Held at Wörlitz on November 24, 1532.
So St. Paul fasted in short words the summa of the whole Christian life,
1 Tim. 1, 5. 6. 7..:
The main sum of the commandment is: love from a pure heart, and from a good conscience, and from undyed faith, which some have lacked, and have turned to idle talk. They want to be masters of the Scriptures, and do not understand what they say or what they say.
Preface.
Dear friends, you know how God has earnestly commanded everyone to hear and learn His dear Word, for He has cost Himself much and set about bringing it into the world, setting all the prophets to it, even sending His own Son into the world for it, having Him crucified and put to death, persecuting all the apostles over it and all the Christians.
*Luther preached this sermon in Wörlitz, a small town between Dessau and Wittenberg in Anhalt-Dessau, before the three princes of Anhalt, Johann, Joachim and Georg, and the younger margrave of Brandenburg, together with their court servants and about "ten peasants". (Cf. Tischreden, Cap. 22, § 13. St. Louis edition, vol. XXII, 637 f.) On November 23, 1532, Luther, accompanied by Melanchthon and Cruciger, had come to Wörlitz for a parley with the princes, and already on November 24 he went back to Wittenberg, as we learn from a letter of Luther to Hausmann of that date (Walch, old edition, vol. XXI, 1402). On the latter day, a Sunday, the sermon will probably have been preached. Cruciger transcribed the same. Already on January 2, 1533, Luther sent a printed copy to Hausmann (Walch, 1. 6. Col. 1403, § 2.). The first printing was done by Joseph Klug in Wittenberg. In the collective editions: Wittenberger (1556), vol. I, p. 456; Jenaer (1568), vol. VI, p. 32b; Altenburger, vol. VI, p. 33; Leipziger, vol. XI, p. 449; Erlanger, 1st edition, vol. 19, p. 206 and 2nd edition, vol. 18, p. 270. In 1723, Pastor I. u. Schwentzel at Halle procured a new reprint of this sermon from the Jenaer edition. We give the text according to the second edition of the Erlangen edition, which brings the first printing, comparing the Wittenberg and the Jena, also the Latin translation of this sermon, which is in the Latin Wittenberg edition, lom. VII, toi. 311b.
and order the one to act faithfully, and the other to listen diligently. And if there were no other reason for doing this, except that it is God's good pleasure and will and strict commandment, it would be reason enough for all things. For we, as creatures, owe it to our Lord and Creator to be obedient and to do this with all our will, since He has given us so much good and still does it daily that we can never thank Him enough for it.
2 Now he does not leave it at that, and will not only have it laid up for us as a commandment, or require it as an owing service, but also promises great fruits and benefits, which we shall have of it, and lets it be proclaimed, that the greatest and most beautiful service of God shall be done to him by it. For he also is a great Lord, whom we serve, having many and various ministries, and can serve him in many things; but this some outweighs the others all. For where any pious peasant or citizen and subject serves his lord, he also serves God; likewise a child or servant and maid in the house, if they are obedient, and faithfully do what they owe. So also, when princes and lords, father and mother, rule well and attend to their office, all this is called serving God, for it is His will and command that He requires of us. Now, the whole world is full of such service, if only it would do it, for each one in his state has his work laid out for him by God, so that he should and can serve Him daily and always. For we are His own people, and He has decreed that His service should be everywhere, and that no one should be excused for not knowing how or with what he should serve God, or for pursuing other things, and seeking his own way of serving God, which He has not decreed and commanded, and for leaving in place that which is commanded him, as we have done until now in our blindness.
(3) But far above and before all these, he hath specially magnified and magnified this ministry, both of them that hear his word, and preach it; and hath so chosen this portion above all things in the earth, that it shall be called specially ministered unto him; for the other portions are done unto them.
people. For this reason he has also appointed a special day in the week, on which alone one waits, although one otherwise serves God the whole week with other work, which he has not bound to any time or special days; but this he has specially designed and strictly commanded to keep, so that one has time and leisure for it, so that no one may complain that he cannot wait before his work, nor come to it. He has also arranged special places for this purpose, such as churches or houses where we meet. Yes, he has endowed and preserved the whole priesthood for this purpose, and has provided and given all that is necessary for such a ministry, such as all kinds of arts and languages, and all kinds of gifts; and in short, he has given a special commandment to all the world, that they should keep it holy and honorable, and in such a way that one must take hold of it, as he holds it up very well, and that it should be a precious, pleasant service for him, where and when his word is acted upon.
(4) And it would be fine if it could be made customary to call going to preaching as going to God's service, and preaching as serving God, and to call all who are with one another gathered in the right, high service of God. Just as the dear apostles and ancient fathers spoke before, and came from them, and have remained until now, the word is to say: to go to mass and to hear mass (as the Pope himself has strictly commanded in his decree that everyone should hear mass every Sunday), and no one is wont to say: I want to see mass, but: I want to hear mass, and actually means as much as: to go to God's service, and to hear the sermon or God's word, which is the best and most necessary part of the mass. Not as the pope does with his secret sacrificial masses, where one neither preaches nor hears God's word, especially in the part that they consider the greatest, and which is called the silent mass.
For the little word "mass," which seems to have been taken from the apostles, means in Hebrew as much as a service of interest or joy,
1) In all editions, "Gottesdienst" is written here in one word, but it is clear from § 5 that it is better separated here.
as a peasant or feudal lord brings his lord his fair, that is, his due interest or service, or indulges his lord, that he may recognize him for his lord, and render his obedience. So they also said here: I will go to mass, or hear mass, as if to say: I will give God his interest or indulge, and render and perform his service in the highest and most pleasant service; so that to hear mass means nothing else than to hear God's word and serve God with it.
(6) I say this now to admonish us why we should gladly hear God's word and go to the sermon, because it is not only a strict commandment of God, but also has the highest promise that it is pleasing to God, and the highest, dearest service that we can do for Him, and shines as far above all other services as the sun above all stars, and the Sabbath or holiday surpasses all other common days, and summa, as much as God's kingdom surpasses the world's rule. For here everything is consecrated and specially chosen, time, person, place and church, everything for the sake of the word, which makes all things holy for us, so that we may be careful and not become so lazy and lax about it, like the shameful, full spirits, who make themselves believe that they now have it and can do it all too well, and better than it can be preached to them, or like the others also, who soon get tired of it and think: O I have often heard this; what should 1) I always hear the same? They do not know and do not think what a great, excellent thing it is, and how high a service of God it is, which they so shamefully despise, or so foully forsake and neglect, and thereby greatly anger God, that they so surely throw his serious commandment to the wind, and let his promise be in vain for them, and, as much as is in them, destroy such praiseworthy service of God with their example, or even hinder it.
7 For if it were true (as it is not, praise God!), that thou couldst do all things well, and as well as the Lord Christ himself; neither seest thou how he himself doth so minister and do this work,
1) Jenaer: shall.
which he was able to do beyond all measure and was not allowed to do anywhere, as we are allowed to do. So also St. Paul, the high apostle, though he was learned and a great and excellent doctor, still went about preaching day and night, and was neither tired nor weary of it, as if he knew it all too well. And God Himself, who gave it, is so fond of hearing it and standing by it that He cannot grow weary of it, and in addition puts so much into it and so earnestly orders and commands that it should be done and practiced in all the world until the last day. Therefore you should be much less weary of it, because without it you can do it so heartily, against the devil and all temptation.
(8) And even though you should not be allowed to go anywhere, you should not get tired or weary of going to God's service for an hour every day or every week, just as you did not get tired of the false service before, lying in church every day, even walking from one church and altar to another, and yet not saying, as now, "Oh, it is nothing new, I have seen it every day," but thinking: I went to mass yesterday and today and every day, but tomorrow I will go. Now you should do much more, because you know that this is the only true mass and service, and say: Even though I could do it exceedingly well, when it is not, I still want to serve God in honor and obedience, and hear the sermon for His love and praise, so that He may see, my dear Lord, that I would gladly serve Him in this high service, of which He thinks so much, and so much on it, that I could comfort myself and boast of it (whether I would have no other benefit from it), that I have done him the most holy work and the dearest service, so that all other services are small, and are to be counted as a common workday against this high feast.
(9) Whoever does not respect this, nor is moved to honor and value God's word, to listen gladly and learn where he can, I do not know how to advise him. For I will not nor can I drag anyone to it by the hair. Let him who despises it despise it anyway, and let him remain a pig and a sow, as he is, until the day when God will make him a roast for the devil in the eternal, hellish, and unbearable world.
fire. For it does not have to be a good man, nor a human sin, but the devil's hardening, who can despise it so much that God himself has appointed a place and space, person, time and days for it, exhorts and entices him to it by his commandment and promise so highly and expensively, and lays it all at the door for nothing, After that you should run to the end of the world and not pay with gold 1) or silver, because it is such an easy service that it costs you no effort nor work, money nor goods, without only that you present your ears to hear or your mouth to speak and read, that there is no easier work to do. For though the danger follows that you must bear the cross and suffer over it, yet the work of it is itself as easy as no other easy work. If you can sit day and night in the alehouse, or otherwise wash and chat with good fellows, sing and shout, and not get tired, nor feel the work, then you can also sit for an hour in church and listen, serving and pleasing God. What would you do if he made you carry stones, or walk in a cage, or do other hard work? as we have been made to do until now, since we have gladly done everything we have been told, and have been made to do it with vain lies and deceit, for money and goods and our bodies.
(10) Now it is the wicked devil that blinds men so, and makes them so full and weary, that we regard not the treasure we have in the dear word, and go about so roughly, and become like wild beasts. Therefore let us take it to heart, and think, as often as we preach, read or hear God's word, whether in church or at home, from father, mother, masters, wives 2c., and gladly accept, where we can have it, that we are in the right, high, holy service of God, which is well pleasing to him out of measure. With this you could warm up and stimulate yourself to hear the same all the more gladly, and God would give that it also produces fruit, more than anyone would want to talk about. For it never comes to pass without great fruit, where it is meant in earnest, that thou shouldest not
1) Erlanger: Money.
You may not see it now, but in time it will be found and revealed. But the same would be too long to tell now, and may not all be told.
This is the preface to the sermon of St. Paul, to awaken us to hear God's word more diligently, as it would be necessary to remember daily and in every sermon. And St. Paul's text also serves this purpose. For in it he punishes the shameful spirits who, with their cleverness, fall into God's word, and soon make themselves believe that they can no longer hear it, nor learn it from anyone, turning to useless chatter, which is something new or strange that the rabble likes to hear, wanting to be the master of the Scriptures and of everyone, and to teach all the world, and yet not knowing what they say or do. For this is the very plague that follows: Where God's word is not pursued with earnestness and diligence, and the disciples become disgruntled, the preachers become lazy, the craft must soon fall, and the churches become desolate; Then must follow such false spirits, who pretend something new to draw the rabble to themselves again, and boast of the Scripture masters, and yet are always such people, who themselves do not know, nor have ever experienced, what it is that they teach; as it is already everywhere on the way, and God's wrath and punishment of surfeit and ingratitude is upon us.
12. Therefore he begins the epistle to his disciple Timothy, that he should see to it that such teachers do not arise, who can wash and talk much of the law, bring many new questions and teachings, what to do and how to be pious, so that they are seen and praised as being more learned than others, and yet they never get around to teaching anything certain and righteous, meeting neither means, beginning nor end, leading only these words, one should be pious, do good works, serve God, 2c., but they themselves do not understand what it means. And if one asks them how one should do it, they 2) here piecemeal and dribble in.
2) Erlanger: the.
Work, there a work; here, let yourself be circumcised; there, sacrifice so much on the altar; there run to the 'monastery, here to the pilgrimage; there, consecrate mass 2c. And if this is taught and done, but after that another, and always something new, that they still no one can consistently and certainly teach nor say: This is it, or in it it stands 2c. And yet it is called a delicious thing; they can praise and promise so much, as if they alone were the right teachers, and reprove and master all others.
(13) But this would be a right master (he says), who could attack the main part, and grasp and hit the whole summa rightly, how the heart and conscience and the whole man should stand. They know nothing of this; they may speak the words, but they lack the sum and final opinion of the law; meanwhile they preach and wash out of the church window and in through the door, so that no one knows where to stop or begin, nor what it is for, or what he should improve and comfort himself with. As we have seen and experienced so far from our dream preachers under the papacy. What then is the summa of what one should preach? St. Paul answers:
V. 5. The main sum of the commandment is love from a pure heart, and from a good conscience, and from unstained faith.
(14) There it is, there you have grasped it, what belongs to it, in the very finest and most complete way; and yet it is briefly and quickly said, and well to be remembered. So you must do to him: If you want to get the law right and take it by the head (so that you know what you should do and what you should not do, and how you should conduct yourself, and not seek anything further, nor beg back and forth), so that you have the love that flows from it and goes out of a pure heart and a good conscience and uncolored faith. Stay with it. From it all right sermons should go and remain in it; which those rotten spirits and the weary spirits of none cannot do. It does not do (he means to say) with the doctrine of various works, since all of it is pieced together and begged for, but what the law wants must be there. This is called "love"; and such love, flowing as a little water or stream, and springing up out of the heart, being pure, and having a good conscience, and being right, must be the law.
I have a clear, unadulterated faith. If it goes like this, it goes right, or is the whole law opinion and mind absent.
Now these are deep and true words of Paul, and very rich; therefore we must strike them out a little, that we may understand them a little, and be accustomed to his speech. First, the summa of the whole law, in which it is, and all things are contained, he gives it to be love. But "love" in German (as everyone knows) means nothing else than to be favorable and kind to one from the heart, and to offer and show all kindness and friendship 2c.
(16) Now those also speak such words, preach and boast much of love; but they draw it only to their own end, and bring it to their own share. Just as the heretics, the wicked, and the evil men also have love, but only among themselves and what is theirs; meanwhile they hate and persecute all pious Christians, that they would gladly bring murder upon them where they could 2c. But this does not mean love, that I choose one or two people who please me and do what I want, and I am friendly and favorable to them, and to no one else. It is called a party love, which does not go from the pure heart, but is a pure flubbery. For "from the pure in heart" it goes like this: God has commanded me to let my love go toward my neighbor, and to be favorable to everyone, be it my friend or my enemy, just as our heavenly Father does, letting his sun rise and shine both on the evil and the good, and doing the most good to those who defile him day and night and abuse his goods with disobedience, vices, sins and shame. Item: He rains both on the thankful and the unthankful, giving all kinds of things out of the earth, money and goods, to the most wicked wicked of the earth. From where does he do this? Out of pure love, of which his heart is full and overflowing, and so freely pours out on everyone, no one excepted, whether good or bad, worthy or unworthy.
(17) That is, a righteous, godly, whole, and complete love, which no one paints, nor divides, but goes freely over all. The other is a love that is false, if I am a good friend of his, who serves me and
and hold me in honor, and hate him who despises me and does not stand with me. For it does not come from the heart, which is good and pure, equal to one and another, but which seeks only its own, and is full of its own love for itself, not for others. For he loves no one except for his own sake; looks only to what serves him, and seeks his benefit from everyone, not from his neighbor. If one praises and honors him, he laughs; again, if one looks at him sourly or speaks a word he does not like to hear, he is angry and scolds and curses, and all friendship is over. On the other hand, "a pure heart" is to be so skilled, according to God's word and His example, that it may grant and do to each one the dearest and best that God grants him and His divine love gives him. Now if God can give Judah all good things to the traitor or Caipha, as well as to his pious children, why should I not also grant it to him? For what can we give him that he has not given much more abundantly?
(18) Yes, you say, he is my enemy and does me nothing but harm. Yes, beloved, he is God's enemy also, and does him much more harm than he can do to thee or to me; but therefore my love shall not be extinguished, nor cease from his wickedness. If he is wicked, he will certainly find it; but his wickedness shall not overcome me, but where I can punish him through love, admonish him, or pray for him that he may become better and escape punishment, that I shall and will gladly do. But that I still want to go to him, and in addition become him and do evil, that is not valid; for what is helped me by that? I will not become more pious thereby, and only make him worse. But this helps me, that I grant him everything good, prove and 1) show (where he can suffer and accept it differently), pray for him 2c., fo I have peace, and may neither bite nor eat myself with anyone, and perhaps also help him with it, that he improves himself. Otherwise, if I so specialize and express love, I will probably get as much displeasure from the one I hate as joy and benefit from the others to whom I am favorable. That is to say, the well or the water clouded and made unclean,
1) "prove and" is missing in the Erlanger.
That love does not remain pure. Just as the Jews also did (against whom St. Paul is speaking here) in that they chose and selected those they loved, and made an impure, false love; therefore their heart also could not be pure.
(19) By what does the heart become pure? Answer: It cannot be purified any better than by the highest purity, which is God's word; take this into your heart and act on it, and it will be pure. As here, take the word before thee, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," Matt. 22:39, and judge thyself according to it, and thou shalt see whether it will not wash clean and bite out that which is of selfishness and self-love. For because he calls you to love your neighbor, he excludes no one, whether friend or foe, righteous or wicked. For though he be a wicked man, and do thee evil, yet for that cause he loseth not the name, that he be not called thy neighbor; but nevertheless he remaineth thy flesh and blood, and is included in the saying, Love thy neighbor. Therefore, if you regard him as the word teaches and instructs you, your heart will be pure and your love righteous, so that you will not make a special, false distinction of person, nor regard him differently from another who is righteous and does you good.
(20) It is true that the pious is more loving, and naturally everyone likes to be with him, and again shuns wild, evil people; but this is still flesh and blood, and not yet true Christian love. For a Christian should not draw his love from the person, as the love of the world does, as a young man from a beautiful mead, a miser from money and goods, a lord or prince from honor and power 2c. That is all a created or borrowed love, which sticks by heart to the good it sees in a person, and lasts no longer than as long as that person is there and can enjoy it. But this love should be a springing love, flowing from within the heart, like a fresh brook or water that flows continually, and cannot be stopped, nor dried up or dried up. So this is what it means: I love you not because you are pious or wicked, for I draw my love not from your piety, but from
from a foreign well, but from my own little fountain, namely from the word which is grafted into my heart, that is, "Love your neighbor." There it goes forth abundantly, and [is] open to every one that hath need of it, and meeteth both. Good and evil, friend and foe, yes, to the enemies most willingly, as they need it more that I help them from their sorrow and their sins; and especially in the highest good, that I pray for them, and do all that I can, that they also may be redeemed from sins and devils. Behold, this means a love poured out of the heart, not carried in; for he finds nothing in those 2) from which he drew it. But because he is a Christian and grasps the word, which is completely pure in himself, the same also makes his heart so pure and full of righteous love that he lets his love flow out toward everyone and does not let himself be hindered, the person be who or how he wants.
(21) Behold, this is how one should preach, if one wanted to teach rightly about love (required in the law), of which they know nothing, nor do they pay attention, although they talk much about the law and discuss love; they do not see and do not even think that it must be loved in such a way that it springs from within, that man has a pure heart. This never falls into their hearts, even though they hear and read much about it, and preach it themselves; they go about with vain and useless thoughts, even with vain dead dreams. Wherefore let all other things go in their dignities, whatsoever they preach of works and good living, be it circumcision, sacrifice, fasting 2c. But so it goes right, if it goes from God's word, from a pure heart and righteous faith; that must be the source and spring, so before 3) all such things should be there.
22. You can see these things through all the ranks, how each one should carry out his commanded office and practice works of love. A servant, when he worketh, and seeth not farther, nor thinketh, because thus, My lord giveth me.
1) "their" is missing in the Erlanger.
2) "those" (namely the enemies) put by us instead of: "that" in the editions.
3) Thus the Wittenberg. In the other editions, "before" is missing.
my wages, therefore I serve him, otherwise I do not look at him 2c., he has not a pure heart or mind, for he does not serve except for a morsel of bread; when that ceases, he also ceases. But if he is pious and a Christian, he is so minded: I will not serve because my lord gives me or does not give me, is pious or wicked 2c., but because God's word stands there, saying to me, "Servants, be obedient to your masters, as to Christ himself" 2c, Eph. 6, 5. Col. 3, 22. Then it wells up of itself out of the heart that has grasped such a word and has value, that he says: "Well, I will serve my Lord and take my reward; but this shall be my highest, therefore I do it, that I may serve my dear God and Lord Christ in it, who has commanded me, and knows that it is pleasing to Him 2c. There you see a right work out of a pure heart.
23. So a lord or prince, and he who has to rule, who thus thinks: God has commanded me to rule, that I should be lord, but if I only see that I have my honor, property and power, then my heart is not pure, and yet do the works that a prince does, so that the world cannot complain about me, nor the emperor and lawyers reprove me according to their right, nor punish me, as little as a servant who serves for wages, God gives, he seeks his own or not: Nor is the heart unclean in the sight of God, that the works of none please him; for there is not the word of God in it, but his own idol, honor, money, and dominion 2c. But if his heart stands thus: Because I am in the office where God has placed me, and the word has been said, Rom. 12:8, "He who rules," or has an office, "let him be diligent," 2c, then I will preside over the same with all faithfulness, for God's service and pleasure, since his rule goes and springs from a fine, pure, clean heart, hating God and the world's pleasure; and is also a love that does not cling externally to person or goods and honor, but grows in the heart, which has God's word before its eyes, which, because it is pure and clean, makes the heart so also. Thus, his rule and works are all vain service and pleasant sacrifices, because they are according to the word and only for the sake of God. Those rag-washers can neither teach nor show this, they know nothing more than to
shouting: one should be pious when they teach in the best way; and only make a legal sermon out of worldly law, as the emperor and his scholars preach. But from where the heart becomes pure, they have never tasted nor thought anything about how it should be led from God's word to all kinds of states and beings.
(24) Therefore say ye further, in spiritual state and offices: If I or another preach for the sake of a good, fat ministry, otherwise I might well leave it standing, I might well preach the gospel; but my heart is not pure, but a filthy thing. Therefore, even if I preach for a long time, and say that it is a good work and a good ministry, 2c. I do not understand it myself, because it does not come from the heart. But the heart is righteous when it stands thus: I may have food for it, but I do not remain in it, but because God has called me to the ministry and commanded me to carry it out faithfully and diligently for His praise and the salvation of souls, I do it gladly from the heart for the sake of the word; I do not seek love, friendship, honor, or thanksgiving from men, but let it come out of my heart, and perform it before it receives honor, money, or favor, though I may have and take it without sin when it comes and follows.
(25) Behold, the word is the cause, foundation, ground, spring, and fountain of the love of the heart, and of all good works, if they are to please God: for he may not be, if the heart be not first pure; for neither is it acceptable in the sight of men, if a man do a work without the heart, out of pure hypocrisy. Since now also Caesar and men demand the heart, even though they cannot see it, how much more must such a heart be before God, which does everything for the sake of the word? For this reason he also preaches that we are to be guided by it in all our life and deeds, and that we are not to let any thing hinder or challenge us, make us soft or weary, even if we suffer harm, ingratitude, contempt, etc. because of it, but that we go through it fresh and speak: I have not begun it for man's sake, neither have I left it, but for God's sake I will do it; let the other remain where it may. Then fine
People out, lords, princes, subjects, preachers 2c., sent to all good works, serving and pleasing GOD with pleasure and love; for the spring and fountain is good, not drawn from without, nor brought in.
26 Let this be said briefly of the first part, how the heart becomes pure through the word alone, and not, as the monks dream, that one beats oneself with evil or impure thoughts, and makes other thoughts. For, thoughts be it, thoughts be it, the heart remains unclean where God's word is not in it, even if they pretend to have a great appearance of godly life, as St. Paul himself says of them. But this purity, of which he speaks, goes further than that outward, bodily purity, as the Jewish saints led, with much washing, bathing, food and drink, and our clergy with their fasting, clothing, orders 2c., but is called a purity of the spirit, that one may know from God's word how one should serve Him in all states.
And of good conscience.
27) Now follows the other part: "Of a good conscience", that love should go out of such a heart that has a happy, sure conscience, both towards men and God, towards people, as St. Paul praises 1 Cor. 9, 2. 27. that he lived in such a way that he neither offended nor grieved anyone, nor gave evil examples, but all who saw and heard him must testify that he served, helped, counseled and did good to everyone. Moses also boasts of such a conscience against his rebellious mobs, Deut. 16:15: "I have never taken an ass from them, nor have I ever harmed any of them"; item Jer. 18:20: "Remember, O Lord, that I have always prayed for them, and have spoken their good before thee, and have turned thy wrath from them" 2c. Likewise also Samuel 1 Sam. 12, 2. 3: "I have gone before you from my youth even unto this day. Behold, here I am, answer against me before the LORD, whether I have taken any man's ox or ass, whether I have done any man violence and wrong, whether I have oppressed any man, whether I have taken any man's gift secretly" 2c. Behold, such glory and defiance shall every Christian also have, that he may so live against every-
and practice and prove his love, so that no one may bring a charge against him to frighten his conscience or make him despondent, but that everyone must say, if he wants to confess rightly, that he has kept himself in such a way that vain improvement has resulted from it, who has wanted to accept it, and can boast of this before God against everyone. This means "a good conscience" before the people, or against the people.
28. Although such a conscience does not stand before God's judgment, nor does that purity of heart in outward life or works of love (because we still remain sinners before God), yet we should have such a heart that we can comfort ourselves before Him and say: "God has commanded and commanded this, therefore I do it out of a pure heart and a good conscience, and would not gladly do otherwise, nor be too close to anyone and offend; but what I speak and do is ordered and commanded to me by God. A Christian must not allow himself to be deprived of such defiance, so that he can boast and refer to God's word against all the world. For anyone who does not respect this, how he leads his life, so that he can shut everyone up, and answer for it before people and prove that it is well lived, spoken or done, is not yet a Christian and has neither a pure heart nor love in him. For to rely on the doctrine of faith in such a way that, if one has it, 1) he may do according to it what anyone desires and loves, giving it to God, be it the neighbor's harm or piety, is not suitable in any way; otherwise the doctrine would have the name that it gives leave to any man's willfulness and evil; but it is said, "Love from a pure heart and a good conscience," 1 Tim. 1:5, so that no one can reproach him, nor accuse him of anything evil and move him up.
29 Whether this is still preached of our life and deeds, and a Christian is a different man before God, as we shall hear; but he must also take care that he is blameless before the world, and if he does not do enough in this, that he put the Lord's Prayer between them, and say both to God.
1) Thus the Wittenbergers. Jenaer and Erlanger: the same.
and people: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we also forgive" 2c. And so let life remain blameless before men, and keep a good conscience; if not by perfect love and purity of heart, yet by humility, that he may desire and ask forgiveness of any where he has not done, or cannot do, pure and perfect enough; that thy neighbor may say: Well, whether thou hast offended me, or hast not served me sufficiently, as thou oughtest: yet, because thou art so humble before me, I will gladly forgive thee, and give thee credit for it, as I am guilty, and would have thee do it to me again; for the sake of humility I must say that thou art a pious man, because thou standest not on thy head, that thou wouldest wantonly do against me, but turnest to love. That is why it is called blameless, because it is covered up by humility, and what was blameworthy is made right again, so that one cannot complain about it. Thus the law is to be interpreted and preached, so that both love goes right toward everyone out of a pure heart for the sake of God, and the conscience stands before the world. This is what those useless launderers should do for their loose, lazy and cold talk. But that all this should be valid and stand before God, there is still another part to it, namely that which follows:
And of uncolored faith.
30 For as I have said, even though I have a good conscience before men and practice love from a pure heart, yet the old Adam, the sinful flesh and blood, is and remains in me, so that I am not entirely holy and pure, and as St. Paul says in Gal. 5:17: "The flesh lusts against the Spirit" 2c. And he himself Rom. 7, 23. says of him that he must lie in the field and fight with himself without ceasing, so that he cannot do the good that he would like to do. The spirit would gladly live pure and perfect according to God's word; but the flesh is there and resists and challenges us, so that we still seek our honor, avarice, good days, and become lazy, weary or tired in our position or service.
(31) So there remains an eternal struggle and resistance in us, that always many impure things come along for the sake of the same half piece.
of our person, and cannot be vain purity nor good conscience and full love, without what may be before men; but before God there is still much deficiency and faultiness in us, though it would be perfect before men of all things. As, although David can defy before men that no one may punish him, Ps. 26, and the holy prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah 2c. boast and are certain what they have done according to their divine office, that it is right and well done, because it is God's word and command, and they have practiced it with a pure heart and conscience, Jer. 18:20, nor can they defy God's judgment, but must say, "If it is right in your sight, no one has such a good conscience or a pure heart; he must be terrified by your judgment and repudiate it. For God has reserved for him the advantage that he has a cause and a claim to every saint, that no one is too holy for him whom he cannot justly condemn, worthy of condemnation. Therefore, even though both heart and conscience are pure and good before men, you must think that a pure heart and a good conscience are also pure before God, that he does not punish them, and that they are as safe before his judgment as before men.
Now the third part must come, namely "faith"; this is the right main part and the highest commandment, which includes all the others: that we know, where love is not perfect, the heart is not pure enough, and the conscience is not satisfied, since he still finds to punish, since the world cannot punish, that faith must come, and such faith, which is not hypocrisy and mixed with confidence of its own holiness. For where this is not, the heart will not be pure before God, nor will the conscience stand when the sharp judgment and reckoning begins. Then the people will leave me in peace, so that I can defy them. I have served, preached, helped, governed and presided over them with all faithfulness; and whether I have done too much or too little, I am sorry, for I would gladly have done all that I should. With this I am safe and excused, that they have nothing more to demand and must erase the register. But here it is said: I shall, in short, be a pure
have a good heart and a good conscience, so that he cannot blame me or condemn me. We do not find that with us, even though we have something to boast about before the world. Therefore I must have something else here to hold on to when it comes to the trains, and my stupid and frightened conscience must say: I have done what I could, but who knows how much and sometimes I have done too little; because I cannot see and notice everything, as also Ps. 19:13, 1) says: "Who can notice how often he fails? I have the word, Thou shalt live, love, and have a good conscience, which is pure and holy; but I cannot conclude that it is so in my heart, nor that I have such a pure and good conscience as the word requires.
(33) For there is no one on earth who can say, "I know that I have done everything and owe nothing to God," but even the most holy must say, "I have done what I could, but I have failed much more than I know. And so our own conscience stands against us all, accusing us and making us unclean, even though we have existed or still exist in the best possible way before the world. For it must judge and pass judgment according to the word, which saith, Thou oughtest to have done this, or not to have done this. It cannot pass by it, nor answer it, and must at least be in doubt. But if it doubts, it is already unclean, for it does not stand before God, but wriggles and flees. Therefore, the main point of our doctrine must come to our aid, namely, that our Lord Jesus Christ, sent into the world by the Father, suffered and died for us, and thereby reconciled the Father and brought him to grace, and now sits at the right hand of the Father, and takes care of us as our Savior, and as our constant mediator and intercessor speaks the best for us, as those who cannot have nor bring about such perfect purity and good conscience, so that through him we may say before God, "Whether I am not pure.
1) The second edition of the Erlangen edition also reprinted from Walch: "Ps. 19, 33".
nor have a good conscience, I cling to him who has perfect purity and a good conscience, and who sets them up for me, even gives them to me. For he alone of whom it is written (as St. Peter [1 Ep. 2, 22.] draws from Isaiah Cap. 53, 9.): "He has done no sin, nor spoken a false word," and performs the rhyme with all honor, so that he has no need of the piece in the Lord's Prayer: "Forgive us our trespasses," nor of the article in faith: "I believe forgiveness of sins," 2c., but is free and secure, in eternal, pure, full righteousness and purity, whom no one can accuse, nor blame his conscience, neither man nor devil, nor God Himself; for He is also God Himself, who cannot blame Himself.
34 This is called "the faith that is not colored" nor hypocrisy, but may stand before God in such a struggle and wriggling of the conscience and say: Dear Lord, before the world I am innocent and safe, that it cannot punish me nor bring me before the judge. For though I have not done all things, yet I desire of every man that he forgive me for God's sake, as I also forgive every man. With this I have satisfied her that she has no more right against me. But before thee I must, verily, put down my feathers, and confess myself guilty of all things, and say, as David himself Psalm 143:2: "O Lord, enter not into judgment with thy servant, for before thee there is no man righteous upon the earth." Therefore I cannot deal with you if it is to be right, but will appeal straightway and call me from your judgment seat to your mercy seat. Before the judgment seat of the world I let it happen 1) that one deals with me about the right, there I want to answer and do what I should; but before you I do not want to know the right, but crawl to the cross and ask for mercy, and take what I can.
35 For thus the Scripture teaches me that God has placed two seats for man: a judgment seat for those who are still secure and proud, and do not want to recognize or confess their sin; and a mercy seat for the poor stupid consciences who feel and confess their sin, despair before His judgment, and gladly confess their sin.
1) Erlanger: me.
grace. This mercy seat is Christ Himself, says St. Paul in Romans 3:25, whom God has provided for us so that we may have recourse to it when we cannot stand before God by ourselves. I will also take refuge where I have done too little or am still doing too little, and much more in sin according to the law, both before my holiness and righteousness and afterward. 2) Let my heart and conscience, God grant, be as pure and good as it is or can be before men, all nothing, and briefly covered, and over it a vault, yes, a beautiful heaven, that mightily protects and defends it, which is called grace and forgiveness of sins; under it my heart and conscience shall creep, and remain safe.
For thus he himself by his apostles preached and cried out, Acts 10:43, that in his name every one should have remission of sins. 10, 43, that in His name everyone who believes should have forgiveness of sins; item Marc. 16, 16: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved"; and He Himself, Joh. 3, 16, says: "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" 2c. Thus, God Himself has set the mercy seat, and directs us from the judgment seat to it. Let the others come before the judgment seat as the trustworthy saints, despisers and persecutors of God's word, and they will hear their judgment. Let them remain in their circle until they also humble themselves. We, however, do not want to remain in the circle, but step out, as far as we can, into the free circle and place where the chair of grace stands, and appeal to it with every right, because we did not think it up out of our own heads, but it is His own word, and a strictly terrible judgment is in store for those who come with their holiness, as if to stand before God, and do not respect the chair of grace of Christ. For the judgment is already decided that they must come before the judgment seat; as Christ says Jn 3:18: "He who does not believe is already judged, because he does not believe in the name of God.
2) Instead of this reading, which is confirmed by the Latin translation, the Wittenberg and Jena translations offer: "or still do, and on earth do not let me drive away at all, be it sin, death, hell or the devil's terror.
3) "a" is missing in the Erlanger.
of the only begotten Son of God. But he that believeth on him shall not be judged," that is, he shall not come before the judgment seat, but before the mercy seat, where there shall be no wrath, but shall be called the dear child, and all things forgiven that are not clean in him; yea, all things blotted out, as a drop of water from the hot sun. For where the mercy seat reigns, there is nothing but forgiveness and remission of all sins.
37 Therefore we must learn to distinguish between the two things called the law and the gospel, which we teach at all times. The law brings us before the judgment seat, for it requires us to be godly and to love with a pure heart and a good conscience. This is what it is for, that we practice it; it should go so far and turn around. But when it comes and tells you to calculate and give what it wants, then it will be lifted up. For though thou hast done it, yet it shall not stand before God: for there shall be many things lacking and wanting before him, which thou hast not done, neither knowest thyself. Where do you want to go? The law drives you out and accuses you through your own conscience, which testifies against you, and demands a bad judgment against you. Then you must despair, and there is no help nor counsel for you, if you do not know how to flee from the judgment seat to the mercy seat. As when a bishop (who has been pious and lived well) dies in his holiness, and knows Christ no other than a severe judge, as he has been preached and modeled until now; as he is such, not because of him (for he is truly nothing but vain grace and consolation), but because they have not had or felt him otherwise in their hearts: Behold, he hindereth and hindereth himself, that he cannot come to any grace, and there is none to help him, because of his subtle ignorance, that he knoweth no difference between the judgment seat and the mercy seat, yea, knoweth not the mercy seat at all, and therefore must be without and abide under the judgment seat.
038 But we teach that he is to be known and regarded as the one who sits for the poor, stupid consciences that believe in him, not as a judge who will condemn and punish, but as a gracious, kind, and comforting mediator between my Lord and my Son.
and God, 1 Tim. 2:5, saying to me, "If you are a sinner and afraid, and the devil wants to drag you before the judgment seat by the law, come and have yourself before me, and do not be afraid of wrath. Why? For I sit here, if thou believest in me, to stand between thee and God, that neither wrath nor displeasure may befall thee. For if wrath and punishment is to come upon you, it must first come upon myself; but that is impossible. For he is the dear child in whom all grace dwells, so that when the Father looks at him, everything must be love and favor in heaven and earth, and all wrath must be extinguished and gone; and what he desires and wants only from the Father, that must all be yes, without any doubt or contradiction.
(39) So by faith we become completely blessed and sure that we shall remain uncondemned, not for the sake of our holiness or purity, but for the sake of Christ, because by such faith we hold on to Him as our mercy seat, certain that in Him and with Him no wrath can abide, but only love, mercy and forgiveness (2c). Thus in the sight of God the heart becomes pure, and the conscience good and sure; not considering my own purity or life before the world, but considering the dear treasure which my heart grasps, which is my pledge and fullness, where I cannot pay God, and have lack.
(40) Now here is the power to see that faith is not false, or, as Paul says, dyed, but righteous in heart. For where this is lacking or deceptive, everything is lacking. For there have always been many, both now and in the past, who have much to say about faith, and who want to be masters not only of the law but also of the gospel, and who also say, as we do: Faith does it well, but the law and good works must also be added, otherwise faith is not valid; and so they mix our lives and deeds and Christ among themselves. This does not mean that faith is taught purely and unadulterated, but that faith is colored, distorted and counterfeited, so that it is not faith, but a false appearance and color of faith, because the confidence of the heart does not stand purely on Christ as the one and only seat of grace, but rather on Christ.
The faith is not placed on our holiness, but to stand before the judgment seat, so that it is also condemned before God and rejected where it belongs. For if faith is to be pure, unadulterated and uncolored, then the two must be separated, Christ and my work. For everyone must understand that Christ and his work is not my work and life, but something separate from the law and the life of all men, and much more than one man from another. For I cannot say that I and the emperor, or the pope of Rome, are one thing: nor am I much nearer and more equal to him (than one mortal, sinful man to another), 2) than to the Lord Christ, who is not only a pure, holy man, without all sin, but is also the one God Himself.
(41) Therefore leave only the law, and thy pure heart, and good conscience, against men here on earth; but when the mercy seat is at the right hand of the Father, and is the mediator between thee and God, there shall no man's work or merit come to pass, neither shall it count for anything. For what have I or any man done to make him sit at the right hand of the Father? He is seated there without all my works and thoughts, and without all the 3) work of the law, for there is not a letter of it in the law. Therefore he must be purely separated from all my being, life and deeds, and decided that he is something else, because our life is led out of a pure heart and a good conscience before men, as well as we always can. For if it comes before God, and I meet with it the judgment seat where the law points me, I am damned and lost. But Christ, as the mercy seat, and he who abides in him cannot be condemned nor condemned.
42) So here is the judgment seat 4) together with the law and all my life on one side; there I remain and all the saints, and let it all be condemned and condemned in God's name; but my faith shall flee and be condemned in God's name.
1) Jenaer: still.
2) These brackets are placed by us for easier understanding.
3) Thus the Wittenberg. In the other editions: all.
4) Wittenberger: Judge's chair.
jump far over to the other side, as a poor condemned man who confesses his sin, to the dear mercy seat, and hold on to him who is pure and has no sin, of which the Scripture says Rom. 9:33.He who believes in him shall not be put to shame," because he stands there and speaks the best for me, and in addition gives me all his purity and holiness, so that I may stand before God covered and adorned with it, and all wrath shall be taken away, and instead love and grace abound over me. See, so faith remains pure and unpainted, for it is not based and founded on myself or my deeds, so that God should be gracious to me; as false hypocritical faith does, which mixes together God's grace and my merit, even though it keeps the words of Christ, but still sets the heart's confidence on itself, so that it is only a painted color that cannot last. For in the end, when you believe that God will be merciful to you because you have lived this way, you must doubt and say, "Who knows how you did it? How can you be sure that nothing has been missed or lacking? So then the foundation falls, and goes away from under you like quicksand, and then faith lies low.
43 Therefore it is called a colored or painted faith, by which the heart sees as through a painted glass, through which a thing appears red or blue (as the glass is), and yet is not so. So they believe that God is so minded that He looks at our work and merit, and paint Him according to their own thoughts and dream, which is false in itself, and so look at both God and everything they judge by it through a painted glass. But so you see him with pure and clear eyes, if you distinguish these two chairs well, that heaven (of grace and forgiveness, through the Mediator) may remain pure with its stars, where Christ reigns with his works, and the earth also with its trees and grass, where we belong and everything that is ours. Thither (I say) we must bring it, if we want to stand before God differently, with right, uncolored faith, so that we learn to peel and separate purely between ourselves or our life, and Christ or the mercy seat. But he who does not want this, but
908 Erl. (so i8, 2S8-3V0. sermon on 1 Tim. 1, 5. 6. 7. W. ix, [se-sss. 909
If a man runs straight to the judgment seat with his head, he will also find it and crush his head. I have also been there, and have burned myself, that I may be glad to come to the mercy seat, and now I must say: I may have lived in the best possible way in the eyes of the people, but all that I have done or left behind remains there under the judgment seat, and go to it as God wills; But I know no other comfort, help or counsel for my salvation, except that Christ is my mercy seat, who has done no sin nor evil, and has both died for me and risen from the dead, sitting at the right hand of the Father, and takes me to himself under his shadow and protection, so that I have no doubt that through him I am safe from all wrath and terror in the sight of God. So faith remains pure and pure, because it does not model anything, does not seek defiance or comfort, without the Lord Christ alone.
(44) Now he that can do these things is a true man. For all the others go about with vainly colored faith, boasting much of faith, but mixing it among themselves, as cretins mix water with wine, so that they say, "If you live like this, God will be gracious to you," and make the mercy seat into the judgment seat; and again, as the judgment seat should become a mercy seat. But nothing will come of it, because it will remain a chair of justice 2c. Therefore only set the two far apart, as far as you always can, so that neither comes to the other: your life and holiness and chair of justice in a place that urges you and drives you to have a good conscience and to live rightly toward men; but your sin before the chair of grace on the other side, where God wants to receive you kindly and take you in his arms as a dear child, with your sins and stupid conscience, and no longer wants to know of any wrath.
(45) Behold, if one thus preached of faith, man would be right in it, and do all these things afterwards, pure in heart and good in conscience, through right perfect love. For he who by faith is sure in his heart that he has a gracious God who is not angry with him, even if he deserves wrath, goes there and does everything cheerfully, and can also live like this toward people, loving everyone and doing good, even if they do not know the truth.
are worthy of love. He stands before God in such a way that he is sure for the sake of Christ, the mediator, that he will not cast him into hell, but will smile kindly upon him and open heaven to him. 1) This is the highest security, the head and ground of our blessedness. Then I go out to my neighbor with my life, and do him the best I can, which my office or position demands and means; and if I do too little, I come first, and ask that he forgive me. 2) This is the highest security, the chief and ground of our blessedness. So I have a clear conscience, both before God and men, that neither he nor the world can punish me hereafter, nor hell devour me, nor the devil devour me. Thus man is called perfect in all things toward men through love, but before God, not through law, but through Christ, whom he grasps in his faith as the mercy seat, who sets up his holiness for me and gives me that in him I may have what is necessary for my salvation.
46 This is the right, pure doctrine that should be practiced, and people should be taught in such a different way that they both stand before God and people, so that they do not throw one another and mix faith and love, or life against God and against people. This is what those glorified preachers should do, because they want to be reproached as masters of the law, so that such things would be well known and preserved in Christendom.
For though it be carried to the utmost, it is hard enough to learn it well, especially we, who are so accustomed and educated in the doctrine of works, and who are directed only to the law and to ourselves. And without this our nature, which is of itself inclined to it, and is ingrained and strengthened by habit, and the heart so strongly set in pregnancy, beats us, that we cannot leave it, nor think otherwise than: If I had lived so holy, done so great and many works, God would be gracious to me. So that we both have to fight against our nature and strong habit, so that it is difficult for us to change our mind.
1) Jenaer: "anlachen" and "aufthun". Our reading is confirmed by the Latin: arriüst and sudIsvat.
2) Erlanger: "mir." Wittenberg and Jena: "mirs"; in Latin: veniam nkAliMntia".
But the dung always clings and sticks to us, whether we are already in the faith, so that the heart always wants to boast before God and say: I have nevertheless preached so long, lived so well, done so much, he will see that; and we would like to make a bargain with him that he should see our life and make his chair of justice a chair of grace for our sake. But nothing comes of it. You may boast about this to the people: I have done the best for everyone, and where something is lacking, I will gladly do it. But if you want to come before God, just leave such boasting at home, and think that you are appealing to grace by right.
If anyone wants to try this, he will see and experience how exquisitely difficult and sour it is for a man who has spent his life in his own work to come out and rise up with all his heart through faith in this one mediator. I have now preached and practiced it myself for almost twenty years, with reading and writing, so that I should be able to come out of it; yet I still feel the old anklebian nonsense, that I would like to deal with God in such a way, and bring something with me, so that he would have to give me his grace for my holiness,' and I do not want to think that I should surrender so completely to the mere grace; and yet it should and must not be otherwise: the 1) mercy seat must apply and remain alone, because he has set it himself, or no man shall come before God.
49 Therefore it is no wonder that it is difficult for others to grasp the faith so purely, especially when the same devil preachers, of whom St. Paul says, cry out against it and push on the law by such sayings, Luc. 10, 28: "Do this and you will live", item Matth. 19, 17: "If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments" 2c. Which is right and true, if thou understand it aright; the right understanding thou shalt tell me, or else I should know beforehand that I ought to be godly, and to keep the commandments: but how come I? Or what does it mean to be righteous? Do you say: It is to have a good conscience, a pure heart, and to do all that God commands.
1) Wittenberg and Jena: because the.
has offered. Is right; but give me the same, or show me one who can say such. You will not be able to muster the heart or conscience for me for a long time, so that God cannot punish or condemn. Now the law demands (as has been said enough) such a heart that has a good conscience before God. Where does one get this? That is the question and the matter we are dealing with. Not, of course, from preaching the judgment seat, but from having pure, untainted faith that takes hold of Christ, and in Him has and gets everything that the law demands. Then everything is pure, and has a good conscience, and is called pious and righteous before God. For though I lack, he stands for me, and has so much piety that he can meet my lack and that of all men.
(50) Thus we show how one comes to be pious before God, but they alone before men, where they do otherwise so well; and yet want to draw up the same, as if it should be before God. Brew it so into a pulp, as they know nothing of it, nor have experienced what they say or put. For what is it that you cry much: Whoever wants to go to heaven must keep the commandments 2c.? Thou wilt not be able to do it. For behold thyself, and search thine own bosom, and thou shalt find that thou art born and livest in sins, and art not able to give that which the law requireth. Why do you open people's mouths with such words: "You shall be pious, and you will be saved," from which nothing follows, and you do not show anyone how he should get there? I hear the words of what the law requires, but how do I make it so? Then you point me out again and say, "You must do good works. But how can I stand before God, when I have long done good works, and am pious before men, as thou teachest me, that I may be sure that God will count me so? For my own heart and conscience are against me, and say no to this.
(51) But you should teach me, as St. Paul does here and everywhere, that it must spring from mere unfeigned faith to obtain the mercy seat first of all, and to take and add to it what we lack, so the saying is, "Keep the faith.
understood correctly. For this is what the law wants, that you be completely pious, both before God and before people. If you have this, then go out among the people and practice love and do good works; in this way you will get to the point and fulfill all such sayings. For by this a man gives and does what the law requires. First of all before God, not by himself, but through Christ, without whom we can do nothing before God; then also by himself before men. And now he is completely pious, inwardly through faith or Christ, then outwardly through his deeds. But that in addition to this, forgiveness of sin also goes among themselves. So that the righteousness of Christians is much more in forgiveness than in their own deeds; which those loose washers turn back, and without forgiveness alone do to our deeds.
52 Thus St. Paul punishes the error and lack of understanding of those who praise and practice the law, and yet do not themselves understand or show how it should be done, nor how it should be accomplished; they can do no more than speak the words: Laws, keep commandments, be saved, do good works 2c. Just as they now smear all the books and spout all the churches with such useless rubbish, which they themselves do not understand, but never say a word about the fact that St. Paul teaches here as the main thing, how love should proceed from a pure heart, a good conscience and uncolored faith, they say no more than: "Keep the commandments", but never meet the same opinion.
(53) Therefore they make it all unrighteous and false, both love, heart and conscience; for the main source is not there, that is, uncolored faith. But where this is not righteous, everything that is to grow out of it must be false, and what they pretend to be, a mere ghost and whispering before the eyes, seen through a painted glass, which seems to be of the same color, and yet is not; thinking that God should also look at it, because they lived like this before the people.
1) Erlanger: "den Christum" instead of: durch Christum.
as they consider it according to their blind conceit. If this were his opinion, he would have kept Christ and the whole preaching of the gospel with him; what was he concerned about, 2) that he created such a being, sent his Son down from heaven, and had his precious blood shed to earn and give that which we ourselves have with us before? He would have to be a fool to spend such treasure on it, which no one needs.
So you see how they teach only their own dreams, of which they themselves neither know nor have experienced, and thus only mislead the people, because they cannot show how one must come to that, which they pretend, but only point to ourselves, and thus are strengthened in their old nature and habit, since they should lead the people out. These are indeed morose, hostile people, that St. Paul does not scold and rebuke them without cause. They must not have been bad people, because he himself says of them that they are called "masters of the law", and they want to be praised, and probably more and better than the apostles themselves.
(55) Therefore let us keep this text, for it is quite fine and a pure, perfect teaching, how we both are to be pious before God and the world, as the law requires that these three things be brought together: namely, a pure heart, a good conscience, and untainted faith, and from which all our life flows and always goes in it. This is how we have met and aligned the opinion of the law. But first of all, that we look and bring Christ into it, who is the end of the law, and all things with one another, and all our godliness before God, which we do not find in ourselves, and without faith will never find, how long and how much one blows and practices the doctrine of the law, yet without understanding and knowledge. Let this be said of this text for the time being, so that we may have served God and paid a thank offering to the praise and glory of His grace, amen.
2) In Latin: tziüü eniin illum ursisset ne6688ltN8.
914 Erl. si, 3v6 f. Interpretations on the 1st epistle to Timothy. W. ix, [si-ss?. 915