2 This is spoken in a worldly way. For he that would travel must not have long, loose garments, but tucked up garments. Thus saith Christ, Be ready, and take heed; have lights in your hands, be finely shrewd: for nothing is certain. For death cometh unto you at home: but when the hour shall be, it is not known unto you. Therefore wait now for that hour. Work as if to live forever, and yet be of a mind as if to die this hour. That is to say, to be loins aproned when we wait for the Bridegroom of Christ. But this doctrine pushes us to the ground, and draws us into repentance. For no one will be able to wait for the day of the Lord with joy. We love our worst enemy, our flesh, so that we will not gladly die. Inimici hominis domestici ejus, Matth. 10, 36. We are not properly shortened.
Taulerus has a very good word, understood by few, thus speaks: God often meets one, but we do not attack him. So, when God attacks our worst enemy, sends us sickness, wants to put an end to us, we are not of a different mind, because God is far from us; but God only wants to bring us out of our misery, and wants to help me out of the battle. But because it costs his precious blood, I resist and do not let the Christ who is knocking in. So this flesh drives us behind it.
that we are not shortened. 1)0 Luc. 9, 57. One says to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Says Christ Luc. 9, 58. 2): Vulpes foveas habent etc., q. d. Christ: 3) Thou art not worthy of me; if thou wilt see beforehand where I abide, I know thee not.
4 The world is full of these people; they hear the gospel, but because the greatest heads are against it, they say: I will see before how it abideth in the Concilio. These all will let the bridegroom pass by, and will not be prepared. Therefore Christ will pass by and punish them.
5. 2) [A second] Sepeliam patrem meum, Luc. 9, 59. Who would not praise the good work? Hoc est praeceptum Dei, colere parentes, to bury. But because JEsus calls him, he should follow. These are all those who still cling to something and do not want to surrender to Christ outright, thinking that it is not evil to do this and that. Therefore it is a high doctrine that we should thus loosen our loins. Here we have nothing but canones poenitentiae. The Word of God directs us, since we have never come there, to cry out to God for help: O Lord, mercy, help me to do this!
6. 3) A third one wants to end with his friends, he recovers a terrible judgment: Non est dignus regno coelorum, qui manum ad aratrum mittit, and looks behind him, Luc. 9, 61. 62. Q. d.: If someone is called, who has learned to know Christ, and his parents should hinder him, it is so much: You go on, let your father and mother stay where they want; do not let the friendship of men be more valid for you than my honor. Let no man hinder thee, neither friends, nor money, nor favor. If they hinder thee from thy goods, let them go; follow me.
7. 4) Item, there 4) are others who have bought oxen [Luc. 14, 19.), that is, they have trade and change rather than God's honor. This work is called oxen, like Hesiodus
1) "IV put by us instead of: "Item", because the "First" is missing, which corresponds to the "Second" 2c. ß, 2). 3). 4). 5). 6) "1 in the following paragraphs.
2) Walch, and dre Erlanger edition in the first and second edition: "Matth. 8, 58."
3) "g. cl. Christ" - as if Christ wanted to say.
4) "Item it" put by us instead of "In Matthaeo", which is obviously wrong.
The work of housekeeping is called a bovem aratorem. Those who would rather have their food than be ready for God, who think that there is no need yet, they think that there is still time enough to follow God. This is what God wants to destroy. For the world says: Whoever wants to trade, hang his soul on the wall for a while. These are stupratores verbi Christi, since he says: 8int lumbi vestri praecinctii. From this contempt follows] coecitas, securitas, do not respect God, they beat their fellow servants, flay and scrape. Therefore, Christ will reward them with the unbelievers, to whom the hellish fire is due.
8. 5) A village buyer is called praeesse, to have honor before other people, to sit on top, to consider him a lord, to sit in the regiment. This honor also makes us that we are not shortened, go by. Before one loses a little honor, before he lets the gospel go with Christ. If our bishops were allowed to keep their splendor, so that not a penny would be lost, they would come to us in good grace. But it cannot be. Therefore, before they let worldly disgrace come upon them, and who nevertheless let their rule, evil, godless life, before they let Christ.
9. 6) To take a wife is a hard thing; he who can desist is strong, 1 Cor. 7, 1: Bonum esset, non habere uxorem propter tribulationem carnis. Out of necessity it is good to have a wife and child. But if a man is alone, he may be cut off and go to his death, for if he has such a great following.
10 Let us now be to each one of them
Latin; for we see how difficult it is for everyone to learn this lesson. Whoever recognizes 1) that he is not yet shortened as he should be, he should cry out to God and complain to Him; He will give us credit for it. But if we despise it and are sure of it, God will not give it to us, but will remember it to our evil. God can suffer weakness, but He cannot tolerate malice and contempt. God proclaims to us that we should be chastened and wait for Him; He does this because He means well. Whoever recognizes that he is not like this, let him confess it to God and ask for help so that we may be chastened; God will graciously help and forgive him.
(11) Wherever God finds such servants who recognize their need and wish to be chastened, God Himself will serve them. How we should rejoice if an emperor should serve us! It is a thousand times more that God wants to serve us, as He wants to do for the afflicted consciences. But to those who betray their brothers in trade, the Lord will come wildly, he will destroy them. No part of them shall remain, all that they have must be destroyed; then he will throw the pieces into the fire. So God can well suffer the weakness that one complains to Him. It is his honor that one confesses it to him, who alone is strong. But wickedness, despising God in his word and his gospel, he cannot suffer in any way.
1) In Walch and in the Erlanger: "who does not recognize it"; we have erased "not".