Chapter VII. The Application of the Interpreted Text

Of the application of the interpreted text.

§ 1

The way of application is determined by the content of the text, namely whether it is theoretical or practical.

Note 1

There can be no doubt that the truths brought to the understanding of the listener by the explanation of the text must also be applied. This follows with complete evidence from 2 Tim. 3, 16, as well as from the next purpose of the sermon. It should edify the listener. However, this purpose is not only achieved by encouraging the listener in the knowledge of the truths of salvation, but also by determining his will, causing him to make the decision desired by the preacher and influencing his feelings. This has to be done especially by application. A physician has not yet done his duty when he has prescribed the necessary medicines for the sick person, but at the same time he must also give instructions as to how the sick person should apply these medicines, how he should use them, how he should behave in general. Without these instructions, the medicines are of no use to the patient. So also with the preacher, the soul physician of the listeners commanded to him. Among the tricks of a true preacher, V. Herberger also counts "that he diligently applies and pushes what is said into the heart and into the bosom of his listeners, so that they can suffer it warmly; as Nathan did with David, 2 Sam. 12, 1, ff, as Elijah did with Ahab, as John the Baptist did with Herod; otherwise they think that one has only spoken of the neighbor.

By the application one recognizes good preachers." Furthermore, Rambach speaks about this in his reflections on the Acts of the Apostles as follows: "If the Gospel is to be preached rightly, it must be done with a Special application to the hearts of the present hearers. People are too much inclined to excipirate. If the law is preached and the vices are punished, they do not think that they are meant, but even if they are up to their ears in it, they still think: it was meant for such and such a one; he got his lesson today, etc. If the gospel is preached and the grace of God is proclaimed in the right order, so that the salt of repentance and salvation is added to it, then they crawl back again, the grace suits them well, but they do not want to bite into the sour apple. Yes, the best minds, which need this comfo rt the most, exclude themselves first because of their unworthiness.

Therefore, an individual application must always be added, as Paul does here: " To you, the word of this salvation is sent. In 3. cap. 25, 26 of the Apost. Peter does the same when he says: "You are the children of the prophets and of the covenant. God first raised up his child Jesus and sent him to bless you. A teacher must study this carefully, if he is to cut off all excuses and exceptions and prefer chains of restraints on all sides. He must present the general grace, how God does not intend to exclude anyone who does not want to stay behind. He must try to get as close to the heart of the listeners as possible, so that they feel that they are also meant. " If, however, Rambach recommends a "special application" as necessary and means that special application, which is either given in a separate part or is appended at the end of the whole treatise, we cannot agree. The reasons for this are Cap. 5, § 6, Annot. 2, p. 160 ff. have been explained in more detail. This method, popular even with the most capable preachers of the 17th and 18th centuries, even by a Fresenius and Rambach, is definitely in conflict with the unified thought in which the sermon should move as a whole. When Fresenius tr eats the topic of the epistle on the 2nd Sunday of Advent: "The complete hope of the faithful" in three parts: 1. what it works in us; 2. in which people it is found; 3. what it actually consists of, and then follows it with a special "dedication" of almost six pages; when Rambach, on the basis of Phil. 2, 6 -9, presents "The twofold condition of our Mediator", namely 1. The state of his humiliation; 2. the state of his exaltation, devotes eight pages to these two parts and spends seven to eight pages on the "application", even making applications twelve pages long (p. 35.

Sermon in: Reflections on the Counsel of God), these applications do not appear as an intregirende part, but as an appendage of the sermon, which could quite well be missing without adding to the sermon. The sermon presents itself with the conclusion of the last part already as a complete whole. The application should rather The whole sermon is already application, whether the application is given immediately to each part after it has been brought to the understanding of the listener, or whether the whole sermon is already application; cf. p. 163. Hüffell says quite correctly in this regard: "A special application, which in the old homiletics even had a fivefold relationship, cannot... have a speech, because the speech itself carries its application in itself, or because the whole speech is to be an application; one would then have to want to place this application in a repetition of the most important moments or in some particularly strong encouragements.

"As long as the sermon had not yet come to the idea of a completed and in itself finished action, strange things had to intr ude everywhere without being noticed. Therefore, just as the introduction or the entrance was used for the discussion of special subjects,... so it was also done... with the use of the speech.... That our more recent homiletics has departed from this is due to the more clearly emerged idea of the unity in which the action of the speech is conceived, and to the tendency of the whole sermon to be directed toward the practical and truly edifying, whereby a special application falls away of its own accord as completely inadmissible. Our homiletics, however, permits under certain circumstances a certain application at the end of the speech, which then consists either in a summary overview of the whole, or in a general, particularly urgent exhortation, and which cannot be missing at all in the case of some topics, but is not entirely reprehensible in the case of any.

Note 2

The content of a text is called theoretical if either a history, e.g. a miracle of Christ, is reported, or a theoretical article of faith, such as the divinity of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, etc., is treated, or an error is refuted. Practical, on the other hand, is the name given to the content of the text when either a practical article of faith, e.g., of regeneration, justification; or of a virtue, such as meekness, peaceableness; or a vice, e.g., carnal anger, covetousness, etc., is set forth.

§ 2

The application of a theoretical matter can best be done by basing it on a practical theorem which is derived by correct inference.

Annotation

Hüffell: "The text must... be placed in the practical point of view from which the preacher for this time... wants to go out. The richness of biblical content is infinite, and one can preach ten sermons on one and the same text and always remain true to the biblical spirit. But the true art of the preacher consists in making the text appear to the listener as if it were written for this particular treatment of the sermon alone." A practical doctrine (locus communis practicus, πόρισμα) is a useful and edifying truth, which is drawn from the truth that lies in the text directly for the edification of the hearers, or as Rambach also defines: "A πόρισμα is a useful truth, which is derived from the explained words of the text by a correct consequence." The right to derive such truths by proper inference arises partly from the nature of reasonable speech, partly from the proceedings of Christ and the apostl es. When a reasonable man says something, it is rightly presupposed that he also acknowledges what follows unceremoniously from his words.

If, for example, a master commands his servant to light the lamp, he must also accept the consequences that follow automatically from this command, namely, that the servant put wick and oil into the lamp if they are not already in it. It would be absurd if the master wanted to rebuke the servant because he had previously provided the lamp with wick and oil. When Christ disputed with the Sadducees, he referred to Matth. 22, 31. 32 and the words of Ex. 3, 6: "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob" and proved from them the resurrection of the dead, which the rationalistic Sadducees denied. For if God calls himself God even after the death of the archfathers and says that he cares for them, it follows that they could not be completely destroyed, but would live again one day, so that they could continuously enjoy God as their highes t good after soul and body. Likewise, Paul proves the justification of the Gentiles by faith from the promise given to Abraham: "In you all Gentiles shall be blessed", although in this promise justification by faith was not mentioned with explicit words. But if the Gentiles are to be blessed, who had neither the law, to which the Judaizing false teachers referred, nor the works of the law, on which they insisted, then this can happen by grace alone, without works of the law, through faith alone. Cf. Luther:

Explanation of the Epistle to Galatians, p. 332, § 194 ff. The justification for such conclusions, or the right to deduce them from the truths of the text, lies in the complete harmony of all the truths of the divine word, which are connected like the links of a chain. Therefore, from one truth that is rightly recognized, many others that are related to it can be deduced. Only no conclusion may violate the holy scripture and the three analogies of faith. As an example serve the first promise Gen. 3, 15: "The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent", i.e.: destroy the devil's kingdom. From this follows the porismata: Christ is a holy man, he is true God and: there is a resurrection of the dead. The kingdom of the devil cannot be destroyed by anyone who is trapped in it by sin, so the destroyer of the satanic kingdom must be without s in. Furthermore: A mere man cannot defeat such a powerful enemy as the devil is; now the Messiah shall overcome this strong one, therefore he must be true God, Luc.

11, 21. 22. ( Luther: "When a strong one is overcome by a strong one, and his armor and household goods are taken, etc., then he also testifies that no one can overcome the devil except God alone, but that no one can boast that he can cast out sin or the devil through himself.") Furthermore: The devil exercises his power through sin and death; if this power is taken away from him, death can no longer rule over men: consequently there is a resurrection of the dead. These truths follow with necessity from the promise given. In order to draw such truths from a text, a twofold requirement is necessary, namely a thorough understanding of the text and the ability to derive others from a given truth by a correct conclusion. For this, consider the following hints. One can gain such a truth by concluding:

1. from the general to the particular . E.G.: 1 Pet. 5. 7 Peter writes: "Cast all your care

upon Him, for He cares for you." Porisma: We should also cast our care for earthly goods on the Lord.

2. from the particular to the general. Luc, 15, 14 ff. says of the prodigal son: "Then he fell

into himself. Porisma: In adversity, many a man comes to the knowledge of his sin. - V. 18 the prodigal son said, "I will turn myself out and go to my father." Porisma: The assurance that God is gracious to the fallen sinner is a powerful incentive to repentance. - V. 21: "I am not worthy to be called thy son." Porisma: The sense of one's own unworthiness is a mark of true repentance.

3. from the like to the like . 1 Corinthians 10:2, 5: "They were all baptized under Moses

with the cloud and with the sea,...but God was not pleased with their many." Porisma: The outward use of the means of grace does not protect the muzzled Christians from the judgments of God.

4. from the opposite to the opposite . Matth. 5, 3: "Blessed are the spiritually poor, for

theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Porisma: Blessed are those who falsely imagine that they are spiritually rich. 5 From the physical to the spiritual. Luc. 17, 12: "The lepers stood afar off." Porisma: He who is in the knowledge of his sin is more inclined to flee from God than to draw near to him. Cf. Adam, who hid himself; Peter ("Lord, go out from me"); the tax collector in the temple. From the lesser to the greater. Luc. 5, 5: "At your word I will cast the net." Porisma: Even the earthly profession must be conducted according to the word of God.

7. from the greater to the lesser . Luc. 15, 2 : "This one accepts sinners and eats with

them." Porisma: If Christ could not please the world, we can expect it all the less.

8. from the foregoing to the following. John 3:16: "God so loved the world, that he gave

his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Porisma: To love God again is one of the noblest Christian duties. 9 From the following to the preceding. Gal. 3, 13: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law when he became a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on wood'). Porisma: The curse of the law is a prison, in which by nature evil men lie imprisoned."

10. from the cause to the effect . Hebr. 12, 29: "Our God is a consuming fire." Porisma:

As little as the st ubble can stand before the fire, so little can sinners stand before the holy God. From the effect to the cause. Luc. 7, 14: "Young man, I say to you, stand up." Porisma: Christ's word is a word of life. Chemnitz writes about the derivation of such practica l truths: "Every doctrine is, with respect to the text, either an explicit one, expressed in the text itself, or a hidden one, to be deduced by a correct conclusion. And every doctrine is to be duly used and applied according to all circumstances. However, also here some necessary rules are to be observed. 1. they must be appropriate, and the one that is particularly appropriate to the place and time must have the process; 2. they must be easy to understand, in the right order, and in the right way.

the text flowing, not forced; 3. the hidden must have a correct and apparent, not an occasional or weak conclusion. Thus from the genus flows the species, the antithesis from the image, from the greater the lesser, from the lesser the greater, from the cause the effect, from the effect the cause, one antithesis from the other, etc.; they must not be taken from faulty translations." Whoever pays attention to these indications will, with some practice, if he does not lack divine light and wisdom, not find it so difficult to derive important truths from his sermon text. "By this divine light," says Rambach, "one must allow himself to be freed from his false prejudices, which often cause the most erroneous conclusions to be drawn from Scripture. E.G.: A mind still stuck in prejudices will soon extract the porism from 2 Sam. 6, 16: "Michal saw King David dancing (actually jumping and leaping for joy) before the Lord," or before the ark of the covenant: "A dance in honor no one can resist. ' According to Rambach, the requirements for deriving porismata correctly also include: "a sufficient science of the fundamental truths and the connection between them, how one is linked to the other"; and: "attention and patience in meditation, especially in such words which seem to be unfruitful. The whole Scripture is useful for teaching, etc.". For example, 2 Timothy. 4, 13 Paul writes: "The mantle that I left at Troas near Carpo, bring it with you when you come, and the books, especially the parchment. With this, the Ishmaelites are dragging their feet that such trifles are in the Bible. But certainly, therein lies one of the most important truths, namely, that Christianity does not consist in high speculations, in which a man must so immerse himself that he forgets all temporal things about it and encloses himself in the cell. This idea of Christianity was not seen in the apostles, they lived, traveled like other people, took care of other things, they used the opportunity and convenience. Isn't this a doctrine that the whole Christianity needs, especially since God has seen the monasteries before. So a different idea of Christianity has been made to us."

§ 3

Such a truth (porisma), derived from the text, is now to be treated in the right way. This is done by first briefly proving its reason in the text, then sufficiently explaining, proving and explaining it, and finally wisely applying it to the audience.

Annotation

How is such a truth, which is to be the basis for the application of the text, to be treated? The answer is: first, it must be proved that it is really contained in the text and that it arises unconstrained from it. The more obvious a porism is in the text, the better it is. They should never be so far-fetched that one can only arrive at them through several middle conclusions. For example, if someone wanted to derive the sentence from the words Gen. 1, 2: "God said: let there be light, and there was light": The children should obey their parents, then, in order to come to this, however, indisputable truth, the following conclusions would have to be made:

The parents bear the image of God in themselves. As the creature behaves towards God, so must the childr en behave towards their parents. Now the creature behaves in such a way against God that it is obedient at his beck and call. Consequently, the children must also be obedient to their parents in such a way that they willingly obey their commands: Wink and command willingly follow. Such a derivation of truths is playfulness and can only be to the detriment of the listeners, because they must come to the thought that one can prove anything from any text. As is well known, Carlstadt had taught his Orlamünders such proofs, of which Luther gives some samples in his writing: "Wider die himmlischen Propheten" B. 29, p. 159 f..

From the gospel of the wedding at Cana, the porism arises quite unceremoniously: When lack occurs, the Lord reveals his glory. That this is in the text is easy to prove: At the wedding in Cana there was a shortage of wine. The supply was not sufficient, and the new spouses were too poor to procure more. The Savior used this opportunity to perform his first miracle and thereby reveal his glory, his omnipotence. This is how the Lord still acts today; where there is lack among His own, He comes with His help and reveals His glory. Luther: "For this reason, this miraculous work is primarily intended to help us learn to recognize our dear Lord Chris t and, with certain confidence, to run to him when we are in need and seek help and grace from him, which will certainly come to us in due time. With these words, Luther did nothing other than derive the porism from the Gospel: In need and distress, we will certainly receive help from God through our prayers.

If the porisma has been proven from the text in the indicated or similar way, it must now be further explained, proven and explained. That this must be done primarily from the text itself is self -evident and should not have to be explained first. In the case of didactic texts, regardless of whether the doctrine which According to Reinhard, "everything depends on whether what belongs to a thorough treatment of the given matter is found in the text and can be derived from it without constraint, or not. In the former case, one must necessarily adhere to the text and develop everything from it through a natural analysis; one thereby gains the advantage that everything is more easily grasped and impressed upon the memory, and the listeners at the same time receive a guide to a fruitful reading of Scripture and to useful reflection upon it. In the other case, at least as much as possible is related to the words of the text, and the rest is supplemented by free meditation."

If, however, the text does not contain the arguments necessary for a complete treatment of the subject, then not only can, but what is missing must be drawn from other passages of Scripture, about which more details have been given in § 12 of the preceding chapter, p. 261 ff. Here is just one more example for a better understanding. From Luc. 15, 4: "What man is there among you who has a hundred sheep, and if he loses one, does not leave the ninety -nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?" the porism follows of itself: "Christ came into the world to seek the one that was lost. In the treatment we must first explain what is meant by the lost and the seeking of it, and then prove the truth that Christ appeared for this purpose from the text itself and other passages. This proof is partly from passages like Luc.

19, 10: "The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost", partly from examples like how Jesus visited Zacchaeus (Luc. 19, 1-9), how He drew the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well to Himself (Joh. 4, 6 ff.), how He opened the eyes of the blind (Joh. 9, 1 ff.), and others. The simile of the shepherd who searches for his lost sheep until he finds it serves to explain this truth, or also the opposite, by showing that just as Satan only aims to lead people into all kinds of error, to plunge them into sin, etc., so Christ wants to free them from error and bring them back from their wrong ways. The application can and must be different according to the condition of the listeners and the purpose the preacher wants to achieve. The Lord spoke the words taken as an example in order to refute the Pharisees who were grumbling against him; therefore, the porisma drawn from them should first be used to refute those who have wrong opinions about his coming. But it can also serve as an exhortation to listen willingly to the voice of this good shepherd seeking the lost and to let himself be found by him, and finally to the Comfort for those who, being in temptations, doubt whether Christ will also accept them, who exclaim with David Ps. 119, 176: "I am like a lost sheep gone astray."

Chemnitz: "When we have explained and elaborated a part from the sources, in other words, by comparing it with the preceding and following and with parallel passages, etc., then teachings can be add ed, which can either follow each part or be added after the complete explanation of the whole text; however, one has to see what is preferable in each place. And if several teachings flow from our text, one should act diligently on those that are appropriate to the place and time. Therefore, the text must be carefully examined and considered, so that we can take appropriate lessons from it. No one can prescribe a certain rule, but depending on the gifts given to each one, he can draw more or less happy less ons. But we recommend fervent prayer and sober living; and as our lives have been, so will our meditations be.

After we have taken a locus communis or a doctrine from the text, we must 1. show how it flows from the text; 2. confirm it with parallel passages and 3. with examples. Then, for the sake of a more fruitful expansion, proceed to the application or use of the teaching, which may consist either 1. in exhortation, 2. in admonition, 3. in consolation, or 4. in refutation. And with the individual ones w e can proceed in the same way and likewise 1. show how the exhortation flows from our teaching, 2. reinforce it with parallel passages and 3. explain it with examples or with a simile. In everything, however, we should see to it that we speak either with words of the Scriptures or other pious words, lest we give offense to the hearer."

§ 4

From historical texts that contain an account of a divine miracle, it is best to infer a general mystical currency that contains the mystical application of miracles.

Note 1

As is well known, most of the evangelical pericopes contain reports about miracles of Christ. It is not enough to elaborate on these reports, to explain them, etc.; rather, the important doctrines contained in them must be emphasized and put to the heart of the listeners. This is best done by a so -called mystical application, by which bodily things are transferred and applied to spiritual ones. If, for example, one speaks about the gospel at the Sonnt. Estomihi preaches how Christ gave the blind man his face, so in the mystical application it can be shown how the bodily blindness is an image of our spiritual blindness and how this also must be healed by the Lord. "The miracles of Christ have," writes Rambach in his explanation of s. Instit. Herm., "insofar as all of them have a mystical meaning, insofar as the same bodily cures of the blind, deaf, dumb, etc. have pictured the cure of our spiritual diseases, which, as works of Satan to destroy, the Son of God had appeared. For example, as often as Christ cured a blind man, this represented that he had come to free our mind from the inability to recognize spiritual things, of which bodily blindness is an emblem, etc. But some have also observed that some miracles ha ve a mystical-prophetic meaning and depict certain miraculous events, e.g. that the woman Luc. 13, who walked crookedly for 18 years and was cured by Christ on the Sabbath, was a symbol of the Jewish people, whose backs were bent by God through severe judgments 18 centuries after each other (Ps. 69, 24: Bend their backs at all times) and who should be restituted on the Sabbath of the New Testament and freed from their spiritual misery.

Note 2

In particular, the following should be noted with respect to the texts at issue here: One should see that the mystical application is well founded in the matter itself and does not consist in a forced accommodation. *) The mystical application of the miraculous works of Christ is based on a conclusion from the lesser to the greater. The conclusion is as follows: If the Lord was willing to heal all kinds of physically sick and miserable people, how much more is he willing and ready to help our souls, to heal their far more dangerous diseases. Rambach: "One can look much deeper for the foundation of such mystical applications and shut up all those who want to pass it off for mere gimmicks of the ingenium.

*A distinction must be made between the meaning and the accommodation of a scriptural word. The meaning is intended by the Holy Spirit, the accommodation is made by a human being. What is an accommodation? It consists in the fact that the predicate, which is said of a certain subject, is applied to another subject because of a similarity, which the author did not even thin k of. For example, if the predicate of the words 2 Sam 1:21, "Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be neither rain nor thunder upon you," were applied to Mount Golgotha, it would be an accommodation. A cursing of the mountain Golgotha would not be a meaning, but a mere accommodation of the mentioned word.

"For it was according to the wisdom of God that the miracles, by which the true Messiah should be recognized, should coincide with the purpose of his mediatorial office, which he was sent into the world to accomplish. This is also the reason why these miracles are called σημίια or signs, because according to God's intention they should at the same time designate and represent something higher. In addition to this, there are two more reasons. a) It is found that the prophets, when they want to describe the benefits of the Messianic Kingdom, use such expressions that allude to the miraculous works of Christ. E.g. Is. 35, p. 6: "Then the eyes of the blind will be opened" etc. Here, the prophetic context does not speak of the days of Christ's flesh, but of the benefits that should befall the church of the New Testament in the last times. The expressions, however, aim at the m iraculous cures of Christ, which therefore must have been (signs) of the spiritual benefits that are to happen to the souls of men in the kingdom of the Messiah.

b) Sometimes it is found that the Lord Jesus himself pointed out the spiritual meaning of his miracles. When he healed a man born blind and gave him back the light of his eyes, he said before John 5: "Because I am in the world, I am the light of the world. What else did he want to do by this than to give the key to the spiritual meaning of this miracle to his disciples. When he wanted to awaken Lazarum, he said before Joh. 11, 25: "I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me will live, even i f he dies"; in which words also lies the reason for the mystical application of this miracle. When he fed five thousand men with five loaves of bread in John 6, he took the opportunity to present himself to his disciples as the bread of life, which came from heaven to give life to the world.

It is true that Christ did not show the spiritual application of all miracles, just as he did not explain all parables, but only some of them to his disciples. But the rule must apply here: similium similia est ratio. For what reason can one give why only these miracles should have a spiritual meaning and not the others? This, then, is the most solid reason for the mystical application of the miracles of Jesus Christ." For a better understanding, note that the miracles o f Christ can be divided into three classes. To the first class belong all those which consisted in cures of diseases, and of this kind are most of the miracles of Christ. In the case of these miracles, the principle of mystical application is twofold:

All bodily diseases and infirmities that Christ healed are similar to the spiritual diseases of the soul.

2. by healing these bodily ones, Christ proved Himself to be the physician of

all diseases of the soul. Examples: The bodily blindness is a visible image of the blindness of our soul, i.e. of the inability to recognize spiritual, heavenly things, 1 Corinthians 2:4. Therefore, as often as Christ gave sight to a blind man, he wanted to prove himself as the one who came to enlighten our understanding and to make us capable of knowing the truth, Luke 1:77. The bodily dumbness is an image of our inability to praise God. When Christ opened the mouth of a mute and gave him the kn owledge and use of speech, he was indicating that he wanted to give those who are mute to praise God the ability to proclaim the virtues of God, 1 Pet. 2:9.

To the second class belong the miracles in which the Lord bestowed other bodily benefits upon men. For these, the following rules are to be observed:

1. These bodily benefits are an image of the spiritual ones, with which they

have an exact resemblance.

2. Christ has proven himself to be the one who wants to bless us with the

analogous spiritual benefits. Thus, for example, the feeding of such large crowds with such a small supply of bread and fish was meant to show that Jesus himself was the spiritual bread that had come from heaven, who could satisfy our souls through small means and sustain them in the desert of this world. Cf. John 6:27, where Luther remarks: "As if he should say, I will give you other food; why will you be such poor beggars, seeking and desiring these small portions and beggars from me; I will give you other food, which shall not perish, a bread that shall endure forever, which also shall not cause you to die, but shall sustain you unto eternal life." Hengstenberg: "What Jesus does outwardly is an indication of the powers and treasures that are with him for the direction of his actual calling, for the granting of eternal life.

which is the only goal worthy of God's people, the only gift worthy of the true Savior. Whoever does not see signs in this sense in the miracles of Jesus, but only the beginnings of an activity aimed at external earthly happiness, degrades both himself and the Savior. Furthermore, when Christ calmed the wind and the sea with one word, he was depicting how all the storms of severe temptations and persecutions that roar over his church will finally be calmed by his miraculous power. To the third class belong such miracles of the Lord, which happened for the judgment. With these, the judgments are depicted that will one day fall upon the enemies of the church. We find only three such miracles reported in Scripture, namely: Marc. 5, 12 ff., when Jesus allowed th e devils to drive into a herd of sows, whereupon they threw themselves into the sea. "This was meant to show," says Rambach, "that the end of those who roll around like swine in lust would be in the lake of destruction, in the company of all unclean spirit s. Further, Matth. 21, 19 ff.

where the cursing of the barren fig tree is reported. Calov interprets: "As a sign that the Jewish people would also wither away by God's righteous judgment because of the rejection of the Lord Messiah, who was sent to them first, as to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Third: Joh. 18, 6, when Jesus struck the rejecters to the ground by His word: "I am". With this the Lord signified His power by which He could nullify all the plots of His enemies. Rambach gives the following hint concerning this mystical application: "Because such mystical applications are of great importance, the analytical explanation of such texts must be made all the shorter and more nervous, so that one retains time to carry out the mystical application sufficiently. But one does well if one intersperses the semina applicationis in the explanation from time to time, that is, if one lets a reflection flow in from time to time that paves the way to the mystical application of use that one wants to make in the end." This we cannot recommend.

Most of the miracles of the Lord are so clear and simple that they do not even need an explanation, at least not one that requires a whole part. And if this explanation becomes a "Meder narrative" that broadens what is briefly and succinctly reported to the point of disgust, then it is all the more evil. Rather, the topic should be understood in such a way that the entire sermon is applied in all parts, e.g., about the Gospel on Sunday. Oculi (Luc. 11, 14 -28): "Jesus Christ, the Savior from the devil's kingdom.

1. He destroyed the devil's kingdom; 2. He cast out the devil's kingdom from our

hearts. and makes the kingdom of God come to us; 3. He keeps us from falling back into the devil's kingdom. Of course, other lessons can be drawn from the texts that contain miracles of the Lord, e.g. from the Gospel on the 3rd Sunday of Epiph. (Matth. 8, 1 ff.), in which

v. 1-4 the cleansing of a leper is reported, from the omnipotence of Christ, since the

leper said to the Lord: "Lord, if you want" etc., and the Lord answered: "I will do it, be cleansed"; after v. 4 from the sacrifice of thanksgiving, which one should offer to God after having received help, because the Lord said to the leper: "Go and sacrifice the gift" etc. However, these teachings are only secondary in comparison to the one about the cleansing of the spiritual leprosy, and therefore are only to be treated if either the gospel has already been preached several times and the primary teaching has been treated, or a special circumstance prompts the choice of such a teaching.

§ 5

Although such a practical truth can be treated according to the well-known fivefold usage (didascalic, elenchtic, epanorthotic, paedeutic and paracletic), it would be pedantic schematism to want to make this fivefold usage application in every sermon.

Note 1

Dr. Walther: "The second requirement of a sermon is that God's Word be applied correctly in it. What the necessary right application of it consists of is told to us in two passages of the Holy Scriptures: 2 Tim. 3, 16, 17: "For all Scripture inspired by God is profitable for doctrine, for judgment, for correction, for chastening in righteousness, that a man of God" (a servant of God) "may be perfect, fitted for all good work"; and Rom. 16, 4: "But whatsoever is written aforetime is written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope." God's Word is thus to be applied in the "sermons" in a fivefold manner, or, to keep the Greek term with our ancients, not only didascally (for teaching), but also elenchtically (for punishment or refutation of false doctrine ), epanorthotically (for correction or punishment of sins), paedeutically (for chastening, i.e., for education or exhortation), and paracletically (for consolation). This is not to say that every sermon or every main subject occurring in the sermon is classified according to this topicality of the application and is to be used in this way.

The five usages of the Word of God, as indicated by the Holy Spirit Himself, are to be the basis of every preaching of the Word of God. Rightly writes Joh. Jak. Rambach: "Some preachers bind themselves to the known five usages in such a way that they consider it a mortal sin if they do not touch one of them (once); because they think that it is not a perfect sermon which does not have its five usages, and in which one does not: 1. teach a little, 2. refute the heretics a little, 3. punish a little, 4. admonis h a little, 5. comfort a little. They think that because Paul says in 2 Tim. 3, 16 that all Scripture is useful for teaching, for punishment, for correction, for chastening, and because he adds Rom. 15, 4 that we should have hope through the consolation of Scripture, then they must necessarily lead all texts of Scripture through all five usages, even if it should be said: De omnibus aliquid, et de toto nihil (of everything something, and of the whole nothing), and they should also drag the usum elenchticum with hair, and raise old rotten heretics from the dead. About this, the listeners of the thing become so accustomed that they no longer have any attention, because they know that their pastor always plays on a lyre strung with five strings;

therefore, they are no longer affected by his teaching, by his refuting, by his punishing, admonishing and comforting; especially when all this is done in a sleepy manner and there is no affect and life in it. Sometimes, however, it is convenient that all five usus sua sponte (of their own accord) flow out of one gospel; but the teacher must always check what the material, the condition of the audience and other circumstances require and suffer. Prudence, therefore, must decide whether one should take more than one usus, and which one should be especially urged, which one should be omitted, or touched upon only recently." *)

Note 2

Specifically, the following should be noted regarding this beneficial application of the teaching of sacred Scripture:

1. with the didascal application the proofs are led:

a) From a clear testimony of the holy scripture. If one wanted to show, for example, that the repentance of a sinner is, as it were, a resurrection from the dead, then one could *) Andr. Gerh. Hyperius, Prof. at Marburg, in his Homiletik ( De formandis concionibus sacris seu de interpretatione scripturarum populari, 1553) first pointed out the different sermon genera according to 2. Timoth. 3, 16; Rom. 15, 4 in a detailed way and called them: doctrina, redargutio, institutio, correctio, consolatio. Hyperius became the actual founder of the scientific homiletics of the Protestant church through his aforementioned work. This can be proven from Ephes. 5, 14: "Wake up, you who slept, and rise from the dead" etc., Col. 2, 12 and similar words;

b) by correct conclusion. If the doctrine were to be proven: God is truthful in all His promises and threats, then the proof can be taken from 1 Sam. 15:29: "The hero in Israel does not lie" etc.. It is true that it does not say here in express words: God is true, but it follows by simple inference from the opposite, for he who does not lie is true; c) From the analogy of faith and sacred truths. That the works of a natural man, despite all outward appearances, are not truly good works, can be proven from the analogy of the doctrine of man's inability and spiritual death. For if the natural man is dead in sins, Ephes. 2, 1, according to Rom. 8, 6-8 he is carnally minded, filled with enmity against God, then no work of his can be good in the sense of the law, the fulfillment of which consists of love for God and neighbor, Rom. 13, 10.

Evidence from reason and philosophy is not to be rejected outright, but it must be used only very rarely and cautiously. On the whole, they can be dispensed with, since better proofs from divine revelat ion, the holy Scriptures, are available in abundance, and these exert a much greater power on the believing congregation than all philosophical and rational proofs. "A simple Bible saying seizes and overpowers wonderfully; even the not yet enlightened hear ers are more stimulated by it than by other reasons, and the appropriate Bible sayings in a sermon always sound like a voice from above." (Hüffell.) Just think of Augustin and Luther, what power the word Rom. 13, 14 exercised on the former and Rom. 1, 17 on the latter!

2. in the case of elenchtic application can be cited as evidence:

a) The silence of the Holy Scripture. For example, Scripture does not say a word about the immaculate conception and sinlessness of Mary. Rather, it excludes only Christ from the natural conception and sinlessness; b) the testimony of the opposite. Thus the doctrine of Mary's sinlessness can be refuted from Luc. 1, 47 where Mary herself calls Christ her Savior. If she needed a savior, she had to be a sinner; c). The blasphemy of a doctrine. If the assertion that God provokes man to sin were to be refuted, it is easy to answer that such an assertion is blasphemy. How could God punish sin and be the judge of the world if He Himself would provoke to sin; Rom. 3, 5. 6.

d) the harmfulness of false doctrine. The Calvinists' teaching that those once truly born again cannot fall from grace again would make people carnally secure. Consequently, it must be false.

3. in the pedagogical application can be attracted as evidence:

a) explicit commandments of God. For the exhortation to love the enemy: Matth. 5, 44; for prayer: Matth. 7, 7 and others; b) Necessity and equity. So we should also love the enemy because love is the only means to win him, Rom. 12, 20. And did God not love us, his enemies? Rom. 5, 10; c) Usefulness. Love for enemies has the multiple benefit of overcoming the lust of hatred in ourselves, keeping a calm conscience, becoming more like Christ, but keeping our neighbor from further sins, making him our friend, etc.; d) the explicit prohibition, the shamefulness, etc. The prohibition is Deut. 19:17, "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart." And shameful is to hate the enemy, because in him we hate ourselves, since we have the same nature with him. Hatred also makes us unhappy ourselves, it is burde nsome for ourselves, incites the enemy to vengeance, etc.;

e) Examples. Above all, the examples of God, Christ, Stephen, Paul, David, Moses and other believers. In the epanorthotic application, the same arguments can be used as in the pedagogical ones, e.g. the explicit prohibition. If one wants to warn against the earthly worries that come from unbelief, the prohibition Matth. 6, 31: "Therefore you should not worry and say, what will we eat" etc. is to be used.

5. the paracletic application assumes:

a) Of God's will and providence. Without God's will and permission nothing can happen to us, Satan has no power over us. Matth. 10, 29. 30; Job 1, 12; b) of God's presence and help, Ps. 23:4; 91:15; 145:18; c) Of the benefit of suffering and temptations, Rom. 8, 28 and others; d) Of the brevity and insignificance of the same, Rom. 8, 18; e) their purpose and effect. The faithful are kept from pride by suffering, temptations, etc.; they learn to place their hope more and more in the grace of Christ alone, denying all their own worth iness; their prayer becomes more and more earnest, their faith purified, their desire for eternal life more ardent.

§ 6

Regarding doctrine, it should be noted in particular that the preacher has the sacred duty to preach the whole counsel of God for salvation, but especially to present the main doctrines of the Holy Scriptures in detail and intelligibly.

Annotation

The apostle Paul testifies according to Apost. 20, 26, the apostle Paul solemnly testified to the elders of the church at Ephesus, when he took leave of them, that he was pure from all blood, i.e. that he was not to blame for any of the members of the church at Ephesus, if he lost his salvation through impenitence, tha t this was only due to his own fault. The reason for this, namely why Paul knew himself to be clean of all blood, he gives in the words of the 27th verse: "For I have not behaved unto you, that I have not declared unto you all the counsel of God" (πασαν την βουλήν του Θεού = the whole counsel of God ) i.e. the whole counsel of God, conceived from eternity, for the redemption and salvation of the human race lost in sin. With these words the apostle briefly summarizes what he said in vv. 20 and 21: "How that I have not kept any thing that is profitable, but have preached unto you, and taught you openly and specially, and have testified both to Jews and Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Of all the individual doctrines, causes, means, which the whole counsel of God contains, Paul had not concealed anything from his hearers, had not omitted or added anything, had not falsified anything, but had proclaimed it in all its purity and its full extent, so that they had no lack of any doctrine. In particular, he had testified to "repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus" as the summa of Christian doctrine or divine counsel.

In this, the high apostle stands as a model for every preacher, for every preacher, even the least, should and must administer his office in such a way that he is pure from all blood, withholding from his congregation nothing of what he is called by God to preach to it, namely the whole counsel of God for the Blessedness, Dr. Walther writes about this, after he has referred not only to Apost. 20, he also refers to Deut. 12, 32; 2 Timoth. 3. 16 and others: "First of all, it is an essential deficiency if a preacher only presents biblical teachings to his listeners, but not all biblical teachings revealed for salvation, or if he mentions all of them one by one, but never presents some of them in some completeness, according to their connection with the doctrinal whole and according to their importance for faith and life. Since a preacher is not the master either of the faith of his hearer s or of the Word, but only the steward of God's mysteries and a minister of the Word (2 Cor. 1:24; 1 Luc. 1:2), any concealment of a doctrine of the Scriptures is an irresponsible robbery that he commits against his hearers. It is therefore advisable for the preacher to make a plan at the beginning of each church year to use the Sunday and feast day pericopes in such a way that, with the addition of other opportunities for the recitation of certain important truths, every fundamental article of the Christian faith finds its place where possible during a year. If an attentive listener has heard a preacher for years, perhaps, without having received information about important things that belong to the Christian faith and life, this is no small reproach to the preacher. For example, if a preacher has has never given thorough instruction on charity, on Christian freedom, on the means, on fraternal punishment, on banishment and church discipline, on the rights of the congregation and of the ministry, on the last things, on the duties of subjects against the authorities, of children against their parents, of servants and apprentices against their masters, of wives against their husbands and vice versa, on the obligation of betrothal, on marriage, on the degrees of relationship that hinder marriage, on the necessity of parental consent, on the education and training of children in the home and school, on morning, table and evening prayers, on domestic worship, on usury, on the inspiration of holy scripture, on church and sect, on the nature, custom and use of the sacraments, on temptations, on sin in the Holy Spirit, on the election of grace, on Christian perfection and so on. etc., it can happen through the preacher's fault that some of his listeners fall into the most dangerous errors through ignorance, and he cannot boast with Paul that he is pure from all blood."

With regard to doctrine, the following rules of Joh. Gerhard are still to be observed: "1. The doctrines should not be strange and far-fetched, but should flow from the text so that they are either literally contained in it or by virtue of a good and obvious inference can be derived from it. (2) The law and the gospel should be preached in the sermons; but since in the mixed multitude of the church the number of the impenitent and the secure are the majority, the law should be preached and inculcated more frequently; moreover, the wholesome use of the gospel does not take place in the hearts unless they are first crushed by the hammer of the law. (3) The mixing of the law and the gospel must be avoided with the utmost diligence. According to Luther's testimony, the main part of theological knowledge consists in precisely distinguishing the teaching of the law from the gospel. (The church ministers are commanded in 2 Timothy 2:15 to " rightly divide" the word of truth. If the gospel is preached to the impenitent and secure by circumventing the law, they are strengthened in their godlessness; if the severity of the law is enforced against the contrite by circumventing the gospel, they ar e driven to despair). (4) Doctrines taken from histories must be proved with a manifest and clear scriptural word; for one must not derive any doctrines from particular deeds, but must always look to the general rules concerning all. (5) In the study of do ctrines, one may pass from the effects to the cause, from the affirmation of something to the rejection of the opposite, from the similar to the similar. Pious meditation, coming from a penitent and devout heart, is of great importance, especially when accompanied by earnest invocation of God and diligent reading of the Scriptures. (6) In explaining the articles of faith to the people, the necessary and fundamental should be dealt with, and the subtle and difficult questions should be referred to the schools. (7) When a proof by which an article of faith is confirmed and fortified has been presented, other proofs from other passages of Scripture may also be adduced, so that not only the complete agreement of Scripture may be shown, but also the hearts of the hearers may be more fortified in the truth.

§ 7

In the refutation of false teachers and doctrines, as well as in the punishment of vices and depravities, special wisdom and caution must be applied if the beneficial purpose is to be achieved and no more harm than good is to be done.

Note 1

Let us first hear Luther speak about the necessity of refuting false teachers. He writes: "Refute the willful spirits, otherwise your confession is only a larval work and of no use. Whoever believes his doctrine, faith, and confession to be true, right, and He cannot stand in the same stall with others who teach false doctrines or who are devoted to them, nor can he ever give good words to the devil and his scales. A teacher who is silent about error, and yet wants to be a true teacher, is worse than a public fanatic, and with his hypocrisy does greater harm than a heretic, and is not to be trusted: he is a wolf and a fox, a hireling and a belly servant, etc., and is not allowed to teach, word, faith, or to be a teacher, and may despise and hand over doctrine, word, faith, sacrament, churches and schools; he is either secretly in cahoots with the enemies, or is a doubter and wind-farer, and wants to see where it will end, whether Christ or the devil will prevail; or is altogether uncertain of himself, and not worthy to be called a disciple, let alo ne a teacher, and wants to anger no one, nor to speak Christ's word, nor to hurt the devil and the world."

Quenstedt: "To the office of a faithful shepherd in the church belongs not only that he by teaching (δίδασχαλίαν) gather sheep and lead them to whole some pastures and springs of water, but also that he by punishment (έλεγαν) keep the wolves from the Lord's sheepfold, and from their pursuits and attempts protect the flock entrusted to him. - That is, that he not alone lay the foundation of faith, which is but one, even Christ Jesus, 1. Cor. 3:10, 11, but that he also opposes and hinders the manifold undertakings and plots of those who seek to overthrow that foundation in such a way; that he not only scatters the seed of the divine word, but also cleanses the field of the church from the weeds of false doctrine and error. To Jere miah the prophet the Lord commanded not only to build and to plant, but also to pluck up, and to break in pieces, and to destroy, Ar. 1:10. "Behold," saith he, "I set thee this day over nations and kingdoms, to pluck up, and to break in pieces, and to destroy, and to build, and to plant." And all the prophets in common, Christ and the apostles, in their ministry, combined the terrifying thunder of the law and the sweet whispering of the gospel. "Teaching and weeping must be together in a faithful pious shepherd and pastor," Luther says beautifully. "A preacher must be a man of war and a shepherd. To defend is to teach, and that is the hardest art; after that he should also have teeth in his mouth that can defend and fight."

Above all, this too the apostle re quires that a bishop be " mighty" not only παραχαλεΐν & τη διδασκαλία τη ύγιαινουση "to be admonished by wholesome doctrine" (which is not only wholesome in itself, but also makes healthy), but also τους αντιλέγοντας έλέγχειν "to punish (refute and convict) the adversaries," Tit. 1, 9. "For," he says further, v. 10, " there are many impudent (ανυπότακτοι = stiff-necked, intractable men, who will not be brought into any order, will not be bound by any regcln of faith), useless (ματαιολόγοι = men who assert their frivolous and vain opinions), Chatterers and seducers (φρεναπάται = people who deceive and deceive the soul, people who deprive souls nourished with the milk of truth of the vigorous nourishment of faith by the food of frivolous opinions of men thrown to the same, and equally seduce themselves and others) ο&ς δει άπιστομλζειν, whom it is necessary to shut up (every individual, not only in general)."

"The apostle makes use of two significant words," says the blessed Chemnitz Dos. Loc. theol. P. J. Looc. de pecc. orig. c. b. p. 224, " means: to expose and convict of the nullity and falsity of the contrary doctrine, and άπιστομίζειν, i. e. to advance such refutations that the adversary shall have no occasion to contradict further with any semblance." John, called Chrysostom because of his gold mouth, says of this passage Hom. II. in cap. 1. epist. ad. Tit. "that he might be mighty to exhort by wholesome doctrine," i.e., for the protection of his own and the destruction of enemies, "and to punish the gainsayers." For if he cannot do this, all is lost. For if one has not learned to fight against the enemies, and to take all the reason of the adversaries captive under the obedience of Christ, and to overthrow all the reason (λογισμούς) of them, let him remain altogether far from the preaching seat (πορρω έστω θρόνου διδασκαλικού). For everything else, namely, to be blameless, to have believing children, to be hospitable, righteous, and holy, can easily be found even in the hearers and subordinates. But this is what most indicates the teacher (δτε μάλιστα χαρακτηρίζει τον διδάσκαλον = which most denotes the peculiarity of the teaching office): to be able to teach with words and to refute the opponents."

As it is the double office of the physician to preserve the existing health and to restore the broken one, so it is also incumbent upon those who are entrusted with the spiritual care of the soul, not only to instruct by right and sound doctrine the hearers commanded to their allegiance, but also to guard with all diligence against all heresies, which are lik e a pestilence and like a cancer, 2 Timothy 2:17..... The apostle predicts Acts 20, 29, that fierce attacks of wolves are threatening; "this I know," he says, "that after my departure there shall come among you abominable wolves, which shall not spare the host." (The false teachers he calls wolves, Christo, the teacher of the divine He therefore exhorts the servants of the church to be brave, to wait faithfully for their office and to bravely resist the wolves that would break into the sheepfold of the Lord and devastate it. Here belongs the saying Hohel. 2, 15: "Fahet uns die Füchse, die kleinen Füchse, die die Weinberge verderben." To which words Augustine gives the following commentary: "... What does it mean: 'Fahet the foxes' other than to defeat the heretics with the authority of the divine law and to bind and tie them up with the testimonies of sacred Scripture, as with fetters?" (Ethica pastoralis.)

Note 2

As certainly as a preacher as shepherd and guardian of his congregation has the duty not only to teach, but also to defend, thus also to refute the errors and heresies that threaten his congregation from the Holy Scriptures, so wisely and carefully must he act in refuting the errors, in the fight against false teachers. Briefly and accurately says J. Hein. Faustking († 1713 as Oberhofprediger and Kirchenrath at Gotha): "A preacher must see that he is certainly wise: in punishing as a cautious Nathan; in refuting as a thorough John; in exhorting as an edifying Paul; in warning as an emphatic Amos; in consoling as an agile Joel." Bor all, the following two rules are to be observed:

1. he does not bring false doctrine into the pulpit, of which the congregation

knows nothing, or is not threatened. Here applies: " De haeresi ignota apud imperitam plebem disserere, est eandem serere." If a preacher believes that he must immediately present and refute every heresy that is brought up by some swarm spirit or false teacher to his congregation, then he is announcing the devil. Many a congregation would be far better off if the preacher were less concerned with all kinds of heresies in his sermons and more concerned with the edification of the listeners. And many errors would be far more short-lived if they were not given the quite undeserved honor of being heeded and refuted. Furthermore, why should the old buried heretics and heresies, such as the Carpocratians, Manichaeans, Sabellians, Schwenkfeldians, and many others, be brought out of their graves again and again and presen ted to the congregation? Let them lie quietly in them. To serve all kinds of old and new heresies to the congregation on Sundays is not an appetizing business anyway, and to expect the congregation to have an appetite for it, to accept it with pleasure, shows at least a rather strange taste of the Preacher. But we remember a preacher who could not preach a sermon without killing a couple of heretics, and who wanted to start the foundation of new churches by first killing all sects and enthusiasts in the surrounding area in his sermons. He succeeded in neither the one nor the other.

If a false doctrine must be refuted, let it be done briefly, thoroughly, with holy earnestness, and yet also with true gentleness. Rambach: "The presented error must be duly refuted... thoroughly, so that one puts the knife to the throat of the error from the word of God, so to speak, in order to lift it out of the ground. But if one lacks this ability, then one leaves the wretched use to another. To the thoroughness also belongs that one sometimes indicates the πρώτον φεΰδος and the origin of the error, too times when the text itself gives opportunity for it." Quenstedt: "In the refutation of heretics and other heterodox, as well as of their false doctrines, one should apply the due moderation and prudence in the pulpit and bring the zeal to the right measure so that it neither exceeds the limits of what is permissible by excessive heat and severity, nor is it weakened by hypocritical lukewarmness. For "equally useless is the idle and sleepy indolence and the unskilful hot temper," says Gregory of Nazianzus, Orat. 26. And again, in the 32nd discourse delivered in the presence of 150 bishops, he says: "But this is what I think, and I make it a law for all pastors and preachers of right doctrine, that they neither provoke the minds of men by harshness, nor make them proud and insolent by treading softly, but that in matters of faith they act with prudence and deliberation, and in none of the above do they deviate from the right middle road." "I statuirt, says the Redonatus Lutherus (the re-gifted Luther), we mean Leonhard Hutter in Iren.

c. II. p. 5, "that in a teach er, a theologian, both must be present, namely, the

endeavor both to maintain due moderation and to use the right sharpness, lest it appear as if they (the theologians) either flattered the enemies of truth by too great leniency, or conducted their cause e ven too timidly, or by unbending blustering severity cut off all hope of conversion to the weaker who lie caught in error." The apostle Paul wants διδάσκοντες α μη δεϊ, "those who teach what is not fit" (τά μη δέοντα, "that should not be," 1 Tim. 5, 13), are seriously rebuked, and that one must "shut their mouths", Tit. 1, 11. Although he further says a. a. O. V. 13: "Punish them άποτόμως = precis, severe, sharp", so that you give them every way out to escape, cut off and cut every nerve of their objections, or, as Chrysostom interprets the word άποτόμως, "inflict a deep wound on them so that they may be healed in the faith" (this is the ultimate purpose of punishment; for all rebuking and refuting should be directed toward either restoring or maintaining the health of the faith). But he combines kindness and gentleness with the severity of punishment when he says 2 Tim. 2:24, 23: "A servant of the Lord ought not to be quarrelsome, but kind to everyone, chastising... with gentleness the unruly," (now follows the reason:)

"whether God would give them repentance on this day, to know the truth, and be sober again from the devil's snare, by which they are taken captive to his will." "This exhortation of the apostle is extended, as it seems, also to the heretics and their teachers," says the blessed Hülsemann de corrept. fratern. § X, n. 152, "Because the description of the persons to whom a servant of the Lord is to show kindness in teaching and punishing is taken from μαχή, 'quarreling,' namely, from μωροί χαΐ απαίδευτοι ζητήσεις," that they thus quarrel with "foolish and useless questions. Against these adversaries and such unruly ones a servant of the Lord should be instructive, patient, and punish them with gentleness." And 2 Tim. 4, 2 he commands Timothy: "Preach the word, stop, whether in season, or out of season (έυχαίρως, άχαίρως. chastise (έλέγζον), urge (έπιτίμησον)" - see there the earnestness! -, "admonish with all patience (έν πόση μαχρο&υμία)" - see there the mildness! - "i.e., as Chrysostom expresses it, not as if you were angry, not as if you were an adversary, not as if you rejoiced in immoderate assault, not as if you thought it something hostile, you should do this, but you should, refraining from all that, carry it out in love and pain and greater sorrow than that one (the erring one) himself has."

.... Chr. Chemnitz: "But here a precise distinction is to be made between seducers, vocal leaders and leaders of the sectirians, and seduced; between stiff- necked, wilful or obstinate opponents, and those who are open to instruction and correction; between those who err out of malice, and those who err out of weakness, ignorance or weakness of mind. Christ, the apostles, and the teachers of the first church, with the bitte rest words, pulled through and severely rebuked the xxxrleaders, or leaders of the sectirians, and the obstinate enemies of the gospel; but those who were led astray by false teachers, and were capable of correction, they led back with kind words to the wa y of truth, and thus by their example gave the teaching to all the ministers of the church, that they should use either milder or stronger remedies, according to the condition of men. Those, therefore, whom they perceive to have been led astray from the path of truth and good, and which offer even a little hope for their repentance and conversion, let them punish them meekly; but let those who stubbornly defend their errors, and scatter them here and there, rebuke them more severely and sternly."....

In the epanorthotic use, the most important thing is that the sin in question is presented and reproved in the right way, that the sinners are convinced that they have done wrong and that they are deprived of all excuses, and finally that they are seriously warned to persist in sin. The more easily, however, either too much or too little is d one in the punishment of sins, the more easily the fleshly affections of the preacher interfere and prevent all salutary fruit, the more the preacher has to watch over himself so that the punishment may be done in the right way. Aptly Luther has translated the word έπανόρΰωσις 2. Timoth. 3, 16 translated as.amelioration'. For έπανορ^όω, which is often used by the Greek Prosan writers, means to restore, to shred again into the former, better state, to make good one's faults. Accordingly, then, έπανόρΰωσις means to restore and over.

carry: improvement. The punishment of sin is therefore only about the improvement of the sinner, about the transfer into a better state. Whoever leaves this out of sight is from the outset unskilled for punishment. Luther writes: "Thirdly? to amend. Because we still live in the flesh and in the devil's kingdom in this world, there is so much temptation that even among the saints and Christians who receive the doctrine and are guarded against heresy, various infirmities and cases occur, both in matters of faith and in other matters, and in addition many stumble and fall, one in this and the other in that. For this reason, the Scriptures are needed once again to instruct the erring consciences, to settle the infirmities, and to restor e the fallen. And so there is always work to be done, with the indolent to do, with the afflicted to comfort, and all kinds of care and duty. How a good shepherd, if he feeds and tends well, must also take special care of the sick, infirm sheep, heal them and wait for them, so that they will get well again xxxd not perish in themselves, whether there is already pasture enough and no wolf? With regard to the punishment we take from Rambach the following rules to be heeded:

If you want to successfully punish the sins of others, you must know yourself to be free from them in your conscience. If a preacher himself lives in the sins and vices which he must punish in his hearers, he will punish in vain, for his hearers will not believe that he is really serious about his punishment. Usually, however, such a preacher is not zealous in punishing these sins, but for fear of the "turpe est doctori, si culpa redarguit ipsum" becomes a mute dog, giving free rein to sins in the congregation. Such preachers are the best heralds of unbelief and atheist makers who empty the churches and fill hell.

2. guest preachers and students of theology are not at liberty to deliver harsh

punitive sermons; rather, such sermons may on ly be delivered by the actual pastor. "In this," writes Rambach, "one must be guided by the weakness of the listeners, who seldom take kindly to a stranger or studious wanting to make use of a sharp moral elenchus. One may well show the corruption of human nature in general, together with the sinful outbreaks of the same, and present the misery of an unconverted person in a moving way, but it is not advisable to proceed to specific things."

3. in the punishment of sins, there must be neither fear of man nor respect for

the person, nor imprudence and impudence. Luther writes to Ps. 82, 1: "God stands in the congregation of God and is judge among the gods": "Well then, this first verse shows that it is not rebellious to punish the authorities, where it is done according to the way that is mentioned here. Namely, that it is done by divinely commanded office and by God's word, publicly, freely and honestly, but it is a praiseworthy, noble, strange virtue and a special great service of God, as the Psalm instructs. On the contrary, it would be seditious if a preacher did not punish the vices of the authorities, for in doing so he would make the mob angry and unwilling and strengthen the malice of the tyrants, making himself guilty of the same, which would anger God and cause a plague of sedition. That where the lords are punished as well as the mob, and the mob as well as the lords, as the prophets do, there neither can impose anything on the other, and must suffer with each other and take it for good and be content with each other.

For these are poisonous and dangerous preachers, who take a part for themselves alone, scold the lords, so that they may scold the rabble and hope the peasants, like the mint and Carlstadt and or again, to reproach the rabble alone for pretending to the lords and serving the good, as our adversaries do; but it is said that both parts are hewn into one pot and made into a dish, one as well as the other. For the ministry of preaching is not a farm servant or a peasant servant, it is God's servant and serva nt, and his command is over the Lord and servant, as the Psalm says here." If the sins of the authorities are by no means exempt from punishment, then "great prudence and modesty must certainly be used, so that one does not bring the authority itself into contempt, or even give rise to rebellion against the authorities," as Rambach correctly remarks and adds: "There are such bold and audacious minds that declaim in the pulpit on the authorities themselves, and pull through the actions of the same in a satyr ical manner, when they have the favor of the people on their side; from which clamor often arise more seditious movements than good movements and wholesome fruits."

4. the punishment of sins must be according to the nature of the persons in

whom they are found. Paul looks at the difference of age; when he wrote in the first epistle Cap. 5, 1 to his Thimotheus, who was still young in years: "Do not rebuke an old man, but admonish him as a father, the young as children." The apostle does not want to exempt the elderly from punishment when they sin, but he wants to exercise the office of punishment with all reverence for the elderly and with all kindness for the young. If, however, a person of a higher age or status has given a serious offense, if this is public and the person is still stiff-necked, then no respect for the person may apply. In the case of the lowly, the preacher must beware of arrogance, but rather show heartfelt compassion in his entire demeanor toward them.

5 The preacher must make a distinction in the punishment between those who sin out of weakness and haste and those who sin out of intent and malice. 1 Corinth. 4, 21 Paul writes: "What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod or with love and a gentle spirit? Cf. 2 Corinthians 13:2, 3. The apostle does not wish to come to you with a rod. But he considers it advisable if they do not allow themselves to be rebuked but continue in their sins. He would much rather use love and gentleness instead of severity, and he will do so if they show by their repentance that they are not stiff - necked. By the way, the expression With the rod' refers to the fatherly position and attitude of the apostle towards the church. The rod is to be led with a fatherly hand.

Titus 1:13 we read, "For this cause" (namely, because the Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and foul bellies) "chastise them severely, that they may be sound in the faith." Because the Cretans went along in these sins, the apostle wants them sharply (αποτόμων i.e.: with short-tempered severity) punished by Titus. On the other hand, the apostle Gal. 6:1 writes of those who sin out of weakness: "Dear brethren, if a man be overtaken in any fault, restore him with a gentle spirit, ye that are spiritual. To these words Luther writes: "Let those who want to be faithful pastors learn diligently from this teaching of St. Paul how they should deal with those who have fallen. Dear brethren," he says, "if a man is over-hardened, do not further embitter and grieve him, do not condemn or condemn him, but help him to amend, refre sh or instruct him (for so the Greek word holds), and what the devil has corrupted in him by his cunning and weakness of the flesh, bring again to amendment by your meekness. For the kingdom whereunto ye are called is not a kingdom to terrify and torment consciences, but to reprove and comfort them."

(6) The preacher should be careful not to punish publicly in the sermon sins that are said to have been committed in the congregation on the basis of a mere rumor. Rambach: "One has to beware of all credulity. In this, some preachers often fail to punish the gossip of their maids, an old woman, or their children for a certain scandal that is said to have occurred in the congregation, since the matter either did not happen at all, or behaved quite differently tha n the preacher referred to it. This is a matter that brings the preacher great reproach from the congregation. It should only be advisable in the rarest of cases to mention a gross sin that has occurred in the congregation in the sermon. The discussion abo ut it does not belong in the sermon, but (since we still practice church discipline, praise God!) in the congregational meeting, if the procedure according to Matth. 18 has been followed beforehand. All conspiracies must be excluded from the sermon.

(7) Certain sins, especially in preaching, may be described and punished only with great care and caution. Such sins are: great blasphemies, shameful curses and oaths; violations of the fifth commandment, the various ways in which murder can be committed; all kinds of sins against the sixth commandment, especially the so -called 'silent' sins; finally, some sins against the seventh commandment, the special thefts, and so on. If a preacher were to describe the sins mentioned in his sermon in detail, in order to give the listeners a clear idea of them, this could only have a disastrous effect. Wouldn't he have to arouse the suspicion in some people that he himself had lived in such sins or had committed them, because he betrays such a precise acquaintance with them, while others are filled with disgust and contempt because he takes such filth in his mouth and spouts it from the pulpit? On the other hand, this would also mean that some listeners, who have never heard of such sins, would be instructed in them or incited to commit them! What an absurdity, for example, if a preacher in sermons on the 5th commandment wanted to tell his listeners, or describe in detail, that and how one could kill a man by poisoning handkerchiefs, gloves, etc., if he wanted to portray sins against the 6th commandment as unnatural mixtures and defilements, if he wanted to demonstrate the various kinds of fraud and theft in detail! Let him not forget that the desire for every sin rests in the heart of man, and that by such depiction of sin the desire for it is not dampened in some, but awakened. "De peccatis ignotis apud plebem imperitam disserere, est eade m serere." - "One must arrange his discourse in such a way," says Rambach, "that, while those who know themselves guilty of sins are terrified in their conscience, others who know nothing of them are not first inclined to such abominations, but are wisely preserved from them."

8. the sins must be specially punished, to whom the m antle of innocence is

draped. If a preacher were to punish only the grosser sins, but not touch and expose the finer ones, he would, as much as there is in him, attract Pharisees. Just as in the case of gross sins he must always go back to the source of them, the inherited natural heart, and point out to all his hearers that the desire for the same sins also dwells in them, so he must also with all diligence place the finer sins, which are even praised before the world as virtues, under the illumination of the divine word, so that they may be recognized in their proper form. become. Such sins are among others: Avarice, which is called thrift, pride, which is called self-respect, pagan care, the care for old age, life insurance, the due care for the family. Lust must be called a permissible pleasure, boozing: drinking a glass of beer, some kinds of lies must be called lies of jest, lies of necessity or lies of honor.

9 In punishing such sins, by which the person of the preacher has been offended, great moderation is necessary. Rambach: "When a preacher is not given his honor, when his tithe is not paid properly, when he receives a false half-head or other evil money in the confessional, (the accidences are not received fully and properly!) he makes a greater noise about it in the pulpit than if God had been offended by the most enormous vice. In this way one betrays to oneself what a child of the spirit one is, that one thinks more of oneself than of the glory of God. (10) Punishment must flow from the right attitude, that is, from holy anger against sin and heartfelt compassion for the sinner, so that it has no other purpose than to save the sinner.

Marc. 3, 5 we read of the Lord: "He looked on them round about with anger, and was grieved at their hardened hearts." Anger and compassion alternated in the Lord in view of the behavior of the Pharisees and scribes: He felt anger because they did not want to accept the truth and give glory to God, pity because they did not want to recognize him as the Messiah, nor to do mercy and miracles and to let love be practiced. Chemnitz writes: "Concerning the correction or punishment of sins, it is to be noted that it is 1. very necessary because of the ungodliness of life; 2. that it is to be taken from the law; 3. that it is to be emphasized by the gravity of the sin, the certainty of the punishment, and the examp les of Scripture; 4. that it is in proportion to the transgressions, so that the fly does not become an elephant and we do not thunder off like tragedy against lesser transgressions; 5. that it is held in such a way that it is seen to flow from love; for " nothing is stronger than gentleness. 5. That it be administered in such a way that it may be seen to flow from love; for "nothing is stronger than gentleness, nothing more effective than moderation, " as Chrysostom says in Hom. 1 de incompr. Dei nat. and as Ambrose l. 8 writes in Lucam: "Kind punishment is more effective than stormy accusation; the former causes shame, the latter arouses displeasure." 6. that it is based on a true, not a

7. that it is general, for Ambrose rightly says in Ep. 83: "I have named no one; each

one will be judged by his conscience. 8. That it be free from private effects." Osiander says in his Libellus de ratione concionandi, p. 71: "In the whole presentation, one must be careful not to be bitter without cause, but much less poisonous, lest one without necessity embitter the minds of the listeners and alienate oneself. For punishments can be serious and yet free of bitterness; untimely roughness of speech suggests a rough, sullen and unkind disposition. A modest and at the same time serious speech, however, overcomes the listener's heart more quickly. For the listener, who is not yet incorrigible, then sees that the church minister is not being a little strict out of personal passion, but for the sake of his office, and realizes that one has only his salvation in mind. If, however, one must necessarily present something in a harsher form, then one must carefully record in writing in one's disposition the words that one expects to be sensitive, so that one can weigh them up before presenting them, and apart from that, so that no one gives them a wrong interpretation by either adding something to them or breaking them off. For the ecclesiastical minister can thereafter sacredly and nobly affirm that neither more nor less, and no other words than those he has distinguished, have passed his lips."

Finally Luther writes: "There are many anxious and hot-tempered preachers who learn and are hot-tempered, and want to get through with their heads; they do not know that it is another thing to plant and water, and another thing to prosper, 1 Cor. 3:6, 7. As soon as they have said it, they want it to be done; they do not so much want to be heard because they speak God's word as because they speak the word; they want the instrument to be praised more than the one whose word they preach purely, without all their request. Of the same are these also a piece, who with choice and well -considered words pretend to themselves, now to prick and bite these, now to bite those, and soon to convert; since it is then by the wondrous counsel of God that they accomplish and create nothing less than the very thing they thought. For man by nature feels that the word has been cunningly prepared against him and upon him, and that it is tainted with human dung, as Ezekiel 4:12 says, i.e., tainted with human evil desires and inclinations; therefore he has a disgust and horror for it, and is rather embittered than that he should be converted. But then man is moved more, He wants the word to be preached freely and righteously among the multitudes in the congregation, and to touch and affect those whom the preacher himself does not know or know; as we have read many examples of this from time to time.... Therefore we should put away this foolish confidence, as if we wanted to work something in the hearers through the word, but we should rather make an effort in prayer that God alone, without us, makes his word powerful and active in the hearers, which word he speaks in and through the preacher and teacher".

§ 8

In the preaching of the divine word, the preacher must always keep in mind that the exhortation is to be addressed only to the faithful, must be thoroughly evangelical, and must have the purpose of encouraging the faithful in faith and walk.

Note 1

The exhortation has to do only with believers or the born -again, because every exhortation is nothing but an encouragement to do good works. As little good fruit can be expected from a rotten tree, grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles, so little good works can be expected from natural men, and the fruits of spiritual life from those who are in spiritual death. Rather, these must first be terrified by the thunder of Sinai and raised from their death by the gospel; they must first receive new powers in the new birth, which they can use in sanctification for the service of God. If the exhortation is addressed without distinction to believers and unbelievers, the latter are easily led into the delusion that they themselves are able to help themselves out of their own natural powers; they begin to wrap themselves in their pretended virtues and think that they are converted, that there is no need for them, while they still lie in their death and ruin. Such people, as the example of the Pharisees shows, are further away from the kingdom of God than before, and they are not brought to it by such wrong preaching, but only driven further and further away. In the 7th sermon on the epistle of the 1st Sunday of Adv. (Rom. 13, 11 -14) Luther says among other things: "The apostle now speaks to those who know what is right or wrong, therefore he drives and pushes them away.

He spurs them on to continue in this teaching and bring it into life, so that we do not think that we now know everything and that it is enough that we know it, and do not follow it with our lives. But if a man know what he ought to do, and what he ought not to do, there is further need of the other part of the sermon, which is exhortation, that he may become lazy and easy. (B. 18, P. 146.) The admonition naturally follows the punishment. For it is in the nature of things that one must first admonish from evil before one can admonish to good. The more the old man decreases, the more the new man can grow and increase. The more the Christian purifies himself from all defilement of spirit and flesh, the more he can complete his sanctification in the fear of God. Thus Paul also exhorts Ephes. 4 and Col. 3, 8 ff. first to put off the old man and then to put on the new man, first to put off lies and then to speak the truth. The turning away from evil must necessarily precede the doing of good. This does not mean, of course, that the preacher cannot now and then pass from exhortation to punishment. If, for example, he had exhorted spiritual vigilance, he could address the unbelievers in such a way that he called out to them: "But how long will you remain in your security, lying in such a deep sleep of sin that nothing seems to be able to wake you up from it?

Note 2

The exhortation must be a thoroughly evangelical one, and it is so when it takes its arguments not from the law but from the gospel, does not demand and command according to the law, does not threaten with God's wrath, disfavor, curse and condemnation, but tempts and entices with God's mercy, love, etc. The exhortation must be evangelical. Paul addresses an evangelical exhortation to the Christians in Rome in the words Cap. 12, 1: "I exhort you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies for sacrifice," etc. It is true that the law must not be completely ignored, for it is the norm and guideline of sanctification; but the law never provides the strength for sanctification. This is done and can only be done by the saving grace of God, which appeared in Christ and which disciplines us (παιδεύουσα ημάς = instruct us as one instructs children). The gospel alone gives the powers to strip off the old man with his works, to love God and neighbor, makes capable and joyful of good works; it presents to us the love of God, which he has demonstrated in the giving of his Son, and this love inflames us to love in return. Love, however, is the fulfillment of the law. Luther writes about this in Rom. 12, 1: "I admonish you to you, dear brethren." He does not say, "I command you," for he preaches to those who are already Christians and devout through faith in the new man, who are not to be compelled by commandments, but are to be exhorted to do willingly what is to be done with the sinful old man. For he that will not do it willingly, by friendly exhortation alone, is no Christian: and he that enforces it with laws from the unwilling, is already no Christian preacher nor governor, but a worldly cane-master. "By the mercy of God." A preacher of grace entices and provokes with demonstr ated divine goodness and mercy, because he does not like unwilling works and unpleasant service; he wants to have joyful and pleasurable service from God. Whoever then does not allow himself to be tempted and enticed by such sweet and lovely words of God's mercy, so abundantly given and bestowed upon us in Christ, that he may also do so with joy and love, in honor of God and for the good of his neighbor, is nothing and everything about him is lost. How can a man become soft and cheerful with laws and penalt ies who does not melt and fray before such a fire of heavenly love and grace? It is not man's mercy, but God's mercy that is given to us, and which St. Paul wants us to consider, to stir us up and move us."

Whoever does not observe this order, but stands in a legal way, like a commandant in the pulpit: This you shall, this you must do, raises hypocrites who cover their evil hearts with the makeup of an outward respectability, but remain far removed from the life that is of God. "If, for example," says Rambach, "one made the very ugliest description of miserliness, it would not make so much impression on a miser as if one assured him that God, as a dear and merciful Father, cares for him, and makes all his circumstances his concern and command. But you cannot say this to a miser unless you first awaken him to faith in God. What better means to make a man chaste and virtuous than when one can say to him with good reason: Will you leave your members, which are Christ's members, to the unclean spirit, that he may make them whores' members! These evangelical arguments are often found in the epistles of the apostles, since they support even the meanest duties of servants and maids with evangelical reasons, which one then has to reasonably imagine as a pattern in the paedeutic use."

Just as the arguments of the exhortation must be taken from the Gospel, so must the whole outward manner in which it is given correspond to the Gospel. It must not be done in a legally strict commanding tone, but must show the effect of fatherly love. Just look at the way in which Paul admonishes and punishes the Galatians. His s everity is always tempered by fatherly love, e.g. when he exclaims Cap. 4, 19: "My beloved children, whom I bear again with fears until Christ takes form in you. Luther aptly remarks on these words: "The fact that he has used so many sweet words up to now and now still calls them his little children, whom he once again bears as a mother with fears, is all due to the fact that he wanted to satisfy the Galatians and soften their hearts so that they, as before, would take care of everything good for him and receive his punishment in the best way. Therefore, the exhortations take the form of friendly reminders, as Paul exhorts in 1 Corinthians 15:1: "But I remind you, brethren, of the gospel which I preached unto you," etc.; or in the form of advice (Revelation 3:18) to do what is necessary, while at the same time indicating the means to be used in order to achieve the purpose; or in the form of requests addressed to the listeners to consider God's glory and the salvation of their souls. Thus Paul when he writes 2 Corinthians 5:20, "We therefore pray in Christ's stead: Be reconciled to God", cf. Jer. 3, 12; or finally also in the form of the question, in which the listeners are asked to give reasons, to make the judgment etc.. This form is used by the Lord God Himself Ezk. 33, 11: "As surely as I live, says the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked... convert yourselves now; why will you die, you of the house of Israel?" Just this form is a very suitable one, in that the listeners are prompted to make an unpartheistic statement themselves, whether they should comply with the admonition or not. Cf. Gal. 3:1 - Whatever form the exhortation may take, always keep in mind Luther's words: "Whoever wants to provoke, awaken, comfort and admonish someone must reproach him with a moving cause, namely how great need, how useful, how praiseworthy and how honest it is. Again, how harmful and shameful it is, if one does not do it. So this epistle (on St.

John's Day) also does, showing much benefit and honor to those who fear God and love righteousness." (B. 7, P. 225.) Dr. Walther, op. cit. p. 86, writes that the admonition must not be a legal one: "Although the greatest defect of a sermon is when God's Word is not used primarily for teaching, it lacks not a secondary matter, but an essential part, if God's Word is not also used in it "for chastening in righteousness" or for that education which takes place through exhortation. Even most Christians, since they all still have a good part of the flesh in them, are not Christians, are of such a nature that even the most splendid and richest doctrinal sermons largely pass them by without a trace if the preacher does not continuously combine teaching with exhortation, not only showing the right use, but also trying to stimulate them in the most agile way. Again, however, all true Christians are of such a nature that with an urgent exhortation, so to speak, everything can be done with them. For this very reason, so many preachers do so little with the ir Christians when they want to induce them to good works or to dissuade them from unrighteousness, that instead of exhorting, they demand, command, threaten and punish. They do not realize what a powerful weapon they have and do not use. Righteous Christi ans, though afflicted with many infirmities, do not want to reject God's word; they want to live for him who died for them; they no longer want to serve sin, the world and the devil, but rather want to be completely renewed in the image of their God; there fore, when they hear the voice of their gracious God in the exhorting preacher, they will not and cannot oppose it.

Note 3

Finally, the exhortations, if they are to achieve their purpose, must not lack the right caution and prudence on the part of the preacher. First of all, the necessary duties of Christianity are to be wisely distinguished from the mean things. The latter, because necessary, are to be inculcated with great earnestness, but the latter, because indifferent, are not. Thus, kneeling at prayer, at Holy Communion, bowing the head at the mention of the name of Jesus, etc., must not be insisted upon with great zeal, but only reminded of how outward humble demonstration also flows from the humility of the heart; but it would be very wrong, pietistically, to make kneeling at prayer, for example, an essential part of it.

On the other hand, however, such things must not be treated as middle things either, which they are not at all. Dancing, playing cards, going to the theater, etc. are certainly sinful things that cannot be done in the name of Jesus and must therefore be avoided by Christians. But it could only do harm if the preacher would only rant and rail against these and similar things; rather, he must show why they cannot possibly be compatible with Christianity. Furthermore, the general duties are to be distinguished from the special duties, i.e. those which are incumbent on all Christians without distinction, from those which only certain persons have to fulfill, the professional duties. The former must The latter, where the opportunity presents itself or necessity demands it.

Finally, a distinction must be made between the beginnings of faith and godliness and the growth or higher stages of the same. The beginnings of faith and godliness are found in all the born- again and can therefore be demanded of all without distinction, b ut not the higher stages. If these are also demanded of the beginners, the weak and the infirm, this means denying them faith, beating them down and driving them into despair. Thus, to be patient in suffering belongs to the beginnings, but to rejoice in suffering belongs to further progress in godliness, which not all Christians attain. Whoever would exhort to joy in suffering, as if without it no one could have true faith, would put down many a weak and timid, but sincere and honest Christian, who is earne stly striving for godliness, instead of lifting them up and encouraging them. Beginners and young preachers are especially guilty of this. Of course, only a true believer who has become aware of his own weaknesses in trials and tribulations will be able to do the right thing in these and similar matters.

§ 6

The paraclete use of the divine word has the purpose of either maintaining, or if disturbed, restoring the peace of heart in the believers.

Note 1

When Isaiah Cap. 40, 1 he calls out to his people: "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God," he says which people should be comforted, namely the people of God. And this needs comforting, because it is always challenged by the devil, opposed by the world, hated, persecuted. This people, or the true believers, because they are always oppressed and trampled underfoot, must always be raised up again, because they are always in distress and anguish. In the word "My people," says Luther to the just mentioned exclamation of the prophet, "there is an emphasis, that he does not say: the same people, which is called a people according to flesh and blood and according to the law, but those who are oppressed and killed by the feeling of conscience and the temptation of despair: these are God's people. For he is a God of the afflicted and the humble, when he says, "Call upon me in trouble, and I will save you. For this word "comforts" does not belong to those who are deprived of all comfort and are in need of comfort, but to those who are alive.

vessel that is capable of grace." In another place Luther says: "God raises up no one, neither strengthens nor comforts anyone, but only those who are almost stunned, who are now to die, with whom it is quite lost. For the word of life and salvation belongs to those who are in fear and despair, to whom it is rightly said: You fear, and your conscience torments you, the devil with his sting, and the flesh also afflicts you; be of good cheer, do not despair, God is not angry with you (II, 2584). Dr. Walther: "When the apostle Rom. 15, 4 writes: "But the things which were written before were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope, " it finally follows from this that, just as the use of the Word of God for teaching is the foundation, the use of it for comfort and hope must be the constant goal of all preaching. The true Christian is not a person who revels in such undisturbed blissful peace and joy, as he is unfortunately(!) all too often portrayed quite untrue in sermons of inexperienced or enthusiastic preachers. Rather, every true Christian must enter the kingdom of God through many inner and outer tribulations. He finds himself more often in states of desolation than of serene certainty. Therefore, a servant of Christ and a shepherd of his sheep administers his ministry very badly if the Christian, who so often rushes to church with a weighed-down and troubled heart, does not find there the comfort of which he is so much in need and for which he so much desires. They must not only contain consolation against fear of sin and distress of conscience, but also against all kinds of misery of this life. A preacher must not think that every true Christian must be so spiritually, so heavenly minded and strong that he is insensitive to earthly hardship and does not need any special consolation. Rather, a preacher must have a fatherly, even a motherly heart toward his listeners (1 Cor. 4:15; 1 Thess. 2:7; cf. Is. 60:13) and therefore not measure the causes of all kin ds of worries and troubles according to what they are in themselves, but according to what they are for the weak Christians entrusted to him. He must consider that nothing is more dangerous to the Christian than worldly sadness and gloom, and that therefor e Satan, this spirit of sorrow, continually seeks to plunge and sink Christians into it; that, on the other hand, comfort is the main means of making Christians willing to run zealously in sanctification, in all good works; as David says, "If thou comfort my heart, I will run in the way of thy commandments," Ps. 119:32. A Protestant preacher must not be deterred from giving abundant comfort even by the fact that he sees so many infirmities in his Christians.

He does not heal these infirmities by legal action, but (although he must not lack the demands and threats of the law) above all by true evangelical consolation. Just look at how Christ deals with his infirm disciples and how the prophets and apostles deal with their infirm but sincere listeners. They may at times attack them harshly, but the predominant way in which they treat them is with kindly suasion and consolation. After all, the whole Gospel is nothing but a cheerful message, a great sermon of comfort in all its parts."

Note 2

In a calm heart and conscience dwell peace, confidence, hope and joy, in a restless one fear, sadness, doubt, hopelessness or despair. These are to be preserved and increased, these to be lifted, or at least alleviated; this is the purpose for which comfort is to be given from the word of God. The evils that disturb the peace of the heart, cause sadness, etc., are either external, such as the loss of earthly goods, poverty, illness, or internal, such as all temptations, whether they come from the devil, the world, or from one's own flesh. In these temptations the believers are to be comforted in the right way. F or this, first of all, a sufficient knowledge of the sufferings and temptations which the children of God encounter is necessary, and this knowledge cannot be obtained from books, but only through living experience. Therefore, only the truly faithful pasto r can comfort rightly. It is then necessary to describe the challenged person and the challenge briefly and accurately, like a competent and experienced physician describes the symptoms of a disease;

in this way the preacher wins the confidence of the chal lenged person, because he realizes that he knows his condition and may hope that he will also be able to give him the right comfort and instruction. The unbeliever, on the other hand, recognizes from the description of the challenge that he must not approp riate the comfort that is given for it. "If one," says Rambach, "omits this description of the subject (of the challenged), one does great harm. One then casts the pearl before the swine and puts a healing plaster on a stinking wound that has not yet been cleansed and strengthens the wicked in their malice. For example, if one were to say in general: "Beloved, if Satan wants to make you doubt your blessedness, if he wants to persuade you that you are not yet children of God and have no faith, do not believe this deceiver, refer him to your baptism, ask him if Christ did not die for you?

Some are induced to stifle the wholesome convictions of the Holy Spirit, since he wants to convince them of their unconverted state, and to treat them as whispers of the devil". - Furthermore, it must often be pointed out that only the true Christian is a cross-bearer and therefore needs comfort alone. The preacher must be careful not to refer to all sufferings and misfortunes as a cross and to those who are affected by them as cross-bearers. Cross' in the proper sense of the word is only suffering for the sake of Christ, faith, and confession; in the broader sense, suffering which the Christian bears in faith and patience with surrender to God's will. The suffering of the wicked is not a 'cross' but a well -deserved punishment of their sins. If a drunkard has to bear the consequences of his drinking, a voluptuary the consequences of his lust and fornication, a thief and swindler the consequences of his theft and fraud, it would be very wrong and dangerous to treat such people as cross -bearers. Such people should rather be told that they have incurred their sufferings through their shameful lives, that they will be punished for what they have sinned; they should be exhorted to repentance and told that God still wants to bring them to their senses through these visitations. "Concilia must be given to them first, not solatia immediately," says Rambach. If they accept this advice, if they repent righteously by God's grace, then it is time to open the springs of consolation.

The most difficult to comfort are those who are in inner turmoil, but it is precisely these who need comfort first and most. One should show them heartfelt compassion and mercy, show them that one would like to advise and help them, respond to their condition and then bring them the right comfort. This comfort is not offered by human reason and wisdom, but only by the word of him who is a God of comfort, Romans 15:5. (2) Similarly, the examples of the saints who were subjected to the same sufferings and were finally saved by God. 3. sayings about the mercy of God, about the benefits of Christ, about the joy of eternal life, etc. Nicely writes Bernhard de Convers. Cap. 30: "The sufferings of this time are not worth the former guilt that is forgiven, the present grace of comfort that is given, and th e future glory that is promised. (4) The causes for which the pious are subjected to the cross in this life, if rightly and frequently set forth, afford an exceedingly rich material for consolation. (5) The comparison between the inward good things bestowed upon us by divine goodness and the outward evils we endure greatly strengthens patience. (6) How in Christ all the rules of true godliness are observed.

If they are not, then there is also sufficient remedy in it against all kinds of ills to bear them patiently. Bernhard writes Cap. 4 super ego vitis, col. 1602: "It is not fitting that a limb should be soft under the head crowned with thorns." In order for those who are challenged to accept the consolation offered to them and for it to stick with them, it is not uncommon that the scruples they feel and the objections they make must first be rem oved. These scruples and objections are often very numerous and of their own kind. For the latter reason, the sermon must be more general in its treatment of them and must be done with caution, for too specific a description can easily cause the same scrup les in others who are weak and challenged. Any special treatment of the afflicted is not the task of preaching, but of private pastoral care. It is often advisable to show the afflicted how they should behave, what they should read, that they should not bury themselves in solitude, but should seek out Christian company, occupy themselves appropriately, disperse, etc.

Another abuse must be pointed out here, which is so often done with consolation, namely by the beatitudes in funeral sermons. How many preachers praise all the deceased, even whores and boys! Others, who are more cautious and conscientious in this, think that they have to ascribe beatitude to those who, shortly before their death, had them called, confessed and had Holy Communion administered to them. In this way, great harm is only too often done. This beatitude may happen in such isolated cases, in which the deceased were either known as sincere, serious Christians, or the same in a previous life in unbelief and contempt of the word of God, like that thief, still came to true repentance on their deathbed, have been plucked out of the fire like fires, in ge neral one has every reason to be sparing and careful with these beatitudes, because the hearers of such funeral speeches, which are mostly very mixed here, are only too easily strengthened in their impenitence and security and thus comforted into hell. Rambach's words: "Yes, it does not even remain so" (namely, with the simple beatitude), "but one even distributes the grace of the future glory among those who have not shown any sign of virtue in their whole life, by calling some blessed, others blessed, others highly blessed and most blessed, as it were, as if the grace of the future glory were distributed according to the fee of status and according to which the funeral sermons are paid", still find justified application today. We remember a case in which a Lutheran pastor beatified a man in his funeral sermon who had never cared for Word and Sacrament in his life. The Because the deceased had been rich and had belonged to the higher society, the corpse entourage usually consisted of so-called "educated people" who were also distant from the church, and they mocked the beatitude of the deceased after the funeral sermon, saying that it was quite easy to become blessed if it happened as the pastor had said, because then one would not need the church and the sermon, and so on. Often the relatives of the deceased do not need consolation but rather teaching and admonition. Cf. Walther, Pastorale, p. 309.

§ 10

The best way to apply a practical matter is to base it on an examination of conscience. This examination generally consists of an exploration and awakening of the conscience, which can be done in various ways by an intelligent preacher.

Annotation

If a sermon deals with a practical matter (cf. § 1, Note 2, p. 278), e.g., regeneration, enlightenment, self -denial, following Christ, etc., the application can most easily be done by means of an examination of conscience. This examination of conscience consists, as stated in the paragraph, in an exploration and awakening of the conscience, by penetrating into the conscience with the word of God and causing it to perform its office. For the conscience is the inner witness and judge, which gives every man the best testimony about his actual condition. Therefore, if the conscience is enlightened and awakened with the divine word, it will pas s an impartial judgment on the questions presented.

The necessity of such an examination of conscience arises first of all from the purpose of the sermon and the entire ministry of preaching. This purpose is to instruct the mind, to move the will, to chang e the heart, in other words, either to bring the listeners to faith or to promote sanctification in those who have faith. For this, an examination of the conscience is necessary. For how can an unconverted man be led to repentance if he does not learn to k now his corrupt state; but how can he learn to know it if he does not examine it according to the divine law? Furthermore, how can a believing Christian be led to sanctification if he does not recognize his shortcomings and infirmities from the Word of God and come to this knowledge through thorough and sincere examination? The Christian must continually look at himself in the mirror of the divine law, and in the end this mirror must be held up to him again and again.

The need for the examination of conscience also arises from the general inertia of the listeners. Secondly, the nece ssity of the examination of conscience also results from the general sluggishness of the listeners to apply the word of God they have heard to themselves. In part, they are as afraid of self-examination as a thief who has stolen goods in his house is of a police search; in part, they are convinced that they are certainly good Christians because they were born and baptized in the Christian church and therefore do not need repentance. But if they are forced to a serious, sincere self -examination, as the apost le demands in 2 Corinthians 13:5, in which the criteria of the state of grace are held up to them in the clearest possible way, the secure are shaken out of their peace and security, they must admit to themselves that they are still in an unconverted state, and some are thereby shot into the heart with arrows that they try in vain to pull out. They are put into the liveliest restlessness, come to knowledge, to faith. The born-again, on the other hand, become all the more certain of their state of grace and sonship through such a test, because if their heart does not condemn them, they have a joyfulness toward God, 1 John 3:21, or they realize through it how much they still lack, recognize more and more their weaknesses and are thus spurred on again and again to new zeal in sanctification. - Thirdly, the necessity of this test results from the highly necessary and abundant fruit that it produces. For just as sure sinners are disturbed in the sleep of their security when the torch of the divine word is shone even into the most hidden corner of their hearts, and must confess that they are not yet in the state of grace; just as the born-again are thereby fortified in the certainty of their state of grace, so such an examination of conscience also proves very salutary for the preacher himself, for through it he is compelled always to pay careful attention to his own condition. For since he is to be an example to the herd, he cannot spare himself without the most atrocious hypocrisy when he places the consciences of his hearers before the judgment seat of God. Unbelieving pastors are therefore only too willing to omit this examination, because in the course of it, if they have not already become devoid of all feeling, they are troubled by all kinds of remorse.

The form, or manner, in which this examination occurs may be different. The preacher can speak in the first person of the plural, so that he includes himself; e.g.: "When we examine ourselves, must we not confess that we have been sluggish in sanctification and a re still far from the goal to which we aspire?" Or: "How is it now, beloved, in our hearts? How many are there among us who deny their own honor and seek to promote only the glory of God in all their actions? Have we a living sense of our own unworthiness?" - But caution must be used with this form. For if, for example, the preacher had spoken a bout grave sins against the seventh commandment and punished them with all seriousness, and then wanted to continue: 'Let us examine ourselves conscientiously, then we will all have to confess that we have stolen and made ourselves guilty of gross fraud, brought other people's property into our possession,' etc., this would be most unwise, since it would have to lead the listeners to think as if the preacher himself had been guilty of grossly violating the seventh commandment.

It may further be spoken in the second person singular or plural; e.g.: 'Examine yourself, my hearer: does your condition correspond to the requirements of the word of God as you have now heard them'; or: 'Examine now, beloved, your conscience, inspect it in the infallible mirror of the law of God, that you may recognize your true form in the same'. Finally, in the way that the listener or listeners themselves are introduced speaking. (Prosopopoeia.) E.g.: "Ask yourself: "How is it with me, how is it with my faith? Is it an effect of the Holy Spirit or only a vain delusion? Is it dead or alive, idle o r active?" or: "Do not, you transgressors, such thoughts arise in your hearts: "Ah, our condition is a very precarious one.

Are only the children of God who are driven by His Spirit, by what right could we count ourselves among them?" Finally, some examples of right examination of conscience from the casual sermons of Dr. Walther may find a place here. After it has been demonstrated that a man can recognize that he is a temple of the Holy Spirit when the same dwells in him, he is called upon to examine his conscience with the following words: "So test yourselves, my dears. There is probably no one among us who considers it to be a mere enthusiasm and spiritual hope when someone says that he has experienced the effects of the Holy Spirit on his soul; but I ask you: Has the Holy Spirit not only worked on you many times, but has he also moved into your heart as into his dwelling house? If you say, "Yes, my body and soul have become a temple of the Holy Spirit," then let me show you, secondly, that this can also be seen from the fact that you no longer live and serve yourself, but God."

And after Walther has stated the second characteristic, namely that such a man no longer lives and serves himself but God, he proceeds again to the test by continuing: "So I ask you, dear ones: Who do you live and serve, not only on Sundays, but every day of the week? Do you live and serve only yourselves, your temporal benefits, your bread- making, or even mammon, seeking to be rich, or the lust of your flesh in food or dri nk, or the vanity of this world? Then you have profaned the temple of God of your body, which was erected at your baptism, and have made it either an earthly storehouse or a worldly pleasure house, or a proud castle of your own honor. Only if you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, only then will your body and soul be a temple of God and the Holy Spirit. O then come and throw yourselves with me on your knees, confess to God your remaining sins, and hereupon hear the comforting word of absolution."

A confessional speech on Klagt. Jer. 3, 40 (Let us search and seek our being) Walther concludes with the following test: "Now, my beloved ones, let me finally ask you: Have you already come to the most necessary science, to the knowledge of yoursel ves? Have you already looked into the mirror of the Word of God to know the depths of your corrupt heart? Have you really realized that you are poor, lost sinners? - If this has not yet happened, you are in a sad state; then what do you want at the table of the Lord? Then first fall on your knees and cry out, "Lord, put ointment on my eyes so that I may see. Show me thy ways, and teach me thy paths.

But if you have already known yourselves from God's word, you will have heard in that same word how you are to be saved, namely, by believing in him who bore the sin of all the world, in Jesus Christ; o look then to this Lamb of God, slain for the sins of the world; on this trust with all your heart, and you will no longer be sinners before God, but righteous before him, your sins forgiven. But you, who already know this and believe with a confident heart, do not cease to look at yourselves daily in the mirror of God's word, seek to recognize your ruin ever more deeply: in this way you will also come to know ever better the abundant riches of God's grace. Never let the account of your life stand a day in arrears, but also cross out all your debts with the blood of your Reconciler. As painful as it is, let all your sins be opened daily, the more pleasant will be the balm of the gospel.

All of you, then, write the word of the prophet deep in your hearts and consciences: 'Let us search and seek our being!' Amen."

§ 11

In particular, in the examination of conscience, the markers must be indicated to the hearers and applied to them, by which they will know how they stand with respect to the subject matter treated in the sermon.

Annotation

The listeners are to form a judgment on the basis of these characteristics, and in fact, as far as the preacher is concerned, they must form a judgment as to what their condition is with regard to the subject matter dealt with in the sermon, whether they know themselves to be free from sins and vices, and whether they find the virtues in themselves or not. But these marks must be essential, that is, they must flow from the essence of the thing in question, be inseparably connected with it, and be found in all persons without distinction of rank and profession, age and sex. If, for example, true repentance is spoken of in the sermon, what is the essential, unmistakable characteristic of it? Answer: sincere hatred of sin, and indeed of every sin, be it what it may. This is a characteristic taken from the innermost nature and nature of repentance; for man by nature loves sin. If he now hates it, a great change of mind (ματάνοια) must have taken place with him, since he has passed from loving sin to hating it. Now this hatred itself could not be of a right kind and therefore a deceptive characteristic. In order to be sure about this, one must first pay attention to the causes from which the hatred arose. If it arises from love for God, it is a work of grace and of a right kind. The Christian hates sin because God is offended by it, because it has caused Christ so much shame and suffering, and because the Holy Spirit is grieved by it. But if sin is hated only because it brings such evil consequences, bringing shame and disgrace to the one who commits it, then the hatred is a work of nature and not a mark of true repentance; it is not really a hatred of sin itself, but of the consequences of sin. Or else sin is hated because it is repugnant to another, a "lap sin. Thus, a miser hates hopefulness and wastefulness bec ause these vices are incompatible with miserliness. Furthermore, if one wants to examine the love that some people have for the faithful to see if it is of the right kind, then one must search for the source or the causes of this love. For a Christian can be loved because of his loving and peaceable disposition, because of the reputation he has with others, or because of the benefits he brings, etc. This love can even be an arrogant man. Even an arch-villain and hypocrite can have this love for a Christian.

It is quite different when the Christian, as a Christian, of the image of Christ, loves the image of Christ. is loved because of the grace that is in him. This love, however, is an undoubted mark of the new birth, for John writes in his 1 Ep. 3:14: "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren." Then one has to pay attention to the necessary effects, if one wants to check the characteristics with regard to their infallibility. He who sincerely hates sin itself also flees it and every opportunity for it. For what one hates, what one inwardly detest s, one does not seek fellowship with, but avoids. One regards sin as a dangerous enemy and flees it. Thus, love for God's children is recognized as a righteous one when one is in intimate fellowship with them, gladly assists and serves them with everything, prays heartily for them, etc. These are necessary effects of love. These are necessary effects of true repentance and love. Finally, these characteristics must also have the necessary qualities. One such necessary quality of the hatred of sin is that it is general, that is, that it arms itself against all and every sin, whatever it may be. For example, a sanguine hates not only avarice but also lust, a choleric not only prodigality but also arrogance and anger, a melancholic not only lust but also avarice. An unmistakable sign that someone is inspired by true love for the faithful, and is thus in a state of grace, is when he loves all the faithful, not only the rich but also the poor, those who are no less despised in the world than those who are held in high honor and esteem. Concerning the means of acquiring a more precise knowledge of such characteristics, Rambach writes:

a) One can get advice from books, among which the Bible stands at the top. Among the biblical books, the Proverbs of Solomon from the Old Testament belong here in particular, in which the characteristics of the wise and foolish are contained most clearly. Among the books of the New Testa ment, however, the first epistle of John belongs here, which is quite full of such criteria, according to which one can test his spiritual condition. b) In addition, there must be a living experience in which one learns to distinguish rightly between nature and grace. In this school alone one is made capable of setting the right marks by which one can test both his inward inclinations and his outward actions, whether they are of God or not? and whether they are sinful before God or not?

c) To this must be added an exact note of the condition of the listeners, which can be acquired through other contact with them. For then one can say to them: "Behold, I find this and that in you; can you not conclude from this that your condition is not so suited to Christianity? By no means may these marks be taken from accidental circumstances that do not belong to the essence of the matter. It would be very wrong, for example, to describe tears as an unmistakable sign of true repentance. For on the one hand there are many truly penitent people who can weep only with great difficulty or not at all, and on the other hand there are many impenitent people, e.g. drunkards and immoral people, who shed copious tears very easily. Thus, if tears were to be regarded as such a characteristic, they would be made uncertain of their state of grace, just as t hese would be made more certain of their impenitence. Nor can the following be considered such characteristics: special fervor in prayer, joyfulness in suffering and misfortune, desire for martyrdom, willingness to lay down one's life for the brethren. These are quite heroic qualities, which are rarely found in young and weak Christians.

These marks for the examination of conscience must at last be clear, certain, and few in number. Only clear signs should be given, if possible. The sign must always be clearer than the signified; at least one must be aware of the sign rather than the signified, or of the thing itself which one wants to recognize through it. For example, the sign of regeneration is true love for the children of God, as John writes in his 1st Ep. Cap. 5, 1: "He that loveth him that bare him loveth him also that is born of him." This is a clear characteristic, for every Christian is more conscious of whether he loves the brethren, 'than whether he is born of God. But if fellowship with God were stated as a mark of regeneration, it would be a sign darker than the thing itself which is to be known.

The signs must then be certain and unmistakable, so that they are found in all believers without distinction of class, time, etc. For example, hatred of sin and the desire to please God are two signs that are found in all believers in and out of temptation, thus testifying that their faith is certainly sincere. On the other hand, sadness over sin to the point of despair would be an uncertain and deceptive mark of repentance, because God does not give all such a measure of sadness. Yes, what Christian would not often have to complain that his sorrow over sin, his repentance is not as great, as deep as it should be! It goes without saying that only a few marks should be given. If too many are given, the examination of conscience is prevented rather than achieved, because the listeners can neither remember the number of signs nor examine themselves according to them. However, it is well to give more than one sign, because with one listener this one, with another another one is more suitable and appropriate.

As evidence of the above, the following two examples of the indication and application of the marks for the examination of conscience are taken from Dr. Walther's "Casual Sermons." "In our text we are given two characteristics, namely, that we partake of the spiritual supper with Christ, and he with us. So when Christ comes into the heart, he first feeds the soul with spiritual food, with the manna of the divine word, with himself, which is the bread of life that comes from heaven, with his comfort and peace; he gives it a foretaste of the heavenly wedding in the kingdom of God, which Christ has prepared for his bride; he lets it see and taste how kind he is. But this characteristic is not always so vivid in Christians. Especially the most faithful hosts of their Savior are often afflicted in this time of preparation with great anxiety, restlessness and distress of soul; Christ often refreshes them in the innermost depths of their heart with his water of life; but outwardly and according to the feeling he feeds them, as it is said in the 80th Psalm, with bread of tears and waters them with great measure full of tears, so that they often exclaim in weak faith: "The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me!" Or, as it is said in the Song of Songs, "When I had opened the door to my friend, he was gone and gone away. I sought him, but found him not; I called, but he answered me not." Of this not uncommon pain of the soul of a true Christian the world knows, an unbeliever knows nothing.

But in our text it is also said that if Christ has entered the heart, then not only does Christ partake of the Lord's Supper with the believing soul, but the soul also partakes of the Lord's Supper with Christ. But how does a Christian prepare a suppe r for his Jesus, so that he may enjoy it? What sacrifice can a poor man bring to Him from whom he has everything? - Jesus' love is so great that he wants to consider as a gift, as a meal prepared for him, what we let him do in us. This is the incense of prayer, the love for him and for his words, the hatred of sin and the denial of the world, the love for the brothers and the following of Jesus Christ.

It is a good sign when we pray diligently, "Lord, abide with us, for it will be evening, and the day has c ome on"; then He will also gladly abide with us and, as with the Emauntian disciples, keep the Lord's Supper with us. It is a good sign when we Love Christ and keep his word, for he says: "He who loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him. It is a good sign who hates sin, for it is said, "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. What fellowship has light with darkness, righteousness with unrighteousness, Christ with Belial?" It is a good mark who loves his brethren, "for by this," saith Christ, "shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. And whosoever loveth him that begat him loveth him also that is born of him." It is a good mark wh en we deny the world, for John says, "Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and our faith is the victory that overcometh the world." At last, it is a good sign when one is eager to follow Christ, for "Christ has left us an example, that we should follow in his footsteps." "Learn from me," he says, "for I am meek and lowly in heart. Whoever wants to be my disciple, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." Now, beloved souls! I mean especially you who want to come to the Lord's table today:

Have you experienced Christ's knocking through Word and Sacrament? Have you already opened your doors to him? Has he come to you? Does he therefore now have spiritual supper with you daily, and you with him? Do you bear the marks of Christ's i ndwelling? Is your daily prayer fervent? your love for Christ and his word hearty, your hatred of all sin earnest, your denial of the world sincere, your love for the brethren undimmed, your following of Jesus Christ persevering?" - "But who are truly converted? According to our text, these are those who are converted "to the shepherd and bishop" of their "souls. Behold, everything depends not only on how one is converted, but also on whom one is converted to. Converted Christians are therefore not those who no longer have any sin at all, but on the contrary, those who know and experience and admit to God daily that they are great sinners, but who have the Savior as their shepherd precisely because they find God's grace and forgiveness of all their s ins in Him. Nor are they only those who have great knowledge, but all those who have recognized the Lord Jesus as their Savior; as it is said in that song, "Oh, if I only know and know Jesus rightly, then I have the perfect prize of wisdom." Nor are they only those who have a great, strong, heroic faith, but all those who even think of rely with the weakest faith on Jesus, the bishop or overseer of their souls. They are those who in heavenly matters listen neither to the voice of the wise men of this world, nor to the voice of their reason, but only to the voice of Jesus, their good Shepherd; as the Lord expressly says:

"My sheep hear my voice, but they do not follow a stranger, but flee from him; for they do not know the voice of strangers." They are therefore those who, though they walk with Christ on the path of suffering, enjoy a peace which t he world cannot give, and which makes them blessed even here. So I ask you: "Can it also be said of you what Peter writes in our text to his former listeners: "You were like sheep going astray, but now you have been converted to the shepherd and bishop of your souls"? Can you say: Jesus, Jesus, nothing but Jesus Shall be my desire and my goal; Now I'm making an alliance, That I want what Jesus wants; Because my heart, filled with him, Call only: Lord, as you will?

O then only come confidently to the table of the Lord."

§ 12

These marks will penetrate the hearts of the listeners all the more deeply if they are deprived of the prejudices and cut off the excuses and excuses which they often have concerning the matter under discussion.

Annotation

Removing these prejudices in the listeners is often of the greatest importance. They are found in some listeners much more often than is generally believed, and form, as it were, the bars with which the door to the heart is closed. As long as these prejudices are not removed, it is impossible to gain entrance to them. If in a sermon it is said that it is necessary to keep the commandments of God, the thought will immediately arise in this or that person that it is impossible to keep the commandments and therefore useless to talk about this subject. Such thoughts must be eliminated by the preacher by proving to what extent the commandments can be kept by believers and why they must be kept. These prejudices to be removed include:

1. the evasions and excuses t hat are put forward against the matter under discussion.

How soon and with The excuses people have for the preaching of the divine word can be seen in Luc. 14, 16 ff. because most people today are not of a different mind than the one to whom the Lord presented the parable of the great supper. Wherever the Word of God is preached, they come up wi th excuses. If they are exhorted to gentleness and are convinced in the examination of conscience that they are still very far behind in this virtue, they object that they are provoked to anger, that they have no peace before the adversary, and so on. If they are encouraged to be merciful and charitable to the poor, they come up with excuses such as: there are too many poor people, one cannot deprive one's own children of bread and put it in the mouths of strangers, and so on.

(2) The obstacles that stand in the way of the practice of virtue. If we speak of love for one's neighbor, we find the following obstacles: disorderly self-love, in which man seeks only his own benefit, honor, glory, and comfort; the unkindness of others, since some say, 'If others would show love, I would do it too, but among so many unkind people one cannot get away with loving one's neighbor;' and the thought that showing love would bring harm, that one would be reduced to beggary, that one would have to give up everything, et c.; the ingratitude of people for the kindness they have shown.The ingratitude of the people for the good deeds done. These obstacles to virtue are described and treated in detail by Spener in his "Duties of Life".

Practical objections. If the preacher speaks of the blessed death of Christians, that they have a good conscience and therefore can be confident even in death, then objections are raised such as: one can find pious Christians who are afraid of death or who have to fight a hard battle on their deathbed.

4. such passages of the holy scripture which are misused as a cover of sin, especially

those which occur in the text itself, then also those which are common in the treated matter with safe people. Rambach gives in his Explanations on the Inst. Herm eneut. Hiezu the following examples: "If someone follows his corrupt reason in the interpretation of the holy Scriptures in such a way that he accommodates the meaning of the Scriptures to the evil lusts and desires of his flesh. This is undoubtedly a carn al sense, for all false conclusions of the corrupt reason belong to the works of the flesh. As if a man once adopted the defension of the so-called mean things, and asserted that dancing, gambling, comedies are not sins, and then explained the sayings of Scripture in such a way as to agree with his hypothesis. If, for example, a voluptuous dancer finds the place Ecclesiastes 3, 4 "Dancing has its time" is interpreted in such a way that it conforms to his carnal desire to dance, that the meaning is: if one only dances at the right time, e.g. on a wedding anniversary or at other festivities, with people of the opposite sex, then it has nothing to say that this is not a sin, but rather that it is permitted. This is a truly carnal sense that did not occur to Solomon.

Likewise, if a haughty man regards the words of Paul Phil. 2, 15: "Let no one despise you," etc. as a rule of reputation and as a command to immediately throw an injuria lawsuit at the neck of the person who soils his honor in the slightest, or to settle the matter with swords and pistols, and thereby bring satisfaction to his offended honor. This, however, is a rather carnal sense. If a miser uses the words of Christ John 6:12, "Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing perish," to palliate his felt miserliness, this is a carnal sense that did not come into Christ's mind." (Lib. I, Cap. Ill, § 14, p. 299 f.)

5. examples of the saints. Very often the sins and infirmities, which the Scriptures report

of individual believers of the Old and New Testament, are used by safe people to gloss over their sins. Thus, a drunkard refers to the examples of Lot and Noah, a dancer to the dancing of David before the Ark of the Covenant, a mocker to the mockery of Baal's apostles by Elijah, a quarreler to the fact that Paul and Barnabas and the believers in Jerusalem (Apost. 15:7) also quarreled, a liar to the untruthfulness of Abraham to Pharaoh, a deceiver to the deception that Rebecca and Jacob played on Isaac. These are gentle slumbers which the old Adam is so fond of making for himself and which must be snatched away from him. (Cf. Spener's Tractate: Mißbrauch etlicher Sprüche heiliger Schrift.)

§ 13

In order to achieve the purpose of the examination of conscience, it is finally necessary that it be accompanied by a serious warning against sin, an urgent exhortation to do good, an indication of the means by which one can get away from sin and attain to good, and an indication of the obstacles standing in the way.

Note 1

If the listeners have come to the knowledge of their condition, their sins or infirmities through the mentioned signs, the prejudices are taken away from them, the excuses and excuses are cut off. If they have been preached to, they must now also be exhorted to forsake their sins, to strive to get rid of their weaknesses. For the listeners may be convinced of the truth of what the sermon is about, their hearts may be struck, they may be powerfully moved, but this has not yet brought them to the point of real action. If this is to happen, they must be driven to se rious, sincere resolutions, and this can only happen if their will is decisively influenced. For example, it is not at all difficult to convince the miser that avarice is a shameful vice; he may well feel emotion or pity when he sees misery in its naked, e mbodied form, but nevertheless he does nothing to alleviate it, because he cannot part with his mammon. Many vicious people, e.g. drunkards and drunkards, recognize their misery truly and deeply, they repent of their weakness, do penance as it were on comm and, shed the hottest tears, promise improvement and give thanks for the punishment they have received; but when temptation approaches them again, all their good intentions are gone: they immediately fall back into the same sin. Now it is true that the tru e conversion of a sinner is exclusively God's work, but we are His co-workers, or instruments, in this work, and He has given us instruction in His Word as to the manner in which we are to serve. Just look at the 1st epistle of Peter! First of all, this is to be done through the warning, in which the greatness of the evil and the danger is first presented to them in the most emphatic way. It is true that one must be careful not to exaggerate, e.g. to portray the relapse from grace as if it were a sin agains t the Holy Spirit, for which no forgiveness can be hoped; but the greatness of the sin, the ruin into which such a person has plunged, the danger into which he has placed himself, must also be vividly brought home to him, so that he will come to the right understanding and not take his relapse lightly. Then especially such backsliders, who still have a tender conscience and a sense of sin, should be seriously advised against such a vicious and dangerous life, by showing them the sad fruits and consequences of sin, as that the sinner, when his conscience once wakes up, will bitterly regret having served sin, because he took so much trouble to accomplish the will of the evil enemy and yet had no profit from it for his immortal soul; because he missed something better about it, namely, the inestimable grace of God;

because he had thereby only become more deeply entangled in the snares of sin, his heart more and more hardened, and conversion to God more and more difficult. These and similar motives may be used to dissuade a sinner from persisting in sin. On the other hand, for those who have not yet have become quite impudent, but still want to excuse their sins, to present the shamefulness of sin, namely, to show how sin contends against the decency and dignity of man, but especially against the dignity of a Christian man, since it is a stain on a man bought with the blood of Christ and washed clean in holy baptism; against the obligation of holy baptism, according to which "a new man shall come forth daily, and be raised up, and live for ever before God in righteousness and purity"; against divine grace, especially in the works of preservation, redemption, and sanctification, for which we ought to serve him with body and soul, instead of offending and enraging him by sins; against the honor of the divine name, and against the edification of our neighbor, who is vexed by the evil example. If, however, one has to deal with the completely obstinate, they are to be put in fear and terror in the most violent way. The punishments that God has threatened those who are guilty of certain sins must be held up to them, as well as the punitive judgments that have already been passed as a warning example on those who have gone about their sins in a nefarious manner, e.g. on Korah, Saul, the Jews in the destruction of Jerusalem etc.

Note 2

The warning against sin or evil must be followed by an earnest exhortation to do good, which is to be accompanied by all kinds of pedantic arg uments by showing that the performance of good is fitting for the Christian, that it is demanded by God's commandment, His good deeds, His honor; what profit a godly life brings with it in body and spirit, temporally and eternally, 1 Timothy 6, 6 ff. 6, 6 ff; how pleasant, Rom. 5, 1, how necessary, Hebr. 12, 14, and easy, 1. Joh. 5, 3. Furthermore, we let Hüffell speak about this. The latter writes in his work "Wesen und Beruf" etc., 4th ed., Giessen 1843, p. 332 ff: "In order to realize the good in life, t wo things are necessary. The idea of the good in itself and that of the good purpose must work together; man must be convinced that not only that which is demanded of him is good in itself, but that it also has for him the most salutary consequences. From this latter moment the feeling of pleasure is formed, and from this the most powerful impulse to action. The task to be solved would therefore be not only to awaken in man the conviction of the reality of the good, to stir the heart for it, but now also to produce in him the desire or the striving for it; thus not merely to explain to man the value of piety, for example, to win his heart for it, but now to move him, that he really becomes pious. Moralists therefore distinguish between reasons of determination and reasons of motive. The reason that arises from the pure knowledge of the good is the determining reason; that, on the other hand, which is drawn from the idea of the purpose to be achieved by the action is called the motive reason.

If we now ask what motives are available to the preacher to bring the knowledge of the truth and the emotion of the heart to real action and to transform the listener into a doer, we must consider the matter negatively and positively. Looking at our subject negatively, all impure, dishonest, exaggerated motives are to be rejected from the pulpit speech. The end never justifies the means, least of all in the present case. Unclean, however, is the motive that arises from a truly immoral reason, e.g. if the preacher uses an existing superstition, or if he seeks to arouse corrupt passions, or if he distorts or conceals the truth. The motives are dishonest if they work on mere prudence, on temporal advantage, on fear of punishment alone. They are exaggerated if they do not correspond to the truth and portray a happiness or an evil that does not exist anywhere. This together is very important, especially for the aspiring preacher, who can easily be carried away by the most impure and dishonest motives in order to make a momentary effect and to shake the listeners.

On the other hand, the pulpit speech positively permits all purely moral motives, fernet all those found in Christianity, and finally also those of prudence and temporal well-being, insofar as they are combined with true purely moral and Christia n motives, and in no way demands that hungry and thirsty souls be fobbed off with the mere categorical imperative, as in the times of the Kantian school. Accordingly, the divine will, God's pleasure and displeasure, the example of Jesus, the hope of a bett er life in the future, the feeling of dignity and respect, as well as of unworthiness and contempt, the severity of conscience, divine reward and punishment, etc., can be used as motives just as well as pointing out to man the good and bad consequences of his actions, which are already inherent in the institutions of nature.

However much one may agree with this, and however little one may now claim to be able to influence the will of man with a mere "thou shalt", the question still remains to be answered: how the preacher is to apply these motives in order to remain in harmony with instruction and emotion. And here, first of all, the choice of material must be considered. A subject matter that is calculated solely to occupy the faculty of knowledge, or a sub ject matter that is based exclusively on the stirring of the heart, will not satisfy the Even if we must in certain cases approve of mere enlightenment sermons, as they are also called in a better sense, or of mere emotional sermons, in general the practical purpose must never be completely forgotten, and the improvement of the heart is and alwa ys remains the main thing. Therefore, such material is always to be preferred, which is drawn from life and calculated for life, and yet unites conviction and emotion in equal measure.

An old, very worthy preacher used to say: one must always get to the heart of the listener. And he is right. This "going to the body" says nothing else than what we have just said in other words, namely, that every material for a chewing lecture must be drawn from life and calculated for life, that is, it must be really practical. In particular, the motifs can be interwoven with the individual moments of the sermon, or they can form the conclusion of the whole. Wherever they occur, however, they must be powerful and striking, and this is the most difficult part of the whole, the actual vis oratoris, which cannot be taught, but lies in the individuality of the speaker. A rich and lively imagination, a fairly deep grasp of life, of the moment in which the listener finds himself, a fairly great fluency in language, etc., are indispensable conditions here, to which must be added the lecture itself, which completes the whole through sound and movement. If, therefore, the sermon knows how to unite in itself the most cogent and convincing reasons for truth, the deepest possible feelings for the true, the good, and the beautiful, and the most powerful possible motives, then it must work, and it does work, however powerful the obstacles may be which oppose it; insofar, that is, as human powers suffice."

Note 3

However necessary the warning against evil and the exhortation to do good are, they are in vain if the listener is not also shown the way or given the means by which he can get out of his misery of sin. This is not only the case with the vast majority of sect preachers, but also with many beginners, who assail the sinner with all the means, all the terrors of hell, and thus arouse fear and terror in him, but ultimatel y achieve nothing, because they do not show him the way he has to go. Just as a doctor must not only tell a sick person about his illness, but also prescribe the means by which he can be cured of his illness, so the preacher, as the doctor of the soul, mus t also give the sinner the means by which he can be cured of his illness.

The disease of sin can be freed. "Then, if one makes his misery as great as possible for a long time," says Rambach aptly, "shames and frightens him, and one does not show him how he can get rid of it, what will all this help? But when one has so driven hi m into his conscience that he cannot escape, and then shows him how he can be saved from this misery, it is as if one scatters a fertile seed on a good, well-worked field, from which one can expect a desired fruit. But if one wants to wait for this, one must do and observe two things in particular: a) The audience must be instructed in the order of salvation, namely how they should repentantly recognize their misery and seek grace in Christ.

b) One must direct the listeners to prayer, even at times put the words into their mouths and tell them how they must do it if they wanted to complain and present their condition to God." In the Instruction for Visitators of 1528, the preface states: "Now we find this fault in the doctrine among others, that although some preach about faith, by which we are to be justified, yet it is not sufficiently indicated how one is to come to faith, and almost all omit a piece of Christian doctrine, without which also no one can understand what faith is or is called. For Christ speaks in Luke 3, chapter 8 and Luke 24, 27 that one should preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in His name. But many now speak only of forgiveness of sins, and say nothing or little of repentance; yet without repentance there is no forgiveness of sins;

neither can forgiveness of sins be understood without repentance. And if forgiveness of sins is preached without repentance, it follows that people think they have already obtained forgiveness of sins, and thereby become secure and fearless. Which is greater error and sin than all the errors before this world, and is truly to be feared, as Christ says Matth. 12, 45, Luk. 11, 26, that the last would be worse than the first. Therefore we have instructed and admonished the pastors that they should preach the gospel in its entirety and not one part without the other, as they are obligated to do. For God says Deut. 4:2 that one should not add to his word or do anything from it. And the present preachers reproach the pope for adding much to the Scriptures, when, alas, it is all too true; but these, if they preach not repentance, tear a great deal from the Scriptures, and meanwhile speak of eating flesh and such little things. Although they neither are they to be silent in due time for the sake of tyranny, to defend Christian liberty:

but what is this but, as Christ saith Matt. 23:24, swallowing gnats and camels? So we have admonished them, that they diligently and often exhort the people to repentance, to have remorse and sorrow for their sin, and to be afraid of God's judgment; and that they also do not neglect the great and necessary part of repentance, for both John and Christ punish the Pharisees more severely fo r their holy hypocrisy than common sinners. So the preachers should punish gross sins in the common man, but where there is false holiness, they should exhort much more severely to repentance." Schott says about this (Theorie der Beredsamkeit, 3. Theil, 1. Abth., 2. Aufl., Leipzig 1846): "It is indisputably of great importance for the general end purpose of spiritual speeches, to promote true active Christianity, that the attention of Christian congregations should often be directed especially to the means of virtue and that special lectures should be devoted to the consideration of such spiritual activities, such inner states, such outer objects and institutions, in so far as they promote either moral action in general or this and that kind of expression of the virtuous disposition..... It is, however, also part of the practical direction of spiritual speeches that, where the chosen topic concerns an object that also offers a fruitful consideration and application as a means of virtue, this side should not be left untouched.... But - as a binding norm, homiletics cannot and must not establish the principle that in all Christian moral sermons a separate part of the speech must be devoted to the consideration of the means by which one attains this virtue, or be comes free from this error, escapes the danger of this sin. What monotonous and unnecessary repetitions would result from this, especially in such Christian moral sermons that deal more with general than with specific matters.... The most appropriate place for such aids is undoubtedly in the last part of the sermon. When the nature of the virtue to which the hearers are to be encouraged, or of the error against which they are to be warned, has been correctly and clearly explained; when, by a convincing and awakening presentation of the reasons for encouragement and warning, even the most lively inclination of the will to the performance of what the speech demands has been brought about in the minds:

then, finally, where the resolution a nd the real beginning could still be inhibited by any uncertainty about the manner of execution, by any thought of the difficulty of the matter, this obstacle, too, is removed by the indication of facilitating and encouraging means, and thus the work of the orator is crowned - according to a succession of mental activities quite appropriate to the nature of the human soul."

Note 4

What Schott has indicated in the above quotation with the reference to the elimination of a thought inhibiting the execution of the difficulty of the matter, is finally likewise to be taken into account. For not infrequently, the listeners, even if they have already made salutary resolutions and have come to clarity about the means, still let themselves be kept from the execution by the obstacles or difficulties that only supposedly or really stand in their way, which they do not dare to remove or overcome. It is all the more necessary to point out these obstacles in advance, to acquaint the listeners with them, for foreseen projectiles do less harm than unforeseen ones. They must be told: "If you are serious about your repentance, about your Christianity, you will have to overcome many difficulties and fight many battles: The flesh rebels, the former enemies will mock and jeer; there may be loss of earthly goods to fear, a sinful business must be abandoned, the pleasures of this world must cease, temptations and temptations will come," etc. They must be exhorted to pray, to stop, to be steadfast.

Regarding the individual points considered in the examination of conscience, Rambach makes the following remarks: "1. These things cannot be sufficiently impressed without a certain holy tautology; for one must know that not all tautologies in sermons are reprehensible. It is true that this is a vain and boyish tautology, when one often makes one thing, since there is nothing behind it, and always coldly brings forward one thing without affect and often repeats it, which error is peculiar to those who want to extemporize in preaching before they have attained a right spiritual efficiency an d skill in it; which tautology is rightly to be rejected and disgusting to righteous minds. But this is a holy and manly tautology, which is found even in the speeches of Christ and his apostles, where the same thing is repeated and inculcated in many ways with many words and speeches, and thus, as it were, beats on a nail with a hammer, so that it may go in deeper and deeper. In this kind of tautology Lutherus has especially excelliret.... But this tautology flows from a paternal and pastoral affect, since one has such a hunger for the blessedness of the listeners that one cannot stop and desist, as it were, until one can have hope that at least some might be moved and won by it; especially if the matter is very important and one is concerned that the listeners, because of their known weakness and rudity, might not have grasped it sufficiently and understood it completely. Now this tautology is also delicate to the ears of the The people who love the piquancy of eloquence are disgusting and annoying; but when the need of the audience requires it, one must not turn to this corner, as it has no meaning.

[P. Anton gives the following comment to Joh. 21, 17: "So it cannot be interpreted badly to a preacher if he says a thing also three times. For he does not want to show what a nice speaker he is in what he presents, but he is guided by the need of the auditorii. So, even if he uses quasi-tautologies, that does him no harm, aeteris paribus, and if it is otherwise known how he means it. With such a nature, such repetitiones are not to be perpetrated, but well to be interpreted; it is necessary! Some say: "Does he say one thing three times? Answer: my dear friend, tace! tace! here it is written of Christ: 'Does he say to him for the third time: Simon Johanna, do you love me? B ecause people are so quick to say yes, it is better to start the exploration a few times. Hohel. 1, 8. Conf. 2. Corinth. 5, 14 -18; 4, 5. 10.

13. Matth. 9, 36. 38. Coll. V. 10, 13. 1. Thess. 2, 8. Phil. 1, 17. f." (Harmo. Erkl. der heil, vier

Evangelisten XIV, p. 549 f.)] 2 This examination of conscience cannot be done properly by anyone other than a skilled and faithful preacher who himself has a proper concern for his own conscience and who must not worry about remorse, but can penetrate the consciences of the listeners with a holy parrhesia, audacity and joyfulness. Therefore, he who does not preach to himself first and foremost and diligently examine his own conscience will never preach to others properly. It is not necessary that all these pieces follow one another in the indicated order in each application of practical motifs, but rather that prudence must teach each time what is to be particularly urged for this time in the application, what can be omitted now and what can be dealt with. One must always be guided by the circumstances of the text, the listeners, and the time; for an excessively long and rambling application makes the best listeners annoyed;

therefore, one must also observe the middle road here, that one neither spreads oneself out too far in the application, nor keeps it too short.