything in the world is full of such rats and mice, where only people live among themselves. For what is an unfaithful councillor at court or magistrate but such a rust or moth, which serves nowhere but to eat away a prince's money and goods, because something is there? As there are now many such hypocrites, who with daily, difficult, unnecessary and futile
1) Wittenberg and Erlangen: most shameful.
They make the princes poor, and ask nothing of them whether a prince prosper or perish, if they are only masters in his money, and rule as they please.
So also, in all towns and villages, everything is full of vain rats and moths, both large and small, secretly and publicly; as, cobblers, tailors, butchers, bakers, brewers and tavern keepers, and other craftsmen, laborers and day laborers. Yes, in any house, whoever has a lazy, unfaithful servant or maid, what does he have but a cornworm that eats away more than if he had the ground full of rats and mice? Now see what a fine god Mammon is, who has no better guardians and servants around him than rust and moths, so that when one has long gathered great treasures, they must be so eaten away by such servants that no one enjoys them who should. And not many treasures of great lords and princes are ever well invested, but are commonly devastated by wars, or eaten up by such loose eating worms, or otherwise uselessly destroyed and squandered. Therefore, those who do not have much treasure are best off, for they do not have many rats to feed and must not fear thieves.
(89) But how can one have no treasures at all, and all be condemned herewith who gather treasures on earth? That need not be. For if they were all to do as you and I have done, no one would have anything in his house and court tomorrow. Lords and princes must create and have supplies for the land and the people. For this purpose God created gold and silver and gave them mines. Thus we read in the Scriptures that Moses teaches the king that he should not have too many horses, gold and silver [Deut. 17:16]. With this he allows him to gather treasures moderately. As also king Solomon boasts of himself, and the patriarch Joseph gathered so much that he made the whole land of Egypt with grain, money, goods, cattle 1) and body in addition to the king's own, as completely serf people. So Abraham also had
1) "Cattle" is missing in the Wittenberg.
much sheep, gold and 2) silver, so that he traded and bought. What shall we say to this, then, that he so clearly declares that we are not to gather treasures, when he himself (if one wanted to reckon with him) also had a supply, because Judas carried the bag and money after him, and yet always had some cash, so that they never lacked anything when he sent out the disciples, as they themselves said? Why then does he here deny such things, and say that they should carry no money, nor bag, nor shoe with them 2c.?
90 Answer: It has been said often enough above [Cap. 5, § 222. 242 ff.] that Christ in this sermon teaches an individual or Christian man; and that a man of the world and a Christian, or a Christian and a worldly person, are to be far separated from one another. For a Christian is called neither man nor woman, young nor old, lord, servant, emperor, prince, baner, citizen, nor anything that goes on in the world and may be called, does not have a person nor larvae, and should neither have nor know anything in the world, but let him be satisfied with the protection in heaven. Whoever does not distinguish between these things cannot understand such sayings properly, as our sophists and enthusiasts throw them into one another and brew them.
A prince may be a Christian, but as a Christian he does not have to rule; and after he rules, he is not called a Christian, but a prince. The person is indeed a Christian, but the office or principality does not concern his Christianity. For according to the fact that he is a Christian, the gospel teaches him that he should not harm anyone, nor punish nor avenge, but forgive everyone, and whatever harm or injustice is done to him, he should suffer. This is (I say) the lesson of a Christian. But this would not make a good rule if you were to preach to the prince in this way; but so he must say: I let my Christian status go between God and me; that has his decision, how I should live against him; but above or beside that I have another status or office in the world, that I am a prince. The person does not go against GOD, but between me and my country and people 2c. There does not belong how you live against
2) "and" is missing in the Erlanger.
Let God live, and what you should do and suffer for yourself; let that go for your Christian person, as he has nothing to do with land and people. But your princely person shall not have anything to do with it, but shall think how to govern. Keep and protect justice and peace, and punish the wicked.
92. Behold, both ranks or offices are rightly divided, and yet in one person, and, thus to be reckoned, repugnant, that one person should at the same time suffer all, and not suffer; but thus, that 1) to each office its own is differently allotted, namely, as said, if it befalls me as a Christian, then I shall suffer it; but if it affects my worldly person, who is not bound between God and me, but to country and people (whom I am commanded to help and protect, and have been given the sword to do so), then it is not a matter of suffering, but of contradiction. So every man on earth has two persons: one for himself, bound to no one but God alone; then, a worldly one, that he may be bound to other people. As we must be in this life among ourselves, as a husband or landlord to wife and child; who, though he be a Christian, yet shall he not suffer of his own that they should practice wickedness or wantonness in marriage, but shall ward off and punish evil, that they may do what is right 2c. If you know such a difference, then Christ's teaching is easy to understand, because here and in all his sermons he does not speak about how a worldly person should do and live, but how you should live righteously towards God, as a Christian who has nothing to worry about the world, but should only think about another life.
93) So say 2) now also to this text: My person, who is called a Christian, should not care for money nor collect it, but only cling to God with the heart. But outwardly I may and should need temporal goods for my body, and for other people, as far as my worldly person goes, collect money and treasures.
1) Wittenberger: one.
2) "sage" is missing in the Wittenberger.
But not too much, lest it become a miser who seeks only for himself and cannot be satisfied. For a worldly person must have money, grain and provisions for his country, people or others who belong to him. If one could rule as the patriarch Joseph ruled in Egypt, so that all the floors and chests would be full of provisions, and the land would be so organized that it would be supplied with all necessities, from which one could help the people, advance and distribute when it was necessary, that would be quite a fine treasure, and of temporal good and Christian use. For what a prince collects, he does not collect for himself, but as a common person, yes, a common father of the whole country. For we do not all have to be beggars, but each one must bring so much before him that he can feed himself and not burden others, and help others as well, and thus put one to another where it is needed.
94 So every city should collect as much as it can for the common need, yes, also every parish a common box for the poor. This would not be called collecting unjustly, but rather collecting Christian treasures. For there is no such treasure to atone for avarice and lust, as the world does, and as our priests have collected money until now, and have sought no more than to see their pleasure in it, and to play with the florins as maidens do with the cattle. 4) But when the need arises, when one should help others, there is no one at home. This is called the devil's treasure, against which Christ speaks here, that one should not gather treasure from the earth, that is, for himself and for his own pleasure. So that the heart may not be stingy and cling to temporal mammon, but seek and gather another treasure in heaven. But outwardly and worldly you may gather as much as you can with God and with 5) honor; not for your lust and avarice, but for other people's need. He who gathers in this way shall have blessing and indulgence as a devout Christian.
95. but those who are so stingy and pawing that they
3) "also" is missing in the Erlanger.-Wittenberger: "doch dass auch nicht". The words: "doch auch nicht zu viel" are missing in the Wittenberger:
4) d. i. dolls.
5) "with" is missing in the Erlanger.
cannot stop, and yet let no one enjoy it, that even they themselves may not need to rejoice, it shall also happen to them as it says here, that vain moths, rust and thieves eat away, that, as it is won, it goes again. Although it often happens that even though it has been collected, it is still eaten up. For it must not happen better to the temporal goods on earth. If it is the same for those who collect real treasures, how much more for those who seek nothing but money, not the use, benefit and fruit of money; for it is so blessed here that moths and rust must come over it, and eat it away, and be stolen, that no one succeeds who is so stingy and scrupulous; And if a farmer has already collected a lot, he must not use it, nor is it his place, but must bury it, so that it is of no use to him or others, without the worms gnawing and biting at it, or the landsknechts and Junker Scharrhansen being granted it, so that it is not better invested.
96 With these words Christ wants to talk us out of our minds, so that we are not so stingy after mammon, and speaks so contemptuously and shamefully about it, that he could not speak more honestly 1) to him. For what kind of a God is he who is not able to resist rust and moths, but must daily be eaten away and consumed, and there lie every man for a prey, that what comes over him eats him, and every thief carries away 2c.? It is a disgrace to have such an impotent God, subject to rust, moths and thieves, who governs the whole world. Therefore we should be ashamed of ourselves, that we are such people, who hang on such rust-eating treasure, and put all their comfort on it. Since you know these things, do not set your heart on gathering treasures on earth, but be satisfied with what God gives you here, and put it in the way that it may perish or be taken from you. For nothing else will come of it, especially he who
1) more honest - more too close.
2) "yes" is missing in the Jena.
If a Christian wants to confess or preach his Lord, he must wait all hours to be bitten out and cast out, as he who has brought the world and all devils upon himself. If he is to carry it out, he must take courage so that he can despise their treasures and goods and know another, better treasure.
97 Therefore say, "Gather ye treasures in heaven," 2c., that is, let the world have its rusty, rapacious, and thieving treasures, which are worth nothing better, that it may have pleasure and comfort in them. But you, who are not of the world, but belong to heaven, and have been bought by my blood to have another, eternal good, which is prepared and appointed for you, do not let your heart be taken captive here, but, whether you live in such an office and state, that you must deal with it, that you do not hang on to it, nor serve it. But seek how you may get those treasures which are laid up for you in heaven. For these are true treasures, which neither moth nor rust can touch, and are safe from all that can devour and steal. For they are laid up in such a way that they always remain whole and fresh, and are kept in such a way that no one can dig for them.
Whoever wants to be a Christian, let him enjoy this irritation and rhetoric. For it should please a stingy stomach, and his heart should laugh, if one showed him such a treasure, which no rust could eat and no thief could steal. But the world should not respect this, because it does not see it nor grope, but remains attached to the gold and silver, which it sees glittering, although it knows and sees that it is not safe for an hour from rust and thieves. But we do not preach the same. If any man will not keep the word of Christ, and cleave unto the uncertain treasure, let him go always: we will not pull any man's hair. But see, if it come to thee, that thou must and must depart, then call upon thy treasure, which thou hast gathered, and hast set thy trust upon it; and see what thou hast in it, and be thou saved thereby.
But it goes as it is written Ps. 76, 6: Dormierunt somnum suum omnes viri divitiarum, et nihil invenerunt in manibus suis,
"The rich wives who served your mammon, when they were about to die, found nothing. It is a terrible thing that those who served mammon all their lives, and for its sake wronged and harmed many, and despised God's word, and 1) yet in adversity could not enjoy a hair's breadth, 2) their eyes are first opened, that they look into another world, and grope about for what they have gathered for food, they find nothing, and let them go away empty-handed: They are so afraid that they forget what they have gathered and find nothing in heaven. And it happens to them, as Christ Luc. 12, 19. 20. says of the rich man, who once had a delicious, good autumn, that he wanted to break off the scabs and make them larger, and thought now to have good days, and said: "Dear soul, you now have a large supply for many years, eat and drink, and have good courage. Behold, this is the peasant song which all miserly men sing; but what follows it? "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be taken from thee, and what shall it be that thou hast prepared?" So he has lost both, this treasure, and must also be robbed of his accumulated goods, and so shamefully that he does not even know who is to get it.
For this is how it is in the world; because great treasures are seldom brought together divinely, that they do not have to invest it as well as 3) they would like to, or come to someone's use, but are so dispersed that 4) no one knows where it remains; as I have already experienced many times, especially among rich, great bullfinches, who have left great goods, but after their death have suddenly disappeared, or indeed have been given to those who have known no thanks for them, but have squandered and disgracefully killed them. And especially, where a war starts, it goes as the devil wills, that the iron and steel companies get it.
1) Wittenberg and Jena: "and". The Erlanger has omitted this "and", which is also in their original.
2) Erlanger: "not so much" instead of: not a hair wide.
3) "als" is Conjectur of the Jena edition in the margin, instead of "da" in the text.
4) Jenaer: that it.
eaters to whom it is never meant, and in addition put on the people all the nuisance for it.
Therefore, if one gathers for a long time and someone asks who is to get it, he must say that he does not know [Ps. 39:8]. And yet he comes to the point that it does not turn out the way he thought it would. Therefore he is a great fool, that he stakes all his comfort and salvation on it, and toils his life away with great anxiety and fear, and yet does not know himself to whom he has gathered it; nor will anyone respect it. For the blindness and wickedness of men is too great, and the world wants to remain the world for a short time, and have the plague of serving the rust-eaten treasure. And when it has served long and has angered God, it must be rewarded that he cannot help at the last, and it lets it have the afterglow and in addition mockery to the damage. She will not let them defend her, as little as the firer can be defended, so that it does not burn or water does not extinguish. Therefore let her go, and know that this is preached to you as a Christian, that you think where you should have and find your treasure, since it is certain to you and remains forever, and cannot be lost or become the property of another; and that you should not use worldly goods, and let them go as they go, as a traveling possession. And where you gather such treasures with God and honor, he will also see to it that it remains where it should remain, that it is nevertheless not lost, but well invested, and much good is done with it.
Now Christ concludes this with a saying, and says: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. This is spoken in the same way as we Germans say of a miser: Money is his heart; that is, if he has only money, that is his joy and comfort, and summa, his God. Again, if he has nothing, that is his death, there is no heart, joy nor comfort. Therefore he says, "Take heed to yourselves, and examine your own heart, and know assuredly that your heart will be in the place where your treasure is. Just as it is customary to say, "What a man loves is his God. For there his heart carries him to it, goes about with it day and night, sleeps with it and watches with it, be it money or 5)
5) Erlanger: "and".
Good, pleasure or honor 2c. Therefore, only look at your own heart, so you will soon find what is in it, and where your treasure is. For this 1) is to be felt, whether thou hast so great a desire and diligence, that thou hearest the word of God, and livest according to it, and obtainest that life, as thou gatherest much money and goods, and bringest them before thee.
For if the heart is so minded, and proves itself so, where it is to be proved that I would rather lose not only money and goods, but also my neck, than leave the gospel or despise it, and do wrong to my neighbor or 2) do violence to him, for my own benefit 2c.., then I can conclude that money and goods are not my heart's treasure, even though I collect them and keep them in counsel, but freely put them into the drive and the entrenchment, seeking another treasure in heaven, namely, hidden in God's word. But again, if it is so about you that you let preach, teach and exhort what you want, and go and think how you have enough and lead your splendor; do not ask whether you do right or wrong to your neighbor, if you have only your own, and make your calculation so that you collect two, even ten, with one penny, give God where he remains with his word and preachers, and the world with its right: then you can also grasp that your treasure is not up in heaven, but is in the rust and moths; so much so that you would rather anger God and the world before you would let a penny go to waste and let something go for their sake. How now peasants, burghers, nobles, everywhere speak and live insolently, who for the sake of a penny may strike God and his world regiment in the redoubt, so that this saying may remain true, and with the deed transfer them, because they do not want to hear nor let them be told. For nothing else will come of it, if we worry about it for the same length of time and like to see things differently. Therefore it is best, when they have been told, to let them go, and to despise and laugh at them as much as they do at us. For God says in the outer Psalm [Ps. 2, 4. 5.] that He can also laugh, and laugh in such a way that it will make them
1) Wittenberger: da.
2) Jenaer: and.
will become a sour weeping. That is, "He will speak to them in his anger, and in his wrath he will terrify them."
V. 22. 23. The eye is the light of the body. If therefore thine eye be one-seeded, thy whole body shall be light. But if thine eye be a mischief, thy whole body shall be darkness. But if the light that is in you is darkness, how great will the darkness itself be?
(104) This is a warning, that we be not deceived by fair colors and appearances, that covetousness may adorn itself, and cover the mischief. For, as I have said, there is no vice among all fleshly vices that deceives men more, and does greater harm, both to the gospel and its fruits. For it is such a fellow that hindereth where he may, that the gospel be not preached, and remain with the people. And though it be preached, yet the preachers that get into miserliness are of no use; so that both the people that are to hear it, and they that are to preach it, are diminished; that they that have it well will not feed the preachers, and let them die of hunger for it; and because the preachers see this, they also give themselves up that they may not live by the grace of the people. They are much more harmful enemies than the others. For even though a farmer becomes stingy and gives nothing to preserve the gospel, a preacher can still be fed, even if it is meager. But if the preachers themselves get into trouble, they will not like the gospel, that they should suffer and dare anything for it, but will make their reckoning that their belly is not broken, and preach what people like to hear and carry money.
For this reason St. Paul gives this vice the special name that it is called 3) idolatry or idolatrousness [Eph. 5, 5. Col. 3, 5.], as it goes directly against faith, which is the right idolatry 4) or God's glory.
3) Wittenberger: ers.
4) Wittenberger instead of "right idolatry": "idolatry".- Immediately before we put instead of "which" "which"; it refers to "faith". Latin: huno füUssj vsru xistus erst, 86U eultus Dei.
For he makes mammon and the impotent penny his god and lord; what he wills he does, so he lives and preaches, and is even his own and captive, that he no longer asks anything about God's word, and does not put a farthing in danger for his own sake.
Now Christ can do no more than punish such vices and warn those who wish to be warned against them, as is necessary. For even the pious can hardly guard against being deceived. But the others are sure to be drowned in it, regardless of what is preached and said. The Jews were also such fellows, drowned in their avarice, as he always had to rebuke them; and all the prophets, when they preached about faith, are nothing but vain cries and screams about avarice, against their preachers and false prophets, as well as the common crowd. But it was of no use, except for a few who were still kept, for whose sake Christ and all of us must still preach, and let the others go, because they want to be of the devil.
Now Christ used this saying more than once as a common saying, not only about avarice, but also about other things, especially about doctrine. For in doctrine it is so, that the false spirits and false preachers pretend, 2) they mean it with all their heart and in all seriousness, and seek God's glory and the salvation of souls, that no one boasts and swears as much as they do. Then 3) he warns them, "Take care that your eye is simple and not a prankster's eye, that is, that your opinion and boast is right and not a secret prankster, and that you do not deceive yourself with false delusions and thoughts.
(108) For such people are commonly bewitched by the devil, and not otherwise than a man lies in a dream or sleep, and is so completely caught that he cannot believe that he is dreaming, but neither thinks nor knows otherwise than that it is truly so, and is so certain that he feels nothing more certain: nor is it anything but nothing.
1) Wittenbergers: the.
2) In the old editions: give for.
3) Wittenberger: that.
a dream that disappears as soon as he wakes up and is nothing more. And even if he sometimes thinks that it is a dream, or dreams of a dream, he is still caught, so that he cannot judge himself out of it, nor is he strong in his senses. So are such people imprisoned, who are so sure that their thing is the truth, that they may conspire everything on it, and yet they are nothing but nothing but dreams and mad people's thoughts. Therefore, it is a dangerous thing if one does not keep God's word purely and simply, and allows himself to be led by it to people's thoughts, which have a good appearance, and soon take them captive, so that whoever falls into it cannot work his way out again afterwards. For he knows no other way than that it is the right word of God, and stands so firmly on it that he does not allow himself to be turned away from it; as one can see that some leave their necks behind.
But this does not belong to this place. For here he uses the word for the common vice of avarice, which, though it be gross and outward, yet is no vice, according to doctrine, that can so adorn itself and make such a beautiful cover; that it must not be called avarice, but be seen and praised as if one were heartily hostile to vice, and no one were so mild, kind, and merciful; and yet does not himself see that his heart deceives him, and is even drowned in avarice. We must look at the text a little further, and show it roughly with examples (although it is not possible to think up everything, how many things the prankster can twist and help himself to), so that one may learn to beware of it. For it is also a common temptation among Christians that no one believes that so few people are pure from it; for the heathen and others do it so rudely that it can well be grasped.
The fact that Christ says: "The eye is the light of the body" is taken from the natural body. If it had no eye, no sun would help, even if it shone a hundred times as brightly. Therefore the body has no other light to guide and direct it than the eye; because it can see with it, one must not worry that it will drive into the Elbe beside the bridge or through hedges.
He shall go over wood and stone, and fall, or be drowned in water: for there is no light, but darkness. But he that hath not an eye, and walketh not, goeth over wood and stone, until he fall, and dash his neck, or be drowned in water: for there is no light, but darkness.
(111) So it is also in Christianity, especially with covetousness. See then that your spiritual body has an eye, that is, a righteous good opinion and understanding, that you know how you believe and live, and do not deceive yourself with false delusion and conceit. For example, if you think, "I want to work and do something, so that I may gain something, and be satisfied with my wife and child, with God and honor, and God gives me the opportunity to serve and help my neighbor, I will gladly do so. Behold, this is the light or spiritual eye, from God's word, which shows thee what pertaineth to thy estate, and instructs thee how thou shalt conduct it and live therein. For this is right and must be, because the body lives here, that each one may create something to nourish himself, and households.
But now see to it that such an eye does not become a rogue and deceive you, but that you do it with a simple mind, and intend only that you work, and do what your profession demands, for the need of yourself and your neighbor, and do not seek something else under such a cover, namely, how you fill your avarice with it. For flesh and blood are masters of this, which can abuse such light and turn it to appearance. If, then, you have brought food before you that you love, and only think how you can keep it together and make it bigger, and if you have one florin, you would like to have ten in addition, behold, there runs along the eye of a fool, which looks not only at the food and need, but at its avarice, and yet can adorn itself finely, that it does not seek avarice, but does what God has commanded it to do, and accepts what God gives.
(113) Therefore, no one can look into your heart and judge you, but behold, you are a man.
1) Erlanger: with it.
2) "but" is missing in the Erlanger.
yourself that your eye does not fei a shale eye. For it is soon done, and loves mightily very much, especially when one feels what it bears and gains, so love is thirsty and never gets full, and nature without that otherwise inclines to it: so then whores and knaves come together, and go as it should go, that it is true, as they say: Occasio facit furem, money makes peelings. That is why Christ warns his own so diligently. For the world is a whorehouse altogether, and is sunk in this vice; and we ourselves must live in it, and see such examples and provocations, that we are in great danger, and must take care that we do not let the devil ride us.
If thine eye be single," saith Christ, "thy whole body is light;" that is, all that thou doest and livest outwardly, according to thy office and station, is all righteous, proceeding according to God's word, from right opinion, that it may shine as the sun before God and man, and stand before all the world; and all that thou doest is profitable, and mayest with a good conscience use temporal goods, as honestly and godly obtained. 2c. Again, "if thine eye be a mischief," that thou doest not act therein according to thy office and God's command, but goest out of the way, and thinkest only how to atone for thy lust and love of money, "then is thy whole body dark," and all that thou doest is condemned and lost before God, though thou be reproached before the world as a godly man. For the body is led with all its outward being and life, like a blind man, and cannot walk or live otherwise than as the eye leads.
So he warned us, and commanded every man's conscience, that he should see how his mind and heart stand, lest he himself make a beautiful and yet false thought, as if he had good honest cause, and good reason, and right, to be so sharp and stingy, and to thumb his nose at God, as if he should not perceive the mischief. As if he should say, "You may adorn yourself as you wish, but if you deceive God, you have deceived a wise, prudent and experienced man. But see that you do not deceive yourself
and turn your light into a shawl, making your whole life dark and condemned by God; for he has a pure, sharp face, and will not be deceived with your painted color.
116) He now cloaks this warning 1) with an ominous word, to frighten, so that one does not so easily need the same beautiful, poetic opinion, and says [v. 23]: "But if the light that is in you is darkness, how great will the darkness itself be? That is, whether you can think such fine thoughts, you do not want to gather to avarice, like the others, but want to do it in such a way that you can defend it before God and the world, that it should not be called stingy, and yet you live just like that, and thus make a light of your own in your heart. But see to it that this light is not darkness, not only that it is pure avarice in the heart, but also that you cover it with light, so that it is not called avarice, and thus becomes a twofold darkness, much greater than ever before.
(117) Just as there has been a great darkness under the pabstics, so that the light of Christian doctrine is taken away, that they have taught nothing else, but to take away sin and be saved by works 2c. But when one still defends it and boasts that it is the righteous divine teaching, and whoever says otherwise is a heretic, and forbids worship and all good works 2c., then it becomes pitch dark that one adorns such darkness and error with the name of truth, and thus makes the darkness greater by the added light. Just as if one knows the devil, that [it] is the devil, and makes a god out of him. That is darkness covered with darkness, and yet wants to be bright and light, yes, the sun itself.
(118) Christ therefore concludes, If this opinion and doctrine, which is thought to be light, is itself darkness, how great will be the other darkness which it brings with it, namely, that one practices the same doctrine and lives according to it. So here, whom avarice has insisted on scratching and scraping, he has already
1) Erlanger: "Und beschleußt nu solche Warnung." "nun" is missing in the Wittenberger.
a darkness in the heart. But when he approaches and adorns himself, so that it is not called stingy, and thus takes away the conscience, so that one should not punish him, that is first called a quite thick, 2) double darkness. Just as a fool, who wants to be clever and punished for his foolishness, is first called a great, coarse fool; or an abominable maiden, who wants to be beautiful, and dresses herself up with her abominable pattern; that is first made even blacker and more disgraceful. And all men are so clever that no one wants to have his sin punished, but they all make a cover, so that one should praise it and consider it delicious, and thus make a twofold sin out of a bad one.
119) Where such a thing comes into spiritual matters, it does 3) great, murderous harm. For the same state of mind can easily take the right measure; but if one falls on the gospel, he may become too lenient in giving. Again, where one falls away from it, there is also no cessation of stinginess; as it was before and has been until now, when one has begun to give, it has poured out in heaps to churches, worship and spiritual goods, as in former times the emperors and princes of good opinion gave and endowed whole countries for this purpose; but now again almost no one gives a penny, and everything is stingy to himself, as if one feared to die of hunger.
This is what the monks, priests and canons have done until now, whom no one has been able to fill with giving. If one has collected two, three, four fiefdoms, he would have liked to have so much more; and yet all of them had the beautiful cover: Whether I have enough for the need with a prebend, parish or bishopric, but it is also necessary that I can lead my state honestly, as a prince, nobleman, or otherwise a prelate. So he opens the window and door, scrabbles around and takes whatever he can get, all so that he can manage his position honestly; and yet the light is lit, so that it no longer has to be called his avarice, but done for the preservation of his position. As soon as you can find a little bell, so that you can give the devil a
2) "thick" is missing in the Jena.
3) Wittenberg and Erlangen: den.
light. And if one has no other remedy, then it must be just this, that one says: I want to collect my money in such a way that I endow masses and church services, or alms for the maintenance of poor people 2c. That is first a beautiful, big light lit; then one would be to death, and would always say: I mean it well. And is then the silly man, our Lord God, deceived in the very finest way, that he can neither see nor notice such quick actions, and they come to him in heaven, before he becomes aware of it. But I have also seen many who collected so much that it lay at a thousand guilders, but then died with the property, so that no one knew where it had remained, for it was an ambitious property; it had to remain in avarice, be eaten by rust and moths, and never come into proper use.
I say this for an example, by which one can see how masterfully a miser can adorn himself and make himself pious, if it comes to him, and yet in truth he is a two-faced rogue and liar. For what does God ask of you if you want to lead a glorious, chivalrous life, so that he should like you to be so stingy, contrary to his commandment, and live as if you wanted to take everything for yourself alone, to carry out your splendor and pride, and then say: you are doing it for God's sake and for the honor of the church, and you want to pay for it with endowments and worship? Just as if someone were to break open your house or chest, and take what he finds, and then say that he wants to give a portion of it as alms: ei, a delicious sacrifice that would be! Thus it is said, If thou wilt give to God, give of that which is thine; for he saith, "I am hostile to the sacrifice that cometh of robbery." If thou hast, give what thou wilt; if thou hast not, thou art excused. But if you are so stingy and sharp that you could give, and pretend that you are doing it for this reason, you are not in earnest, but are lighting a light for yourself out of the dark lantern to thumb your nose at God and people.
122 So now I should go through all the booths and show how to clean oneself and
1) Erlanger: and.
that avarice is called a virtue, and mammon is praised and honored as a god. But who wants to tell all that the peasant in the market, the citizen in the cities, the nobleman in the office and in the countryside are doing? That is enough of an example that I have given, in which it can be seen clearly and brightly, yes, so thick darkness that it can be grasped, and the others can also judge finely by it. What is it now among the great merchants of the nobility, who presume to do almost any business, even with iron and nails? All this is not to be called avarice; but, because God has given it, let every man seek his food with what he can, that he may honestly lead his profession, 2c. This is also a little light that makes them blind, so that they see nothing at all, even though in worldly law it is ordered in such a way that each one may lead his food and trade, so that nevertheless another may also remain before him and nourish himself. 2c. But now no one can stay in front of the griffins and lions; they 3) take all commerce to themselves, and on top of that they want to be called pious and honorable people.
But (as I said) who could conceive it all, which is now ruled and used in all classes and trades of such deceitfulness? For what is the world but a great, wide, wild sea of all wickedness and mischievousness, adorned with good appearances and color, which can never be founded? especially now at the last time, which is a sign that it cannot stand long, and is even going down the pit. For it goes, as they say: the older, the poorer; the longer, the poorer. And everything becomes so stingy that almost no one can not have food and drink before the other, although everything is given enough by God. But this is the reward for the ingratitude and contempt shown to the Gospel, as I have said.
119] said: He who falls from the gospel must be so possessed by the devil that he cannot be stingy enough. In the same way, again, he who has the gospel rightly in his heart becomes lenient, so that he not only stops scratching, but gives and dares everything he should and can.
2) "so" is missing in the Wittenberger.
3) "they" is missing in the Erlanger.
We must let the world remain, and even if it is stingy with everything for a long time, it must leave it behind at the end and leave something for us, or even if we have to suffer poverty and sorrow with it, we still have not shared badly, like Isaac and Jacob with their brothers. They have acquired the world's goods and all freedom from the compulsion and plagues of the papacy through us, so that they do what they want. This is Ishmael's portion, a bottle of water, which Abraham hung around his neck and had him cut off. But we have another portion, that is, spiritual goods and heavenly blessings, and are thus finely divided. Their great goods, which they have, we leave to them gladly, and do not want it, whether they throw it to us immediately; again they do not like the spiritual goods, which we have. So we keep the land and the inheritance, which remains with us forever, and let them defy us with their party, which will pass away today or tomorrow, and for their sake deprive themselves of our inheritance, which we would gladly grant them. If, on the other hand, they deprive us of our share, we will always have so much that we can well recover from the damage.
But let us be warned, lest we fall with the world into the false light, that is, into the shammy eye, which putteth out the true light, and maketh it twofold darkness. And see that avarice does not also enter you with such a sweet opinion and beautiful color that you want to bring yourself or your children into a high, honest position, and only give much to improve and increase their position. Just as avarice becomes less and less satisfied the longer it goes on, but strives higher and higher, and no one is satisfied with his station; but he who is a burgher would like to lead a knightly station; a nobleman would like to be 1) a prince, and so on. A prince would like to ride like the emperor. But if thou wilt ride rightly, as a Christian, beware of such opinion as of the most shameful darkness, and direct thy food thus: Where God blesses thee, that it may befall thee, that thy neighbor also may feed beside thee and enjoy thy food.
1) Wittenberger: one.
that you may reach out to him with your gentle hand. For if you allow the sham eye to deceive you, then you have already lost God's word, as you have been driven out by the [false] 2) light, and one thick darkness comes to another, which makes you completely blind and obdurate, so that you can no longer be helped.
V. 24 No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate one and love the other, or he will cling to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
(126) Then he pronounced a terrible judgment on the miserly, first on his Jews, who were true miserly men, and yet wanted to be holy and great servants of God, like our priests and clergy; that is, you think you are well off and serve God with great earnestness, and yet you are miserly wretches, that you do everything for the sake of mammon, even though you also serve God. But it is said: No one can serve two masters together. If you want to be servants of God, you cannot serve mammon. But this is what he means by two masters who are against each other, not by two masters who rule with each other. For this is not contrary to one another, if I serve the prince or the emperor, and God also, for it is proper from one to the other, that if I obey the lowest, I serve the highest also. Just as a householder sends his wife or children to the servants, and by them commands what they shall do; there are not many, but all are one lord, and of one lord. But where two masters give disgusting commands, they are against each other, 3) as, God, and the devil. God says: You shall not be stingy, nor have another God; but the devil says: You may well be stingy and serve your mammon.
This is also taught by reason itself, that it does not suffer to serve two unequal masters at the same time. Although the world can do it masterfully, and is called in German: Den
2°) In Latain: talso Inmins.
3) Erlanger: "But these are called two masters who are against each other and do disgusting things. - Wittenberger: "who are against each other".
Carry a tree on both armpits, and blow cold and hot from one mouth. As when a nobleman serves a prince and takes pay from him, and betrays and sells it to another and also takes money there, mid sees where the weather wants to go, where it rains here, that the sun shines there, and so betrays and sells both. But still it is not served, and also reason must say that such must be traitors and peelers. For how would you like it if you had a servant who took your pay and wages and looked with one eye at another and asked nothing about how you were doing, but if things went bad today or tomorrow, he would jump there and leave you there?
Therefore it is rightly said: He who is a pious servant 1) and wants to serve faithfully, must not be attached to two masters, but say: I am at the master's bread, I will serve him as long as I am with him, and provide his best, and turn to no other. 2) But if he will carry out here, and steal there, then the executioner belongs to it. For the chickens shall be put to death, and the homes shall be eaten, but the eggs shall be laid elsewhere. So the Jews also did, thinking that God should consider them great saints and be satisfied when they sacrificed in the temple and slaughtered their calves and cows, although they were stingy in the meantime, where they could, until they also did their hawking in front of and in the temple and set up exchange banks, so that one should only carry quickly, and no one should go away unsacrificed.
Against such, Christ says that no one should presume to be the servant of God and the servant of Mammon. It is not possible to maintain his service, which he has established, if you want to be stingy according to mammon. For the service of God is to hang on his word alone and to put everything into it. Whoever then wants to live by it and stay with it, must in short recite mammon. For this is certain: as soon as a preacher or pastor becomes stingy, he is no longer of any use, nor can he preach anything good.
1) "is" is missing in the Erlanger.
2) Latin: nee altsrius eurarn üadearn.
For he must spare and punish no one. For he must be cautious and not punish anyone; he gives him presents and shuts him up, so that he lets people do what they want; he does not want to anger anyone, especially those who are great and mighty, and so he leaves his service and office in place, which requires him to punish the wicked. So also, if a mayor or judge, or whoever has an office, should wait for his office, and see that it goes right, he need not think much how he will become rich and have his enjoyment of it. But if he is the servant of mammon, he lets himself be stung with gifts, so that he becomes blind, and no longer sees how to live. For he thinks, If I should punish this one or that one, they will become hostile to me, and he would lose mine over it 2c. And even though he has a noble ministry, and sits in the office that God has commanded and given him, he cannot carry it out and do it; this is done by Mammon, who has possessed his heart.
This is how it goes in the world everywhere, that it thinks it is a small thing, and no great danger around mammon, and makes it a beautiful, sweet thought that it can still serve God. And yet it is a shameful plague, by which the devil blinds man, so that he no longer perceives his office and service, and even freezes in avarice; only because he is worried that he will not be honored, given, or bestowed.
For this reason, Christ has made a strict judgment that one should not deceive oneself with such thoughts, and so little take to the wind, but know that whoever does not carry out his ministry for the sake of mammon, money or pleasure, honor or favor, as he should, that God does not want to recognize him as His servant, but as His enemy, as we shall hear. But he who wants to be found in God's service, and to conduct his office rightly, that he may think and have a man's heart, that he may despise the world with its mammon; but not grown out of his bosom, but given from heaven, with supplications that God, who has given you such office and commanded you, may also impress it, and give that you may perform it; and let it seem to you, 4) that God, who has given you such office and commanded you, has given you a man's heart, that he may despise the world with its mammon.
3) Wittenberger: evil.
4) The words: "dass du .... dünken" are missing in the Wittenberg.
You have nothing nobler or better on earth and can do nothing better than the service you are supposed to do for him, and you do not pay much attention to whether you suffer harm or come to harm because of it, and comfort yourself that you serve a greater lord, who can well delight you in the harm and is better than that you should lose the eternal treasure for the sake of a small, temporal good that cannot help you. For if you were to choose a lord, would you not much rather serve the living God than the impotent, dead wretch?
(132) Behold, every Christian that hath the word of God doeth so to honor it, and keepeth it, and regardeth not whether it grieve the world, or whether it have no piety, but is so minded: There lie my purse, and my bag, and my house, and my court, 2c. but here is my Christ: if then I shall leave one, and deliver it up, I will leave all that, that I may keep my Christ. This is what Christ means by the words that one cannot serve two masters. For it comes to pass that the two oppose one another, and one must give way to the other. Therefore it is nothing for you to adorn yourself with such thoughts, as if you wanted to keep them both as masters, but must consider freshly that you leave one.
This is why the word "serve" is important here. To have money and goods, wife and 1) child, house and farm is not a sin; only that you do not let it be your master, but let it serve you, and be its master. As they say of an honest, fine, mild man: He is master of his money, not so subject and captive as a meager miser, who before God's word and everything lets go, stops hand and mouth before he puts his money into the drive. This is a womanish, childish and servile heart, which despises and leaves the eternal treasure for the sake of the shameful mammon, which 2) it is not allowed to use or enjoy; nevertheless, it goes safely along, thinking that it can still always come to God's word; in the meantime, it pulls what it can to itself, so that it does not let a penny go away for God's sake, until such time that it is ever deeper into the world.
1) "and" is missing in the Wittenberg and in the Erlanger.
2) Wittenberger: "that".
sinks into avarice, and the further away from God's word he gets, the more he becomes a coward.
(134) For Christ has spoken hard words, and has pronounced the verdict harshly, when he says: "Either he will hate one and love the other, or he will cling to one and despise the other. This much is said: The shameful love of mammon makes enemies of God. As some of our priests say openly, it would be a fine doctrine, but it did harm; therefore one is an enemy of it; and not unreasonably (as they think), because it gives cause for it. But Mammon is a god of his, who does no harm in the kitchen or in the purse. Wherefore love and friendship are divided here above the words, "He will hate one, and love another." For there are two masters who are against one another, and do not love one another in one heart, as little as two landlords in one house, so that when it comes to a meeting, when one is to serve and cling to one, one must anger the other, or let him go. So it certainly comes about, because one loves money and goods, that one becomes an enemy of God.
This is the dear fruit of the service of mammon, as can be seen especially now, when avarice rules so thoroughly that it is a commonplace of avarice among nobles, peasants, citizens, priests and laymen. Is this not a great holiness and beautiful virtue, that one takes the best part of man from God and gives it to Mammon? For this is, of course, the highest service: what the heart loves and desires, all the members and the whole body go after, as Christ said above [v. 21]: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." For what a man loves he certainly runs after, there he speaks gladly of, there all his heart and thoughts are. Therefore also Sanct Angustin says: Deus meus, amor meus, what I love, that is my God. From this you see what kind of people Christ gives the title that they are God's enemies, who pretend to be His closest friends, but are basically nothing but true devil saints, who hate and persecute God and His word and work with all their heart.
136. for this is truly called God.
hates when one hates his word. This is how it happens: If a man is punished for unbelief and avarice, and the first commandment is held against him: "You shall not have other gods", that is, you shall not set your heart, desire and love anywhere but on me, and he does not want to hear such punishments, nor does he want to suffer them, he starts to grumble and rage against them, until he is even embittered in his heart with poisonous hatred against the word and its preachers. That is why in the text of the Ten Commandments there is such an ominous word: "I am a zealous God, who punishes the sin of the fathers on the children of those who hate me" 2c., so that he means the same miser and servants of Mammon, as the Scripture calls avarice idolatry or idolatry [Eph. 5, 5. Col. 3, 5.]. Nor do they (as said) want to be called the greatest saints, and enemies of idolatry and heretics, and by no means bear the name that they hate God. But with this they are convicted that they cannot hear God's word nor see it when it attacks their avarice, wanting to go unpunished; and the more they are punished and threatened, the more they laugh and mock at it, and do what they want, contrary to God and everyone.
Now behold, is this not a shameful plague and an abominable sin, which should terrify us, and make us become enemies of Mammon from the heart, and bless and flee from it, as from the devil? For who would not be terrified that he should fall and hear such a judgment about himself, that he should be called God's enemy, who not only despises him, but wants God and His word to be nothing, that he should have only his free pleasure and will, to harm and annoy God? For, calculate how such a one will fare, and what he will burden himself with for a man, which in the end will become much 1) too heavy for him.
(138) And such 2) are afflicted beautifully enough (as the text says) with being such wretched people that their heart, desire, love and joy is even set in the secret chamber that should be in heaven and with the one who is God. How could a
1) "much" is missing in the Wittenberger.
2) "such" is missing in the Erlanger.
What is more shameful for a man than to turn his comfort away from God, who gives him everything that is good, and deserves to be favored, and sticks himself up the devil's ass, and delights in his stink and hell? 3) And should he even fall into hellish wickedness, that he only despises God's word, but becomes so murderously hostile that he wants there to be no God? This is the thanks he gets from such miserly people, that he gives them daily. Life and limb, sun and moon, and the same treasures they have. But what they gain from it, they will find, and they already have it in part, that they must eat the devil's stink and filth forever.
139. That is a piece in the text, of which Mammon spoke: "Either he will hate one and love the other." The other: "Or he will cling to one (that is, God) and despise the other." There he does not say badly: He will love one, but shows the deed and work of love with the word "clinging". For whoever should love God and His word, it will not be so little, but will often be disgusting to the eyes, and such love will often make Satan sour and bitter. Therefore it is necessary to hold fast and cling to God's word, and not to be torn away from it, even though our own flesh, and the example of the whole world, together with the devil, opposes it, and is subject to take us. And there must truly be a man and chivalrous courage who alone can stand against so many enemies; yes, there must be a great fervor and fire of love that burns so that a man can let go of everything, house and home, wife and child, honor and goods, body and life, even despising and trampling them underfoot, so that he may only keep the treasure that he does not see and is despised in the world, but is only presented in mere words and believed in with the heart.
But he does not mean that one should not have and take money and goods,
3) Wittenberger: "an seinem hellen stank" d. i. an seinem Höllenstank.
4) "da" is missing in the Erlanger.
5) "and" is missing in the Wittenberg and in the Erlanger.
or, if you have it, throw it away, as some fools among the philosophers and great saints among the Christians have taught and done. For he allows you to be rich, but he does not want love to be attached to it, as David taught and proved with his example: "If riches come to you, do not attach your heart to them. This is such a man who, in the midst of money and goods given by God, can keep his heart free (which the world cannot do), and where it wants to lure his heart (as the beautiful florins and white silver cups and jewels kindly smile at him) and tear it away from God's word, he can trample it underfoot and despise it as much as the world clings to it and despises the heavenly treasure in comparison. Summa, there must be a man who is master of mammon, that he must lie at his feet; but he has no one subject to him nor for master but the word of God. But this is preached to the few who believe Christ and hold his word to be true; with the others nothing comes of it.
V. 25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; neither for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not life more than food? and the body more than raiment?
The Lord makes room for it and preaches a great, strong sermon against this harmful vice, because it (as said [§ 83.85]) commonly breaks in violently next to the gospel, and not only the world but also the Christians are greatly offended, especially those who are supposed to preach God's word, and for the sake of it sit in all kinds of fare, despised and driven away by the world, so that according to the flesh they would have good cause to worry. For whosoever will be a Christian, and confess his Lord, maketh the devil (who is a prince of the world) his enemy: therefore he opposeth and assaileth him; not by word and faith, but by being 1) under his dominion and power. Now we have our rotten sack, flesh and blood, still in his kingdom, which he can well afflict and
1) Erlanger: "that" instead of "that he".
We are to be thrown into prison, to be deprived of food and drink and clothing, so that we must always be in such danger with everything we have. On the other hand, flesh and blood think, as it also brings so much before itself, that it would like to be firmly seated and to be overtaken by the journey. So the challenge is raised, which is called the care of food. Although the world does not consider it a challenge, but rather a virtue, and praises such people who can seek great good and honor 2c.
And here you hear what it is to serve your mammon, namely, that it means to take care of life and our body, what we should eat and drink, to have on and around; that is, to think only of this life, how we will become rich here, gather money and goods and increase, as if we should remain here forever. For this is not sin, nor serving your mammon, that you eat and drink and clothe yourself, as the need of life and body demands, that it have its food and covering; nor that you seek and acquire food, but that you care for it, that is, place your heart's comfort and confidence in it. For sorrow is not in the garment or in the food, but in the midst of the heart; it cannot leave it alone, it wants to cling to it; as one says: Good makes courage 2c. So that "worry" means just as much as to be attached to it with the heart. For what the heart does not mean and love, I care nothing for; and again, what I care for, I must have a heart for.
However, you must not make the text so restrictive that it forbids taking care of nothing. For every office or position entails care, especially when one presides over other people; as St. Paul says of spiritual offices in Christendom: "Let him who rules be careful. Thus a householder must take care of his children and servants, that they be well brought up and do what they ought; and where he does not, he does wrong. Likewise, the care of a pastor or preacher is that the sermon and sacraments go and are performed properly; that he comforts the afflicted and sick, punishes the wicked, prays for all kinds of needs 2c. For
2) Wittenberger and Erlanger: "to".
He is commanded to maintain and govern the soul. Thus a prince and other authorities in secular government must see to it that things go right, as his office demands. In the same way, again, the subjects must see to it that they perform their obedience faithfully, the servants and maids; that they serve their masters well, and preserve their harm. 1)
(144) Christ does not speak of this care here, for it is an official care, which is to be far separated from avarice. For it does not care for its own sake, but for the sake of the neighbor; it does not seek its own, and may even abandon it and serve another; so that it is called a care of love, which is divine and Christian, not of self-interest or mammon, both of which are contrary to faith and love, and the very thing that hinders the care of the office. For he who loves money and seeks its benefit will not take much notice of his neighbor or his office, directed against his neighbor. As has been seen hitherto in our clergymen, who have cared nothing at all for the right direction of souls, but have directed all their concern solely to the end that all the world might bear them enough; and what money would not bear them, they have left in order, so that none of them would have spoken a Pater noster to another in vain. But a pious preacher only sees to it that he directs his ministry rightly, so that the souls are helped; he does not ask whether he does not get much from it, yes, must suffer all kinds of things for it, and bite himself with snakes, who have the world and the devil as enemies, let it be ordered by God where he gets to eat, but takes comfort in another treasure (for which he does all these things) in that life, which is so great that all the misfortunes he suffers here are far too few in comparison 2c. [Rom. 8, 18.]
145 Because he has forbidden zero such care of avarice and mammon service as idolatrous, and which makes God's enemies, he continues, and leads many sayings, examples and likenesses to make us the more disgusted with avarice, and wants to paint it so shamefully that we want to spit at it, and says
1) Erlanger: "u. s. w."
first, "Is not life more than meat?" 2c. That is, you can and must trust God with your life, body and soul, and it is not in your power to sustain for one hour; what fools you are, that you will not trust him with your body's necessities, that he will provide food and drink for you? For how can greater foolishness be conceived, that a man should care in a hostile manner where he may take food and drink, and not care where he may take life and limb, or preserve that hour? Just as if one took care of how to decorate his house deliciously, and yet knew no one to live in it; or how he prepared plenty and delicious food in the kitchen, and yet had no one to eat from it. We do the same with our miserliness, that we provide for the least and never think of the great. This is called quite useless and idle, even foolish care. And even if we wanted to provide a lot for life and limb, nothing is done with it, because it is not in our power for a moment. Just as little as if someone wanted to worry to death about how the grain in the field would grow that he had not sown, or where the silver in the mine would lie that he had not laid down.
Since we have to leave the worry in our whole life, and it is received by God every hour without our thoughts and efforts, what do we want to bother ourselves with the foolish worry 2) for the little parties, as if he could not or would not give us food and cover? We should be ashamed that a man should say of us that we do such foolishness. Nor is our nature any different, especially from that of the great, rich wives, than that of such fools, who are always taking care that they have only the kitchen full, and let it be served most abundantly, and yet have neither table nor guest; or who let many splendid beds be prepared, and have no one to put in them. 3) Just as if a cobbler did nothing else all his life but make his workshop full of shoe lasts, and yet never thought of making a shoe where he took leather. Should
2) "uns Plagen" is missing in the Erlanger.
3) "than" is missing in ver Erlanger.
one does not illuminate that, as mad and foolish, to the country?
(147) Behold, Christ shows us what foolish men we are, that we should spit upon ourselves, and yet go on in such blindness, though we see before our eyes that we cannot take care of our body and life, and if we did, we should become Christians, thinking, Behold, I have not my whole life in my hand one moment. Since I have to trust God with my life and limb, why should I doubt and worry how my belly will be nourished for a day or two? It is as if I had a rich father who would gladly give me a thousand guilders, and would not trust him to give me a penny for my need 2c.
Look at the birds of the air: they do not sow, they do not reap, they do not gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more than they? Who is there among you that can add a cubit to his length, though he be anxious?
148. There he sets an example and a likeness to the admonition, to mockery, ridicule, and shame of the tiresome avarice and belly care, that he may tear us away from it, and show what we ourselves are, that we must be ashamed in our hearts, because we are much higher, nobler, and better than the birds, than which we are masters, not only of the birds, but of all living creatures, and all things have been given to us for our service and created for our sake: and yet we do not have so much faith that we dare to feed ourselves with all that God has given us, since he gives daily food and sustenance to the smallest birds, even to the smallest worms, as our least servants, without all their care and thought, who can neither gather nor store anything, neither sow nor, when they have sown, reap.
149) Is it not now a 1) blood disgrace,
1) "one" is missing in the Jena. - Blutschande is written here - great shame.
that we cannot trust in God, who has given and given us all creatures, and grows so much every year that we have enough to sow every year, and many more to reap, without worry and avarice? For if anyone should care and gather, the little birds should do so, because they cannot do so, and should think when summer comes, "Behold, now all the world sows its grain, that they may gather again for summer; now, or in the autumn, everyone reaps and gathers, and we all have not a grain to sow, nor to bring in; where will we take food during the year, especially in the cold winter, when it is all brought in and there is nothing in the field? What would we humans do if we did not have to sow for one summer? Yes, if we did not have a fortnight's supply, how would the whole world despair, as if we were all to die of hunger? Now the dear little birds fly in the air, summer and winter, sing and are merry, care and worry for nothing everywhere; if they do not know where they are to get food tomorrow: and we miserly miserly people cannot stop worrying, even if we have soil and barns full, and see the grain growing so abundantly in the field.
150. Behold, he makes the little birds masters and teachers, so that a faint sparrow, to our great, eternal shame, must stand in the Gospel as the most wise man's doctor and preacher, and daily hold this up before our eyes and ears; as if he wanted to say to us: Behold, you wretched man, you have house and farm, money and goods, and yearly the field full of grain and all kinds of crops, more than you are allowed; yet you cannot have peace, and always worry that you will die of hunger. And where thou seest not store and knowest before thee, thou canst not trust God to give thee one day's food.
2) This text is taken from the old edition of Walch, because the text of the other editions is more or less corrupted. Jenaer: "that we do not trust the God, who has given us all creatures ... cannot trust him with our belly" 2c. Wittenberger: "that we do not trust the GOD to us all creatures.... cannot trust in our belly" 2c. Erlanger: "that we, the God all creatures... cannot trust him in our belly" 2c. The Latin agrees with our text.
We have so many masters and preachers, as little birds in the air, that we should be ashamed and not lift up our eyes. Summa, we have so many masters and preachers, as little birds in the air, who disgrace us with their living example, that we should be ashamed and not lift up our eyes when we hear a bird singing God's praise and our shame to heaven: nor are we so stony-hard that we do not even turn to them, even though we hear them preach and sing such things daily with a great multitude.
(151) Yes, behold, what more do they do, the little birds, how they live without care at all, and wait for their food from God's hand alone. If one locks them up to sing, and pours food before them in abundance, so that they should think: Now I have enough, that I must not worry where I eat; for I now have a rich master, and my barns are full 2c.They do not do this, but are much rather free in the air, also grow fatter, and sing more finely and sweetly to their Lord Lauds and Matins early in the morning before they eat: and yet they know not a grain in store, make a beautiful, long Benedicite, and let our Lord 1) God take care of them, even if they have young ones to feed. Therefore, when you hear a nightingale, you hear the finest preacher admonishing you of this gospel, not with bad, mere words, but with living action and example, because it sings all night long, and almost barks itself to death, and is much happier in the forest, than when it is caught in the birdcage, where it must be waited for with all diligence, and yet seldom thrives or remains alive; as if it should say: I would much rather be in the kitchen of the Lord, who created heaven and earth, and is himself cook and host, and daily feeds and nourishes innumerable little birds from his hand, and has not a sack full, but heaven and earth full of little grains.
152 Christ says: "Because you see these things every day before your eyes, how the heavenly Father feeds the little birds of the field, without
1) "HErrn" is missing in the Wittenberg.
All their care; could you not grieve him so much that he will also feed you, because he is your father and calls you his children? Should he not care much more for you, whom he made children, and gives his word and all creatures, than for the little birds, who are not his children, but your servants? and yet he cares for them so highly that he feeds them daily, as if he alone had to care for them. And he is pleased that they fly and sing without any care, as if they should say: I sing and am happy, and yet I do not know a grain to eat; my bread is not yet baked, my grain not yet sown; but I have a rich Lord who cares for me while I sing or sleep, who can give me more than all men and I could with our care. 2)
Because the birds are able to trust in Him so completely, and cast their care upon God, we, who are His children, should do it much more. Therefore it is a good example that puts us all to shame, that we, who are sensible people and have the Scriptures before us, do not have so much wisdom that we could do it to the birds, and must daily hear so much shame before God and men, as much as we hear birds singing. But man has become mad and foolish after he has fallen from God's word and commandment, that henceforth no creature shall live that is not wiser than he; and a little Zeisich, which can neither speak nor read, is his doctor and master in the Scriptures, though he has the whole Bible and his reason to help him.
This is the first similitude, to which he adds a saying from our own experience, showing that our worrying is in vain and accomplishes nothing: "Who is there among you (says he) who can add a cubit to his length, even though he worries about it? If a man should not become great before he cares, how great would we all grow? or, what would it do for a little dwarf to worry himself to death as he wished?
2) Wittenberger: could.
3) "yes" is missing in the Wittenberger.
grow bigger? What do you do with worries, where you take food and clothes? Just as if it were in your power to make your body as large and long as you wanted. For thy body is measured with all its members, and has its length and breadth, that thou canst not make it otherwise; and it is commanded thee that thou make it a hairbreadth longer. What kind of fool are you to take care of things that are not in your power and have already been measured out by God, both time and measure, how long your body and life will last? and you cannot trust him to provide you with food and clothing as long as you have to live here 2c.
V. 28-30. And why do you care for clothing? Look at the lilies of the field, how they grow; they do not work, neither do they spin. I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as one. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which stands today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, should he not do this much more to you, O ye of little faith?
There you have another example and likeness, in which the little flowers of the field, which are trodden down and eaten by the cows, must also become our doctors and masters, so that our shame may become all the greater. For behold, how they grow, so beautifully adorned with colors, and yet you neither care nor think how they grow, or what color they should get, but let God take care of them. And without all his care and attention, God clothes it with such beautiful, lovely color that Christ says: "King Solomon, with all his glory, was not as beautiful as any empress, with all her women, with all her gold, pearls and precious stones. For he knows of no king who was more richly, gloriously and beautifully adorned than Solomon; nor is the king, with all his beautiful splendor and adornment, anything compared to a rose or a flower of nails or a violet in the field. So our Lord God can adorn whom he wills, that it is called adorned, and no man such color.
She can neither make nor paint, and could neither desire nor obtain any other more beautiful ornament; and if one were to adorn her with the finest gold and silk, she would still say, "I would rather be adorned by the Master up in heaven, who also adorns the little birds, than by all the tailors or silk embroiderers on earth.
Since he clothes so many little flowers and adorns them with so many colors that each one has its own skirt on, and is thus resplendent above all the adornments of the world, why can we not believe him that he will also clothe us? For what are the flowers and grass of the field compared to us? Or, what are they made for, but to stand a day or two, and be seen, and then wither, and become hay; or, as Christ saith, "to be cast into the oven," to make fire therewith, and to heat the oven? 1) Nor does our Lord God take such a perishable and insignificant thing so highly, and spend so much money on it, that he adorns it more beautifully than any king or man on earth, since they have no need of such adornment, and are even more lost in them than he who soon perishes with the flower. But we, his highest creature, for whose sake he created all things, and gives us everything, and he cares so much for us that it should not end with this life, but after this life he will give us eternal life, we should not trust him so much that he will also clothe us, as he clothes the flowers of the field and the birds of the air with various beautiful colors and feathers! This is honestly spoken and shamefully depicts our unbelief, so that he could not make it more scornful. 3)
157, But it is the wretched devil, and the terrible fall we have done, that we must see the whole world full of such examples, of birds and little flowers, against us, which with their example and sight punish our unbelief, and become our highest doctors, singing and preaching to us, and laughing.
1) Instead of "heizt den Ofen" in the Wittenberg: "einheitzet".
2) Jenaer and Erlanger: in.
3) "that .... could" is missing in the Wittenberg.
4) Erlanger: treffliche.
so sweetly to us that we should only believe. We are still going along, letting ourselves be preached to and sung to, always striving and stinging for ourselves, but to our eternal shame and damage, so that every little flower testifies against us before God and all creatures until the last day and condemns our unbelief. Therefore, he now concludes this sermon for his Christians.
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? what shall we drink? wherewith shall we be clothed? The heathen seek all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.
Because you see such examples before your eyes every day, even 1) in everything that lives and grows out of the earth, how God feeds and nourishes everything and clothes and adorns it in the most beautiful way, let yourselves be moved to put away worry and unbelief and think that you are Christians and not pagans. For such worry and avarice belong to the pagans, who neither know about God nor ask for Him, and is a true idolatry, as St. Paul says [Col. 3, 5.] and is also said above [§136], where it is called serving mammon.
Therefore every miser is not a Christian, though he be baptized, but hath certainly lost Christ, and is become a heathen. For the two suffer not one another, stinging or caring, and believing; one must bite the other. There is no greater shame before God and all creatures for Christians who hear the word and know it, than that they should be like the heathen, than those who do not believe that God feeds them and gives them all things, and so fall back from God, deny the faith, and turn neither to his word nor to such a visible example. This is a harsh judgment that should frighten anyone. For it is briefly decided that a Christian should think and leave the care of avarice; or know that he is no Christian, but ten times worse than a heathen.
160] Moreover, because you are Christians, you must not doubt that your
1) "also" is missing in the Erlanger.
Father knows that you have need of all these things, that you have a belly to eat and drink, and a body to be clothed. If he did not know, you would have reason to worry and think about how to feed yourselves; but now that he knows, he will not let you go. For he is so pious that he is glad to do it, and especially to you Christians, because (as [v. 26] is said) he also cares for the birds of the air. Therefore, let your worrying be, for you are not doing anything with it. It is not because of your worry, but because of his knowledge and worry. If something should not grow in the field before we take care of it, we would all have died in the cradle, and nothing would have to grow yet if we lie down and sleep. Yes, should we all worry ourselves to death, not a stalk will grow in the field from our worrying. We must see and grasp for ourselves that God gives everything without our worrying; nor are we such hopeless people that we do not want to stop worrying and being stingy, nor let God take care of us, to whom alone it is due, as a father takes care of his children.
V. 33. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
The Lord saw well when I said [§ 104] that no vice among the outward gross things strives so grievously against the gospel and hinders God's kingdom than avarice. For as soon as a preacher seeks to become rich, he no longer does his ministry properly, for his heart is caught in the worry of food, as in a rope, as St. Paul calls it [1 Tim. 6, 9.], that he cannot teach nor punish as and where he ought, fearing to lose favor and friendship with those whom he may enjoy; being thus deceived into silence, and deceiving other men with him; not by heresy, but by his own belly, which is his idol. For he who wants to be a true preacher and faithfully conduct his ministry must keep the liberty with him to speak the truth unashamedly, to respect no one, and to punish where punishment is due, great and small, rich, poor, powerful, friends and enemies. This does the
Not miserly. For he fears that if he were to anger great merchants or good friends, he would run out of bread. So he smokes his pipe and keeps quiet.
162 Likewise also the common people, which are not preachers, but are to hear the word of God and to help further God's kingdom, each in his station and life, do not want to wait or suffer any hardship or lack for the sake of the gospel, but see above all that they have enough and provide for their belly, God granting that the gospel may come afterward or remain behind. So they go and dig and scratch as much as they can, giving nothing to the preachers, but taking what they have. So it goes according to the devil's will that no one wants to preach or listen anymore, and so both the teaching and its fruits perish in the hearts of the people, and God's kingdom falls away. Only the shameful, devilish mammon does that. Behold, this is why the Lord Christ so faithfully warns His own against it by preaching for so long,
163. and that one may be all the more careful about it, he shows with these words a good strong remedy against it, how one should do it, so that one may not be allowed to worry, and yet have enough, yes, much more and more excellent treasure, than mammon can give us, and we can get with our worries; this is now called: Seek God's kingdom.
But it is important to put into one's heart what God's kingdom is and gives. For if we could be persuaded to consider and weigh in our hearts how great and precious a treasure it is in comparison with mammon or the world empire, that is, all that is on earth, we would spit on mammon. For what would you have more, if you had the king of France's goods and power, and the Turkish emperor's, than a beggar at the door of his party? For all that matters is that you fill your belly every day; that is as far as you can go with all the world's goods and glory; and the poorest beggar has as much of it as the mightiest emperor. Yes, his party shall taste and prosper much better than his glorious, royal meal. There it remains with, and no one gets more of it, and
But it lasts a short, short time, so that we have to let all this go, and we can't live our body with it for an hour when the hour comes. That is why it is a poor, miserable, even a rotten, stinking kingdom.
But what is God's kingdom or the kingdom of the Lord Christ? You count that yourself, and say what the creature is against its Creator, and the world against God? For if heaven and earth were mine alone, what would I be to God? Not so much as a drop of water, or an hour against the whole sea. In addition, it is such a treasure, which does not cease nor diminish, nor can it be diminished, that it cannot be measured and comprehended by any human heart or sense, because of its greatness and worth. And I should so shamefully throw away and let go of God and His kingdom that I would take this vile, deadly kingdom of the belly for that divine, imperishable one that gives me eternal life, righteousness, peace, joy and bliss. And everything that I seek and desire here temporally, I shall have in this eternally, and everything immeasurably more glorious and exuberant than that which I can attain here on earth with great effort, care and labor, and before I attain it and bring it to where I want it, I must depart from it and leave it all. Is this not great, shameful foolishness and blindness, that we do not see such things? Yes, a hardened wickedness of the world, possessed by the devil, that it will not let itself be told nor heed when it is preached to it.
For this reason Christ was pleased to awaken us with these words, saying: "If you will take care and strive as you always have enough, strive for such a treasure as this, which is called the kingdom of God. Do not care for the temporal, perishable treasure, which moth and rust eat away, as he said above [vv. 19, 20]. But if ye have another treasure in heaven, which I will shew you, take heed and seek it, and think what ye have of it, and ye shall forget the other. For there is such a treasure, which shall keep you for ever, and shall not perish, neither be taken away; that because the treasure remaineth, and ye have it, ye must also
1) Jenaer: an.
if you didn't have a penny in the world.
Now it has often been said what the kingdom of God is, namely, in a nutshell, that it does not consist in outward things, eating and drinking 2c. nor in other human 1) works, 2) but in believing in Jesus Christ, who is the head and king of this kingdom, in whom and through whom we have all things; that whoever abides in it, no sin, death, or misfortune can harm him, but has eternal life, joy, and blessedness, and begins here in such faith, but will be revealed and eternally perfected at the last day.
What does it mean to strive for such a kingdom? Or, how does one come to it, which is the road and the way one must go? One points here, the other points there. So, the pope teaches: Run to Rome and get indulgences, confess and do penance, say or hear mass, put on a cap, and practice great worship and hard austere life. We have walked all the ways, and as we were told, as foolish and foolish people, and [have] all wanted to seek God's kingdom, but have found the devil's kingdom. For there are many ways, but all of them without the one, which is: to believe in Christ, and to practice and carry on the gospel (on which faith is held) with preaching, listening, reading, singing, thinking, and how one can, so that it always increases in the heart and becomes stronger, and breaks out through its fruits, so that it is brought further and further, and leads many people to it. As we (praise God!) are doing now, and yet there are still many, both preachers and other Christians, who are working with all diligence, and who are fuming, so that they put all they have into it, and would be ready to lose before they would let the word go.
No monk, nun or priest knows this, even though they claim to be God's servants and Christ's brides. For they all lack the one, right path, and leave the gospel standing; they know neither God, nor Christ and His kingdom. Demi
1) "human" is missing in the Jena and the Erlangen.
2) Erlanger: "which one can do".
3) "demselbigen" is missing in the Erlanger.
Whoever wants to know it and meet it must not search for its head, but hear its word as the foundation and cornerstone, and see where it points you and how it interprets it. Now this is his word about his kingdom: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved" [Marc. 16, 16.]. The word is not spun out of our head, nor grown out of a man's heart, but has fallen from heaven, and has been revealed by the mouth of God, so that we may be sure, and not lack the right road. Where such things are really going on, both among the preachers and the listeners, that the Word and Sacrament are diligently practiced, followed, and kept up, so that it becomes known among the people, and the young people are taught and taught: that is, God's kingdom is sought and promoted, and seriously meant.
170 What then does he mean by adding, "And his righteousness"? This kingdom also hath a righteousness; but it is another righteousness than in the world, even as it is another kingdom. This is called the righteousness that comes from faith, which is active and active through good works, so that I mean the gospel with earnestness, and diligently hear or practice it, and live by it in deed, and am not a loose washer or hypocrite, letting it go in one ear and out the other, but prove it by deed and be strong in it, as St. Paul says 1 Corinthians 1:12. Paul says in 1 Cor. 4:20: "The kingdom of God is not in words, but in power." This is what we call faith with its fruits, that is, doing good works, and waiting for his position or office with diligence and faithfulness, and suffering all kinds of things for it. For here he calls righteousness in general the whole life of a Christian toward God and man, as the tree with the fruit. But not in such a way that it is perfect, but always continues, as he calls his disciples always striving for it, when they have not yet fully grasped it, or have not yet learned and lived it purely. For in the kingdom of Christ we are half sin and half holiness. For that which is of faith and of Christ in us is wholly pure and perfect, as not ours, but Christ's, who is ours by faith, and lives and works in us.
is still our own, which is a vain sin, but under and in your Christ it is covered up and destroyed by the forgiveness of sin, and in addition it is killed daily by the same grace of the Spirit until we die to this life.
Behold, this is the righteousness of this kingdom, that it be righteous, and that there be no hypocrisy. For it is set against those who can speak and boast of the gospel, but live nothing of it. For it is also a hard business to preach the word of God and to do good to everyone, and to suffer all kinds of misfortune in the process; but that is why it is called the righteousness of God. For the world is not able to do right, and to suffer evil for it; nor does it belong to its rule. For it is not right that he who does right should be punished or suffer violence, but should receive good in reward and thanksgiving. But our reward is 1) not on earth, but in heaven, where we will find it. He who knows this and wants to do it will have enough to do that he may not seek other ways; he will also forget the avarice and worry of mammon. For the world will make it so sour for him that he will not value life and temporal goods, but will become so weary that he will have to wait and hope for all the hours of death.
This is the admonition by which he points us from the temporal good to the eternal treasure, that we should not be afraid of that which we have 2) in heaven 2c. In addition, he now 2) also makes a promise and comfort, so that we do not think that he will give us nothing at all on earth and leave us to die of hunger, because we must suffer all kinds of things from the world, which neither gives us anything nor grants us anything, and wait all hours for marl to take away everything we have; but know that we are nevertheless also to have here for the necessities of this life what we are entitled to. Therefore he saith, Seek ye first God's kingdom, and all these things shall be added unto you; that is, ye shall have food, and drink, and raiment, 2c. as an addition, without all your cares; yea, even so that ye shall not have for it.
1) "is" is missing in the Wittenberger.
2) Jenaer: well.
3) "nun" is missing in the Jena.
and put everything in danger for the sake of God's kingdom. And let it come to you that you do not know where it comes from; as our experience also teaches us daily. For God still has so much in the world that he can also feed his own, because he feeds all the little birds and worms, and clothes the lilies of the field, as we have heard; yes, because he gives so much to the bad guys and lets it grow, that the world must nevertheless let us eat and drink with it, even if it is sorry for it.
173. What more shall we desire, knowing this, if we have God's word, 4) act and teach, 5) and do every man what he ought to do, that we may have to eat and drink, around and about, and get as much 6) as a king or emperor, namely, that we may feed the belly, without his having to have more and more glorious to his state, but yet nothing more worthy; And my bread shall feed me as well, and my raiment as well cover and warm me, as his royal banquet, and gold and silver pieces. For how would it be possible that he should die of hunger who serves God with faithfulness and promotes His kingdom, because he gives so superfluously to the whole world? There would have to be no more bread on earth, or heaven would no longer be able to rain, if a Christian were to die of hunger; indeed, God Himself would have to have died of hunger beforehand.
174 Because he has created and given so abundantly, and because he promises so surely that he will give enough, and will give before we know it, or before we know it, what will you trouble yourself with your hostile worries and miserliness? The Scriptures (especially the Psalter) are full of such sayings everywhere, that he will feed the pious in their time of need, and has never yet let a pious man go for bread 2c. [He will not become a liar in you, if you could only believe. Whether the world, as' now nobles, peasants and citizens do not, he will still find people, or other means by which he can give, and more, than they can take from you now 7).
4) Wittenberg and Jena: and.
5) "and teach" is missing in the Erlanger.
6) Erlanger: "itself" instead of: "shall".
7) Wittenberger: "der zeit".
V. 34. Therefore do not worry about the morrow, for the morrow will take care of its own. It is enough for each day to have its own plague.
(175) Keep this care (he means to say), as you keep God's kingdom with you, and be so far from the other care that you do not care for the morrow either. For when tomorrow comes, it will bring its own sorrow with it; as they say, "When day comes, so comes counsel. For our worries are of no avail, even though I do not expect more than one day, and experience shows that we often have two or three days before today. And to whom God wills and gives good fortune, he can often accomplish more in one hour without trouble and worry than another can in four whole days with great trouble and worry. And when he has made long and prospered, he himself makes it long, if another had made it in an hour: so that no one can make nothing, but when the hour comes, which God gives without our care; and it is in vain that thou wilt forestall, and by thy care give great counsel (as thou thinkest).
For the art of our Lord God is that he can secretly shorten and lengthen time and hour, so that one hour becomes fourteen days, and again so that one with long labor and toil gains nothing more than another with short and easy labor. As one can see every day, there are many who, with hard, constant work, hardly earn their bread, and others who, without any special work, have finely arranged and ordered their affairs so that they are well managed and prosperous. God creates all this so that our worries do not have to be blessed. For we do not want to wait for such goods to come to us from God, but to find them ourselves before God gives them.
See how it goes in the mines, since one digs and searches diligently; still it often happens that where one hopes for the most ore, and proves as if it wanted to become pure gold, nothing is found, or soon cuts itself off and disappears under the hands". Again, in other places, which one considers lost and leaves lying, it gives itself
And one who has built all his property into it gets nothing, another becomes a lord from a beggar; and after that, those who have it raised with many thousand guilders, before in ten years again become beggars, and not much happens that such a large property reaches the third heir. Summa, it should be called: not sought, but given; not found, but fallen to, if happiness and blessing are to be there. But we would like to make it so that it comes as we think; there is nothing out. For he thinks against it: You should not get it like that, or not keep it long and enjoy it. For I myself have seen many who reached into their pockets for a penny, and did not pay attention to a penny, but afterwards would have been glad that they had found so many pennies.
Since you see that it is lacking, and your worry does not help, why do you not leave it alone, and think how you have God's kingdom? for He wants to give you, but not because of your worry, whether you should work. For such care brings and creates nothing; but the care does, which is your office and belongs to God's kingdom, that you do what is commanded you, preach and promote God's word, serve your neighbor according to your bern, and take what God gives you. For these are the best goods, which have not been thought of, but have been bestowed and have fallen to us; and what we have acquired by our care, or what we undertake to preserve, may well be the first to fall and perish; as often happens to the rich farmers, to whom their grain and other provisions spoil because of great care. And it is a great mercy that God does not let us worry about how the grain grows in the field, but gives it to us because we lie down and sleep; otherwise we would also spoil it for ourselves with our worry and get nothing.
(179) Therefore he says, "Why will you worry about today and take on yourself two days of misfortune? Let it remain with that which today lays out for thee; tomorrow the day will bring thee another. For calamity or plague is his name, that it is laid upon us by the sweat of our brow.
1) Jenaer: we.
to nourish us [Gen. 3, 19.], and what other accidental, daily misfortune, accident and journey is. As when something is stolen from you, or you suffer damage; item, fall into sickness, or your servants 2c., as it happens in this life, that we must daily see and wait for such misfortune. Suffer such sorrow, lamentation, and misfortune, and accept it with joy, and yet let it remain so; for thou hast enough to bear with it, and let up the care, that thou mayest only make the misfortune more and heavier than it is in itself. And see such examples that God has never made anyone rich by his worrying (as 1) their much, as said, to the utmost.
1) Erlanger: because.
But this he does well, when he sees that someone is diligently and faithfully waiting for his office, and takes care of it to please God, and lets him take care of it as he sees fit, and to him he gives abundantly. For it is written, Proverbs 10:4: "A diligent hand maketh rich." For he does not want to leave both care and work to those who are idle and slothful, as if they should sit and wait, if he would let a roasted goose fly into their mouths, but gives that one should honestly engage in work, then he will be there with his blessing, and give enough. That is enough of this sermon.
2) "them" is missing in the Wittenberger.